The funniest thing is with like 4 minutes left the announcers start going off on Horry. "Oh my god, did you see Horry stare down the offensive player. He is so clutch!!!!" LOL, but I love it. Honestly, I think I would be rather known as a clutch player than any other kind of player, even Bill Russell. The money shot is where all the glory is.
Any Rockets fan that doesn't answer "Mario Elie" needs to turn in their Rockets fan card immediately...
Freak: In some cases your right. Dwayne Wade probably wouldn't have been 1st team All NBA without Shaq. This Year! Horry stepped up for the Rox, the Lakers, and the Spurs and played more MPG, had more RPG, PPG, and a higher Reg % and 3-pt % in the playoffs than in the regular season. He is the epitome of role player.
I went with Rodman even if later in his carreer he belonged in the circus. Rebounding machine, defender and agitator. If only he could have played under Coach Daly his whole carreer. I think Daly is the only person he truly respects.
7-time leading rebounder of NBA just has to be more than a role player. Rodman, Pippen and Jordan were the core of Bulls' 4th - 6th championship. So I think he over-qualifies for a role player.
I think to be a great role player you have to: (1) be good at only a very restricted range of things. (2) be good largely because of the players around you. (3) almost certainly not be a all-star, hof, etc and play limited minutes. (4) nevertheless have a pivotol role in the abnormal the success of your team because of the things that you do well. Horry and Kerr obviously seem to fit the bill both currently with 5 rings, both for more than one team.
He didn't have the shot or the mentality to be a star. He was about the fourth best player on the Sixers championship team (behind Dr. J, Moses, and Toney[when healthy]). I'd say he was a role player.
So you can't be too good to be a role-player? So are we asking outselves who is the greatest of mediocre players here? Nah...it's who shines the most but wouldn't be considered a star. Yeah, maybe it is Robert Horry.
No love for Fat Lever? He was the ultimate role player -- he could do a little of everything: play great defense, rebound, score, pass, and play three positions. He wasn't a franchise player, but his 1987 numbers (18/9/8) were pretty amazing.
I'm not sure I'd classify DJ as a role player... He was a five-time all star and Finals MVP, and a pretty explosive scorer. I just don't like Danny Ainge. A.C. Green was a fine defender/rebounder, but I don't think I ever thought of him as being in the class of a Horace Grant or Otis Thorpe or Charles Oakley (who I considered, but he's another guy I just don't like.)
Out of your choices, I picked Rodman. To be honest, though, I think Tim Duncan is the best Role Player ever. The guy is so workman-like and un-superstar that he is the very definition of role player.
... Except he's also one of the game's most complete (and best) players...? TD may be low profile, but he's certainly not a role player.
Before I even opened the thread, Bobby Jones came to mind. Did all of the dirty work for those sixers teams. Guarded the best player so Dr. J could save his strength for offense. Made big shots, steals.
