If you scored all 100's on your homework and can't pass the test, that could only mean one thing. You cheated on your homework. Yeah, it definitely is sad. Robinson was my hero growing up. He wasn't just someone whom I admired solely for his athletic abilities or accomplishments either. He was someone whom I could model some of the principles in my life after. There aren't that many true heros in sports anymore, and it's probably foolish to even try to find one in professional sports today. Look at Kobe, or Eddie, or Jayson Williams, or Sprewell, just in the NBA alone. The list goes on and on. David Robinson, though, is one guy I admired who never let me down. I'm in agreement with you on that. Although I think it is sometimes unfair to judge how great somebody is by their team's playoff performance, and also for the result of just a single series. But that's the way it goes, and Hakeem was definitely clutch. He also had winning playoff records and better individual stats against Shaq, Ewing and Robinson in the playoffs. Hard to argue against that.
Come on, I don't buy the assists argument. Their career assist averages are: Wilt 4.4 and Russell 4.3. Absolutely no difference of significance. I also agree that Russell had better players on his team, but that does not equal championships by any means. In fact, look at all the teams full of talented players in the league today that have not won championships (Mavs, Kings, Blazers, Nets). One thing is for certain though. Bill Russell's Celtics played like a true team. Many of their championship seasons, the Celtics didn't even have a player among the top 10 in scoring average. They shared the ball that well. Maybe the Rockets can learn a little something from Bill, and not Wilt. We can really go on forever debating though, and there'd be no right answer. That's the beauty of it all.
A few scattered points: You can't make a claim that Kareem's accomplishments were due to playing with great point guards without also pointing out that Russell didn't win all those titles by himself. He was the core of a team of future Hall of Famers: Bob Cousy Bill Sharman Frank Ramsey John Havlicek Sam Jones Tom Heinsohn K.C. Jones While obviously the team leader (and player/coach for two of the championships), Russell never led his team in scoring. Hakeem's accomplishments, on the other hand, came with a relatively mediocre supporting cast. Drexler, Barkley and maybe Pippen are the only future Hall of Famers who shared the court with Dream, and they were only there for a grand total of, what, 5 years combined? Robinson? Not in the top 5, but I'd put him in the top 10, along with Ewing, Mikan, Malone and Walton. As for Wilt, in addition to scoring 100 points in a game, he had these two amazing stats: * Never fouled out of a game. and of course: * Nailed over 20,000 women. Now THAT, my friends, is a scoring title.
1) Wilt 2) Kareem 3) Russel 4) Hakeem 5) Shaq 6) Moses It's hard to argue with putting Wilt at number one. Most people put him down as the all-time second best player, next to Jordan. And I still think he is underrated. Has anyone else led the league in points, rebounds, and assists at points in their career? Kareem seems to be the obvious number two. Russel: Eleven championships! Eleven! And he was the player-coach for one or two of those, if I'm not mistaken. He was the best player on the best team of all time (over a period of time). Hakeem: Gets the nod over Shaq for two main reasons. First, he was a much better defender. Everyone will admit this. Second, he played during a period in the NBA that featured the most very good-to-great centers playing at the same time. Even Wilt can't make that claim. By the time Shaq was coming into his own, Hakeem, Robinson, and Ewing were gettin' on up there in years. The fact that Yao is now the second best center in the league says more about the league than it does about Yao, I think. Shaq: Better scorer than Hakeem. Better FG%, higher average per game, able to dominate the game without being a defensive force. Certainly the best player over the last 5 years. Moses: Have we forsaken one of our own? Where were the mentions of Moses? He had 3 MVPs (more than Shaq and Hakeem combined) and was the best player on arguably the best single-season team of all time, in Philly. He was a rebounding machine at a time when players didn't average 22 rebounds per game, like in Wilt's era. Plus he could score and defend as well as anyone. And he did all this while being shorter than even Hakeem. This, my friends, is the definitive list.
And ALL of those centers that happened to win more titles had a lot more help on their teams. Good point (not to mention Ewing and Robinson, two more in the top 10 for sure). Shaq is really the only one on that list that won his rings at a time when there was no other center to challenge him. Shaq, a better rebounder than Dream? Are you serious?? Shaq, with all his size, has never even led the league in rebounds. I think he does. What could Shaq do that David couldn't? David is kinda like Hakeem....when he finally got some help, he won (although he was not "the man"). Put Robinson on the 95 Magic and you think the Rockets are guarenteed to win? Put Robinson with Kobe in his prime, in an era where no other center is on the scene, and you don't think they win? And what about Moses Malone????
