Most important players of all time?

[dc_chilling]

I'm not talking about individual talent, but in terms of impact on the game.

Who do you guys think are the most important player/players of all time?

To me, it has to be Magic/Bird. They saved the NBA from almost certain doom.

After those two, I got to give it to Jordan for taking the NBA to another level. He was the most popular athlete on the planet, and he happened to played basketball.

Honorable Mentions:

The Dream Team: People just look at their dominance, but the most underrated part of the dream team was their impact on globalizing the game. Great international players in the league today claimed to have been inspired to pursue basketball because of the dream team.

Russell/Wilt: I will admit, I am probably ignorant to the overall impact these two had on the league. I'm way too young to have been around during this era. From what I read though, they pretty much became a springboard for the league and were largely responsible for it's growing popularity.

[NBAplayoffs2001]

I'm not talking about individual talent, but in terms of impact on the game.

Who do you guys think are the most important player/players of all time?

To me, it has to be Magic/Bird. They saved the NBA from almost certain doom.

After those two, I got to give it to Jordan for taking the NBA to another level. He was the most popular athlete on the planet, and he happened to played basketball.

Honorable Mentions:

The Dream Team: People just look at their dominance, but the most underrated part of the dream team was their impact on globalizing the game. Great international players in the league today claimed to have been inspired to pursue basketball because of the dream team.

Russell/Wilt: I will admit, I am probably ignorant to the overall impact these two had on the league. I'm way too young to have been around during this era. From what I read though, they pretty much became a springboard for the league and were largely responsible for it's growing popularity.

Agree with everything.
I do think in the early 2000s what made the NBA remain quite popular was the search for a new Jordan? Willl it be carter, t mac, iverson, ray allen, kobe bryant?

IMO the Larry bird/magic saved the NBA period and as much as I don't like David Stern, he made the NBA a much more global name. Man was a genius despite some controversies. His no drug policy and banning Ray Richardson for failing the drug test three times I Think definitely fixed most of it. I remember reading somewhere that Ray Richardson isn't bitter about it because he thanked Stern for saving his life.

[dc_chilling]

Agree with everything.
I do think in the early 2000s what made the NBA remain quite popular was the search for a new Jordan? Willl it be carter, t mac, iverson, ray allen, kobe bryant?

IMO the Larry bird/magic saved the NBA period and as much as I don't like David Stern, he made the NBA a much more global name. Man was a genius despite some controversies. His no drug policy and banning Ray Richardson for failing the drug test three times I Think definitely fixed most of it. I remember reading somewhere that Ray Richardson isn't bitter about it because he thanked Stern for saving his life.

Dude great point.

David Stern is one of the most important people in NBA history, without a doubt.

It sucks that fans were too stupid to appreciate what he did for the league and booed him during his last year. He was a genius.

[zoom17]

Dude great point.

David Stern is one of the most important people in NBA history, without a doubt.

It sucks that fans were too stupid to appreciate what he did for the league and booed him during his last year. He was a genius.

http://usatthebiglead.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/david-stern-chokes-on-water-during-nets-clippers-game.gif

[NBAplayoffs2001]

http://usatthebiglead.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/david-stern-chokes-on-water-during-nets-clippers-game.gif

He looks like a adorable grandpa you take to a basketball game :lol

[Foster5k]

The most important NBA players of all time? Of course, these individuals would have to be more than just great players. They would have to transcend beyond the court and into the hearts and minds of millions around the world. A few players like that come to mind.

In no particular order: These players transcended the game and pretty much built certain foundations for future generations.

1.Michael Jordan
2.Larry Bird
3.Magic Johnson
4.Jerry West
5.Julius Erving
6.Bill Russell
7.Shaquille O'Neal
8.Kobe Bryant
9.Oscar Robertson
10.Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
11.Hakeem Olajuwon
12.Charles Barkley
13.Scottie Pippen
14.Allen Iverson
15.Dennis Rodman
16.Gary Payton
17.Isiah Thomas
18.Tim Duncan
19.Lebron James
20.Yao Ming

[j3lademaster]

1. Jordan- became the most well known global name. The much improved international play we see today are cats who watched and were inspired by MJ growing up.

2. Magic/Bird- saved the game and brought bigger endorsements to the nba. More earning potential= better talent pool.

3. AI- the sleeves you see kids wear today, Sprewell's cornrows that AI made popular, the baggy clothes/ bringing the streetball style to the NBA that was all Iverson.

[JimmyMcAdocious]

Elgin Baylor and David Thompson.

