Which underrated 80's players would be dominant today?

[Kovach]

My money is on this guy

http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/0907/nba.nicknames/images/vinnie-johnson.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXwwSyJego0

The guy was like a freakin train :bowdown:

[elementally morale]

Not exactly underrated, but I think James Worthy would rule today.

[La Frescobaldi]

Not exactly underrated, but I think James Worthy would rule today.
exactly who I thought of right off. Worthy was incredible but gets bashed all the time

[RobertdeMeijer]

Jack Sikma

[Rubio2Gasol]

Robert Reid would be on a few all star teams :rockon:

[elementally morale]

Brad Daugherty would be the best center this year.

[Kovach]

exactly who I thought of right off. Worthy was incredible but gets bashed all the time
Meh, people are clueless. Nobody in the league could guard him, ever. Would be interesting to see him go head to head against LBJ.

[Jasper]

bob lanier

dude was not a power center , but a big man with an awesome touch... he would easily maintian his career average or better
On top of that no one gave him credit for being a great passer out of the high and low post.

jo jo white
connie hawkins
dave bing
big o

[Locked_Up_Tonight]

Kelly Tripucka

Isn't it the way this thread works? Name a borderline all-star and say how he would dominate this pitiful league now?

[Jailblazers7]

Michael Ray Richardson would probably kill it in today's NBA. Also, if he were a player today he could have avoided the 80s drug culture that destroyed him.

[Haymaker]

Brad Daugherty would be the best center this year. Spot on.

[Haymaker]

Mark Eaton would lead the league in blocks.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lr50c7QrgT1qa47iwo1_500.jpg

[jstern]

Kelly Tripucka

Isn't it the way this thread works? Name a borderline all-star and say how he would dominate this pitiful league now?

With today's rules, Jeff Van Gundy.

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m43kdxmlcd1qc8vtf.jpg

Kelly Tripucka. How did he got from 20ppg to 10ppg the next season, to then 7ppg, to then 22.6? Never mind, looked it up.

[Walker]

Walter Davis

[Locked_Up_Tonight]

Um, change of teams played a huge role in it. Utah with Malone and Stockton to being the "best player" on the Charlotte Hornets.

It reminds me of the quote that Scott Hastings uses about the expansion teams. He looked around at the group in Miami and said: You know you are in trouble when I'm the best player on the team.

[Xiao Yao You]

Not exactly underrated, but I think James Worthy would rule today.

He was/is overrated.


Mark Eaton would lead the league in blocks.

He probably wouldn't even be in the league. Probably be the car mechanic he was when UCLA found him to sit at the end of their bench.

Bigger isn't necessarily better like it was during his day. Probably would have never played for anyone other than the Jazz anyway.

They played 4 on 5 on offense with him standing near half court so he could get back on D because he was so slow. He was pretty clueless. Only thing he had going for him was size.

It's no coincidence that the Jazz's best days were after he was forced into retirement. They struggled initially on D as they adjusted from having him guarding the rim but were eventually a better defensive team without him.

I'll go with Darrell Griffith. He was on the verge of being an all-star before breaking his foot while holding out which the Jazz(as they often did) never got over it and he lost his starting job to the 3rd string scrub Bobby Hansen and never got it back. First guy with the green light from 3 as he broke the record twice with 90 and 91 3's which is nothing today.

[Rasheed1]

http://www.writenowinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/BernardKing1.jpg

http://www.slamonline.com/online/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/andrew_toney_display_image.jpg

[Xiao Yao You]

Um, change of teams played a huge role in it. Utah with Malone and Stockton to being the "best player" on the Charlotte Hornets.

Had more to do with the coach in Utah. He was stuck on the bench with Stockton. I didn't think much of him when they gave Dantley away to get him. I thought he was just a gunner but he was actually a pretty good player who could have helped the Jazz a lot more than he did if they'd played him.

[elementally morale]

He was/is overrated.

If anything, Worthy was underrated a little bit, but not criminally underrated. I think it is not really the point of the thread though. We are in search of 80s players who would be great today, and I think Worthy is a fine example. What he did back then would work very well today.

[Locked_Up_Tonight]

Had more to do with the coach in Utah. He was stuck on the bench with Stockton. I didn't think much of him when they gave Dantley away to get him. I thought he was just a gunner but he was actually a pretty good player who could have helped the Jazz a lot more than he did if they'd played him.

