Would "Mr. Clutch" AKA "The Logo" AKA Jerry West be a top 3 PG today?

[oarabbus]

People seem to think that any player before the 80s just sucks and is a product of a weak era. So how about the Logo?

Current top 3 not in order:

Curry
CP3
Westbrook


If not top 3, is he top 5? Top 10? Can't even make the D League?

[IncarceratedBob]

He would be a SG not a PG, and he would be the clear cut best SG in the league and it wouldn't even be close

[Akrazotile]

He would absolutely be better than prime Kobe.

I'm not sure if he would be above Wade, Paul, and some others but there's definitely an argument.

[TheMan]

Ginobili does just fine today and West >>>> Manu.

[TheReal Kendall]

Why people saying West would be the top player today but quick to say Wilt and Russel would be booty?

[oarabbus]

Why people saying West would be the top player today but quick to say Wilt and Russel would be booty?

Exactly, thank you. This is why I was making the topic. West would be near prime Kobe/Wade level (which actually is very possible) but Bill Russell is no more than DeAndre Jordan? Something doesn't add up...


and for the record does anyone actually believe CP3 would be better than a prime Jerry West? :roll: GTFO if you actually think that :lol

[bizil]

I certainly think he would be right at the top. I think West's game would translate great in the L today. They say he was really closer to 6'4 than his listed 6'2 height. West was arguably the greatest player of all time fundamentals wise on both sides of the ball. And was very athletic to boot. So imagine a better all around version of Steph Curry. That's what u would get in West. I think West would exploit the midrange area more than Steph and provide All NBA caliber defense in the process. At the SG, he would be right at the top as well with Kobe hurt. West and Harden would be the top SG's in the L at least for this year.

[ABfor3]

Great midrange shooter, excellent fundamentals, great defender..I think he would be around top 5-8 area in the league.

[Bob Dole]

He'd be the 3rd best player in the nba

[ArbitraryWater]

Great midrange shooter, excellent fundamentals, great defender..I think he would be around top 5-8 area in the league.

Wait, you saying he would be a top 5-8 player in the league? :biggums:

[ABfor3]

Wait, you saying he would be a top 5-8 player in the league? :biggums:
Yes but my only problem is if he can go left ..his pullup jumpers were automatic and he was clutch as hell

[LAZERUSS]

Yes but my only problem is if he can go left ..his pullup jumpers were automatic and he was clutch as hell

I always found it interesting that only the current generation figured out that West couldn't go left, or dribble with his left hand.

The players of his era must sure have been dumb. He was putting up 46 ppg playoff series, and 39 ppg Finals in his era.

If only they would have had the benefit of the knowledge that this generation has...then they would have reduced West to a helpless bench-warmer.

[Bob Dole]

West is the 2nd best SG of all time in my book. Kobe and wade weren't as good as him.

[joeyjoejoe]

No disrespect but pg handles are so much better now then back then so no

[dude77]

No disrespect but pg handles are so much better now then back then so no

lol you mean with all the palming/carrying/allowed to travel all over the place ? hell yeah

[LEFT4DEAD]

Wait a minute!
A guy who cant go left would be a top player today?
Sorry old guys but different time has come.

[joeyjoejoe]

lol you mean with all the palming/carrying/allowed to travel all over the place ? hell yeah

What are you 90 come on if you can't admit that pg handles are way better these says you need to start watching basketball again

[oarabbus]

What are you 90 come on if you can't admit that pg handles are way better these says you need to start watching basketball again

Dude, Jerry West would have a nasty crossover, get ****ing real.. None of that stuff was allowed, you were called for palming/carrying and lost the ball immediately. They could still do that stuff just not during a game, its not like human hands have changed in the last 50 years :oldlol:

[dude77]

What are you 90 come on if you can't admit that pg handles are way better these says you need to start watching basketball again

lol as of now, everyone's breaking the rules .. that's why it looks so 'cool and flashy and modern' to you .. go tell all the modern players no more getting away with travelling .. no more carrying .. every idiot in the nba would have to relearn how to dribble

[turnaroundJ]

I think Jerry West's game would translate nicely to today's game, moreso than any other 60s star.

[LAZERUSS]

No disrespect but pg handles are so much better now then back then so no

Yep...just watch this video.