[moe94]

The most important NBA players of all time? Of course, these individuals would have to be more than just great players. They would have to transcend beyond the court and into the hearts and minds of millions around the world. A few players like that come to mind.

In no particular order: These players transcended the game and pretty much built certain foundations for future generations.

1.Michael Jordan
2.Larry Bird
3.Magic Johnson
4.Jerry West
5.Julius Erving
6.Bill Russell
7.Shaquille O'Neal
8.Kobe Bryant
9.Oscar Robertson
10.Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
11.Hakeem Olajuwon
12.Charles Barkley
13.Scottie Pippen
14.Allen Iverson
15.Dennis Rodman
16.Gary Payton
17.Isiah Thomas
18.Tim Duncan
19.Lebron James
20.Yao Ming

No Wilt and Mikan? They created rules to stop them and the former is riddled in the record books.

[Foster5k]

No Wilt and Mikan? They created rules to stop them and the former is riddled in the record books.
List is not complete. I just threw out some names that popped in my head quickly. Both of those guys definitely belong on any most important players list.

[FatComputerNerd]

Magic/Bird
Jordan
AI
Barkley
Shaq/Kobe
Lerbron


-All these guys were somewhat the face of the league at one time, and brought in the viewers.

HM for Dr. J

[SHAQisGOAT]

Yea, I'd probably also say Magic/Bird, then Jordan took it to a whole new level (also "ruining" various things about the game though, needs to be said too, even if indirectly or not solo).

[knicksman]

Dude great point.

David Stern is one of the most important people in NBA history, without a doubt.

It sucks that fans were too stupid to appreciate what he did for the league and booed him during his last year. He was a genius.

then you exposed your IQ again. League was better before stern. If a boring sport(baseball) can beat your ass then you know your not doing well. These lebron stans really have the lowest standards

[9512]

In order to appreciate the NBA we have to go way back.

IMO Doctor Julius Serving is *THE* most important player. During his era in the 1970s, he was witnessing the professional outlet of his beloved sport of basketball about to be eradicated. The NBA and the aba were battling each other to pieces. Doctor J became the true ambassador of the sport of basketball. His personality innately cool, his on court style, his afro, his articulate manner of speaking...all contributed to appeal to white America which perceived pro basketball to be too full of black Americans who are paid too much money, use too much drugs, and are too violent on the court.

Magic and Bird took over from there then Michael Jordan brought basketball to a new stratosphere.

But it started with the Doctor.

[no pun intended]

Wilt and Dr. J

[Milbuck]

Bird, Magic, and Jordan are the obvious ones, goes without saying. Those guys took the NBA to new heights.

I think Lebron and Kobe are pretty damn important as well. There was a pretty noticeable void after MJ left. So many perimeter guys just continually disappointing...but those two guys have stuck around and have done a pretty admirable job, despite all the criticism they get, of keeping a level of electricity alive in the NBA. Neither of them are MJ, but without those two this league would've been pretty dead the past 10-15 years or so.

[Meticode]

Ray Allen, saved LeBron's legacy...to an extent.

Throw Steve Kerr in there as well.

[Smook A.]

Michael Jordan is probably the most impactful, influential, most idolized NBA player EVER. He didn't just change the way people looked at the NBA but inspired basketball fans. Back in the 90s you saw kids (including me) wanna go out and ball every time after a Bulls game was done. Michael Jordan is the reason why I started playing basketball. Poor families would buy their kids $200-$300 basketball shoes just because they were called Jordan. His style of play and his impact made fans all around the world wanna play basketball. Even TODAY he has provided inspiration for countless numbers of young basketball players.

There's Michael Jordan and then there is the rest of us." - Magic Johnson aka The GOAT point guard said those words. MJ was just as important on the court as he was outside of it. He made the Bulls one of the most storied franchises in all of sports. One man changed the whole city.

Now look at all his achievements...

6x NBA Champ
6x Finals MVP
5x MVP
14x NBA All-Star
3x All-Star MVP
10x All-NBA First Team
1 DPOY
2x Slam Dunk Champ

He also had a career average of 30.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.3 APG... I could keep going. Those aren't even HALF of his achievements. All I can is... Michael Jordan was by far the most important/impactful NBA player of all time.

Another guy that impacted the NBA was Dr. J. His afro, his amazing flashy slam dunks... oh man. I wish I was alive when he was playing. Way before MJ there was a guy named Julius Erving. Before Michael Jordan did the memorable free throw line dunk, Julius Erving did it. If you combined his NBA & ABA stats he would've been a top 5 scorer of all time. Erving was definitely important.