I was hinting at that with the Stockton/Malone. Not that it was a bad choice but Sloan used it and everyone else was kind of an afterthought in the offense.

[Xiao Yao You]

If anything, Worthy was underrated a little bit, but not criminally underrated. I think it is not really the point of the thread though. We are in search of 80s players who would be great today, and I think Worthy is a fine example. What he did back then would work very well today.

He was perennial all-star starter and a HOFer. Don't see how he was ever underrated. What he did well was run the floor. He was lucky enough to play with Magic during the run and gun 80's. I never thought he was a whole lot better than Byron Scott personally and Scott was never an all-star nor a HOFer.


I was hinting at that with the Stockton/Malone. Not that it was a bad choice but Sloan used it and everyone else was kind of an afterthought in the offense.

Sloan was just an assistant. Layden was the clueless one at that time but yes Sloan relied to heavily on Stockton and Malone and it hurt them when Karl didn't show up in the finals and no one else was prepared to step up because they'd never had the opportunity.

[Locked_Up_Tonight]

You know I totally forgot about Layden. That is sad. For some reason I thought Sloan took over in the late 80's. I didn't realize it was 89 though.

[Rasheed1]

http://www.notinhalloffame.com/UserFiles/Image/article_images/Basketball/9.%20Sidney%20Moncrief.jpg
Sidney Moncrief


http://www.nysun.com/pics/4209.jpg
Kiki Vandeweghe

[Xiao Yao You]

You know I totally forgot about Layden. That is sad. For some reason I thought Sloan took over in the late 80's. I didn't realize it was 89 though.

I wish I could forget about Frank.

[Kovach]

Isn't it the way this thread works? Name a borderline all-star and say how he would dominate this pitiful league now?
Wrong choice of the word, way too hyperbolic.

[elementally morale]

Joe Dumars would be DPOY in 2012-2013.

[Kovach]

What about Terry Cummings? Only 2 time all-star, about 22ppg with less than 19fga. Had an extremely accurate fadeaway jumper that nobody could block.

[Kovach]

Walter Davis
:cheers: When that guy got hot it was mesmerizing to watch. Had the most beautiful jumper I've ever seen.

[elementally morale]

Chris Mullin and Dale Ellis would have a field day. And Rik Smits, as limited as he was would be a max player.

[Rasheed1]

http://hoopedia.nba.com/images/6/69/AdrianDantleyPistons.jpg
Adrian Dantley

[Haymaker]

What about Terry Cummings? Only 2 time all-star, about 22ppg with less than 19fga. Had an extremely accurate fadeaway jumper that nobody could block.

Very good player. A rich man's Carlos Boozer.

[Haymaker]

http://hoopedia.nba.com/images/6/69/AdrianDantleyPistons.jpg
Adrian Dantley

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RV0Ymg_SztY/UBrkwtYh05I/AAAAAAAAAOE/UDbVhyYEqRY/s400/rouge-black-hole.jpg

[Rasheed1]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RV0Ymg_SztY/UBrkwtYh05I/AAAAAAAAAOE/UDbVhyYEqRY/s400/rouge-black-hole.jpg

plenty of those today as well

[Alan Ogg]

Fat Lever. Super underrated considering a lot of basketball fans these days have never even heard of him. Triple double machine. 6th most career triple doubles in NBA history.

Lever 31pts/16rebs/12asts/6stlsvs VS Jordan's Bulls
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgDPFlbd3no

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/leverfa01.html

[Jasper]

Chris Mullin and Dale Ellis would have a field day. And Rik Smits, as limited as he was would be a max player.

Smits in my opinion would of gotten the pacers to the finals , if he was used correctly...
seldom they used his low post prowls as effeciently as other centers.
Talk about under appreciated - his team did.

They were more than happy to sub him out with the Davis's.

However Smits would have a tough time of it in this era , because he lugged down the floor.. not great in our bball world now.
That being said , I retract my Bob Lanier prop's , cause he is in the same catagory -- - slow.

I do like the Terry Cummings props , Terry was a great defender as well as boards man.

[NumberSix]

Barkley

[redhonda76]

Kiki Vandeweghe and Tom Chambers.

[wakencdukest]

He was perennial all-star starter and a HOFer. Don't see how he was ever underrated. What he did well was run the floor. He was lucky enough to play with Magic during the run and gun 80's. I never thought he was a whole lot better than Byron Scott personally and Scott was never an all-star nor a HOFer.


