Today's era has 'exposed' big men and bumped them down the all-time rankings

[hiphopanonymous]

I'm pretty sure 3ball is just trolling us since if past players don't play in this era and all their bodies of work happened in their own era how would what's happening now even matter but I'll ignore that and play along:

Step aside Dr. J, Ice man and A-Train...

...5-10 Billy Shepherd, 6-2 Brian Taylor and 6-8 Red Robbins are now the ABA GOATs

41-42% 3 point shooters - despite contact/hand checking defensive era

Adjusted with my patented no contact formula and their 3 point % goes up to over ...58% incredible

['Toine=MVP]

New Rankings

1) MJ
2) Bird
3) Magic
4) Kareem
5) Wilt
6) Russell
7) Kobe
8) Shaq
9) Duncan
10) Durant

I think we have to put Durant ahead of Lebron because he outplayed lebron 3 times heads-up in the Finals, and obviously if he 3-peats

I expect bigs to continue tumbling the rankings going forward

Bird is #2 for sure for anyone that cares about translatable skills and positive impact on the sport (basically what the question of greatness boils down to).

I don't think Kareem can be put ahead of Wilt or Shaq though. Kobe certainly can't be put ahead of Shaq.

I don't think the idea you are pushing about big men is quite right, but yes, Bird is #2. Magic's skills wouldn't translate super well to today's game though, so I wonder what's going on with the list. He did have a big impact on the sport though.

[ShawkFactory]

Right, that's my point - today's perimeter era shows more than ever that you don't need those dominant bigs to win - i.e. Shaq, Kareem, Wilt, Russell, Duncan, etc

And now when we look back, it's clear these guys like shaq/kareem, etc needed more help than Kobe/MJ and all-time perimeter players in general.. this is an obvious trend looking back - dominant bigs need more help, and the brand of ball they yield is less flexible

If Durant wins this year, he's confirmed as a top tier, all-time perimeter player, and therefore could be ranked with the 2nd tier bigs (duncan, shaq), still below the top tier bigs (KAJ, Russell, wilt)..

So this era proves that Magic > Kareem? Gotcha

[StrongLurk]

I can't wait for the 4 point shot to expose all basketball even further

[PCCM_29]

da *** Durant do to overshadow Lebron? win with reigning MVP as costar ad 3 other all stars? Don't show me that 3 over lebron, if that's the best you got just go home

[baudkarma]

All today's era proves is that the NBA has changed the rules and altered the focus of officiating to favor the outside shot and to aid smaller players to be able to drive to the basket without having to fear that some neanderthal will clothesline them and take their head off. Curry, Harden, Westbrook would be just as lost and out of their element in the 70's as the greats from that era would be in todays game.

[Mr. Jabbar]

Good list op.

Curry also climbing fast

[talkingconch]

Bird is #2 for sure for anyone that cares about translatable skills and positive impact on the sport (basically what the question of greatness boils down to).

I don't think Kareem can be put ahead of Wilt or Shaq though. Kobe certainly can't be put ahead of Shaq.

I don't think the idea you are pushing about big men is quite right, but yes, Bird is #2. Magic's skills wouldn't translate super well to today's game though, so I wonder what's going on with the list. He did have a big impact on the sport though.

what? Kobe is most definitely ahead of Shaq.

[Nash]

I agree, and I'd also bump down all the guards that played in an era dominated by bigs