Top 10?
 

Parade Magazine came out today with their list of the top ten all-time NFL players (in alphabetical order). I thought it might be interesting for us to list our top ten all-time NBA players.

Here's mine (in alphabetical order):
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Elgin Baylor
Larry Bird
Wilt Chamberlain
Bob Cousy
Magic Johnson
Michael Jordan
George Mikan
Oscar Robertson
Bill Russell

I probably could really make a top 20 or 30 (or 40, etc). And don't give me any grief about George Mikan. He was twice as good as the next closest player of his era, which is a good way to compare players of different eras. There probably wouldn't even be an NBA without him.

Yeah - I know a lot of you would put others on this list (Nate Archibald, Hakeem Olajiwon, etc.) but remember if you put someone else on, you have to take one of the others off. That's what makes it so tough.

Oh yeah - I hope someone suggests Paul Mokeski just for fun. :)

I don't know who I would take off but, I would put Pat Riley on the list. Only reason is because he is from Schenectady, NY. (so am I):D
"Born in Schenectady, NY, Riley attended Linton High School where he became a two-sport star in basketball and football. He was a member of the Linton basketball team that beat historic Power Memorial High and center Lew Alcindor, who, as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, would later lead Riley’s Lakers to greatness. As a tribute to his accomplishments, Linton renamed its gym in Riley’s honor in 1997 and inducted him into its hall of fame in 2000."

1) Steve Javie
2) Bob Delaney
3) Earl Strom
4) Joey Crawford
5) Jack Nies
6) Darrell Garretson
7) Jake O'Donnell
8) Ed Middleton
9) Jess Kersey
10) Dick Bavetta

Oh my bad, you said players! :D

CLH

Make it a top 13. Jerry West should be on any list. Add Dr. J in his prime and put Connie Hawkins on there too. Hawkins was banned from the NBA until his mid-30's, and he still made the Hall of Fame. Just an amazing, amazing ballplayer.

Why was he banned?

Mendy Rudolph-- the greatest of them all imo. He trained and mentored Earl Strom.

I was always a Manny Sokol fan. Not one of the great NBA officials- fer sure- but, man, was he funny to watch.

Yabut... wasn't he around later in your life?

Who was the guy that trained Mendy Rudolph?

He supposedly was involved in a betting ring before his first college year. He ended up getting thrown out of college before he even played a game, and got banned from the NBA. He played a little semi-pro ball and then signed with the Globetrotters and played with them for many years. They finally cleared him about 10 years later and he came into the NBA around 1969- at close to 30 years old and his best days behind him. That didn't stop him from eventually making the Hall of Fame though. He was Dr. J before there was a Dr. J. He was probably one of the most entertaining ballplayers to watch ever. He was like Michael Jordan; you were afraid to take your eyes off of him in case you'd miss something that you'd never see again.

Pat Patterson, who was the first official to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of fame iirc. I can still remember seeing a old newspaper photo showing the old Madison Square Garden marquee. It said something like "Knicks vs Nationals tonight, with Pat Patterson refereeing". You just don't see something like that. The best word to describe his officiating style would be sumthin' like "flamboyant".

Not that anyone else even knows who he is, but it's actually Moekeski and he wouldn't even make the top 100k. Only thing he was good for was 6 fouls per game.

Mregor

If we're talking refs, I think Sean Corbin has to be up there among the current officials. He hasn't been around long enough to be considered all-time Top 10 yet, though.

I thought that was Randy Bruer (sp?)?

Mighta been the <b>Big Whopper</b>- Billy Paultz. His greatest basketball skill was being big.

Micheal Jordan
James Worthy
Karl Malone
Willis Reed
Vinnie (Microwave) Johnson
Isiah Thomas
Kareem
Ervin (Magic) Johnson
Larry (Big Shot making) Bird
Cornbread Maxwell