People here haven't watched most of their top 10

[sundizz]

These are general somewhat consensus top 10 discussion worthy players.

For example, I can say I've watched Kobe seriously because I was at both an age + level of commitment to watching the NBA to know what was going on.

To have "watched" I'd say you need to have been above 13 years old + watch at least 40 NBA games per year consistently and/or play consistently.

Tier 1 watched (2% of the board)
Wilt
Russell
Kareem
Magic
Bird
Hakeem
Charles
Jordan

Tier 2 watched (10% of the board)
Shaq
Kobe
Duncan
Garnett


Tier 3 watched (95% of the board)
Lebron


Why is it that there are so many people on this board that believe they know anything about those Tier 1 players at all. Tier 2 at least most of us watched at least half or more of their career. Tier 3 pretty much everyone has watched.

[West-Side]

Top 10; from players I watched only.

1) Michael Jordan
2) Magic Johnson
3) Larry Bird
4) Kobe Bryant
5) Tim Duncan
6) Shaquille O'Neal
7) LeBron James
8) Hakeem Olajuwon
9) Kevin Garnett
10) Charles Barkley

HM: Wade & Malone.

[Rose'sACL]

OP's logic: if most of this board doesn't like the players i like then they haven't watched those players.

This logic only applies to wilt, russell and to some extent kareem. Everyone can watch pretty much every good game of bird, magic and jordan.
If anything, youtube helps create only positive image for past greats given that their bad games are normally not there.

Excluding kareem, russell and wilt this is my top 10:

1. Jordan
2. Tim Duncan
3. Kobe
4. Bird
5. Shaq
6. LeBron
7. Magic
8. Hakeem
9. KG
10. Barkley

[bdreason]

I watched everyone in my top 10 play except for Wilt and Russell.

[sundizz]

So you would say that watching a few youtube highlights of a player equates to knowing how good they really were? Even watching a few games shows you nothing.

Ridiculous logic.

We argue daily about Kobe/Lebron/Duncan etc on here. A large part of that is the day to day, week to week fluctuations of what they are able to do. Seeing their historic runs, flaws, etc is what makes us understand how they did as a player in their whole career.

If I went back and watched some random game of Bird's from 1979 I'd have no context to really put it in place. I wouldn't know how good the other players are etc - only marginally know about the rest of the league.

[KendrickPerkins]

Ok, here my new top 10

1. Durant, Kevin
2. James, Lebron
3. Duncan, Timothy
4. O'neal, Shaquille
5. Bryant, Kobe
6. Garnett, Kevin
7. Wade, Dwayne
8. Gasol, Pau
9. Ginobili, Manu
10. Westbrook, Russell

[Mass Debator]

I think Hakeem, Barkley, and Jordan should be in their own tier at 10%. Besides that, I agree with your point. You can be 30 now and have watched Jordan's 2nd 3peat at a decent age of understanding if you're a hardcore fan.

[Timmy D for MVP]

I read, watch, and listen.

You are basically asking how can anyone know anything about the past.

[riseagainst]

OP's logic: if most of this board doesn't like the players i like then they haven't watched those players.

This logic only applies to wilt, russell and to some extent kareem. Everyone can watch pretty much every good game of bird, magic and jordan.
If anything, youtube helps create only positive image for past greats given that their bad games are normally not there.

Excluding kareem, russell and wilt this is my top 10:

1. Jordan
2. Tim Duncan
3. Kobe
4. Bird
5. Shaq
6. LeBron
7. Magic
8. Hakeem
9. KG
10. Barkley

kobe number 3.... dam.

[Rose'sACL]

So you would say that watching a few youtube highlights of a player equates to knowing how good they really were? Even watching a few games shows you nothing.

Ridiculous logic.

We argue daily about Kobe/Lebron/Duncan etc on here. A large part of that is the day to day, week to week fluctuations of what they are able to do. Seeing their historic runs, flaws, etc is what makes us understand how they did as a player in their whole career.

