Tonight(TNT), Tomorrow(2pm CT, ESPN) & Wednesday(5pm CT, TNT), NBA will release the Top 75 greatest players (25 per day) List is alphabetical so no rankings, no “GOAT” will be named. Spoiler: Original 1996 ‘50 Greatest Players’ List Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Nate Archibald Paul Arizin Charles Barkley Rick Barry Elgin Baylor Dave Bing Larry Bird Wilt Chamberlain Bob Cousy Dave Cowens Billy Cunningham Dave DeBusschere Clyde Drexler Julius Erving Patrick Ewing Walt Frazier George Gervin Hal Greer John Havlicek Elvin Hayes Magic Johnson Sam Jones Michael Jordan Jerry Lucas Karl Malone Moses Malone Pete Maravich Kevin McHale George Mikan Earl Monroe Hakeem Olajuwon Shaquille O'Neal Robert Parish Bob Pettit Scottie Pippen Willis Reed Oscar Robertson David Robinson Bill Russell Dolph Schayes Bill Sharman John Stockton Isiah Thomas Nate Thurmond Wes Unseld Bill Walton Jerry West Lenny Wilkens James Worthy 2021 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Giannis Antetokounmpo Nate Archibald Charles Barkley Bob Cousy Dave Cowens Kevin Durant Julius Erving George Gervin Hal Greer James Harden Elvin Hayes Jerry Lucas Moses Malone Kevin McHale George Mikan Steve Nash Dirk Nowitzki Hakeem Olajuwon Bob Pettit Willis Reed Oscar Robertson David Robinson Bill Russell John Stockton
I wonder if anyone actually did. From 1996 onwards you have 25 players they can add: Duncan Garnett Dirk Giannis LeBron Durant Kobe Wade Harden Curry Nash Kidd Chris Paul Iverson Westbrook Carmelo Mutombo Reggie Miller McGrady that’s 19 right there who, imo, should be shoo ins. I’m sure I’m leaving a few locks but 6 more spots. You still got Kawhi Chris Bosh Chris Webber Ben Wallace Vince Carter Yao if it were me I’d fill in the last 6 spots with Kawhi Ray Allen Ben Wallace Dwight Howard Vince Carter Pau Gasol
Not sure about Carmelo or Mutumbo as shoo-ins. Lillard will probably be considered, and maybe also Kyrie. Draymond Green and Klay Thompson will get some consideration. Anthony Davis is another one. Probably there are more.
You might be right. I just hope they’re not going to do the same thing they did back in 96 and prematurely put Shaq on the list. It worked out in the end but he really didn’t earn it yet. It’s like if the NBA decided to put Luka on this top 75 list.
kawhi and AD have to be on there. kawhi even with injuries and quitting for a year and landing in the best situations ever has not been outperformed by more than 75 people. he is probably a top 10 playoff performer when he actually plays. carmelo has too much name recognition to not make it i think (well, who did the voting?). i really can't see a case for kyrie over carmelo. he's basically the same strengths and weaknesses minus longevity minus leading a team consistently to the playoffs or making a conference finals on his own plus some crazy antics. draymond should be on there but won't be. i would put ginobili on there.
