Would a 23 year old Kareem be the best player today?

[Marchesk]

Per 36 in 70-71:

28.4/14.4/3 on 57.7% with around 1 steal and 3 blocks.

[Jailblazers7]

Yes.

[Mass Debator]

Negative. They can neutralize KAJ by putting Lebron on him.

[imdaman99]

I dunno, never saw him play.

Does he average those numbers in modern era? Or higher? Definitely not less right?

[Uncle Drew]

With the lack of great big men nowadays, easily.

[Collie]

The guy was an extremely mobile 7'3 big man with an unstoppable shot. I'd say yes, especially given LBJ's down year.

[Marchesk]

Does he average those numbers in modern era? Or higher? Definitely not less right?

I put per 36 to adjust for higher pace (but it's not as high as in the 60s), and less minutes. Of course there was no 3 pt line. But who honestly thinks there are any bigs that would challenge KAJ today? What, is Roy Hibbert going to keep him in check?

[Marchesk]

Negative. They can neutralize KAJ by putting Lebron on him.

:lol

Lebron is the one player in history who can guard the sky hook. But if he's not feeling up to it, I'm sure Udonis can put a body on Kareem. Bosh might be a stretch doh.

[TiagoSimoes]

:lol

Lebron is the one player in history who can guard the sky hook. But if he's not feeling up to it, I'm sure Udonis can put a body on Kareem. Bosh might be a stretch doh.


Lebron could EASILY guard KAJ.


If he wanted.

[dunksby]

It just wouldn't be fair to have such a dominant center in today's league.

[Thorpesaurous]

The rebounding numbers would dip some. The FG% might. The scoring might just because of the nature of the way bigs are fed, and how defenders would be thrown at him.

The assists would go way up, as he was a very smart basketball player, and with the way a team would space around him, and cut off of him, he'd exploit any double team sent at him.

The blocks would probably go up too just based on how much more movement is required offensively and defensively because of the illegal defense / defensive 3 seconds rule that didn't exist at the time. He'd actually see more shots to challenge, and wouldn't have the quality of big that he'd need to lean on as much night to night, freeing him up to go after the ball more.

I personally would take him over anyone in the league. Although I'd never put it past Lebron or Durant to win an MVP in any season against anyone. We're talking transcendent level guys, of which there's only a handfull ever. But he'd be in that conversation all the time, and the based on the way I feel about basketball, I'd say he'd be the best.

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

Easily 2nd to KD

[SHAQisGOAT]

Young Kareem - probably

Peak Kareem - definitely

[INDI]

Lebron could EASILY guard KAJ.


If he wanted.

Absolutely all he has to do is call a switch. KAJ would only drop a mere 55

[AirFederer]

Top 3

[INDI]

The crazy thing about KAJ is his shot. He didnt need deep low post positioning so even if you double him it really didnt matter.

[Marlo_Stanfield]

no he wouldnt
hes no LeBron or Wilt afterall:applause:

[Ratnik]

Why do blacks become muslims? :confusedshrug:

[Doctor Rivers]

no he wouldnt
hes no LeBron or Wilt afterall:applause:

look it's the funny man!

[Demitri98]

Easily.

Who stops him? Dwight? Hibbert?

23 yo Kareem averages 35/17/4/4blk in today's league.

[Marchesk]

Why do blacks become muslims? :confusedshrug:

Because white people made Jesus look like a northern European hippie? :confusedshrug:

[oh the horror]

Because white people made Jesus look like a northern European hippie? :confusedshrug:


Zing !

[Dr.J4ever]

KAJ, being a great passer and teammate, would turn almost any team into contender status today, given enough time. Imagine KAJ and one good PG, and 3 other players who can shoot 3s.

To answer the question, yes, KAJ would be the best player today. No one center would be able to guard him, and his Skyhook would still be an immortal shot. Today's more consistent and persistent double teams would hurt his ppg, but his presence alone would create so many opportunities for his teammates, turning his team into one of the better offenses in today's league.

KAJ would be more valuable than either Lebron or Durant.

[steve]

The rebounding numbers would dip some. The FG% might. The scoring might just because of the nature of the way bigs are fed, and how defenders would be thrown at him.

The assists would go way up, as he was a very smart basketball player, and with the way a team would space around him, and cut off of him, he'd exploit any double team sent at him.

The blocks would probably go up too just based on how much more movement is required offensively and defensively because of the illegal defense / defensive 3 seconds rule that didn't exist at the time. He'd actually see more shots to challenge, and wouldn't have the quality of big that he'd need to lean on as much night to night, freeing him up to go after the ball more.

I personally would take him over anyone in the league. Although I'd never put it past Lebron or Durant to win an MVP in any season against anyone. We're talking transcendent level guys, of which there's only a handfull ever. But he'd be in that conversation all the time, and the based on the way I feel about basketball, I'd say he'd be the best.

This essentially, with the minor quibble that I think his FG% would rise and quite significantly at that, although his PPG would probably drop. He would most likely get fewer shot attempts but the shots he would get would be better looks in general.