That 6-5 stumblebum wouldn't get the ball past half-court against the much taller and more athletic PGs of this era...

[Psileas]

Wait a minute!
A guy who cant go left would be a top player today?
Sorry old guys but different time has come.

You watched close to zero footage of West, you don't have the slightest clue about this.

[BoutPractice]

Not sure what his position would be in today's league. He has definite SG height but seems to play a lot like the contemporary "tweener guard" - what the 13 positions approach calls the "primary ballhandler". Certainly he's a guy you want with the ball in his hands. What do you guys think? Off the ball SG? On ball tweener? Pure PG?

[Smoke117]

Let's see...I was born in 1984 so I just turned 30. Jerry West played from 1961-74. Let's say you ask someone who was 10 at the time of 61...if you weren't in LA where would you have even watched him play and frankly who is on this site that was 10 in 61 and now 63 years old who actually even saw that much of him to say now? I know I'm being a dick about it, but these questions are stupid. I mean this isn't a forum of former NBA players who played during that time, announcers, coaches etc...i'd imagine the average age here isn't even 20. You cannot just watch some old tapes and videos and be an expert and say yes or no to something like this. Go ask Elgin Baylor.

[BoutPractice]

Lots of full games available online. Especially for West who played in pretty much every Finals in the 60s.

There are historians and history fans who still argue about Napoleon nowadays. Were they alive at the time of Waterloo? No. Does it mean they have no right to speak of Napoleon and those who know the facts/did the research are equally poor sources as those who think Napoleon is a rapper? Of course not. There'd be no civilization if you could only talk about the present.

[Bob Dole]

lol at you idiots thinking jerry west didnt have handles. There are videos of kids back then doing dribbling similar to what you find today.

If you think the best guard in the NBA at that time couldn't do the same then you're delusional.

That stuff was called palming back then.

[SilkkTheShocker]

Wouldn't even start for a D-league team.

[La Frescobaldi]

People seem to think that any player before the 80s just sucks and is a product of a weak era. So how about the Logo?

Current top 3 not in order:

Curry
CP3
Westbrook


If not top 3, is he top 5? Top 10? Can't even make the D League?

He'd be alright.

Here a couple years ago there was a video article about some NBA players raving how Jerry West was teaching them moves they never even saw in their lives. It was like 2010 or '11. Think it was in Dime or one of those rags.

[Dro]

lol you mean with all the palming/carrying/allowed to travel all over the place ? hell yeah
Its crazy...I just made a Pistol Pete thread last week explaining how players weren't allowed to palm/carry/travel all over the court.

[LAZERUSS]

Wouldn't even start for a D-league team.

And yet a 6-2 Steve Nash could win two MVPs just a few years ago...

The NBA has made great strides since 2007. Obviously the league today has far more athletic and more skilled athletes than it did in 2007.

[SHAQisGOAT]

For example, Goran Dragic just averaged 20/6 on 51/41..

West would be the best PG in the league or the best SG in the league, depending on which role he played. He was a combo guard.

[Marlo_Stanfield]

he would be the best guard if he played today

[oarabbus]

Jerry West > Wade, Kobe, Tmac, AI

Only Jordan > West

true or false?

[MavsSuperFan]

:lol :lol :lol
He would not make the D-league

[MavsSuperFan]

Jerry West > Wade, Kobe, Tmac, AI

Only Jordan > West

true or false?
:mad: ok man stop with that bs.

I dont even like Tmac and Wade (anymore)

Thats insulting to put a guy that really was only in the league because of racial quotas (not saying he benefited directly, but indirectly by looking good against the white players that were playing just because teams wanted to stay white), ahead of them.

[MavsSuperFan]

Why people saying West would be the top player today but quick to say Wilt and Russel would be booty?
I don't think anybody that is delusional enough to believe that West could play in the NBA today wouldnt also believe that Wilt and Russel are the co Goats.

[oarabbus]

:lol :lol :lol
He would not make the D-league

Come on man. You really dont think Jerry West would be AT LEAST as good as Steve Nash? Him and Pistol Pete both had the size and the length. There is nothing lacking in their game.

