If you could start a team with ONE player in his prime, who would it be?

MJ, Shaq

/thread now.

 

Shaq would make my team alot of money.

 

Nope. I came to this board because of Yao.

Before that I used to follow the Rockets because some relatives were in
Houston.

Greatness has an expiry date. Hakeem as a player is history, as a mentor he is still active.

I continue to follow this team not because of Hakeem but because it is an awesome team.

 

Jordan. Still the apex of basketball.

 

Tim Duncan

 

I think a decent amount of people have Shaq's prime rated on the same tier as Jordan's prime. Shaq just had an on/off switch.

 

I don't believe you

 

Stromile Swift - Hasheem Thabeet

Twin towers.

 

Our own Clutch zealot looking for heresy.

Repent, sinner!

 

dream, he is a player who can do everything. i place more value on well rounded players more than i like shot makers.

2. id go with magic

 

This.... game over.... your point guard could be Matt Maloney and you would win a title.

 

Ralph Sampson and Hakeem with no injuries and a supporting cast that didn't get caught using drugs.

 

detlef schrempf

 

Obviously it would be the man with the most rings in the modern NBA era:

Big Shot Bob aka Robert Horry

 

Dr. J.

 

Surprised not to see Bill Russell mentioned more. He's not the best individual player, but the question was about starting a team.

Phil Jackson apparently would have picked him over Jordan, although he might just be trolling MJ:
http://www.si.com/nba/point-forward...lls-celtics-lakers-first-pick-start-franchise

 

I would say, for me at least, that Wilt's Prime is better than Jordan's and Kareems is comparable with Jordan. I would also say Center is the spot that is the hardest to fill with a great player (generally speaking when building a roster) and an SG is an easier position to fill.

I would also say that Bill Russell is the greatest team basketball player ever. Bill knew how to get the best out of his teammates and win. Basketball is about winning and I would take someone who always wins over Jordan. Bill won his Highschool championship, 2x NCAA titles, 11/13 rings in the NBA (and one of those years he lost, he was injured in the finals, many think if he wasn't injured he would have won that finals too). When you win that much on all levels, and are the undisputed engine, leader of the team there is obviously something special there that conventional stats overlook.

I think anyone who universally agrees that Jordan is the best ever doesn't have enough respect for the players that came before him. MJ is a great, no doubt about it, but his legend has eclipsed his actual skills. He is amongst the greats, but he is not the clear-cut GOAT (I personally think he is not).

 

If it's in the current incarnation of the NBA, then I'd go with Hakeem. His playing style would be just as effective in this era, especially with stretch 4's, and no Center would be able to hold a candle to him.

 

Easiest question to answer...... Robert Horry. Guaranteed Championship!

 

Kareem.
1st in scoring, would be 1st in blocks had they kept that as a stat before be early-mid 80's.