Kobe joined a select crowd including Jordan and West for players with 40 pts and at least eight boards and eight assists in a single game in the championship. A local sports radio guy said he didn't think West was one of the top 10 players of all time. Thoughts?

 

Even though I don't agree with him in his assessment on the best player in the game. I believe Kobe Bean is still the best player in the game.

I think the logo is definitely top 10.

 

I think that the Logo currently holds a spot right near the bottom of the top 10 of all time list. I find it totally ironic that the player who the Logo said is no longer the top player in the game will be the one who will ultimately replace him in most people's top 10 of all time lists.

I feel the top 10 of all time is too difficult to pick. The first 7 are obvious and far above the next grouping.

Jordan
Kareem
Magic
Bird
Wilt
Russell
Big O

The next grouping:

Baylor
The Logo
Pettit
Shaq
Duncan
Hakeem
Dr. J
The Mailman
Isiah

Of the players still active who have not been mentioned above, I think Kobe and Lebron will end up as part of the "Super elite" group, making a total of 9 in that grouping.

Garnett definitely has a place in the next grouping. I could also see Dwight Howard some day holding a spot in the second group as well.

 

Interesting list...I think that Shaq and Duncan belong in Top 10..Hakeem is the most underrated star of the modern era...though I was a big fan, Bird may be the most borderline of your top 7.

 

So if I am hearing you correctly, you think that Duncan, Shaq and Hakeem would round out the top 10 in addition to my top 7? I would tend to agree, although you could argue that the Mailman was a better all around power forward who never had the supporting cast that Duncan enjoyed.

I feel like my top 7 are the only ones who transcended the game. A top 10 list is always going to be a dynamic list with people being bumped off the bottom. Putting Hakeem, Shaq and Duncan on the top 10 would have them at the bottom of the list. I feel that Kobe and LeBron will be condsidered transcendent players that belong in the top of the top. Kobe needs one or two more championships and he is in discussions to be among the top 2 or 3 of all time. To me, the top 3 of all time are Jordan, Kareem and Magic. Wilt is not part of that list due to his lack of championships. If Walton could have had a long and productive career, I feel pretty strongly that he would be in the elite group.

 

I agree with you 100%. Kareem is actually the underrated superstar of the NBA. I am a big Walton fan (21-22 if you recognize this, you'll understand how big of a fan). The Blazers beating the 76ers after being down 2-0 and way overmatched was an amazing performance by Walton. Also, not far down on the list after the top 10 is Rick Barry. Surly attitude but if he had played in Boston, LA or NYC, he would be considered in a much higher regard.

 

Bill Walton's 21 of 22 in the 1973 national championship game ranks among the single greatest games in basketball history. Being the huge Laker fan that I am, I feel that Magic's 42/15/7 starting at center in place of the injured Jabbar, as a rookie, in the finals ranks as the single greatest basketball performance in history.

 

Agreed again but remember two key issues in Magic's game..he jumped center at the start of the game but really didn't guard Dawkins and Caldwell Jones. Story has taken a bit of a mythical proportion related to him playing center. All that at 20 yrs old (H.S. Championship; NCAA Championship and NBA Championship in a four yr range by age 20!). Oh yeh, the game was broadcast tape-delayed starting at 11:30 EST and I watched every second of it!