If George Mikan and Jerry West played in today's game, how good would they be?

[Stiff #1]

This message is hidden because Psileas is on your ignore list.

What was that?

What if Larry Bird played today? Do you think he would be better than Hedo Turkoglu or...?

Imagine if Manu had a Reggie Miller mid-range shot, was First Team All D and led the league in steals, blocks (for a guard), FTA, drove relentlessly, and could pass. Do you think a player like that would be good?

Did you ever see the 1972 All Star game?

Or the '69 Finals?

This guy is a robot.

Archibald said West played him the toughest...

Did you read the original post? Is there any mention of Larry Bird, Manu Ginobili, or other stars/legends? I have seen the 1969 Finals and also the 1972 Finals. You might want to watch the '72 Finals again.

[Stiff #1]

Grow up kid. Maybe make some friends so you don't spend you days forcing out the same repetitive schtick.

Time for you to use some common sense and accept the fact that these guys would be powerade-chugging 12th men getting their only burn during 30-point blowouts.

[CasterL]

There's some ambiguity here. Do you mean if they were literally time warped here in their primes, or if they developed in today's climate with the advancement of the game? If you mean the former, then I think Mikan wouldn't be much better than a Jeff Foster, but West, I think, would be a good player. If you mean the latter scenario, then both have a good shot at becoming all star caliber players.

good post, i always thought this when questions like theese are posed

[Showtime]

Time for you to use some common sense and accept the fact that these guys would be powerade-chugging 12th men getting their only burn during 30-point blowouts.

If Robert Swift can be a starter, and Kwame Brown can be a starter, and Mark Blount can be a starter, then please STFU.

[JJ81]

I think West was skilled enough to hang, but Mikan would get abused. He would simply not be athletic enough to hang, IMO.

+1

[dawsey6]

I guess BULLS decided the emoticons weren't working his argument.

[Younggrease]

You don't think if Mikan was developed in today's NBA climate that he couldn't be as good as Kevin Love or Tyler Hansbrough coming in? Brad freaking Miller was an all star. I don't think it's a stretch to say Mikan could have a good shot at being one too.

Tyler Hansborough is not an NBA player...good job comparing him to only white players

Mikan was very slow and not get off the ground. He also never competed against black players. if he made the league he would never get off the bench and surely never start.

Even if west grow up in the 80's he would still have trouble making the league...all the training in the world can only overcome so much.

[Showtime]

Tyler Hansborough is not an NBA player...good job comparing him to only white players

Did you not see the part of my post where I was discussing his chances of becoming an all star COMING INTO THE LEAGUE? Tyler will be considered a player who has a good chance at being an all star when he enters, as was Kevin Love.

Mikan was very slow and not get off the ground. He also never competed against black players. if he made the league he would never get off the bench and surely never start.

Again, go back and read my post about the two DIFFERENT premises of the debate.

Even if west grow up in the 80's he would still have trouble making the league...all the training in the world can only overcome so much.

Today's players coming into the game grew up in the 90's and were born in the mid-late 80's. West, who was already a great athlete then, could certainly be capable of developing his body even further and being capable of reaching all star status.

[Godfather]

Did you not see the part of my post where I was discussing his chances of becoming an all star COMING INTO THE LEAGUE? Tyler will be considered a player who has a good chance at being an all star when he enters, as was Kevin Love.



Again, go back and read my post about the two DIFFERENT premises of the debate.



Today's players coming into the game grew up in the 90's and were born in the mid-late 80's. West, who was already a great athlete then, could certainly be capable of developing his body even further and being capable of reaching all star status.

[bagelred]

West was 6'1" in shoes with a slow first step, terrible vertical, poor ball-handling skills and the mental toughness of a third grade female. He would be Luke Ridnour at his absolute best.

Are you saying Luke Ridnour is going to be the new NBA Logo?

[Scott Pippen]

Tyler will be considered a player who has a good chance at being an all star when he enters, as was Kevin Love.