Its the fans who underrate him, especially today's younger fans. He was well respected by his peers and coaches. You see, he played on a team with 3 other guys who were hovering around 20 ppg. Had he played for a lesser team I believe his numbers would have been much higher. I watched the whole era, and people now put him below some of the other small forwards in the league like Wilkins, English, Dantly, king, etc. ,but the thing is none of those guys could stop Worthy, he played way bigger than any small forward in the league. Hell, there was no power forward in the league that could guard Worthy. When the Celtics put McHale on him, what happened? He got torched. Ask rodman, who's widely considered the best small forward defender of all time, who gave him fits, he'll say: James Worthy. And yes, he did run the floor well, but he also had the best post up game of any small forward I've seen. He was a beast in my opinion.

[L.Kizzle]

Players who'd thrive in todays game would be:

Sidney Moncrief
Alex English
Tom Chambers


BERNARD KING would be unarguable.

[fsvr54]

Sidney Moncrief

[elementally morale]

Oh, forgot about George Gervin.

[senelcoolidge]

Brad Lohaus. 7 footer with range. They would love him in today's NBA.

[WillC]

Marques Johnson

Walter Davis

Terry Cummings

[Crystallas]

I was going to say a few players. But really, none of them were underrated. Just forgotten today, due to new generations.

Fat is a good one, and Sleepy Floyd might be the best of the all-time underrated list. IDK if Sleepy would be dominant today, mainly because he took a lot of games off. If someone would have given him better motivation, I think he would be one of those guys that made it into a lot of top 20 GOAT lists.

So I'm going with Eric "Sleepy" Floyd.

[atljonesbro]

Another thread for 35+ year olds to talk about how 15 ppg players would average 25 ppg in todays game. Your childhood is gone get over it.

[Crystallas]

Another thread for 35+ year olds to talk about how 15 ppg players would average 25 ppg in todays game. Your childhood is gone get over it.

Back when basketball players gained skills by playing basketball, not by getting NBA 2K awards. :lol

[elementally morale]

Another thread for 35+ year olds to talk about how 15 ppg players would average 25 ppg in todays game. Your childhood is gone get over it.

We all were 15 once, but you are yet to be 35, I suppose. Therefore, it is highly probable we've seen more than you have. Just like you value your insight a bit more than a 5 year old kid's insight... well, the same applies here.

[atljonesbro]

We all were 15 once, but you are yet to be 35, I suppose. Therefore, it is highly probable we've seen more than you have. Just like you value your insight a bit more than a 5 year old kid's insight... well, the same applies here.
Or just you just have an extreme amount of bias and want to prove to all the dumb young whipper snappers that basketball when you were a little boy was the greatest. I literally have no proof they would be magically better, just you not letting your child hood heroes go.

*Note i never said todays game was better either, because I'm not an ignorant.

And there's a MAJOR difference when discussing subjects from 35 to 19 and 19 to 5.

[elementally morale]

Or just you just have an extreme amount of bias and want to prove to all the dumb young whipper snappers that basketball when you were a little boy was the greatest. I literally have no proof they would be magically better, just you not letting your child hood heroes go.

*Note i never said todays game was better either, because I'm not an ignorant.

And there's a MAJOR difference when discussing subjects from 35 to 19 and 19 to 5.

What you are saying is true to an extent. Everyone tends to pick his favorites in his teens and the favorites are usually 10-15 years older than them. Rarely more, rarely less. It's not just basketball, it's everything. Music, movies, etc. You are going to suffer from the same illness in another 15 years.

So this much I give you.

However, there really is the other side of the coin, the one I mentioned. You may think everyone is close to being dead who is older than 35, but actually being 35 is not THAT old. Yes, we are old as fu(k... but not THAT old. If you are lucky, you are going to experience this. And the nice thing in being over 35 is one has some memories and experience.

It's not all that bad as you now feel it is.

[elementally morale]

And there's a MAJOR difference when discussing subjects from 35 to 19 and 19 to 5.

We all used to think it is that way when we were 19. :oldlol:

Take my word on it: your world will change at least as much between 19 and 35 as much it has changed since the first day you remember now.

How do I know? Well, I have already been 19. Why don't you know? You are yet to be 35.

[atljonesbro]

We all used to think it is that way when we were 19. :oldlol:

Take my word on it: your world will change at least as much between 19 and 35 as much it has changed since the day you remember now.