Ok i voted like already 5 times on nba.com about this. I think its obsured that Hakeem is number 4 after Shaq. I dont really have nothing against Shaq but he should be last on that list of great centers. I really dont think that Shaq could stand a chance against any of those players when they were in there prime. Shaq is just really big guy that dominates people because he throws his weight around. His timing is perefect for him to look like a one of the great centers but if you were to put him in the league when everyone was in there prime I am afraid he wouldnt stand a chance. Hakeem proved that in the finals when Shaq played for Orlando. Shaq was alot smaller back then and Hakeem just totally dominted him like he was Jason Collier. He couldnt do anything to stop Hakeem. Hakeem was a wizard with his feet and couldnt handle Hakeems moves on the offense and defenses end. I am sorry but I cant see Shaq a better center then Hakeem was. Thats just not possible. Shaq doesnt have the mobilty that all of those great centers have. Bill, Wilt, Kareem, Hakeem had something more then there size to dominate in the league. I mean Shaq cant even shoot free throws for god sakes. He doesnt have anything other then his size. If he wasant so big I cant really seeing doing any damage in this league. He has a poor outside shot. I mean I can see why people why the voting went the way it did on nba.com . Mostly becuase they have people voting that dont have the knowledge on basketball and think that Kobe, Shaq, T-Mac and Iverson are the greatest players that ever played the game. They should go do some research and see how the league was. Like I said, Shaq wouldnt be able to last in a league with Wilt, Bill, Kareem, and Hakeem when they were in there prime. All of those guys would eat him up for breakfest. He wouldnt stand a chance thats why they see Yao as a center that can dominate this league including Shaq in the future. Yao has all the quality's for a great center like Wil, Bill, Kareem, and Hakeem. He can pass shot from the outside and can dominate in the inside.
Dont forget that Hakeem did on the defensive end also. I cant really see that as a Draw. Hakeem came in as clutch player and pretty much dominated that whole seris. If it was even then they could have at least won one game...
Shaq in 95 was not at his prime yet. Although Dream was great, other than 1995 I don't think he was more dominating than Shaq. Dream just went nuts in the 1995 playoff run, which separated him from Ewing and Robinson.
I dont understand the NBA and its fans any more. People now and days look at the stats and then rank who should be #1 of all time. People never look at the players overall game and what he has done for his team. Wilt Chamberlin was a great player but was too selfish. All the guy cared about is scoring. Wilt as great as he was did not win a championship by himself, Jerry West helped him. Kareem Abdul Jabbar was a great center but needed Magic and the rest of those players to beat out the Boston Celtics. Shaq is the most dominant center to ever play the gamebut needed Kobe and the rest to become champs. Bill Russell is a great center that won 9 championship rings but needed Red Archaback (whatever) and Bob Cousy and the rest. I dont know much about Gorge Mikan so im not going there. Hakeem on the other hand took his team to the playoffs all by himself. He had no superstar type player on his team till Drexler came. He was an all round player. The most skilled out of all those names. And can dominate other centers different type of ways. Hakeem beat New York Knicks all on his own in the 1994 playoffs. Even though the other players made big shots to help the Rockets win. I think out of all these player Hakeem had the biggest heart and to me is the best center to play the game. None of these players can be compaired to Hakeem cause he is more of a complete player then anyone up there. The rest just care about stats (except for Bill Russell).
Eh? You can't equate Mad Max, Horry, The Jet and Sam Cassell to Tim Duncan. In 1994, I think it's fair to say that Hakeem was the major contributor. Duncan won those titles for SA, not D Rob.
Your quote is only half right. Wilt was with out question the most dominant center of his era if not most dominant player of all time. Dream was with out question the most dominant Center of his era. Just ask David Rodinson and Patrick Ewing. As I recall Dream also out played Shaq in the NBA finals. Jabbar was not the most dominant center of his era. Moses Malone clearly dominated Kareem in the play-offs and again in the finals. Moses also won more NBA MVP's after the NBA and ABA merger. Jabbars career was clearly resurected by the aquisition of Magic Johnson but he was not as good as Moses. Kareem had the Hook Shot and he played for the Lakers but Mo was better and more dominant.
Anyone who thinks Shaq is better than Hakeem needs there head checked, Shaq cant shoot or play very good defense.
Kareem was all-NBA first-team five times after the merger, to Moses' four. It is also worth mentioning that Kareem was 31 when Malone got to the NBA, and 36 by the time Malone one his second MVP, hardly his prime. Malone's career was clearly helped by going to the Sixers to play with Dr. J (maybe the greatest SG of all-time, certainly top three), but Kareem is better at everything but rebounding. Malone was all-defensive 1st team 1 time and 2nd team 1 time. Kareem was all-defensive first team 5 times and second team 6 times. Malone was a career 49% shooter. Kareem was a career 56 % shooter. Moses averaged 1.4 apg. Kareem averaged 3.6 apg. Doing better in head to head matchups does not mean someone is better, just a better match-up. The Sonics were not better than the Rockets, they just had the Rox number. Kareem is the better center between the 2, period.
