Just curious, but how good do you guys think Kevin Johnson of the Phoenix Suns was as a PG back in the day in his prime? Would you consider him on par with JKidd and Payton in his prime? Or is he more comparable to a Steve Nash or someone like that? How would he fare in todays game in your opinions?
He was terrific, traded because the also terrific Mark Price was ahead of him in Cleveland. He 'briefly' held the record for most consecutive made free throws in an NBA play-off game, but then he missed and the Suns lost to the upstart Dream('s) Team! KJ was recruited by Barkley in '97 but refused to come out of retirement. KJ's game was probably more like a good guy Marbury than the others you mentioned. Terrific shooter, played some D. Great guy. Controlled the team, even with Sir Charle saround.
I agree - Like Marbury, but with half of Stephon's passing. More a lack of willingness than a lack of skill. Evan
I don't know that, but Sammy-I-Am (not a Rocket) wasn't passing the ball in enough, so he was passed out of town. (Sammy will always be one of my favs!)
KJ was like the rich man's version of Kenny Smith. Really quick, mostly shoot first, but made pretty good decisions. Among current players, I would compare him most to a quicker NVE with a better team attitude, or Jason Terry if he had point guard instincts.
I am just wondering but how can you not be a reasonable passer if you averaged 10apg+ for more than one season while also having a solid all around team and also being a guy who was really labeled as being selfish?
KJ was a shoot first, but not only shoot. He wasn't like Arenas, for example. He got the ball to his guys where they could score. He was a much stronger factor than Kenny ever was.
*Fifth in NBA history with 9.2 assists per game (behind John Stockton, Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson and Isiah Thomas) *Tenth all-time in NBA in career assists *Averaged 20+ points and 10+ assists in 3 straight seasons (1988-91) one of five players to ever accomplish the feat (with Nate Archibald, Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson, and Isiah Thomas) Personally, I've always felt that had KJ stayed injury free, he instead of John Stockton would have been considered the 2nd greatest pg of all time. With Steve Francis' sharp decline, the closest comparison to KJ in the modern day NBA would be to call him a much more efficient Stephon Marbury. Same style of dominating the ball, both good passers.
Yeah he got lucky on that dunk, Hakeem made up for it though when he came from no where to block the crap out of him on another dunk atempt.
He could have been the best ever. But, and I'm a huge fan of KJ's, he did turn it on and off. Some of my favorite memories of his are fairly recent, such as when he came out of nowhere in the second half of 1996-97 to be the 2nd best guard in the game.
KJ's game was very different from Kenny or Nick. KJ was quick off the dribble. His cross over was nastier than Tim Hardaway's. He could pull up for the J like Isiah or he could take the ball to the hoop and slam it down a big man's gill like a young Steve Francis. His court vision was pretty good also, his no-look sling off the dribble was as good as it gets. He went some 20-20 FT against the Rockets once, missed one FT late and the game with it.
I don't think the Marbury comparisons merit how good he was. All I could remember during the Suns playoff matches was him lighting us up for 50 and us always barely edging them out. The Rockets back then were the Kryptonite to the Suns the same way the Sonics were the Kryptonite to the Rockets.
KJ had a nice jumper from 20 ft and in, but he had no shooting range after that. KJ killed us every game in the playoffs. He lit Kenny and Sam up like a X-mas tree. KJ didn't play much defense, but it's horse crap when people say he didn't pass the ball much. His game is most similar to Andre Miller's in my opinion. Very good on pick and rolls, great finishing near the basket, and so-so shooting range, but solid on mid-range jumpers.
People seem to have missed my 'rich man's' qualifier. Both relied on speed and mid range shooting coupled with decent point insticts...just that KJ was better in all these areas. That's why I see them as different levels of the same type. His cross was not nastier than TH's, nor could he jump and slam like a young Francis. He didn't pull up like Isiah either, although that's closer. I think that nostalgia is getting the better of you.
KJ was a freak. When he was healthy (which wasn't that often), he was one of the most electrifying players in the game. His athleticism was amazing, and he could jump out of the gym -- dude was a blur going to the rack. In 1989, he averaged 20 points, 12 assists and 4 boards a game (!), while shooting better than .500 percent. He was also All-NBA five times. Had he remained healthy, he would be considered one of the best point guards ever. There were better point guards during his career (Magic and Stockton spring to mind), but few were as exciting to watch as Kevin Johnson.
No offense. I didn't miss your "rich man" qualifier. I just didn't think the comparison was accurate. When you said KJ was a rich man version of Kenny, it meant they had the same style and KJ was better. That is absolutely not true. Their game was nothing alike. Kenny couldn't dribble the ball with his left. His right hand was barely adequate. He couldn't bring the ball up against pressure from quick guard like Payton. Kenny had no game off the dribble. He had no passing game to speak off beyond throwing the ball into the post. The only thing Kenny good at was shooting the rock and he had more range than KJ. Nick the quick also has a different kind of game. He does not have much of a cross-over nor pull up. He shoots outside before putting the ball on the floor or he takes it all the way to the basket and throw up circus shots high off the back board. We may rate KJ's game slightly differently. i.e., maybe an 8 instead of a 10 but KJ clearly had those skills. His jam over Hakeem still ranks 1 of the very best among all dunks, IMO.
i never got to see the dunk you guys are talking about. but i do remember the block he had against the backboard. when was the dunk during the playoffs? i wouldnt mind seeing a clip of it, if its that darn good.
