There is a reason Kareem isn't included in NBA's players mount rushmores

[SHAQisGOAT]

Because he is friggin overrated. Played his prime in the weakest era of NBA, and only started winning some rings while his Lakers team got superstacked with Magic. His only talent was longevity, never in the modern era(after 80s) was he the best player in the game.

[BoutPractice]

Individually he was an extraordinary force. And he had arguably the greatest tools to work with to become the GOAT.

But he never gets scrutinized for repeated failures his fellow all time greats routinely get killed for because of the titles he racked up in the 80s. His resume is not as spotless as some would have you believe.

[LAZERUSS]

Not really. I'm just ignoring his HS and College play. People actually consider that '60's and '70's NBA was inferior to today's. I do not agree with them wholly. The HS and College BB were incredibly inferior though. That's why I completely disregard KAJ's accomplishments prior to the NBA. Taking their NBA basketball careers into perspective, MJ is clearly ahead of KAJ (ignoring longevity).

Not that this is relative to the NBA topic, but KAJ played in an era of college ball in which a player HAD to either play four years (and only three at the varsity level BTW), or wait until his class graduated (like Wilt.) So, the reality was, he was facing NBA-level players in COLLEGE. My gawd, Elvin Hayes led the NBA in scoring in his ROOKIE season. Wes Unseld not only won ROY, he also won the MVP. Both of those guys would have lasted one year in college in today's NBA. And, KAJ was probably already considered a top-5 NBA center by the end of his soph season at UCLA. He certainly didn't disappoint with his rookie season, either, in which he averaged 29 ppg.

I personally rank KAJ at #5 all-time, but his NBA resume has a case for GOAT.

[LAZERUSS]

BTW, a peak KAJ, from the '70 playoffs, thru the entire 70-71 regular and post-season, and thru the '72 regular season, was as great as any player who has ever played the game.

[aj1987]

@Lazeruss, Do you think that MJ (with his athleticism and BB IQ) would not have dominated the HS and NCAA scene in the '60's? Who would've stopped him?

[The Iron Fist]

@Lazeruss, Do you think that MJ (with his athleticism and BB IQ) would not have dominated the HS and NCAA scene in the '60's? Who would've stopped him?

Jordan couldn't even make his HS team in the 70s. But he would have dominated HS and the NCAA?

[Flash31]

There is actually a simple reason why Kareem isn't included in the Mount Rushmore or goat conversations.


The media DOES NOT LIKE HIM.And he does not have a good relationship with the media.

Has absolutely 0 to do with his actual skill.It's media
relations and perception.

Oscar and Wilt had and have the same problem.

Isn't it odd that when ESPN or NBA bring up stats it's always and arbitrary date
or something.
First to score 10-20-30k points and Wilt is left out.
First to 10-20 rebounds-Wilt,Russell left out.


The only reason Bill Russell is included in any goat is 11 rings to where no matter what you can't leave him out.
West has good relationship with NBA and media and he's the logo and still working so it works.

But almost every single star from 50s,60s,70s,80s aside from Larry,Magic are disregarded.

iT'S A MEDIA THING.
kAREEM HAS THE MOST POINTS EVER,HAS 6 MVPS,6 Rings,had a 21 year career.He had the most dominating and best COLLEGE CAREER.
He was one of if not the goat basketball player in college and pros when he played.

He has the accolades and everything to back up his claim as goat.

The media and incidentally his stats get him left out of goat talk.

Bc with BR its 11 rings but team and not huge individual stats but can be goat.
With Wilt its lack of winning and bad media and HUGE STATS so left out.

Larry and Magic are NBAs league posters and brought NBA into relevance so thy're always there not to mention having jobs with NBA.

OSCAR is wiped out.


If you think about it,if Oscar,Wilt,Kareem had a better relationship with media and /or were alive--
Jordan wouldn't even come close to GOAT much less a so called consensus.

Imagine MJ having all these records and people pushing it as all time and Wilt,Kareem going NOPE.
Or Magic killing the League and Oscar going NOPE.

Then people see the real scope of everybody's legend and statuses but we don't.


The media pushes who they like and want and
Kareem,Oscar,Wilt haven't had a good relationship with the media.

The Lakers just recently got a statue for Kareem after Magic got his way before.


Media is the number one reason Kareem isn't in the talks period.

[sportjames23]

Kareem never got along with the media, which is why they prop up MJ as the GOAT even though KAJ has a legit claim at the crown

Banned for stupidity.

[oh the horror]

So according to ISHers the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s are all the weakest era of basketball.

[LAZERUSS]

@Lazeruss, Do you think that MJ (with his athleticism and BB IQ) would not have dominated the HS and NCAA scene in the '60's? Who would've stopped him?

KAJ's college career DWARFs MJ's. And you could make an argument that Jordan played on more stacked teams in college, too, and yet "only" won one title, while KAJ won three in a row, and likely would have won four in a row had freshmen been allowed to play.

Kareem (Alcindor) was the greatest college player of all-time, and I could go for a considerable time explaining why, but it is not necessary. And only Wilt had a more dominant HS career.