I'm disappointed in Stern. There's no way Shaq and Kobe should be there. It should have been: Jordan, Magic, Bird, Dream, Drexler
Hakeem's era seems like so long ago. I think if Stern was asked this question and given time to think about it, he'd give Dream his due.. but if you ask him off the cuff he's going to just go with his modern superstars with rings. One thing neither Kobe or Shaq can claim is an individually won championship. Hakeem did more by himself than Kobe and Shaq ever did, he was a true champion, a man among boys.
This is the same man who said [paraphrasing]: I have Penny. I have Grant Hill. I have Shaq. Who needs Jordan? The comment was made in the the mid-ninties, and the reason why he said it was to protect game for the current players. Of course he would name Kobe and Shaq, they're the money makers, and the current powerhouses. Wait two to three years, and Stern will be shining the spotlight on Yao. Give Yao one ring, and the League will find a way to call him the greatest ever (like NYC media).
Well, to David f****** Stern, "top" means the most effective money makers, and it would be a big mistake if he pointed out Dream.
Kobe has 3 rings at the age where Dream hadn't won any yet. Dream won 2 rings. Kobe has 3, and will probably get a couple more. Don't underestimate marketability. It's tied to winning. If someone's able to brings in lots of fan support, then that team can afford to go over the cap and into luxury tax territory more comfortably, which in turn means a better roster. Kobe has accomplished more. Maybe Dream had better skills, who knows. Eddie Griffin probably had more skills than Carlos Boozer, but who turned out to be the better player? Regardless of this, Stern is not going to leave Shaq and Kobe out of this... If he had, he would be admitting that the NBA is getting worse, that the quality of his league has gone south. He has to promote the league, so this can't be considered a fair assesment.
Its inarguable that Kobe has more rings than Dream but its not just about rings since Kobe all three times had a better team with him and played weaker opponents. In the '95 Championship Dream basically willed the Rox back from the brink of collapse during the season and then willed the Rox past what was considered the most dominant team and best player that year the Spurs and then on to sweep the Orlando Magic. With Kobe and Shaq's championship runs they've only been really tested twice, once against the Kings and then against the Blazers and both times a good case can be made that those teams lost rather than the Lakers won. If you look at what Dream did at the the height of his career and with what supporting cast I would definately put Dream ahead of Shaq and Kobe.
Kobe and Dream both has another sure Hall of Famer on thier team, they also had Robert Horry and a Bunch of role players. The League as a whole is more competitive now and The Rockets can attest to that since a few seasons ago they won 47 games and still missed the playoffs. The Lakers dominated with the exception of those two playoff series you mentioned, but as far as the the opponents in the east, they have no control over the weak opponents that came out of the east and that sixer team is probably the weakest team to play in a Finals series. Kobe was the reason they won, with Shaq either in foul trouble or out of the offense becsue he couldn't shoot freethrows Kobe had to take the last shots and he made them. For the Rockets the guys who hit the big shots were Horry,Elie,Max, or Smith. Hakeem's only rivals were Ewing and Robinson. Kobe has to go up against an allstar almost every night. Kobe has proven that he is a Top 10 player of all time and i would put him ahead of Shaq and Dream.
Kobe and Shaq both on the top 5 for the past 20 years? Man! Dream had rings, Duncan had two rings... Kobe and Shaq had 1.5 rings each
Kobe has proven that he is a Top 10 player of all time and i would put him ahead of Shaq and Dream. Kobe has proven that he is a Top 10 player of all time and i would put him ahead of Shaq and Dream. Kobe has proven that he is a Top 10 player of all time and i would put him ahead of Shaq and Dream. Kobe has proven that he is a Top 10 player of all time and i would put him ahead of Shaq and Dream. I just wanted to see what it felt like to waste time typing what is either: 1. The stupidest opinion I have ever read. 2. The most tongue-in-cheek comment I have ever read. Hopefully, this was #2.
I hate to say this, but the Mailman should be on the list as well. Clearly the best PF to play the game during the Stern era. I might change my mind if TD keeps up his level of play for a few more years. Didn't Kareem's career stretch into the Stern era as well? I think a pretty good arguement could be made that Dream is more deserving than Bird to be on this list as well.
Magic Johnson Wilt Chamberlain Larry Bird Oscar Robertson Michael Jordan Bill Russell Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Jerry West Julius Erving Moses Malone Now, you're going to tell me that Kobe Bryant finishes ahead of one of these players? Please.
He's naming all the players that made the game so popular and got him big TV ratings. A quiet Nigerian with an accent just doesn't fill the bill.
dream should have signed with nike instead of etonic, spalding, and la gear. that would have got him loads of tv airtime and publicity. maybe it would have helped him become a more recognizable face and maybe it would have helped more people outside of houston remember him. damn dream for having a conscience and not wanting kids killing themselves for shoes P.S.-- i dont think those uncle ben's rice commercials did much for him