And finally the two guys who came after Dr. J and before Michael Jordan. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. Easily the biggest rivalry between 2 players ever. In the 80s it was always about either Magic or Larry. There was no clear cut best player in that decade because you had Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. It was always a debate about who the best player. Even when either one of them won the MVP there was STILL a debate. I didn't really get to see the 80s because I was born in 1989 but I KNEW that those two guys were god damn important when my dad told me about them. From 1980-1989 you either saw Larry or Magic. Or even both. Those guys dominated the 1980s and that's why they were important.

[CavaliersFTW]

Elgin Baylor

[9512]

During the 1990s, air Jordan shoes didn't cost more ~$150 per pair.

[CavaliersFTW]

Michael Jordan is probably the most impactful, influential, most idolized NBA player EVER. He didn't just change the way people looked at the NBA but inspired basketball fans. Back in the 90s you saw kids (including me) wanna go out and ball every time after a Bulls game was done. Michael Jordan is the reason why I started playing basketball. Poor families would buy their kids $200-$300 basketball shoes just because they were called Jordan. His style of play and his impact made fans all around the world wanna play basketball. Even TODAY he has provided inspiration for countless numbers of young basketball players.

There's Michael Jordan and then there is the rest of us." - Magic Johnson aka The GOAT point guard said those words. MJ was just as important on the court as he was outside of it. He made the Bulls one of the most storied franchises in all of sports. One man changed the whole city.

Now look at all his achievements...

6x NBA Champ
6x Finals MVP
5x MVP
14x NBA All-Star
3x All-Star MVP
10x All-NBA First Team
1 DPOY
2x Slam Dunk Champ

He also had a career average of 30.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.3 APG... I could keep going. Those aren't even HALF of his achievements. All I can is... Michael Jordan was by far the most important/impactful NBA player of all time.

Another guy that impacted the NBA was Dr. J. His afro, his amazing flashy slam dunks... oh man. I wish I was alive when he was playing. Way before MJ there was a guy named Julius Erving. Before Michael Jordan did the memorable free throw line dunk, Julius Erving did it. If you combined his NBA & ABA stats he would've been a top 5 scorer of all time. Erving was definitely important.

And finally the two guys who came after Dr. J and before Michael Jordan. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. Easily the biggest rivalry between 2 players ever. In the 80s it was always about either Magic or Larry. There was no clear cut best player in that decade because you had Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. It was always a debate about who the best player. Even when either one of them won the MVP there was STILL a debate. I didn't really get to see the 80s because I was born in 1989 but I KNEW that those two guys were god damn important when my dad told me about them. From 1980-1989 you either saw Larry or Magic. Or even both. Those guys dominated the 1980s and that's why they were important.
The style of play and all the things you and the world saw him do on tv would have never existed without the mind of Elgin Baylor.

[Smook A.]

The style of play and all the things you and the world saw him do on tv would have never existed without the mind of Elgin Baylor.
True. He was a very good player for the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers. Sucks that he didn't get to win a championship though.

[CavaliersFTW]

True. He was a very good player for the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers. Sucks that he didn't get to win a championship though.
I'm working on another mix of his, the variety of things he could do and ways he could play is incredible, I'm still not sure which player from that era is more complete based on studying footage - Elgin or Oscar. IMO, based on what I've seen and heard, he's (as a small forward) the same tier as Larry Bird and Lebron James in terms of mind and ability. Fans are always of course going to look at his resume and not see enough rings to justify that, but the players and his peers that saw him play all say that. Bill Russell said a couple weeks ago Elgin was the greatest player he ever saw, and Oscar Robertson says that too, so Elgin get's really high praise from his contemporaries.

[Smook A.]

I'm working on another mix of his, the variety of things he could do and ways he could play is incredible, I'm still not sure which player from that era is more complete based on studying footage - Elgin or Oscar. IMO, based on what I've seen and heard, he's (as a small forward) the same tier as Larry Bird and Lebron James in terms of mind and ability. Fans are always of course going to look at his resume and not see enough rings to justify that, but the players and his peers that saw him play all say that. Bill Russell said a couple weeks ago Elgin was the greatest player he ever saw, and Oscar Robertson says that too, so Elgin get's really high praise from his contemporaries.
Definitely. Some Lakers fans even say that Elgin was better than Kobe Bryant. Never got to see him play but I've seen alot of his videos on YouTube. The first video I watched of him was the game where he had 71 points.

In 1960, Baylor averaged 34.8 pts, 19.8 rebs per game.

