Who's on your Mt. Rushmore?

[navy]

Top 4 GOATS.

1) Jordan
2) Kareem
3/4) Magic Johnson
3/4) Larry Bird


Dont know how to rate Russel and Wilt, so I left them off my list. :cheers:

[aj1987]

MJ, Russell, KAJ, and Magic. Bird gets super overrated, IMO.

[LeGOAT]

http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/371/456/ab5.jpg

[fpliii]

David Stern :bowdown:

[Milbuck]

Russell
Kareem
MJ
Giannis

Russell for what he did for black people, Kareem for his staggering achievements, MJ for how he changed the game (marketing, style of play, etc.), and Giannis for all of the previously mentioned reasons.

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

KAJ, MJ, Bird, Russell

[1987_Lakers]

MJ
Russell
Kareem
Magic


Just to be clear, Bird was a better player than Magic, but Magic had the longevity and more team success.

[FKAri]

MJ, Russell, KAJ, and Magic. Bird gets super overrated, IMO.

Magic gets super overrated. They both get slightly overrated tho.

[JohnFreeman]

Jordan
Kareem
Magic
Russell
James

[T_L_P]

Jordan
Kareem
Russell
Magic

HM: Duncan, Shaq, Bird

[sd3035]

George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and James Harden

[Black and White]

MJ
Kareem
Magic
Bird

[Ancient Legend]

1-MJ
2-Kareem
3-Wilt
4-Magic

[Aussie Dunker]

I think the only player who is undeniably on everyones Mt Rushmore lists is MJ...

Then there are about 5 or 6 players who are debatable for those final 3 spots:
*Wilt
*Russell
*Kareem
*Bird
*Magic
*Robertson

If you have MJ + any combination of those players there is no possible way you could be wrong - it is all just opinion...

I think I would have to have Russell, Magic, Bird (Magic and Bird's rivalry for me makes them so unique in the history of basketball)...

[Milbuck]

I think the only player who is undeniably on everyones Mt Rushmore lists is MJ...

Then there are about 5 or 6 players who are debatable for those final 3 spots:
*Wilt
*Russell
*Kareem
*Bird
*Magic
*Robertson

If you have MJ + any combination of those players there is no possible way you could be wrong - it is all just opinion...

I think I would have to have Russell, Magic, Bird (Magic and Bird's rivalry for me makes them so unique in the history of basketball)...
As a Bucks fan, Oscar was incredible, he's our fanbase's co-Jesus with Kareem. But I don't think he has any case for top 4.

[BigMacAttack]

For me there is the GOAT Jordan. Then we have the next 5-6 who could be ranked a number of ways: Kareem, Wilt, Russel, Bird, Magic. Then we start getting to the mortals like Shaq, Duncan, Hakeem etc

Honestly I dont feel like ive seen most of them enough to give them even these rankings though, let alone anything more specific.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Jordan
Kareem
Russell
Magic

[longhornfan1234]

What criteria are we using? Greatest players or impact?

Greatest players:

MJ
Wilt
Kareem
Magic



Impact:

MJ
Russell
Magic
Bird

[Deuce Bigalow]

Wilt - GOAT player, best scorer of alltime, best rebounder of alltime, and would have the most blocks ever if they were kept track of in his time.

MJ - Most popular player ever, elevated the popularity of the game to new heights, best player post-Wilt.

Russell - Greatest winner, best defender ever.

Either Kareem, Magic, or Bird - Too hard to choose one. If you pick Magic then you have to have Bird and vice versa, if you pick Kareem you're leaving out two players that saved the NBA in Magic and Bird.

[SamuraiSWISH]

How does Magic have more longevity than Bird? Magic retired after the '91 season. Bird retired after the '92 season. Magic came back in '96 and played only like 30 some odd games.

Bird was a 24 ppg 11 rpg 6 apg
Magic was 19 ppg 7 rpg 11 apg

I think that pretty much concludes Larry being the better player. He wasn't near the ball dominant player Magic was yet he still as a SF / PF not a PG like Magic was able to dish out 6 assists per game for his career. While being a whopping 5 ppg superior scorer.

My MT. Rushmore w/ NBA history:

MJ / Bird / Magic / LeBron

My MT. Rushmore based off what I've seen in context:

MJ / Shaq / Kobe / LeBron

[r0drig0lac]

MJ
Russell
Wilt
Kareem

[fpliii]

As a Bucks fan, Oscar was incredible, he's our fanbase's co-Jesus with Kareem. But I don't think he has any case for top 4.
I think he might, on two counts:

1) Free agency lawsuit/decision: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robertson_v._National_Basketball_Association
2) Apparently he had a big impact in making the game popular among the black youth. I've heard arguments for Wilt, Baylor and Russell as well, but Oscar seems to be mentioned most often in that capacity.

[lpublic_enemyl]

To me shaq is better than larry bird

[fpliii]

I think I'd go:

1) Russell (defense + fast break, first super athletic player)
2) either Oscar (for the reasons mentioned above) or Dr. J (off-the-court visibility, sponsorships, etc.)
3) Bird ("Great White Hope")
4) Jordan (globalization of the sport, popularizing the above-the-rim game, isolation play)

If we end up having great players of Asian descent in the future, Yao Ming might warrant a mention (I don't think he makes the cut though).

