The NBA re-formatting its old Top 50 list into a new Top 75 list feels like a cop-out. The NBA intended 1996’s collection as a forever-list when it was published, that’s why voters included Shaq after only four seasons, why switch saddles in 2021?
Don’t switch Shaq Saddles.
The league will do the whole thing over this fall, re-writing the entire list instead of committing to those included in 1996’s 50 Greatest Players list, like re-doing a mock draft, or inking over your Bill Sharman tattoo.
So, we’ll get to our 75. First, we’re going to add the next 25 players, the ones the NBA coulda added to its Mt. Rushmore instead of sandblasting TR outta there just because platform associations don’t work in today’s NBA.
The next post will include our full Top 75, but you can argue over this one, too.
PREVIOUSLY: Reworking the NBA’s Top 50 list
We won’t rank these by prominence, but we’ll put LeBron James first, he’s turned out well.
Chris Bosh could still be playing right now. Carmelo Anthony contributed enough in his ongoing NBA spin to earn next-25 inclusion, and after an illustrious career Dwyane Wade probably retired too early — Wade woulda held up for at least the first month and a half of 2019-20.
He won’t make the NBA’s cut, but any top-25-players-since-1996 list that doesn’t include Shawn Marion is Gigglestock ‘99.
Giannis Antetokounmpo mixed Marion’s all-around skills with that of a pterosaur but Antetokounmpo has only been MVP-caliber for four seasons so Giannis just makes the list, because this is a really good list, Pau Gasol is on it.
Anthony Davis nearly suffered from Antetokounmpo’s albatross, Davis delivered Kareem-y counts since 2012 but also averages 62 contests a season.
(Six-to-eight teams would trade their next ten drafts, legally stretching out over NBA 20 seasons, for those 62 games.)
Kawhi Leonard’s NBA career features an average of 58 appearances per season and he probably won’t play 38 minutes in a game until spring of 2024, so what, have you seen what Kawhi Leonard does to other NBA players, he’s on this list.
Kobe Bryant, Kyrie Irving and Allen Iverson operate here, by themselves, that’s where we want to watch them. A poll of players probably places this triptych at the top of their list and, in game to 11 (win by two), who’s to tell the voters that they’re wrong, in a situation like that?
Ray Allen and Reggie Miller are built different, skinnier. Ray is socially inappropriate yet not entirely objectionable, like a guy that Irish Goodbyes volunteer chaperone duties on his son’s field trip to the zoo, but only after he’s done helping with head-count and packing.
Miller’s backstage demands include legal push-offs, a 3200-calorie breakfast from a fast food chain, two screens set by men working under pseudonyms (operational last name: “Davis”) and the number of some guy’s wife.
Shooters, though. If they’re on the board and all the actual good players are gone, you have to take them. Unless someone’s tall.
Alongside that ideal, here’s the franchise, who do you want, Tim Duncan or Kevin Garnett? Yeah, you’d pick Duncan, but then you’d have to think about playing Kevin Garnett for the next 20 years knowing that you spurned him, publicly.
KG would quit whichever franchise selected him second overall to sign a minimum deal with a team inside your division, preferably within driving distance, because Kevin Garnett is going to be parked outside your practice. He’s gonna be in your lot. He’s going to get past the guard at the gate.
Then again, Tim Duncan has all those fucking swords.
Two super weird dudes who will forever battle each other as greatest player of his generation. In this scenario, atop a parking lot.
A Steve Nash vs. Chris Paul battle is probably missing the point.
Chris Paul was his league’s most efficient point guard when he entered it. Superior to Nash, yet Steve will always get undeserved extra credit in our heads because of what we’re all thinking about right now, which is prime Steve Nash suiting up in an era where pulling up for 26-footers, whenever, was fine.
Stephen Curry took what we begged Nash to. All Steph did was watch and learn and think and watch and play, which is fine, that’s what everyone does, but it takes a special brain (read: rich kid) to dare to be the one who keeps launching. He’s supposed to be cocky, it would be incorrect if he weren’t.
Also, Gary Payton wasn’t cocky, Gary Payton was accurate, and he executed it while trying to dribble with two hands pushed into him.
On the other end, GP didn’t need those hands for defense:
James Harden, in an era with hand-checks? We don’t know how James Harden does what he does, currently, why would you attempt to check him hypothetically?
Nobody knows more about 1997 than the person about to type these words — Ledell Eackles — the hand-check era is familiar to me and my remaining VHS tapes and, I promise you, Harden would have crushed those baggy-shorted chumps. Always trust a player whose game is legendary even without mobile apps.
Also, I know each of Bonzi Wells’ middle names and I will tell you each of them if you
James Harden in. Ledell Eackles, sadly out.