He averaged 38.3 ppg's in the 1961-62 season. (2nd all-time after Wilt)

Amazing scorer and rebounder.

[kells333]

The most important NBA players of all time? Of course, these individuals would have to be more than just great players. They would have to transcend beyond the court and into the hearts and minds of millions around the world. A few players like that come to mind.

In no particular order: These players transcended the game and pretty much built certain foundations for future generations.

1.Michael Jordan
2.Larry Bird
3.Magic Johnson
4.Jerry West
5.Julius Erving
6.Bill Russell
7.Shaquille O'Neal
8.Kobe Bryant
9.Oscar Robertson
10.Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
11.Hakeem Olajuwon
12.Charles Barkley
13.Scottie Pippen
14.Allen Iverson
15.Dennis Rodman
16.Gary Payton
17.Isiah Thomas
18.Tim Duncan
19.Lebron James
20.Yao Ming

Bill russell and oscar and hakeem extra high. Iverson should be top 5.

[Beastmode88]

Bird/Magic saved the league. The games weren't even aired live. MJ elevated the league and made everyone watch.

[Pointguard]

1) Wilt/Russell. In that order. They put the game on the map. Wilt was first to put mythical numbers up and the first who played above the rim. These two set up how the game was to be played on both sides of the ball. Set a bunch of unreachable standards.

2)Magic/Bird. The rebirth and Renaissance players who added a new level of chess and brain power to the game along with great skill, excitement and competition. Set and built the stage for...

3)Jordan. Globalization. Excitement, Flight, Determination, Skill, Excellence, Entertainment all rolled up into one. The Super Package.

4)Mikan/Globetrotters (Tatum, Meadowlark) were the one's who lit the initial flame. Globetrotters were the first international ambassadors. When they beat the Lakers people were really intrigued about the game.

5)Dr J. Without his excitement the 70's would have ship wrecked.

6)Oscar Schmidt/Hakeem/Yao Ming/Dirk for inspiring people on their continent. Exum might bring it to new heights in Australia.

7)Earl Monroe, turned the game into a marvel of moves and counter moves.

8)Iverson - the little man can be among the best. His influence on popular culture might have been the biggest in any sport?

9)Elgin Baylor - You see a bit of most exciting players in him.

10)Oscar/West/McAdoo the first 7 tool players, great all around games with superskills.

Wilt, West, Oscar, Kareem McAdoo, Walton, Bird, Magic, Jordan, Hakeem, Pippen, Garnett, Duncan, Kobe, Wade, Lebron represent the game in its many facets, dimensions and all around play. Russell and Marques Johnson might be in this category as well: 7 tools is a combination of several skills, excellence and proficiency on the court like scoring/shooting/defense/passing/team play/post play/slashing/blocking/intelligence/middle game or some other value.

Bob McAdoo was the first super-skilled center. Was the first bigman to slash hard to the basket from 23 feet, had real three point range, a very accomplished true jumpshot, probably the best handle for a center, one of the best middle games ever, best center ppg average - outside of Wilt - (and he did it in Kareem's prime while outrebounding Kareem too).

[pastis]

if your talking about impact of the game and "changing" of the game, also for future generations, than you have to mention Nowitzki. everthing else is ridirkoules

[Kvnzhangyay]

I guess if your talking about business,

Magic Bird Jordan

Pretty much singlehandedly saved the NBA (and nike)

[WillC]

Nobody has mentioned Pistol Pete Maravich yet. He's definitely one of the most important players of all-time.

For me, an 'important player' is one who changed the way the game was played. For example, Tim Duncan had a better career (and was arguably a better player) than Kevin Garnett, but I'd argue Garnett was more important because he brought in a whole generation of preps-to-pros big men prospects with a face-up game. In other words, you have to be a pioneer of sorts to make this list.

Here are the most important players in NBA history, in alphabetical order:

- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- Elgin Baylor
- Larry Bird
- Wilt Chamberlain
- Bob Cousy
- Julius Erving
- Kevin Garnett
- Allen Iverson
- LeBron James
- Magic Johnson
- Michael Jordan
- Pete Maravich
- George Mikan
- Earl Monroe
- Dirk Nowitzki
- Shaquille O'Neal
- Oscar Robertson
- Bill Russell

Toughest omissions: Joe Fulks, Bill Walton, Earl Lloyd, Hakeem Olajuwon, Jerry West, Kobe Bryant, Moses Malone, John Stockton, Tim Duncan, Isiah Thomas, Nate Archibald, Yao Ming, Bob Davies

Most important non-NBA players: Hank Luisetti, Dutch Dehnert, Nat Holman, Joe Lapchick, Tarzan Cooper

[WillC]

The most important NBA players of all time? Of course, these individuals would have to be more than just great players. They would have to transcend beyond the court and into the hearts and minds of millions around the world. A few players like that come to mind.