In terms of just on-the-court play, it'd have to be Mike and the three GOAT centers.

[Angel Face]

MJ, Magic, Bird. The last slot is saved for KD after he retires with 5 championships, 5 FMVP and 5 MVP.

[jongib369]

Wilt, Jordan, Kareem and Russell

[TheMarkMadsen]

Jordan, Kobe, Magic, Bird

[SHAQisGOAT]

Based on level as a player, impact (cultural too), fame and legacy, it has to be Jordan, Bird, Magic then most likely Wilt (Russell, Kareem or Shaq not bad choices, in order).

My all-time top 4 though:
1. MJ
2. Kareem
3. Russell
4. Bird/Magic

As far as top 5 peaks I got Shaqtus, MJ, Kareem, Wilt and Bird.

[dyna]

Jordan
Kareem
Wilt
Bird

[Lakers Legend#32]

Magic
Michael
Kareem
Russell

[leMVP]

1.Jordan
2.Russell
3.Wilt
4.Magic/Bid

Impact wise, those 5 in a league of their own, Lebron will join them after he retires.

[Bernie Nips]

It'd have to be MJ, Kareem, Russell and then Bird/Magic sharing one head.

[no pun intended]

I think it should be era-based

Mikan
Russell
Erving
Jordan

[sportjames23]

Top 4 GOATS.

1) Jordan
2) Kareem
3/4) Magic Johnson
3/4) Larry Bird


Dont know how to rate Russel and Wilt, so I left them off my list. :cheers:


Looks like a good list to me. :cheers:

[Peteballa]

http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/371/456/ab5.jpg

:yaohappy:

[truhooper]

MJ
Lebron
Shaq
Magic

[Psileas]

Wilt, Jordan, Kareem and Russell

This.

[miles berg]

Jordan
Jabbar
Bird
Magic

[the mesiah]

1.wilton chamberlain
2.earvin Johnson
3.larry joe bird
4.jeffrey jordan

[AnaheimLakers24]

shaq kobe kareem magic

[Patrick Chewing]

MJ
Wilt
Malone
Olajuwon

[Audio One]

MJ
Russell
Wilt
Kareem

:cheers:

[Mr Feeny]

1-Mj
2-Russell
3-Kareem
4-Bird/Magic (they are almost inseparable)

I think James might bump them off pretty soon too.

[Sarcastic]

MJ
Wilt
Magic
Russell

That's the top 4 GOATs.

[SamuraiSWISH]

then Bird/Magic sharing one head.
I was thinking this too. Solves a lot of problems.

[MMM]

James Naismith
Red Auerbach
John Wooden
Jerry Buss

[Vienceslav]

Washington - Wilt
Jefferson - Russell
Roosevelt - MJ
Lincoln - Kareem

edit: replacing Magic with Russell, because it makes more sense.

[Horatio33]

Jordan
Russell
Auerbach
Biasone

[bdreason]

Kareem, Wilt, Jordan, and Russell. That's also my top 4 GOAT.



If I factor in the players overall significance to the NBA, I would probably go with Russell, Jordan, Magic, and Bird.

[MichaelCorleone]

Michael Jordan

Bill Russell

Larry Bird

Magic Johnson

[kshutts1]

I think the only player who is undeniably on everyones Mt Rushmore lists is MJ...

Then there are about 5 or 6 players who are debatable for those final 3 spots:
*Wilt
*Russell
*Kareem
*Bird
*Magic
*Robertson

If you have MJ + any combination of those players there is no possible way you could be wrong - it is all just opinion...

I think I would have to have Russell, Magic, Bird (Magic and Bird's rivalry for me makes them so unique in the history of basketball)...

My Mt. Rushmore is people that changed the game.

Mikan
MJ
Doc
and either AI or Wilt

I won't do a "top 4 all time" because I have a first tier with 7 players on it. If I could narrow that tier down to 4, then I would.

[alexd]

in no order
50s : Cousy,Mikan
60s : Wilt, Russell,West,Baylor,Big O
70s :dr J , Kareem,Pistol Pete
80s :Bird,Magic
90s : Jordan,Hakeem
00s : Shaq,Iverson,Duncan
i put iverson not because he has the same value as a player like the rest of them or the same legacy,but for the huge impact he had on the game outside of the court.\(he brought all that hip hop etc)Everyone kid i knew when i was younger wanted to dribble like him and wear the same accessories like him)
All of the players above impacted the game inside and outside the basketball court.Some are responsible for rule changes,others inspired so many people with the way they played(for example Cousy was the first to make a behind the back pass etc)

[pauk]

Larry Bird
Reggie Miller
Drazen Petrovic
LeBron James

:)

[chazzy]

MJ Russell Kareem for sure, probably Magic for my 4th

[Jailblazers7]

Jordan
Kareem
Russell
Shaq