He'd probably be more valuable than either James or Durant, but strictly speaking as a mobile rim protector and as a post focal point (it really wouldn't be by much though). One thing that does bother me reading through this though is the idea of how "no center would be able to stop him" which shows a pretty significant lack of understand of modern defenses, because no team would single cover him (because no team does this for the most part anyway these days). It wouldn't limit Jabbar's effectiveness but it would certainly make his game look different. Of course if he was playing today, we'd have to suffer through an infinite number of threads of how much Jabbar isn't dominating the game, is soft, etc...all while his team is winning between 55 and 60 games in any given season.

[ILLsmak]

KAJ, being a great passer and teammate, would turn almost any team into contender status today, given enough time. Imagine KAJ and one good PG, and 3 other players who can shoot 3s.

To answer the question, yes, KAJ would be the best player today. No one center would be able to guard him, and his Skyhook would still be an immortal shot. Today's more consistent and persistent double teams would hurt his ppg, but his presence alone would create so many opportunities for his teammates, turning his team into one of the better offenses in today's league.

KAJ would be more valuable than either Lebron or Durant.

The funny thing is that the greatest era for the knock down 3 point shooter (now) is also the era of shittiest shooting. Obviously, there are crazy shooters in the NBA, but a lot of them? Nah. Most teams don't even have 1 person who is the kind of shooter needed to take pressure off a big in a championship situation. To ask for 3? I doubt it. lol

But I think because he could shoot from further away that it would help, but who knows what dude's percentage would be if he ONLY got sky hooks..

Pretty sure he'd be a top player and some-time MVP, though, just because of his skill set. Would he DOMINATE I dunno...

-Smak

[SHAQisGOAT]

This essentially, with the minor quibble that I think his FG% would rise and quite significantly at that, although his PPG would probably drop. He would most likely get fewer shot attempts but the shots he would get would be better looks in general.

He'd probably be more valuable than either James or Durant, but strictly speaking as a mobile rim protector and as a post focal point (it really wouldn't be by much though). One thing that does bother me reading through this though is the idea of how "no center would be able to stop him" which shows a pretty significant lack of understand of modern defenses, because no team would single cover him (because no team does this for the most part anyway these days). It wouldn't limit Jabbar's effectiveness but it would certainly make his game look different. Of course if he was playing today, we'd have to suffer through an infinite number of threads of how much Jabbar isn't dominating the game, is soft, etc...all while his team is winning between 55 and 60 games in any given season.

Yea but you think he didn't have to be double/triple-teamed back in the day, just as well? I can post plenty of games where he gets swarmed all the time and you know what happened? Either he'll avoid the double-team, with great footwork, going for the basket (also because he was very mobile and not large), or go to the other side for the skyhook/fader, or find the open man.. Because he could read defenses really well with his tremendous IQ and court-vision, had great passing skills and great scoring skills.. You'd be screwed either way, he was killing it with some average teammates overall, even more when he had great teammates around. He was also very tall and pretty athletic. You don't see nothing close to him nowadays, not even remotely.
You can say all you want about "modern" defenses but it is what it is...

[SHAQisGOAT]

The funny thing is that the greatest era for the knock down 3 point shooter (now) is also the era of shittiest shooting. Obviously, there are crazy shooters in the NBA, but a lot of them? Nah. Most teams don't even have 1 person who is the kind of shooter needed to take pressure off a big in a championship situation. To ask for 3? I doubt it. lol

But I think because he could shoot from further away that it would help, but who knows what dude's percentage would be if he ONLY got sky hooks..

Pretty sure he'd be a top player and some-time MVP, though, just because of his skill set. Would he DOMINATE I dunno...

-Smak

And many people also think/say shooting is just/all about 3pt shots...

[steve]

Yea but you think he didn't have to be double/triple-teamed back in the day, just as well? I can post plenty of games where he gets swarmed all the time and you know what happened? Either he'll avoid the double-team, with great footwork, going for the basket (also because he was very mobile and not large), or go to the other side for the skyhook/fader, or find the open man.. Because he could read defenses really well with his tremendous IQ and court-vision, had great passing skills and great scoring skills.. You'd be screwed either way, he was killing it with some average teammates overall, even more when he had great teammates around. He was also very tall and pretty athletic. You don't see nothing close to him nowadays, not even remotely.
You can say all you want about "modern" defenses but it is what it is...

Except those double teams were never able to come as quickly as they do now and post players give a bit more freedom to establish position once they got the ball than they do now and it was easier to get their own offense. It's just how defenses are different now. And I mentioned in my post that this wouldn't change his effectiveness at all, it just change how that specific effectiveness would look. His base scoring numbers would probably be down, but his efficiency would rise and his teams would still be contenders every season he was in his prime by virtue of him being the offensive focal points.

[Le Shaqtus]

Peak Kareem in this league would be so dirty.

Only Perkins would be able to take him down.

[zoom17]

Why do blacks become muslims? :confusedshrug:

That was so random.

[NumberSix]

No. He weighed less than Durant.

[r0drig0lac]

mvp easily without competition (seriously)

[Cold soul]

Yes, without question. Kareem would be the best player in today's game.