In no particular order: These players transcended the game and pretty much built certain foundations for future generations.

1.Michael Jordan
2.Larry Bird
3.Magic Johnson
4.Jerry West
5.Julius Erving
6.Bill Russell
7.Shaquille O'Neal
8.Kobe Bryant
9.Oscar Robertson
10.Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
11.Hakeem Olajuwon
12.Charles Barkley
13.Scottie Pippen
14.Allen Iverson
15.Dennis Rodman
16.Gary Payton
17.Isiah Thomas
18.Tim Duncan
19.Lebron James
20.Yao Ming

Some of your selections make little sense to me.

How can Gary Payton be more important to basketball than George Mikan, Wilt Chamberlain, Pete Maravich, Elgin Baylor, Earl Monroe, etc?

Poorly thought out list.

[BoutPractice]

In no particular order, NBA players only (so no David Stern, Red Auerbach, pre-NBA players etc.):

Michael Jordan: self-explanatory

Larry Bird / Magic Johnson: revitalize the game, attract a racially diverse audience

George Mikan: blueprint for the superstar bigman

Bill Russell: defensive innovator, integration accelerator

Wilt Chamberlain: blueprint for the NBA player as mythical Hollywood figure, main reason why basketball is seen as the most "individual" of collective sports

Bob Cousy: first in a long line of spectacular, crowd pleasing ballhandlers and passers

Elgin Baylor: blueprint for the spectacular NBA wing

Oscar Robertson: gives players the freedom to set the terms of their contracts, paving the way for today's multimillionaire free agents

Julius Erving: ambassador for the game, gives the NBA the playbook it will use to market Jordan: spectacular dunks and a cool yet clean cut/"acceptable" image.

Moses Malone: first prep-to-pro superstar, long before the days of Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James

Kevin Garnett: every 6-10 or taller player who's allowed to face up and pretend he's a guard owes something to Kevin Garnett, who "validates" their ambition.

Dirk Nowitzki: proves that Europeans can be superstars in the NBA and that it can pay for bigmen to shoot from the perimeter if they do it well enough

Yao Ming: got the most populous country in the world interested in basketball

LeBron James: first postmodern superstar whose every move is dissected by the entire world from an early age. Handles it remarkably well, proving the NBA can survive this shift

Allen Iverson: imposes hip hop culture to the NBA.

[GimmeThat]

Big O is up there.

Maybe Baylor, Kings.


Probably players who helped their team/franchise/fan carried through a stretch instead of letting a change in ownership take place.

[WillC]

Very similar list to mine, BoutPractice. Good work.

However, I personally think Maravich and Monroe have to be in their for their flashy individual brilliance which paved the way for other great ball-handlers that followed.

Also, leaving out Kareem Abdul-Jabbar seems like a big oversight. He was remarkable for his combination of size and skill, remembered for his scoring records and longevity, resonant as a dominant big man, resulted in change to the NCAA anti-dunking rules, and representative of a post-Martin Luther King politically-charged America. You can't leave out the NBA's all-time leading scorer and, arguably, most hyped prospect of all-time.

Just my opinion.

[c5terror]

Michael Jordan is probably the most impactful, influential, most idolized NBA player EVER. He didn't just change the way people looked at the NBA but inspired basketball fans. Back in the 90s you saw kids (including me) wanna go out and ball every time after a Bulls game was done. Michael Jordan is the reason why I started playing basketball. Poor families would buy their kids $200-$300 basketball shoes just because they were called Jordan. His style of play and his impact made fans all around the world wanna play basketball. Even TODAY he has provided inspiration for countless numbers of young basketball players.

There's Michael Jordan and then there is the rest of us." - Magic Johnson aka The GOAT point guard said those words. MJ was just as important on the court as he was outside of it. He made the Bulls one of the most storied franchises in all of sports. One man changed the whole city.

Now look at all his achievements...

6x NBA Champ
6x Finals MVP
5x MVP
14x NBA All-Star
3x All-Star MVP
10x All-NBA First Team
1 DPOY
2x Slam Dunk Champ

He also had a career average of 30.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.3 APG... I could keep going. Those aren't even HALF of his achievements. All I can is... Michael Jordan was by far the most important/impactful NBA player of all time.

