Kareem is Overrated

[jlauber]

Hard to see how you can ever be overrated if you are top 5. That puts you firmly in the most elite company there is. I wonder why none of these arguments are used against Jordan? A lot of these arguments can be just as valid with him as they are with Kareem, but for some reason Jordan has been deified to the point where he is beyond criticism.

Believe it nor not...I am in your corner here. MJ has a CASE for G.O.A.T., but IMHO, he is not a lock. And I have argued that here many times. Again, I can go with Russell, MJ, Magic, or Wilt in any order. They all have their resumes. Even Kareem has an impressive career resume. Six MVPs, FIVE rings, and TWO Finals MVPs. I just didn't see him as dominant as the others ahead of him. Statistically, his career pales in comparison to Chamberlain. He wasn't the post-season player that MJ was. He wasn't the "winner" that Magic was (and as I pointed out, it was MAGIC who was leading those "Show-Time" teams to titles year-after-year.) And, no one can top Russell's 11 rings (and in only 13 seasons.)

[jlauber]

I have Bird at #5 and Kareem at #6 because unlike Kareem Bird was the best player on theCeltics for all 3 championships. I know his team was pretty stacked but he was still the best. Can't say the same for Kareem. He was the best player in the Bucks but again 70s= WEAK. For the rings he won with the Lakers ; Magic > Kareem

While I don't hold Bird in as high esteem as you do, many other's do. I just don't see it, though. In any case, both were among the greatest ever.

[winwin]

R.I.P KAJ=GOAT he was a great poster

*sheds tear of joy as people are starting to realize the greatness that was KAJ*

First things first,

as has been said before, "greatest of ALL TIMES". Not just one period.
as has been said before, he dominated at every single level.

I know this fact is just killing some Jordan stans out there, you can tell to, by comments like these,
"who cares about college and high school".


Well, looking at March Madness,

I'd say LOTS of people care about the college game.

Looking at the McDonalds All Star game and how many players are praised coming out of high school,

I'd say LOTS of people care about the high school game.


The only reason Jordan stans try to downplay earlier achievements, is because Jordan didn't get enough of them to support their claims.

Heres another angle,

"strength of schedule" so to speak.

KAJ played against 37 of the NBAs 50 greatest players and still amassed tons of awards and stats. Think about that, he played against over half of the NBAs greatest players.

In comparison, Jordan played against, a whopping 14. Thats less than 25%.

Where do people come up with, "Kareem played in a weaker era"?

Because they didn't see it unfold? Thats a joke.

People want to analyze Caps entire career,

but look at only 6 seasons for Jordan.
"oh, well, but, because, um, well, yea, "


Kareem has been a proven winner right off the bat.
Jordan was scrambling to make the damn team.


What looks better, the Lakers winning against the Magic for the championship, or winning against the Hawks?


Whats funny is over half the people arguing Jordans case,

never even seen him play. They're going off of what they've heard, or seen in highlights.


If one is trying to argue against
3 straight NYC titles
3 straight NCAA titles, most likely would have been four had he been allowed to lead his team as a freshman as is today,
6 NBA titles,

they need to have their head examined.

That is complete dominance at every single level. He didn't have to be taught how to be a winner or teammate.

He just was.

I know some stans are hurt by the facts and refuse to acknowledge what the truth is,

but Michael Jordan,

played for more than 6 years. In those 6 years he was an absolute beastly monster.

However, it doesn't add up to a lifetime of achievements on the basketball court.

A lifetime of achievements, not just one era.

"oh, but nobody cares about anything but the pros".

Really? Why is this guy on the team?




"oh, but nobody cares about the college game"

Really?





I guess SI is just some third rate blog right?


Facts kids, learn to deal with them.

[jlauber]

No doubt it...Kareem (Lew Alcindor) was the greatest college player ever. Think about this...his teams went 88-2 in his three years (and averaged about a +25.0 ppg differential BTW.) Those two losses? By scores of 71-69 and 46-44. Incidently, he was playing partially blind in that 71-69 loss to Elvin Hayes' Houston Cougars. And, the two teams met again later that season in the NCAA Semis. UCLA routed the Cougars, 101-69, in a game that was not even that close (the Bruins led by 44 points in the second half.) FOUR points away from going 90-0. Not only that, but in his freshman season, when freshmen were not allowed to play, his freshmen squad beat the then #1 ranked varsity in a scrimmage, 75-60, in which Alcindor scored 31 points with 21 rebounds. He might very well have won FOUR NCAA titles in a row had freshmen been allowed to play.

[JellyBean]

[millwad]

OP, first you think Hakeem is overrated for being considered a top 10 player and now Kareem is overrated too?

Don't tell me that you're a Wilt buttyboy a la JBieber..

[Big164]

I rank Bird higher than kaj because he didn't need the no 1 and no 2 greatest pg of all time to win his rings.

Kareem is ridiculously over rated considering the guys he played with.

[Unstoppabull]

What's with all the overrated threads? Someone ban this clown...