If I went back and watched some random game of Bird's from 1979 I'd have no context to really put it in place. I wouldn't know how good the other players are etc - only marginally know about the rest of the league.
i have watched almost all playoffs games from 80s either on tv or through internet.

Very few regular season games were shown on tv that didn't involve your local team even in bird and magic's prime.

By your logic, no one other than people born in the 40s have any idea what they are talking about.

[sundizz]

i have watched almost all playoffs games from 80s either on tv or through internet.

Very few regular season games were shown on tv that didn't involve your local team even in bird and magic's prime.

By your logic, no one other than people born in the 40s have any idea what they are talking about.

Not at all.

Im saying old people can and should debate endlessly about how good Wilt or Russell or Bird are compared to Kobe/Lebron etc.

It just doesn't make any sense when young people argue and debate about them.

Just like in 20 years anything my 3 year old nephew says about Kobe will be taken with a smile and head nod. Regardless of what he watches he is not a part of the Kobe era and doesnt understand the year and year out progression.

Someone that is 50 understands (if they have been a huge bball fan/knowledge) how the game has changed and how certain players would translate to the modern game. They may be wrong, but at least them debating with other geezers makes sense.

What doesnt make sense is a bunch of under 30 people arguing about how good Wilt or Russell are. They only understand them in a vacuum.

[Rose'sACL]

Not at all.

Im saying old people can and should debate endlessly about how good Wilt or Russell or Bird are compared to Kobe/Lebron etc.

It just doesn't make any sense when young people argue and debate about them.

Just like in 20 years anything my 3 year old nephew says about Kobe will be taken with a smile and head nod. Regardless of what he watches he is not a part of the Kobe era and doesnt understand the year and year out progression.

Someone that is 50 understands (if they have been a huge bball fan/knowledge) how the game has changed and how certain players would translate to the modern game. They may be wrong, but at least them debating with other geezers makes sense.

What doesnt make sense is a bunch of under 30 people arguing about how good Wilt or Russell are. They only understand them in a vacuum.
You're an idiot. Russell and wilt are different from Kobe, Duncan or lebron and even magic and bird.
The reason is that not enough footage is available to make any solid conclusion about how good or bad they were. Nearly all games will be available for current stars and I can direct new fans towards those in future debates. This is not the case with wilt and Russell.

[GimmeThat]

I read, watch, and listen.

You are basically asking how can anyone know anything about the past.

crafty
clever in usually a deceptive or dishonest way

but hey,

are we human, or are we dancers?!

[superteamtheory]

Top 10; from players I watched only.

1) Michael Jordan
2) Magic Johnson
3) Larry Bird
4) Kobe Bryant
5) Tim Duncan
6) Shaquille O'Neal
7) LeBron James
8) Hakeem Olajuwon
9) Kevin Garnett
10) Charles Barkley

HM: Wade & Malone.

:cheers:

here is mine from 2000 (a kid) to now...

1) LBJ (he may drop a spot if he can't hold on ... fans can only make excuses for so long ... I got no problem for now because I think the excuses are good ones but there has to be another ring coming soon...)
2) Kobe (my MJ)

3) Duncan (the greatest bigman)
4) Shaq (one of the greatest centers)

5) A. Iverson (most underrated ever)
6) Kevin Garnett (your ideal PF, intense as hell)

7) Dirk Nowitzki (at times unstoppable)
8) Steph Curry (greatest shooter with decent all round game)

9) Steve Nash (the heart of a champion... the one-eyed game...)
10) Jason Kidd (had the East running scared of the NJ Nets)

hon. mentions: old/Uncle Reggie Miller, Paul Pierce (a consistent all round baller), Kevin Durant (talented but overhyped imo

[pastis]

of course nearly nobody mentions Dirk. but ok.

my top players i've watched playing:

1. Lebron
2. Shaq
3. Dirk/Durant
4. Duncan
5. Kobe
6. wade
7. Garnett
8. Pierce
9. Gasol
10. Jason Kidd

HM: Parker, Ginobili,

[r0drig0lac]

I read, watch, and listen.