Another guy that impacted the NBA was Dr. J. His afro, his amazing flashy slam dunks... oh man. I wish I was alive when he was playing. Way before MJ there was a guy named Julius Erving. Before Michael Jordan did the memorable free throw line dunk, Julius Erving did it. If you combined his NBA & ABA stats he would've been a top 5 scorer of all time. Erving was definitely important.

And finally the two guys who came after Dr. J and before Michael Jordan. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. Easily the biggest rivalry between 2 players ever. In the 80s it was always about either Magic or Larry. There was no clear cut best player in that decade because you had Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. It was always a debate about who the best player. Even when either one of them won the MVP there was STILL a debate. I didn't really get to see the 80s because I was born in 1989 but I KNEW that those two guys were god damn important when my dad told me about them. From 1980-1989 you either saw Larry or Magic. Or even both. Those guys dominated the 1980s and that's why they were important.

- Lead the league 3x in steal while averaging 30+ ppg
-# 3 All time leader in Steal behind
-Have More Offensive rebound in his first 9 years than Lebron Entire Career up to date.

[BoutPractice]

WillC > I kind of see them as being in the continuity of Cousy, but since I have both Dr. J and Jordan on my list it would make sense I suppose. It's all about degree and scale, if you take something that's already there and bring it to a whole new level you deserve a place as an innovator.

I hesitated to bring Kareem into the picture. He's undoubtedly one of the greatest players ever but I wasn't sure what was necessarily "different" about him (The same thing applies to Duncan: I have him as one of the greatest of all time but from a historical perspective, he's "merely" keeping up with the tradition. Duncan is the wise leader of an already established institution.)
Kareem had great skills for his height and was hyped as a prospect but can be seen as a logical extension of Wilt. However, thinking about it, the rule changes and the political resonance of his name do justify putting him on the list, you're right.

[the mesiah]

If we talking bout just players in general and not just nba , besides the wilts,jordans,magics,Julius', got to bring up the FAB 5 in michigan.Before iverson ,they brought that swag/bravado ,REAL baggy loose shorts,black socks to the world mainstream.

[La Frescobaldi]

by the years they broke molds and had impact on the public not just hardcore fans:
1950s
Mikan
Cousy
Russell

1960s
Baylor
Chamberlain
Logo
Oscar

1970s
Dr. J
Maravitch
Havlicek
Lew Alcindor / Jabbar
Earl Monroe

1980s
Bird
Magic
Moses Malone & Gervin

1990s
Jordan
R. Miller
Shaq
Barkley

2000s
Kobe
Dirk
Iverson
Ginobili
Y Ming

Were they the best of their times? Yeah, mostly. But the public doesn't know anything about NBA but marketing so it's "who's most popular" just as much as "who's most important."

Connie Hawkins is more important to the modern game than anyone on that list other than the very biggest superstars, but he was never well known because of the college scandal. The game is based heavily on his playing style and he was tremendously influential on all that came after.

Ginobili and Dirk & Yao spread the game enormously overseas.

If you cut the list down to the very top superstars, that spread basketball popularity the most of anybody, it would be
Chamberlain
West
Bird
Magic
Jordan
Ming
Bryant

Many players of those days say the league would have collapsed if not for Wilt. His name alone was good for thousands of tickets anywhere in the world - remember he was a Globetrotter too, and spent several off-seasons in Europe. As far as importance to the game itself? Nobody comes close, they made whole pages of rules to stop him.

You also have to remember the country was very regional until the mid-80s. Jerry West spread the game across the country far more than somebody like Reggie Miller or Iverson, who showed up long after it was already in the national spotlight. Moses Malone same thing, dude was a huge fan generator in Texas.
Barkley was the Ambassador of Basketball in the Olympics and that big mouth alone promoted the game to thunderous levels.

I prolly forgot somebody but that's how I see it

[the mesiah]

by the years they broke molds and had impact on the public not just hardcore fans:
1950s
Mikan
Cousy
Russell

1960s
Baylor
Chamberlain
Logo
Oscar

1970s
Dr. J
Maravitch
Havlicek
Lew Alcindor / Jabbar
Earl Monroe

1980s
Bird
Magic
Moses Malone & Gervin
human highlight film

1990s
Jordan
Penny hardaway
Big ticket Garnett
R. Miller
Shaq
Barkley

2000s
Kobe
Dirk
Iverson
Ginobili
Y Ming











I prolly forgot somebody but that's how I see it
Yea, u forgot the bolded easily..