How do I know? Well, I have already been 19. Why don't you know? You are yet to be 35.
What your saying has nothing to do with with anything. A 19 year old can have just as much knowledge as a 35 year old on a particular subject. A 5 year old cannot have as much knowledge as a 19 year old on a particular subject because they are not near developed enough.

[elementally morale]

What your saying has nothing to do with with anything. A 19 year old can have just as much knowledge as a 35 year old on a particular subject.

Unless it's experience. :oldlol:

A 19 year old can be very smart and educated. At 19, we all thought we were the shit. We drank alcohol, fu(ked girls, drove cars, attended colleges/universities... and so on and so forth. We may have earned some money, too.

We all thought we were as knowledgable as any adult. After all, we are the same height or even taller, live the same lives, etc. Look, it's a nice story but not true. You are going to find out yourself.

You can be the smartest, most educated 19 year old in the world, but experience is something you need time to gather.

[atljonesbro]

Unless it's experience. :oldlol:

A 19 year old can be very smart and educated. At 19, we all thought we were the shit. We drank alcohol, fu(ked girls, drove cars, attended colleges/universities... and so on and so forth. We may have earned some money, too.

We all thought we were as knowledgable as any adult. After all, we are the same height or even taller, live the same lives, etc. Look, it's a nice story but not true. You are going to find out yourself.

You can be the smartest, most educated 19 year old in the world, but experience is something you need time to gather.
So you're saying you've always thought you were smarter than old people up until you were older? Sounds like you just finally got your excuse to fall back on that you were smarter and always thought you were the smartest.

[elementally morale]

So you're saying you've always thought you were smarter than old people up until you were older? Sounds like you just finally got your excuse to fall back on that you were smarter and always thought you were the smartest.

No, I'm saying when I was 20 I used the very same reasoning you just have. You are not unique in this sense - most of us used the very same reasoning at around 20. It's natural.

BTW, I didn't say anything about any one of us being smarter than the other. I was talking about experience. You have more than a 10 year old does. A 40 year old has more than you do. Regardless of smarts.

[9512]

Len Bias would've been decent.

Not 80s but Connie Hawkins would've been interesting to watch. He had athleticism and skill in one body.

[Kovach]

Another thread for 35+ year olds to talk about how 15 ppg players would average 25 ppg in todays game.
For every one of those there are dozens of threads about how great today's players are. if it isn't a subject you care much about then don't participate in it.

Your childhood is gone get over it.
No thank you. If I didn't have several thousand vintage NBA games in my collection I wouldn't be watching basketball at all.

Or just you just have an extreme amount of bias and want to prove to all the dumb young whipper snappers that basketball when you were a little boy was the greatest.
I know basketball back then was the greatest and I have enough confidence in that belief that I do not have to shove it down everyone's throat. This thread was not created with that in mind.

And that belief I developed only a couple of years ago by simply comparing the two. The only nostalgic thing I have about the old times are jersey and court colors.

[Rubio2Gasol]

Len Bias would've been decent.

Not 80s but Connie Hawkins would've been interesting to watch. He had athleticism and skill in one body.

There's still Coke in DC. :confusedshrug:

Len Bias would be great in any era if he didn't die :cry:

[1987_Lakers]

I remember being a 18-19 year old thinking I was smarter than everyone, even adults. I'm 22 now and I realize it was just my ego speaking, the older you get, the more you realize you know very little.

A 19 year old may very well be smarter than a man in his 30's, but the guy in his 30's is always more knowledgeable about life and more wiser.

[elementally morale]

I remember being a 18-19 year old thinking I was smarter than everyone, even adults. I'm 22 now and I realize it was just my ego speaking, the older you get, the more you realize you know very little.

A 19 year old may very well be smarter than a man in his 30's, but the guy in his 30's is always more knowledgeable about life and more wiser.

Smarts have nothing to do with age. Even a 5 year old kid can be smarter than all of us here. (And there are 5 year olds out there, who actually are). But no 5 year old has the same amount of experience we do.

And as you pointed out, being knowledgeable has at least as much to do with experience as it has to do with smarts. There are things you can not outsmart yourself of. You need experience for which you need time.

While someone is young, it's hard to realize. Noone can, actually. And interestingly, the smarter someone is, the more prone he is to think at a young age that he is as knowledgeable as everyone else. It's because he realizes he is smarter than most adults -- which is true. Yet, less knowledgable.

Interesting, how stuff like this works.

