Who is the GOAT

[Overlander]

Nick Wright might be the biggest clown is all of sports commentary.

SAS says ..."nah"

Skip Bayless says hello.

2 peas is a pod

[RainbowsandUnicorns]

Anybody know a 5’7” 16 year old kid named Eric Barber beat MJ in a game of one on one when Jordan was in his 3rd year in the NBA?

[twocoach]

i’m not even gonna post it cuz it’s such a joke, but Nick Wright has a running Top 50 list in which he just revealed Kareem as no. 2

he doesn’t have Wilt or Russell even in the top 50

Nick Wright is a clown sports talking head.

Now that we got that out of the way--I believe I saw part of that list and it was only players since like the 70's.

Yep "Top 50 over the last 50 years" which sadly only takes us back to 1972.



It's weird that 1972 is closer in years to the end of the Great Depression than it is to current day. Seems like the 70s weren't THAT long ago but here we are.

[Deleted User 863]

MJ as 3? Wtf. So dumb.

[CrimsonNBlue]

He will have LeBron 1 and Kareem 2. Which, yeah, I agree is dumb.

I think I am at a point where the only argument for #1 is MJ or Kareem, taking everything into consideration.

And then several have an argument for #3. So much so that I think anyone from 3 to like 10 would have a little bit of an argument. Unless LeBron rattles off 3 more titles or something.

[Deleted User 863]

Imo the only argument is for LeBron or MJ #1. Kareem #3.

I'd have MJ #1, but understand why some have LeBron. I also don't penalize LeBron for the finals losses as much as others do. I think losing in the finals is better than losing before the finals. MJ lost before the finals numerous times.

[CrimsonNBlue]

LeBron's case just seems slightly less solid than Kareem's, imo.

LeBron will eclipse Kareem's scoring record--although he played more seasons and started at a younger age--but will likely finish with 2 less titles (3 if you don't count the asterisk bubble title).

Kareem could have easily played in the NBA during his 4 years at UCLA (and even prior to that), so that would have been more points and probably another title. But what he did at UCLA was win 3 NPOY's and 3 Final Four MOP's (not eligible to play as a frosh), and that was after being arguably the most famous HS basketball player of all time.

The rest is kind of a wash--I guess it's close but I don't see a big factor in LeBron's favor like Kareem has with the titles and "amateur" career. This is of course a subjective argument.

[Deleted User 863]

I guess I don't think "amateur" accomplishments should matter much when talking about best NBA players. Maybe best college player or best basketball career.

I would never put LeBron on a "best college player" list just because he coulda/woulda/shoulda been 1 of the best college players ever if he played 4 years in the NCAA.

[CrimsonNBlue]

I guess I don't think "amateur" accomplishments should matter much when talking about best NBA players. Maybe best college player or best basketball career.

I would never put LeBron on a "best college player" list just because he coulda/woulda/shoulda been 1 of the best college players ever if he played 4 years in the NCAA.

I've always thought the list was best basketball player ever, not best NBA player ever. If it was only the latter, the list wouldn't be properly reflect the history of the game. Thinking of guys like Dr. J, Arvydas Sabonis, Ginobili, even Wilt. NBA just happens to have been the pinnacle of the sport for the majority of the last 50 years. Any real list I have seen properly rates guys like those because they include all competition.


Also, I do think LeBron would have been great in college (duh), but Kareem actually did what LeBron Stans would say what they think LeBron would have done. 100% success rate on NPOY, Final Four MOP, and National Titles. Just absurd, and I don't think it can be ignored.

[KUTradition]

the acronym is GOAT, not GNBAPOAT

[pdub]

For me, MJ and LeBron need to be 1 or 2 - and it's still Jordan with a good edge.
Then you can have the argument for 3.

If LeBron wins another title and Finals MVP I think LeBron solidifies the top spot.

[pdub]

Can't agree with Kobe over Bird.
Also that's too high for Luka this soon in his career.
And i'd rather have Gary Payton on my team than Westbrick.

[CrimsonNBlue]

Taking a look at Nick's awful list, if we give him the benefit of the doubt and take it at face value, it seems like the top guys are more MJ's competition than Lebron's.

I count 10 of the top 15 players that Michael played against.

For LeBron, I count 6 (TD, Kobe, Shaq, Steph, KD, Giannis).

So he even cuts against his own broken-record argument that LeBron's competition is just way better, lol.

[pdub]

The difference might be Jordan played a combined 14 years with 2 other guys on this list when they were in their prime.
LeBron, a combined 6 or 7 ( no Shaq and Melo don't count ).

[twocoach]

I guess I don't think "amateur" accomplishments should matter much when talking about best NBA players. Maybe best college player or best basketball career.

I would never put LeBron on a "best college player" list just because he coulda/woulda/shoulda been 1 of the best college players ever if he played 4 years in the NCAA.

I've always thought the list was best basketball player ever, not best NBA player ever. If it was only the latter, the list wouldn't be properly reflect the history of the game. Thinking of guys like Dr. J, Arvydas Sabonis, Ginobili, even Wilt. NBA just happens to have been the pinnacle of the sport for the majority of the last 50 years. Any real list I have seen properly rates guys like those because they include all competition.


Also, I do think LeBron would have been great in college (duh), but Kareem actually did what LeBron Stans would say what they think LeBron would have done. 100% success rate on NPOY, Final Four MOP, and National Titles. Just absurd, and I don't think it can be ignored.

Since I can easily dismiss the accomplishments of UCLA as a program during the Sam Gilbert era, I also find it easy to dismiss the accomplishments of the members of those Sam Gilbert era UCLA teams.

[CrimsonNBlue]

I guess I don't think "amateur" accomplishments should matter much when talking about best NBA players. Maybe best college player or best basketball career.

I would never put LeBron on a "best college player" list just because he coulda/woulda/shoulda been 1 of the best college players ever if he played 4 years in the NCAA.

I've always thought the list was best basketball player ever, not best NBA player ever. If it was only the latter, the list wouldn't be properly reflect the history of the game. Thinking of guys like Dr. J, Arvydas Sabonis, Ginobili, even Wilt. NBA just happens to have been the pinnacle of the sport for the majority of the last 50 years. Any real list I have seen properly rates guys like those because they include all competition.


Also, I do think LeBron would have been great in college (duh), but Kareem actually did what LeBron Stans would say what they think LeBron would have done. 100% success rate on NPOY, Final Four MOP, and National Titles. Just absurd, and I don't think it can be ignored.

Since I can easily dismiss the accomplishments of UCLA as a program during the Sam Gilbert era, I also find it easy to dismiss the accomplishments of the members of those Sam Gilbert era UCLA teams.

I get it. And that's a big reason I also kept using the word "amateur" in quotes.

But, I also don't think that takes away the fact that Kareem was fucking dominant in college as an individual player in an era where all the best HS players were forced to play in college.

Derrick Rose was ineligible on 2008, but he was still the best player in San Antonio that weekend.

[Sparko]

OMG what a an awful list ranking-wise.

[Deleted User 863]

the acronym is GOAT, not GNBAPOAT

The adults were talking about Nick Wright's terrible top NBA players of the last 50 years list.

[Deleted User 863]

OMG what a an awful list ranking-wise.

Astonishing he makes millions to talk about sports.

But maybe that's the point? He's so bad that we pay more attention to him than he deserves.

[Overlander]

OMG what a an awful list ranking-wise.

He's so bad that we pay more attention to him than he deserves.

Did anyone else laugh out loud when they read this?