Jason Kidd in. Effective in that upright, NFL-ish stance which, ironically, inspired millions of the NBA’s national television viewers to abandon its broadcasts to devote increasing computer hours toward developing into more ardent, appreciative NFL fans.
Kevin Durant is the greatest basketball player ever so you have to include him.
And Dirk Nowitzki is the only guy here who can beat KD in HORSE, so, Dirk’s in.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS SECTION
OK I’ll take questions.
I only counted 24 players.
The list has 25 players.
No it doesn’t.
Next question.
Did you forget someone?
Ahhhh
Did you forget
noooo
Did you forget Dwight Howard?
No.
Is Dwight Howard on the list and you just didn’t want to write it?
Yes.
Did you have to sell your spine to fit inside that stupid t-shirt?
I don’t have to be here.
END OF QUESTION & ANSWER SESSION
On Wednesday our final 75 hits, including the fellas (Dennis, Dominique, McAdooooo) we added to our Top 50, with the players we excised (Shaq, David Robinson, Bill Sharman, Bill Walton, James Worthy, Pete Maravich) floating around.
All candidates for inclusion because a lot changes with me from day to day, I already regret Reggie ahead of Pierce, the whole list could be ‘Eighties baseball players and the Law & Order extras that look like them’ by Wednesday.
Sounds reliable, you should help me not keep it up:
ALMOST
Paul George should be close on everyone’s list, his big years (108 playoff contests, 21.3 points per game) are starting to pile up. Manu Ginobili (218 playoff games, four NBA rings), considering this notion, would also like a word. Go look at the list, it’s a good list!
It’s a frustrating list, George and Manu plus the cut-short careers of Elton Brand, Yao Ming, Chris Webber, Amar’e Stoudemire and Alonzo Mourning. Each projected as profoundly as nearly anyone on the 25.
Some argued for Grant Hill inclusion on 1996’s Top 50 list based around the Shaq suggestion, that Hill was gonna be on any incoming list, anyway, because there was nobody like him.
Speaking of, Dame Lillard is right there. Right there. Nothing keeps Damian Lillard off a Top 77 list, which is good because the No. 77 is way cooler than No. 75.
(If I’ve upset Irv Pankey, I apologize.)
(If I’ve upset Irv Eatman, well, I’ve nothing to apologize for.)
Tracy McGrady burned brightly but never built up his back, Joe Johnson could still be backing in NBA defenders, their greatness just didn’t turn the corner. Paul Pierce, a Finals MVP and champion, was our final cut. Rasheed Wallace was our first cut.
Consider it criminal to sideline Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace in favor of a few of these weenies. Russell Westbrook has an argument over Irving, Draymond Green could lick any of them, probably literally and without getting thrown out, and Nikola Jokic is on pace for a Top 85 showing.
We argued ceaselessly for longevity and efficiency and left Zach Randolph and Mitch Richmond and Vince Carter and LaMarcus Aldridge off? Omitting Chauncey Billups is obscene. Where is Shaq.
Top 75 list on Wednesday.
LEDELL EACKLES VS. JAMES EDWARDS
If you want to know what win No. 72 looked like for the Bulls, it ran with Jack Haley buckets and Jud Buechler dunks. Chicago won on a Sunday afternoon against a bad team.
Enjoy this scene: Mr. Eackles not having it, Steve Kerr laughing at his own center, Rasheed Wallace and Gheorghe Muresan and the sort of suits they sell you and your local sports anchor in 1997, I think I saw Randy Sklar in there.
Buddha Edwards backed away from the fight so as to avoid a suspension in his bid for a spot on Chicago’s active playoff roster:
“I was thinking about (throwing a punch), but Scottie (Pippen) grabbed me and said, ‘Playoffs, playoffs,’ so I said, ‘OK, OK’ and went back down to the other end,” said Edwards.
Bulls coach/mahatma Phil Jackson was quick to assuage the dread in his respected reserve center nah just kidding he left him hanging:
“I’m sure the league will look at it,” Phil Jackson said. “I anticipate he will miss a game. I’m sure that’s something we will have to take into consideration.”
Chicago general manager Jerry Krause — ostensibly the brusque and impersonal one — didn’t want Edwards walking on eggshells over a lack of six-twelve-eighteen-twenty-four fouls against Alonzo Mourning and Danny Schayes …
… in an opening round Game 1 against the Heat.
Krause said Edwards’ possible suspension had no bearing on the decision. “We have to look down the line to four series hopefully, not just one game,” he said.
Buddha needn’t worry, his competition was Dickey Simpkins.
Thank you for reading! You have no competition and this week will be way mellower than your last one, I promise.