[gengiskhan]

Isiah Thomas: 2 season MVPs + 2 FMVPs

Dominique Wilkins: 2 season MVPs + 1-2 FMVPs

Patrick Ewing: 2 season MVPs + 2 FMVPs

Hakeem Olaijuwon: 3 season MVPs + 3-4 FMVPs

[elementally morale]

Isiah Thomas

Dominique Wilkins

Patrick Ewing.

Hakeem Olaijuwon

Which of these players was underrated back then? They were stars.

[gengiskhan]

Which of these players was underrated back then? They were stars.

They were stars but could not become all-time great SUPERSTARS like Kobe, Duncan, LBJ

'00 onwards, all 4 of them '80s stars (isian, nique, hakeem, ewing) will be hogging season MVPs & FMVPs as TEAM LEADERS.

plain & simple.

They had it all. SELFISHNESS, SKILLS, STAMINA, ENDURANCE & CLUTCHNESS

Notice I deliberately left out Clyde, my fav growing up.

he was too GENTLEMENLY & wasnt SELFISH enough to go at full steam.

Just think about it. ISIAH has ZERO MVPs & NASH has 2 MVPS as PURE PGs.

does it makes sense.

[D.J.]

A lot of perimeter players and swingmen would be on cloud 9. Guys like Bernard King, Alex English, Adrian Dantley, James Worthy. Someone mentioned Joe Dumars. He'd be above average for sure, but his game was defense oriented and with the elimination of handchecking, I wouldn't see him dominating.

[LBJFTW]

Both the underrated and stars would tear up today's league.

[schism206]

Smarts have nothing to do with age. Even a 5 year old kid can be smarter than all of us here. (And there are 5 year olds out there, who actually are). But no 5 year old has the same amount of experience we do.

And as you pointed out, being knowledgeable has at least as much to do with experience as it has to do with smarts. There are things you can not outsmart yourself of. You need experience for which you need time.

While someone is young, it's hard to realize. Noone can, actually. And interestingly, the smarter someone is, the more prone he is to think at a young age that he is as knowledgeable as everyone else. It's because he realizes he is smarter than most adults -- which is true. Yet, less knowledgable.

Interesting, how stuff like this works.
Not exactly on topic, but I think what your trying to say is summed up in Good Will Hunting when Williams is talking to Damon on the bench in the park. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEIQSbul9Os

[elementally morale]

Not exactly on topic, but I think what your trying to say is summed up in Good Will Hunting when Williams is talking to Damon on the bench in the park. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEIQSbul9Os

Yes.

Even more off topic, but here is this movie you can learn a lot from. I suggest you check it out if you haven't already.

21 Grams
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dv_kVbGHvsc

[Shepseskaf]

Bernard King would lead the league in scoring.

[atljonesbro]

Bernard King would lead the league in scoring.
Prove it

[j3lademaster]

Joe Dumars would be DPOY in 2012-2013.you think so? I agree he was a superb defender, but the award always goes to someone with sexy defensive stats.

[L.Kizzle]

Prove it
Unstoppable.

[HPye7]

i think moses would dominate, but then again his game might not translate as well in todays game, and he was also very physical which the league has gotten away from

[gengiskhan]

Prove it

King had a terrific mid-range game along with great runners.

Yes.

Even better than Kobe who has suspect mid-range game & King doesnt need to shoot like Kobe from distance to score.

So, in today's day & age. Kobe can be 2 x scoring champ. So can King easily if he chucks up enough FGA from mid-range.

[Xiao Yao You]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RV0Ymg_SztY/UBrkwtYh05I/AAAAAAAAAOE/UDbVhyYEqRY/s400/rouge-black-hole.jpg

He averaged between 3-5 assists in his heyday in Utah.


Had he played for a lesser team I believe his numbers would have been much higher.

Questionable. Magic got him lots of easy baskets that he wouldn't have got anywhere else.


I watched the whole era, and people now put him below some of the other small forwards in the league like Wilkins, English, Dantly, king, etc. ,but the thing is none of those guys could stop Worthy, he played way bigger than any small forward in the league.

He was way bigger.


there was no power forward in the league that could guard Worthy

How many can guard sf's?


he also had the best post up game of any small forward I've seen.

That would be Dantley.

[ThaRegul8r]

They were stars but could not become all-time great SUPERSTARS like Kobe, Duncan, LBJ

'00 onwards, all 4 of them '80s stars (isian, nique, hakeem, ewing) will be hogging season MVPs & FMVPs as TEAM LEADERS.

plain & simple.