Chandler Parsons and Gordon Hayward are putting up big time numbers this year. Korver is the best 3pt shooter. KLove is a top 3 PF and putting up all-time type numbers.

[FKAri]

Are you time travelling him? If so, he'd be pretty bad relatively.

[oarabbus]

Are you time travelling him? If so, he'd be pretty bad relatively.



We'll say he gets some time (an offseason, maybe a year) to scrimmage and practice and learn modern NBA rules.

[diamenz]

oh, no way! the league is predominantly black so there's just no possible way whatsoever that jerry could be a top player. on top of that, basketball is ALL athleticism and handles.

smh @ some of these young bucks.

[jongib369]

He'd be alright.

Here a couple years ago there was a video article about some NBA players raving how Jerry West was teaching them moves they never even saw in their lives. It was like 2010 or '11. Think it was in Dime or one of those rags.
Do you happen to know what he taught them at all? Would love to see this.

[jongib369]

http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/terminal05/2012/6/21/2/anigif_enhanced-buzz-25608-1340259705-4.gif

[Calabis]

Wouldn't even start for a D-league team.

Yup and 76ers can put out a team full of D-Leaguers in todays tough enviroment:facepalm

[Calabis]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buYB75cMehY

Old ass mfer, will probably out shoot half the league now:roll:

[LAZERUSS]

I would argue that a prime West would be the best PG in the league right now. He even led the NBA in apg one season.

[215Philly]

He would get torched night in & night out. Could you imagine him guarding Westbrook? :biggums:

[MiseryCityTexas]

He would be a SG not a PG, and he would be the clear cut best SG in the league and it wouldn't even be close


west is a natural point guard that's capable of playing sg, and he would be good in today's league. he would be just as good as prime nash.

[Calabis]

He would get torched night in & night out. Could you imagine him guarding Westbrook? :biggums:

Could u imagine Westbrook with no blueprint and no ones game to copy from?

[215Philly]

Could u imagine Westbrook with no blueprint and no ones game to copy from?
How does this relate to the op?

[SHAQisGOAT]

He would get torched night in & night out. Could you imagine him guarding Westbrook? :biggums:

Yea because Westbrook is always been guarded by guys with his same athleticism or his size :rolleyes: You've never seen him being defended by players with considerable less athleticism while being smaller :rolleyes: You've never seen him getting guarded by shorter players than West (with shorter wingspan), while being worse athletes and way worse defenders than Jerry, just never :rolleyes: Westbrook must be getting 30 per game on 50% on them scrubs :rolleyes:

:facepalm :facepalm

[oarabbus]

http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/terminal05/2012/6/21/2/anigif_enhanced-buzz-25608-1340259705-4.gif


:roll: :roll: :roll:

[oarabbus]

He would get torched night in & night out. Could you imagine him guarding Westbrook? :biggums:


Lol. Jerry West would take a fat steaming dump on CP3s head, I'm sure he'd get his against Westbrook.


In the 1965–66 NBA season, West averaged a career-best 31.3 points, along with 7.1 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game. He made an NBA record 840 free throws, and earned yet another pair of All-Star Team and All-NBA First Team nominations.

This is not a guy who is going to have problems with anyone short of a Prime Kobe, Payton, Kidd, etc. Let's say everyone back then sucked and modern defenses would reduce his scoring by 20%. Guy is still scoring 24ppg.

[215Philly]

Yea because Westbrook is always been guarded by guys with his same athleticism or his size :rolleyes: You've never seen him being defended by players with considerable less athleticism while being smaller :rolleyes: You've never seen him getting guarded by shorter players than West (with shorter wingspan), while being worse athletes and way worse defenders than Jerry, just never :rolleyes: Westbrook must be getting 30 per game on 50% on them scrubs :rolleyes:

:facepalm :facepalm
Nope never seen it

[SamuraiSWISH]

Umm, OP ... The Lakers lost in spite of West doing everything in his INSANE clutch power to win the game. His teammates found a way to lose. West, and Baylor were the only ones who showed up. There is only so much one or two men can do. He faced uber stacked Celtics teams.

[215Philly]

Lol. Jerry West would take a fat steaming dump on CP3s head, I'm sure he'd get his against Westbrook.