Paul Arizin Rick Barry Larry Bird Wilt Chamberlain Clyde Drexler Tim Duncan Patrick Ewing Walt Frazier Kevin Garnett John Havlicek Allen Iverson Magic Johnson Sam Jones Michael Jordan Karl Malone Robert Parish Chris Paul Scottie Pippen Bill Sharman Isiah Thomas Nate Thurmond Wes Unseld Bill Walton Jerry West James Worthy Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Giannis Antetokounmpo Nate Archibald Paul Arizin Charles Barkley Rick Barry Larry Bird Wilt Chamberlain Bob Cousy Dave Cowens Clyde Drexler Tim Duncan Kevin Durant Julius Erving Patrick Ewing Walt Frazier Kevin Garnett George Gervin Hal Greer James Harden John Havlicek Elvin Hayes Allen Iverson Magic Johnson Sam Jones Michael Jordan Jerry Lucas Karl Malone Moses Malone Kevin McHale George Mikan Steve Nash Dirk Nowitzki Hakeem Olajuwon Robert Parish Chris Paul Bob Pettit Scottie Pippen Willis Reed Oscar Robertson David Robinson Bill Russell Bill Sharman John Stockton Isiah Thomas Nate Thurmond Wes Unseld Bill Walton Jerry West James Worthy
Ray Allen Carmelo Anthony Elgin Baylor Dave Bing Kobe Bryant Billy Cunningham Stephen Curry Anthony Davis Dave DeBusschere LeBron James Jason Kidd Kawhi Leonard Damian Lillard Pete Maravich Bob McAdoo Reggie Miller Earl Monroe Shaquille O’Neal Gary Payton Paul Pierce Dennis Rodman Dolph Schayes Dwyane Wade Russell Westbrook Lenny Wilkens Dominique Wilkins
*76 players because there was a tie in the voting 2021 NBA’s 75 Greatest Players Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Ray Allen Giannis Antetokounmpo Carmelo Anthony Nate Archibald Paul Arizin Charles Barkley Rick Barry Elgin Baylor Dave Bing Larry Bird Kobe Bryant Wilt Chamberlain Bob Cousy Dave Cowens Billy Cunningham Stephen Curry Anthony Davis Dave DeBusschere Clyde Drexler Tim Duncan Kevin Durant Julius Erving Patrick Ewing Walt Frazier Kevin Garnett George Gervin Hal Greer James Harden John Havlicek Elvin Hayes Allen Iverson LeBron James Magic Johnson Sam Jones Michael Jordan Jason Kidd Kawhi Leonard Damian Lillard Jerry Lucas Karl Malone Moses Malone Pete Maravich Bob McAdoo Kevin McHale George Mikan Reggie Miller Earl Monroe Steve Nash Dirk Nowitzki Shaquille O’Neal Hakeem Olajuwon Robert Parish Chris Paul Gary Payton Bob Pettit Paul Pierce Scottie Pippen Willis Reed Oscar Robertson David Robinson Dennis Rodman Bill Russell Dolph Schayes Bill Sharman John Stockton Isiah Thomas Nate Thurmond Wes Unseld Dwyane Wade Bill Walton Jerry West Russell Westbrook Lenny Wilkens Dominique Wilkins James Worthy
TNT’s “Who was left off?” Walt Bellamy Vince Carter Adrian Dantley Artis Gilmore Penny Hardaway Grant Hill Dwight Howard Bernard King Tracy McGrady Dikembe Mutombo (Others “missing”, according to career WS) Pau Gasol (28) Shawn Marion (42) Chauncey Billups (43) Buck Williams (46) Horace Grant (47) Chet Walker (49) Bob Lanier (50) Bailey Howell (52) LaMarcus Aldridge (55) Jack Sikma (56) Tony Parker (58) Terry Porter (59) Elton Brand (61) Larry Nance (62) Detlef Schrempf (63) Jeff Hornacek (64) Manu Ginóbili (68) Otis Thorpe (69) Chris Bosh (71) Bill Laimbeer (72) Sam Perkins (73) Rasheed Wallace (74) (LOL He didn’t actually say it.)
There should only be 75. Rodman doesn't belong--he was never a leader and never a top two player on any of his teams. On top of that, he quit when faced with adversity. Even took his shoes off in a game. Sure, he had numbers in things he wanted to do, but he never worked on his weaknesses. He also had a flair for making dramatic plays and not getting noticed for bad ones. Great role player, not Top 75 (or HOF) worthy. My other problem is with with Dame. His inclusion opens the door for arguments for a bunch of guards and scorers who were very, very good but not quite great enough--Manu, Richmond, Davis, Ellis, Blackmon, Dumars, Dantley, Carter, Jones, Smith, Terry, Parker, Cheeks, Lowry--hell, even Hornacek to name some. Several of those names would be picked over Dame if you were building a team. Glad to see Nique make it in.
Putting Westbrook on this list and not Manu or Tony P is laughable. The media fascination with Westbrick is … something.
Reggie Miller is a no brainer, that dude is clueless. Did they drop anyone from the top 50? There’s quite a few guys in the snubbed list that would supplant some of the originals.
OG 50 are still in. I think Carmelo, Westbrook, Paul Pierce, AD and Reggie are highly questionable choices, among others.
Reggie Miller is a dead lock top 75, he’s underrated as ****. We can’t use all star appearances and all NBA honors as some kind of barometer of greatness. That’s a popularity contest. Miller was an efficient beast who was ahead of his time and a true playoff star.