You are basically asking how can anyone know anything about the past.
this

[ArbitraryWater]

I read, watch, and listen.

You are basically asking how can anyone know anything about the past.

this

[Prime_Shaq]

Top 10 of who I watched
1. MJ
2. Kareem
3. Magic
4. Bird
5. Duncan
6. Shaq
7. LeBron
8. Kobe
9. Hakeem
10. Barkley

[superteamtheory]

of course nearly nobody mentions Dirk. but ok.

my top players i've watched playing:

1. Lebron
2. Shaq
3. Dirk/Durant
4. Duncan
5. Kobe
6. wade
7. Garnett
8. Pierce
9. Gasol
10. Jason Kidd

HM: Parker, Ginobili,

:applause:

great list man.. very mid-Noughties savvy.. underrated players aplenty around that time..

[Uncle Drew]

Jordan
Duncan
Bird
Magic
O'Neal
Olajuwon
Bryant
James
Barkley
Garnett

[kells333]

So there are alot of 40year plus people in here? I see alot of magic and bird.

[jstern]

But people here at least have put some sort of effort to study them.

I mean, you can't just dismiss players that you haven't watched. Can you imagine someone who started watching basketball in the 2000 ridiculing the notion of a Jordan being number one just because they hadn't watched him?

I'm sure there are plenty here who started watching basketball in 2010. In 20 years, when they're discussing basketball with their friends who have also been watching since 2010. Can you imagine them coming up with a top ten list and not having a Jordan, Shaq in that list because they didn't watch them play?

[DMV2]

Top 10 All-Time I Watched (circa 1996-present):

1. Jordan
*2. Shaq or Duncan
*3. Shaq or Duncan
4. Kobe or LeBron
5. Kobe or LeBron
6. Hakeem
7. Barkley
8. Malone
9. Dirk
10. Wade

*I do have Duncan over Shaq in my overall Top 10 but my overall Top 10 is has more criteria than just the Eye Test and a few other things. Actually, Shaq would be #1 on my Eye Test list because I didn't get to see 91-93 MJ.

[BlackWhiteGreen]

Dirk should only be appearing in these lists if you started watching in April 2011 and stopped in July 2011

[LAZERUSS]

Edit. Delete. Wrong topic.

[thefatmiral]

I didnt start watching until mid 90s. when Barkley, hakeem, and jordan were in there 30s. I dont put wilt russel or kareem in top 10. I can assume they were great because kareem even in his old age held his own against the new breed in the 80s. and wilt was freakishly athletic for his size and could probably be pretty good today.

[ShawkFactory]

Ok, here my new top 10

1. Durant, Kevin
2. James, Lebron
3. Duncan, Timothy
4. O'neal, Shaquille
5. Bryant, Kobe
6. Garnett, Kevin
7. Wade, Dwayne
8. Gasol, Pau
9. Ginobili, Manu
10. Westbrook, Russell
:whatever:

[tmacattack33]

Yes, people shouldn't really be listing any player from before their time on their lists...and sometimes they shouldn't even list a current player if they hardly ever followed that player.

But people need some entertainment so they find it fun to make this lists.

Just like how i find it funny in football how so many people have debates about which cornerback or safety is the best, but really they only see about 10 percent of the plays from these guys...since the camera in football follows the QB and the OL/DL battle.

But oh well, its all entertainment. Let people have their fun.

[BallsOut]

If we're doing a top 10 based soley off of players I've watched then:

1) Kobe Bryant
2) Tim Duncan
3) Shaquille O'Neal
4) Kevin Garnett
5) Dwyane Wade
6) Dirk Nowitzki
7) Lebron James
8) Kevin Durant
9) Chris Paul
10) Russell Westbrook
HM: Derrick Rose, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, Jason Kidd, Brandon Roy, Allen Iverson, Pau Gasol, Paul Pierce, Steve Nash, Tracy McGrady