This is not a guy who is going to have problems with anyone short of a Prime Kobe, Payton, Kidd, etc. Let's say everyone back then sucked and modern defenses would reduce his scoring by 20%. Guy is still scoring 24ppg.
Adjusted stats means nothing to me & he wouldn't score 24 ppg unless he got phantom calls. What team would have him as they main scorer anyway besides a tanking team?

[oarabbus]

Umm, OP ... The Lakers lost in spite of West doing everything in his INSANE clutch power to win the game. His teammates found a way to lose. West, and Baylor were the only ones who showed up. There is only so much one or two men can do. He faced uber stacked Celtics teams.

Uh... yeah I know.

I am arguing in favor of West...

[NattyPButter]

lolz...this has to be a joke thread. He would be in the D league. You can't survive in the NBA dribbling like that.

[SHAQisGOAT]

This dude had the skills of a Steve Nash but was 6'5'' w/o shoes and more athletic.. Sort of a mixture between Curry and Rubio, right now, "taking" some from both of their games, in terms of skill..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq1oUk7sgRY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfWkiO2Iz08
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PK9qo6LNrtA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qv0YS1wHoQ

He came into the league in West's 11th season, never was considered better, never did the same stuff as West.. Jerry still got to school him on both ends also.

Prime Walt Frazier was quick af, just go watch him, great at stealing the ball as anyone ever, terrific defender.. You go ask him about West not being able to dribble/control the ball or how he was able to stop his scoring, even that ridiculous quick pull-up jumper.

This man came around a couple years after West retired: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6OsKy1c5A0
Never was quite as good, never was considered better, never had the same impact..

John Havlicek also had that "old-school" way of dribbling because rules were much stricter while they were coming up and playing in the pros, because physicality was more common and it was "easier" for them to keep control, that way.. Hondo lasted til 1978, at 38 years old still putting up 16/4/4.. That's a couple of years before Magic and Bird, and then MJ.......

This dudes were in the league at the same time as West: http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=289458
Nobody was stopping him, he was doing more of the stopping himself..


Jerry was an amazing shooter with a ridiculous quick release, could stop and pop on a dime, he was 6'4'' with a huge wingspan, a good athlete, a great passer, had great fundamentals and top-notch IQ, was just a great defensive player, had incredible work ethic and a crazy killer instinct... He would definitely be the best SG or PG in this era, like I've said, Goran Dragic can put up 20/6 on 51/41, for example, Steve Nash is a 2x MVP, since y'all wanna look at the short white guyes :rolleyes:

[oarabbus]

lolz...this has to be a joke thread. He would be in the D league. You can't survive in the NBA dribbling like that.


Thanks for the input, are you retarded? Human hands haven't changed. Just the rules have changed :facepalm

[Crafty]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1538809_845564548805404_3483262834027922119_n.jpg

[DJ Leon Smith]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1538809_845564548805404_3483262834027922119_n.jpg

LOL that image is spot on! Nailed it.

Now can you provide LeBron's and West's Finals stats for their losing finals series? Especially interested in their clutch stats ie. fourth quarter scoring. Don't use LeBron's first NBA Finals if you don't want to, because his fans always tell me he was really young and his team wasn't expected to make the finals then so that series doesn't count.

[dunksby]

Players today still play the game of basketball don't they? For an athletic legendary combo guard who has the fundamentals down to perfection, dominating this league would be easy. Everything in today's NBA is built around getting the best out of perimeter players.

[Doranku]

Depends. Are we assuming that Jerry West would learn how to dribble with his left hand if he played today?

[Harison]

He would be a SG not a PG, and he would be the clear cut best SG in the league and it wouldn't even be close

This.

[Calabis]

How does this relate to the op?

It relates too the same fact that West would benefit from today's technology and blueprints that would be layed out before him. I don't know or understand why young mfers on here, keep bringing up this kind of crap. U have one era that is inventing shit...they have no one to look at to steal from or add parts to their game. To a era that has allowed And 1 dribbling styles and players stealing from Magic, Bird, Jordan, Kobe, etc.....its stupid.

Its like taking Westbrook and putting him in the 50s and 60s....lets see how he responds to the social injustice and less then steller equipment. Also lets let him grow up not seeing anyone to mimic with lack of tv coverage....lets see where he ends up.