[Pointguard]

Also, leaving out Kareem Abdul-Jabbar seems like a big oversight. He was remarkable for his combination of size and skill, remembered for his scoring records and longevity, resonant as a dominant big man, resulted in change to the NCAA anti-dunking rules, and representative of a post-Martin Luther King politically-charged America. You can't leave out the NBA's all-time leading scorer and, arguably, most hyped prospect of all-time.

Just my opinion.

I left out Kareem intentionally. He wasn't that important to the game outside of his most impressive resume. Somebody impressive was going to lead the league in scoring if not him. The league was in dire straights and nearly collapsed when he was the man for 10 years. Surely not his fault but when other guys are building, helping the league grow and have considerable influence on the game its kind of hard for them to be overlooked for a guy that didn't have a particular niche that furthered the game along for the next generation. Certainly, Kareem didn't do this like others did.

[ottooooooo]

v span

[Cold soul]

Bird/Magic saved the NBA during the 80's. MJ brought globalization into the game to whole other stratosphere especially around the world.

[Pointguard]

1) Wilt/Russell. In that order. They put the game on the map. Wilt was first to put mythical numbers up and the first who played above the rim. These two set up how the game was to be played on both sides of the ball. Set a bunch of unreachable standards.

2)Magic/Bird. The rebirth and Renaissance players who added a new level of chess and brain power to the game along with great skill, excitement and competition. Set and built the stage for...

3)Jordan. Globalization. Excitement, Flight, Determination, Skill, Excellence, Entertainment all rolled up into one. The Super Package.

4)Mikan/Globetrotters (Tatum, Meadowlark) were the one's who lit the initial flame. Globetrotters were the first international ambassadors. When they beat the Lakers people were really intrigued about the game.

5)Dr J. Without his excitement the 70's would have ship wrecked.

6)Oscar Schmidt/Hakeem/Yao Ming/Dirk for inspiring people on their continent. Exum might bring it to new heights in Australia.

7)Earl Monroe, turned the game into a marvel of moves and counter moves.

8)Iverson - the little man can be among the best. His influence on popular culture might have been the biggest in any sport?

9)Elgin Baylor - You see a bit of most exciting players in him.

10)Oscar/West/McAdoo the first 7 tool players, great all around games with superskills.

Wilt, West, Oscar, Kareem, McAdoo, Walton, Bird, Magic, Jordan, Hakeem, Pippen, Garnett, Duncan, Kobe, Wade, Lebron represent the game in its many facets, dimensions and all around play. Russell and Marques Johnson might be in this category as well: 7 tools is a combination of several skills, excellence and proficiency on the court like scoring/shooting/defense/passing/team play/post play/slashing/blocking/intelligence/middle game or some other value.

Bob McAdoo was the first super-skilled center. Was the first bigman to slash hard to the basket from 23 feet, had real three point range, a very accomplished true jumpshot, probably the best handle for a center, one of the best middle games ever, best center ppg average - outside of Wilt - (and he did it in Kareem's prime while outrebounding Kareem too).

Added my number 10.

[AKADS]

The way I look at these questions is ask someone who hates sports if they know player x.

Most people will know

Lebron
Kobe
Micheal Jordan
Bird
Magic
Wilt

The there are some who will know

AI
Dr J
Russell
Big O


One I would add for a true basketball fan is Len Bias.

[joeyjoejoe]

Magic Johnson - yeah he helped the nba heaps in popularity not just with the whole magic bird battles but he's this likeable guy always smiling with a big heart, think he made the assist exciting and more popular and his showtime style can be seen in some point guards who definitely grew up watching magic like cp3. He's had some of the most well known moments in NBA like the skyhook, he for sure helped open peoples eyes about hiv and aids. And there's this other mj guy too

[Derka]

The Dream Team '92

[WillC]

I left out Kareem intentionally. He wasn't that important to the game outside of his most impressive resume. Somebody impressive was going to lead the league in scoring if not him. The league was in dire straights and nearly collapsed when he was the man for 10 years. Surely not his fault but when other guys are building, helping the league grow and have considerable influence on the game its kind of hard for them to be overlooked for a guy that didn't have a particular niche that furthered the game along for the next generation. Certainly, Kareem didn't do this like others did.

I'm not exactly a huge fan of Kareem, but your argument doesn't hold up. How can you say that the NBA's all-time leading scorer and arguably the greatest college player of all-time doesn't belong on a list of the 'most important players of all-time'?

I agree that he wasn't exactly a pioneer of any sorts (although his hook shot might be the best signature move in basketball history), but he did dominate to the extent that they outlawed the dunk in college to try to limit his effectiveness.

