ISH's #8 Player of Alltime

[Deuce Bigalow]

Vote for the #8 Player of Alltime
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#1: Michael Jordan (9/15 votes)
#2: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (17/32 votes)
#3: Bill Russell (15/35 votes)
#4: Magic Johnson (20/32 votes)
#5: Wilt Chamberlain (17/44 votes)
#6: Larry Bird (21/28 votes)
#7: Shaquille O'Neal (17/38 votes)

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ISH's #7 Player of Alltime - Shaquille O'Neal


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Candidates:
Tim Duncan
Kobe Bryant
Oscar Robertson
Hakeem Olajuwon
Jerry West
Moses Malone
Julius Erving
Karl Malone
Elgin Baylor

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Previous Thread http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=238203

[talkingconch]

Kobe, Hakeem, or Duncan

[Deuce Bigalow]

Kobe, Hakeem, or Duncan

You got to vote for one

[DuMa]

hakeem

[Inception28]

Tim Duncan, same vote as last time .

[jacobgoindum]

Kobe Bryant

[talkingconch]

Kobe Bryant

[Mr. I'm So Rad]

I think he should be one spot higher but Kobe

[Inception28]

lol, I find it funny how Kobe has more votes so far in this thread than he did in the #7 voting.

[D-Wade316]

Tim Duncan

[Deuce Bigalow]

lol, I find it funny how Kobe has more votes so far in this thread than he did in the #7 voting.

lol, but he was getting more votes than duncan and hakeem on the #5 and #6 voting

[inclinerator]

kevin garnett

[SuperPippen]

Actually, I vote for Hakeem.

[Bernie Nips]

Hakeem

[ShaqAttack3234]

Just like the last thread, I vote for Hakeem Olajuwon

When talking about the best defensive players of all time, Hakeem will be one of the first names mentioned and for good reason. When talking about best two-way players of all time, Hakeem should maybe be the first name mentioned. And when talking about the best playoff performers of all time, he should be one of the first names mentioned.

At his best, he had almost no weakness. He could cover the perimeter and recover to block shots at an elite level, grab rebounds, improved his post defense and was elite at the other end. His favorite move was the baseline fadeaway, but he could trick you with a quick spin move that same way for a lay up/dunk, go up quick with the fadeaway before you can react, or set up the shot with the dream shake. He could also go to the middle for jump hooks with great consistency. That almost forced you to double team him, and he became an excellent passer out of double teams. He could spin and draw 3 defenders to find a wide open 3 point shooter. Or he could go out on the perimeter and regularly hit shots from 15-18 feet, became a good free throw shooter for a big man and could even shoot off the dribble or occasionally pull out a crossover move.

That's why Houston had success when they finally made the most of his many offensive talents, and he did it without sacrificing his defense. And aside from maybe Kareem, is there any other center you'd take over Hakeem for a big shot late in the 4th quarter?

He also went through teams with some of the best players in the league during both title runs. Drexler's Blazers, Barkley/KJ's Suns, Malone/Stockton's Jazz and Ewing's Knicks in '94. Then Malone/Stockton's Jazz, Barkley/KJ's Suns, Robinson's Spurs and Shaq/Penny's Magic in '95. The '95 run came against teams that won 60, 59, 62 and 57 games, respectively and Houston didn't have homecourt for any series. Hakeem averaged 33/10/5/3 in that run, by the way....

Hakeem rose to the occasion from a young age too. He beat the Showtime lakers in '86 and gave the '86 Celtics a pretty good fight in the finals. He averaged 27/12 during that run as well. With his cast deteriorating, he still didn't go down without a fight in '87 putting up 49/26/6 in game 6 while losing in double OT(though if not for a bad call, they probably push that series to 7).