Kareem ranks Oscar over Magic

[Full Court]

https://sports.yahoo.com/kareem-abdu...002619429.html

Pro rankings are just as all over the map as ISHers' rankings, but they still make for interesting discussion.

When asked who the greatest point guard ever is, Kareem responded:

“I don’t think you’re gonna want to hear this,” Abdul-Jabbar said of his top point guard. “Oscar Robertson, the Big O. I only had a chance to play with him at the end of his career, but he was awesome,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “And if people had seen him play in the prime of his career and with the 3-point shot. Oscar had 3-point range, but he never got to play when the 3-point shot was incorporated into the game.

“And people don’t really understand how significant he was in how to play the game. But I played with him for those four years. I know Steph Curry and LeBron [James], Kobe [Bryant], Magic, all those guys are superior. But I would have to go with Oscar.”

What makes it weird is that he acknowledges that Magic is "superior", but goes with Oscar anyway.

[Kblaze8855]

He said similar things in a book of hills that I have somewhere. Talked about how he himself under rated Oscar, until he actually got to play with him. How he made him understand and appreciate the subtleties and how he made it so easy for everyone else so long as you could meet his standards(perfection). I’ve heard that Oscar was such a perfectionist, and so revered for his execution teammates talk to him like a father figure and beg his forgiveness when they made mistakes.

Some teammate of his I can’t remember admitted in a clip I saw they were all afraid to let him down because he was so good and so flawless. They just wanted him to know they were doing their best to keep up. I suppose he was one of those competitive assholes like Kobe and Jordan.

[Real Men Wear Green]

Robertson averaged a triple double not just before that stat line Bevan commonplace, not just before Russell Westbrook did it, but before people even thought of it as a significant stat to begin with. If you don't just assume that newer players are always better players that's definitely not an unreasonable statement. And Jabbar played with both, which adds to the validity of his opinion.

[1987_Lakers]

He's been saying this for years. I remember him saying it on Stephen A Smith's show "Quite Frankly" back in like 2006 or so.

[FultzNationRISE]

https://sports.yahoo.com/kareem-abdu...002619429.html

Pro rankings are just as all over the map as ISHers' rankings, but they still make for interesting discussion.

When asked who the greatest point guard ever is, Kareem responded:

“I don’t think you’re gonna want to hear this,” Abdul-Jabbar said of his top point guard. “Oscar Robertson, the Big O. I only had a chance to play with him at the end of his career, but he was awesome,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “And if people had seen him play in the prime of his career and with the 3-point shot. Oscar had 3-point range, but he never got to play when the 3-point shot was incorporated into the game.

“And people don’t really understand how significant he was in how to play the game. But I played with him for those four years. I know Steph Curry and LeBron [James], Kobe [Bryant], Magic, all those guys are superior. But I would have to go with Oscar.”

What makes it weird is that he acknowledges that Magic is "superior", but goes with Oscar anyway.

Since theres no objectively right or wrong answer I think he’s clearly just showin some love to someone he feels gets overlooked.

That said, I have no idea what to make of Big O. He obviously was a pioneer in certain statistical categories, Ive also heard it said his intangibles were closer in effect to Westbrook than to Magic. Which I dont think is a compliment.

Ive not checked out much of whatever footage exists of him so I couldnt really say.

[1987_Lakers]

Since theres no objectively right or wrong answer I think he’s clearly just showin some love to someone he feels gets overlooked.

That said, I have no idea what to make of Big O. He obviously was a pioneer in certain statistical categories, Ive also heard it said his intangibles were closer in effect to Westbrook than to Magic. Which I dont think is a compliment.

Ive not checked out much of whatever footage exists of him so I couldnt really say.

He was a bit of an introvert, like Kareem. Bill Simmons told a story how he saw him at an airport once and he didn't even approach him because other people told him that he was standoffish, or something to that affect.

[Baller234]

Oscar was the Magic of his day, a one of a kind player who could do it all. Everyone that played during that era concedes that he was the most talented player of that generation. He didn't dominate but I don't know if the league was built for a player of his type and his size to dominate yet. Then again keep in mind that Robertson won a title the moment he was paired with another star player in Alcindor.

Most fans would probably pick Magic because they're younger and have a greater appreciation for Magic, but objectively speaking there's a case to be made that they were equals.

[mr4speed]

Oscar was the Magic of his day, a one of a kind player who could do it all. Everyone that played during that era concedes that he was the most talented player of that generation. He didn't dominate but I don't know if the league was built for a player of his type and his size to dominate yet. Then again keep in mind that Robertson won a title the moment he was paired with another star player in Alcindor.

Most fans would probably pick Magic because they're younger and have a greater appreciation for Magic, but objectively speaking there's a case to be made that they were equals.

For an interesting read on Oscar, please see Dave Heeren's book titled "Seventy-Five". Mr. Heeren is a statistician and invented the "Tendex" system of evaluating players. He has Oscar as the greatest player of all time!