His combined high school, college and NBA success is only rivalled by Bill Russell. I know this list isn't about "who had the best career", but it's hard to leave out Kareem.

To have Bob McAdoo on your list but not Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is very hard to justify.

[La Frescobaldi]

I left out Kareem intentionally. He wasn't that important to the game outside of his most impressive resume. Somebody impressive was going to lead the league in scoring if not him. The league was in dire straights and nearly collapsed when he was the man for 10 years. Surely not his fault but when other guys are building, helping the league grow and have considerable influence on the game its kind of hard for them to be overlooked for a guy that didn't have a particular niche that furthered the game along for the next generation. Certainly, Kareem didn't do this like others did.

We'll have to disagree my friend. Lew Alcindor showed the world that the Center position was going to stay strong after Chamberlain and Russell left. There were lots of great centers in those days - Thurmond, Cowens, Lanier and lots more - but they were full tiers below. Jabbar showed a greatness, a massiveness, that the others didn't have. It was like when Shaq took over the league after Jordan retired.
And the '70s was a terrific time for the NBA, not remotely close to collapse - sure it had problems but some of the greatest players ever were during that time.
And the GOAT commissioner, Larry O'Brien, carried everything before him.

[jaybee682]

Magic
Bird
Jordan
Iverson
Mikan

[riseagainst]

http://bettingmine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014-02-07/basketbolnye-prichiny-kak-stern-ubival-nba_2.gif

[Kukoc]

Michael Jordan for the Bulls

Karl Malone for the Jazz

LeBron for the Cavs


I mean its hard to say who is the most important of all time.
Also Iverson for the Sixers and KG for Minny

[Pointguard]

I'm not exactly a huge fan of Kareem, but your argument doesn't hold up. How can you say that the NBA's all-time leading scorer and arguably the greatest college player of all-time doesn't belong on a list of the 'most important players of all-time'?

I agree that he wasn't exactly a pioneer of any sorts (although his hook shot might be the best signature move in basketball history), but he did dominate to the extent that they outlawed the dunk in college to try to limit his effectiveness.

His combined high school, college and NBA success is only rivalled by Bill Russell. I know this list isn't about "who had the best career", but it's hard to leave out Kareem.

To have Bob McAdoo on your list but not Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is very hard to justify.

Way more players play like McAdoo do now than ever played like Kareem. His influence is just way larger than Kareems. Tmac, KG, Alex English, Vandeweigh, Mello, Durant, Dirk are all guys that have large parts of McAdoo in their game along with many other similarities. Nobody plays like Kareem since he left the league. The modern game is patterned after one model more so than the other.

Important and personal resumes are rarely ever equivalent in the real world. Important has more to do with the game/league thriving than individual resumes. The game suffered its worse ever with Kareem in his peak. If it were not for Dr. J gliding thru the air, the league had lost all the momentum it had from Wilt/Russell. You think that Kareem's resume was worth its weight in paper when the league was looking for a personality and player to flip what he couldn't do?

Great resume. One of the greatest. Just not important to the game's health, growth or place among top sports now.


We'll have to disagree my friend. Lew Alcindor showed the world that the Center position was going to stay strong after Chamberlain and Russell left. There were lots of great centers in those days - Thurmond, Cowens, Lanier and lots more - but they were full tiers below. Jabbar showed a greatness, a massiveness, that the others didn't have. It was like when Shaq took over the league after Jordan retired.
And the '70s was a terrific time for the NBA, not remotely close to collapse - sure it had problems but some of the greatest players ever were during that time.
And the GOAT commissioner, Larry O'Brien, carried everything before him.

Why do you think Magic and Bird were such big deals?

Of course, these are my opinions but lets revisit the meaning of important.

Important: of great significance or value; likely to have a profound effect on success, survival, or well-being.

Kareem was great, among the greatest. But he wasn't bringing great value to the sport. Magic got the franchise contract after one year on the team. Do you think that was because of Kareem's profound effect on the value, success and well-being to the Laker's? The league thrived on centers before Kareem. Magic and Bird literally decentralized the game. And to be honest the game has been more perimeter since 1980 (34 years ago). There was something like a periodic loan (5 years in total) period to Hakeem (from Jordan), and Shaq (the most dominant player I ever saw) but definitely needed a great perimeter player to be important. The two words are very different.

I'm pretty sure there are more books in the 70's written about the Knick teams than there are about Kareem. Why? Because they embodied greatness as a total team concept, success to the sport, entertainment, role model of teams to come, and the well-being of the sport.