[Stiff #1]

Are you saying Luke Ridnour is going to be the new NBA Logo?

Good point. The fact that a punk like Jerry West is the NBA logo just makes me wonder why the NBA has as many fans as it does. Name me one person with any basketball knowledge who believes West deserves the logo over any one of the following:

M. Jordan
S. O

[Showtime]

^ Madsen was a 29th pick, not top 5 (which Love was).

"Will be considered" to be a player who could reach that level, not "will be an all star". Christian Laettner, Mike Bibby, etc were college stars who many thought were going to be big time players in the NBA. Christian made it to one all star game, and Bibby has never been an all star. Yet, they had the tools and the ability to be that level, no? Kevin Love and Tyler Hansbrough may never be all stars, but coming out of college and entering the NBA, they certainly have that potential and ability. If an undrafted Brad Miller can do it, then certainly Love and Hansbrough have the potential to do it. My original point about Mikan was that like these players, he would be no different in the aspect of having the potential and ability to one day be an all star player, and I think Mikan in today's league could have a good chance at being an all star talent if he was developed in today's basketball climate.

[Godfather]

^ Madsen was a 29th pick, not top 5 (which Love was).




"Will be considered" to be a player who could reach that level, not "will be an all star". Christian Laettner, Mike Bibby, etc were college stars who many thought were going to be big time players in the NBA. Christian made it to one all star game, and Bibby has never been an all star. Yet, they had the tools and the ability to be that level, no? Kevin Love and Tyler Hansbrough may never be all stars, but coming out of college and entering the NBA, they certainly have that potential and ability. If an undrafted Brad Miller can do it, then certainly Love and Hansbrough have the potential to do it. My original point about Mikan was that like these players, he would be no different in the aspect of having the potential and ability to one day be an all star player, and I think Mikan in today's league could have a good chance at being an all star talent if he was developed in today's basketball climate.

Do you watch/read college basketball. No one says Tyler is going to be an all star unless china mistakes him for one of their own. Draft boards have him in the 20's because he is an excellent hustle player who will bring some energy off the bench. You keep referring back to Brad Miller, but the fact is he had the tools and the size to succeed. While Tyler doesn't have the tools, the skill s (1 move post game with average jump shot) to become an all star.

I hate when people look at stats from college and expect greatness.

Certainly. Mikan though lacking the tools to compete in today's game has the skills..something Tyler does not.

[Showtime]

Do you watch/read college basketball. No one says Tyler is going to be an all star unless china mistakes him for one of their own. Draft boards have him in the 20's because he is an excellent hustle player who will bring some energy off the bench. You keep referring back to Brad Miller, but the fact is he had the tools and the size to succeed. While Tyler doesn't have the tools, the skill s (1 move post game with average jump shot) to become an all star.

The projections I've seen have Tyler around the 15 ish range, which isn't exactly "6th man" range. What you don't get about Miller was that he didn't have the tools when he came to the NBA. He played off the bench as a hornet before becoming a Bull. He wasn't a great passer or shooter then. He developed those skills. He became even better when he went to Indiana and then Sacramento. He didn't enter the league as a great shooter or passer. Love and Tyler may or may not be fully developed. While it may end up Tyler won't be more than a Maddog player, he can also develop his game like Brad Miller did.

I hate when people look at stats from college and expect greatness.

I'm not expecting greatness, just saying that the potential to develop into a star is there, and there isn't a reason to say that Mikan wouldn't have the potential to be a star either.

Certainly. Mikan though lacking the tools to compete in today's game has the skills..something Tyler does not.

That's exactly why I brought up Miller, because he didn't come into the league with those skills, he had to develop and improve them. Certainly Tyler will be coming into the league with better expectations than an undrafted Miller, wouldn't you agree? When Miller came into the league, I'm sure being a Maddog 6th man on a chip team would be something to strive for.