What Players Do you Consider "Truly Great"?

[jstern]

Players that won and completely dominated the league. Players who were clearly the best. So for me, Jordan, Shaq, Lebron, and Bird.

Edit: Too many posters are mentioning players that were and are great, but not truly great.

[tikay0]

Players that won and completely dominated the league. Players who were clearly the best. So for me, Jordan, Shaq, Lebron, and Bird.

You wouldn't consider Garnett a truly great player? Or Patrick Ewing? Or Charles Barkley? Malone? Stockton?

[I<3NBA]

Not a rapist

[jstern]

You wouldn't consider Garnett a truly great player? Or Patrick Ewing? Or Charles Barkley? Malone? Stockton?

I consider them great, but the OP said truly great. Perhaps that has a different meaning to different people. I figure it should be a really short list of just guys who dominated the whole league.

[tikay0]

I consider them great, but the OP said truly great. Perhaps that has a different meaning to different people. I figure it should be a really short list of just guys who dominated the whole league.

I definitely think Barkley, Malone, Stockton, Ewing, Garnett were truly great players. They just didn't have the best teams.

OK, Malone and Stockton had a very good team, but c'mon, who's beating MJ and Pippen?

[ProfessorMurder]

I consider them great, but the OP said truly great. Perhaps that has a different meaning to different people. I figure it should be a really short list of just guys who dominated the whole league.

LeBron sure has dominated the league with his 1 championship. Look out Bill Russell!

[Heavincent]

And to that you have to add: Oscar, West, Barkley, Dr.J, Baylor, Moses... Wade

Don't forget Dirk and KG.

[AT9]

I consider the "truly great" players to be players who will go down as legends.
I'll stick to the era I've been old enough to watch (00 and on):

Duncan and Shaq
Kobe and LeBron

Honorable mentions:

Dirk
KG
Nash
Durant (has the potential and time to move up)
Wade
AI
C-Webb
Chris Paul
Tony Parker

I'm sure I'm overlooking a few honorable mentions...

[DMV2]

From what I've seen...going by seasons and years.

Jordan 1996-98
Shaq 2000-02
Dirk 2011 Playoff run
LeBron 2012 entire year

[deja vu]

Tier 1: Jordan

Tier 2: Kareem, Bird, Magic

Tier 3: Wilt, Hakeem, Russell, Shaq

Tier 4: Duncan, Kobe

[secund2nun]

Lebron
Duncan
Hakeem
Shaq
MJ
KG
Bird
Magic
Kareem
Barkley
Malone
Ewing
Robinson

[305Baller]

Currently playing:
Tim Duncan
LeBron James
Kobe Bryant
Dwyane Wade
Carmelo Anthony
Chris Paul
Steve Nash
Kevin Durant
Jason Kidd
Pau Gasol
Dirk Nowitzki
Ray Allen
Manu Ginobilli
Tony Parker
Paul Pierce
Kevin Garnett
Rajon Rondo
Derrick Rose
Zach Randolph
...

[tpols]

Dirk & KG belong in that top tier. They are clearly above the one's you put them with.

Dirk, Kg, Wade, Kobe, and Duncan are all similar talents to me. Lebron and Shaq due to their physical gifts are on a slightly higher wow scale. Although you could make a weak case Kobe's work ethic, Duncan's selflessness and fundamental winning approach, KG's amazing versatility, and Wade's slashing ability are all just as rare/impressive.

I feel like J-Kidd gets underrated as an athlete on here too. Guy could fly and was strongest PG in the league with the most amazing feel for the game as far as anticipation knowing what was going on.

[SamuraiSWISH]

I'd split it up into eras.

1960: Russell, Wilt, West, Oscar, Baylor

1970: Kareem, Erving (+ Bill Walton peak)

1980: Magic, Bird, M Malone, Isiah

1990: Jordan, Hakeem, Barkley, K Malone, Stockton, Pippen

2000: Duncan, Kobe, Shaq, Garnett

2010: LeBron... (Durant pending + any others in the future)

Obivously some eras overlap, but I listed who I thought was *truly great*. Might have missed out some names

You mention Stockton and Pippen ... but not Wade?



Agenda exposed.

[tikay0]

Currently playing:
Tim Duncan
LeBron James
Kobe Bryant
Dwyane Wade
Carmelo Anthony
Chris Paul
Steve Nash
Kevin Durant
Jason Kidd
Pau Gasol
Dirk Nowitzki
Ray Allen
Manu Ginobilli
Tony Parker
Paul Pierce
Kevin Garnett
Rajon Rondo
Derrick Rose
Zach Randolph
...

T-Mac/Grant Hill