They had it all. SELFISHNESS, SKILLS, STAMINA, ENDURANCE & CLUTCHNESS

Notice I deliberately left out Clyde, my fav growing up.

he was too GENTLEMENLY & wasnt SELFISH enough to go at full steam.

This shows how far the pendulum has swung.

Selfishness is being cited as a positive quality, while not being selfish is seen as a flaw.

:facepalm

[chips93]

how many of these SFs people mentioning would be able to put the ball on the deck and create? i think if your a perimeter scorer and you dont have good handles today, there is really a ceiling on how successful you can be.

[Xiao Yao You]

This shows how far the pendulum has swung.

Selfishness is being cited as a positive quality, while not being selfish is seen as a flaw.

:facepalm

Some players were/are too unselfish. Stockton, Webber, KG come to mind.

[Shepseskaf]

Prove it
:facepalm

Because in his prime Bernard was a better scorer than anyone in the game right now. Because he led the league in scoring at 32.9 ppg, when defenses were much tougher.

[atljonesbro]

:facepalm

Because in his prime Bernard was a better scorer than anyone in the game right now. Because he led the league in scoring at 32.9 ppg, when defenses were much tougher.
What about all the other low 20 ppg seasons and sub 20 ppg seasons. Plus 32.9 ppg season was with a god awful team and was 1 year literally AND 55 games... His 2nd best season wouldn't even lead the league. I guess one random year of not a full season makes you guarenteed to lead the league in scoring despite MANY other low 20 ppg and sub 20 ppg seasons. Basically ur logic = He played n the 80s/90s hes a god.

[KOBE143]

In the 90s, there are few players that I know that would be great or would play better in today's league.. Pippen, Rodman, Harper, Kukoc, Longley, etc.. Most of these guys were pretty underrated..

[Mrofir]

I just want to express my appreciation that ISH has seemingly graduated from the rampant misuse of the word "dominate" in place of the correct "dominant".


:applause:

[Ancient Legend]

Mark Eaton would lead the league in blocks.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lr50c7QrgT1qa47iwo1_500.jpg

Both of these guys are levitating.

[Kovach]

Questionable. Magic got him lots of easy baskets that he wouldn't have got anywhere else.

Not really. At his bast he was close to 30ppg in a limited sample of games that Magic didn't play in.


That would be Dantley.
Worthy was way faster and had a much larger repertoire of post moves.

[dh144498]

In the 90s, there are few players that I know that would be great or would play better in today's league.. Pippen, Rodman, Harper, Kukoc, Longley, etc.. Most of these guys were pretty underrated..

:applause:

[bdreason]

Chris Mullen.

[bdreason]

Detlef Schrempf.

[Shepseskaf]

What about all the other low 20 ppg seasons and sub 20 ppg seasons. Plus 32.9 ppg season was with a god awful team and was 1 year literally AND 55 games... His 2nd best season wouldn't even lead the league. I guess one random year of not a full season makes you guarenteed to lead the league in scoring despite MANY other low 20 ppg and sub 20 ppg seasons. Basically ur logic = He played n the 80s/90s hes a god.
I guess you can't read. Look at what I posted -- that Bernard King, in his prime, was a better scorer than anyone in the game today.

I did point out that he led the league in scoring during a tougher defensive era, but my first statement encompasses much more than that.

In short, as a pure 1st option scorer, Bernard's skillset was superior to anyone playing today. In that regard, I think he's top 5 all-time.

Let's take a look at the best scorers today vs. Bernard:

- KD is longer than King, but not nearly as aggressive or phyiscal. Bernard didn't need a Westbrook to help pump him up, he did it all by himself -- with very little offensive help. He also shot a much higher career % than KD -- .518 vs. .473. No doubt, King was a more dominant, effective scorder than Durant.

- Melo is probably the closest comparison to King in terms of attitude, body type and skillset, but falls short in on-court maturity and results. Plus, Melo is a career .455 shooter.

- Kobe, compared to Bernard, is more skilled in the body position and footwork aspect, but is also less efficient (.454) and not as strong physically. Personally, I prefer Kings approach to just go at the opponent, rather than applying finesse.

- LBJ is not really a scorer.

- Harden. King was just better.

- Wade. King was bigger, stronger, more efficient.

I could go on, but suffice it to say in direct response to the OP's question its obvious that a prime Bernard King would absolutely be a dominant player in today's game.

[Baller1986]

Mark Aguirre, Alex English, Adrian Dantley, and Rolando Blackman.