My all-time NBA team:
Point guards: Magic Johnson, Steph Curry, Oscar Robertson
Shooting guards: Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant
Small forwards: LeBron James, Larry Bird, Julius Erving, Kevin Durant
Power forward: Tim Duncan
Centers: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Hakeem Olajuwon, Bill Russell, Nikola Jokic
This paradigm is based on the current standard of 15 players per roster. The last spot was a toss-up; I prefer Shaquille O’Neal and Karl Malone, but the team’s post-heavy already, so I picked Durant to add shooting and perimeter defense. If I had room for another guard, with all apologies to Chris Paul and Jerry West, it would definitely be Clyde Drexler.
Starters:
Backcourt is set with Jordan and Magic. If a small lineup with more shooting was needed, I could easily go with a three-guard set adding Curry. Probably would start LeBron at the 3, although Bird might be a better fit at times. Kareem also would be an everyday starter. For the power forward spot, I’d try Wilt at first but might opt for Duncan or Jokic (Olajuwon is an option as well, but I like the way he fits on a reserve unit with Oscar, Kobe and Dr. J.)
What GOAT debate?
To me, there’s no question that the best player ever is Michael Jordan. His offensive numbers are rivaled only by Wilt Chamberlain, and Jordan played a much more difficult position during a more defensive-dominated era. Plus, he was an elite defender, more so than any of the other guards/wings on this list. The distant runner-up for second is a tight tier of Wilt/Kareem/LeBron/Magic. I’d lean toward Kareem for second due to his first decade of individual dominance (next to only MJ and Wilt) and his second decade of collaborative championships, but I’ll listen to arguments for the others.
Unquantifiable, except for the rings:
The hardest all-time great to rank for me is Bill Russell. The 15 points per game (by far the lowest of anyone represented here or most of the close honorable mentions) doesn’t bother me, but I definitely want my center to shoot much better than 44 percent; only Kobe at 45% (respectable for a guard) is remotely in that neighborhood. Yet Russell invented modern defense, and famously won 11 times in 13 years (one of the misses likely due to his own injury, the other a loss to Wilt at his peak). Plus, I’ve seen theoretical studies that indicate Russell might have averaged five or six blocked shots per game. Impossible, you may say, no one’s ever done that. But what if they hadn’t kept rebounding stats back then? Russell’s 22.5 boards per game also would have been unfathomable, far exceeding what anyone from the seventies on had done (Chamberlain, by the way, at 22.9 rebounds per contest likely exceeded Russell in blocks as well). As for anyone who suggests Russell would have had to move to forward in a later era, I’ll remind you of Alonzo Mourning, who at the same listed height as Russell did just fine at center in the Olajuwon/O’Neal/Robinson/Ewing era. Furthermore, who’s to say Russell couldn’t have been just as effective as a power forward? So, he’s definitely in my top 10; I currently have him at sixth. The footage I’ve seen validates that from an eye-test perspective as well, making it clear he and especially Wilt were as athletically gifted as the best contemporary players. But if anyone who saw Russell’s career insists he should be ranked higher, I’m not going to quibble.
Newcomers now and future:
Before this year, not only would Shaquille have had the Jokic spot, but David Robinson would have been the next center in line. After an even more historic season than the past few, however, Jokic definitely earns a place. Plus, he could certainly move up the rotation in the years to come. The only other current player in striking range of this group is Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, several more great seasons from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic if his defense improves, and Anthony Edwards if he gets more consistent could elevate those immensely talented players closer to the all-time team. Of course, as a Spurs fan, I’m also rooting for Victor Wembanyama to move up to this level as well.
The All-Joe team:
As opposed to the greatest ever, this list contains my favorite players of all time. They’re still pretty great; I think only one of the honorees (Patty Mills) never made an All-Star team, though he has been an absolute star in the Olympics. Of course, you’ll be able to note which team I root for, although three of my favorites played most or part of their careers for one of our in-state rivals (one of them, Moses Malone, did make a late-career appearance with San Antonio). As is the case with Dominique Wilkins, who actually led the Spurs in scoring the year before Tim Duncan’s arrival, Malone would have made my list without his cup of coffee in SA.
Point guards: Tony Parker, Walt Frazier, Patty Mills, Kevin Johnson
Shooting guards: Manu Ginobili, George Gervin, Clyde Drexler
Small forwards: Julius Erving, Sean Elliott, Dominique Wilkins
Power forwards: Tim Duncan, Giannis Antetokounmpo
Centers: David Robinson, Hakeem Olajuwon, Moses Malone