[patrick54]

Djohn, I'm still shaking my head that Robert Parrish and Dave Cowens made it over Dominique. The guy was one of the best players of his generation. I'll never forget that playoff game that him and Bird put up around 60 a piece on each other. Just goes to show what loyalty to your smaller market team will do for your hall of fame career.

[kstjst]

if you revisit this list, would you actually have to reassess the whole thing and maybe, just maybe, take some players out?

[djohn]

if you revisit this list, would you actually have to reassess the whole thing and maybe, just maybe, take some players out?

If you reassess the list as a Top 50 then there are definitely some recent players that will knock off some of the older ones. There may be 1 or 2 that could get knocked out from the Top 50 to Top 75, but I doubt it, as it would be tough to find 25 newer players to add that are all better than the worst player from the original list.

[dleifriaf]

Dominique Wilkins...

Left off of the original dream team, dumped off to the Clippers when the Hawks had the best record in the NBA, left off of the fifty greatest players list, denied as a first ballot hall of famer.

Talk about a guy that continually got the shaft... and yet he stayed classy through it all.

[patrick54]

Dominique Wilkins...

Left off of the original dream team, dumped off to the Clippers when the Hawks had the best record in the NBA, left off of the fifty greatest players list, denied as a first ballot hall of famer.

Talk about a guy that continually got the shaft... and yet he stayed classy through it all.

Everything you said nailed it. I forgot about the shaft he got with the hall of fame and I remember several players speaking up about that too.

[taffster74]

I believe consideration for the top 50 works pretty much the same way it does for the HOF - it's not just based on what a player did in the NBA, it covers all aspects including college, international and off-court activities. If that is true, then that leaves the door wide open. I agree that 'Nique should definitely be in the top 75 (he was considered one of the top 50 when upper deck did their 1999 century legends set). But if we're going to consider all aspects we should also consider Detlef schrempf - not only for his NBA portfolio but also for his international portfolio playing for the (then) west german national team. Kiki Vandeweghe should also be considered as well as Vlade Divac as to international players (okay, Dirk as well). Why not consider the Michigan Fab Fivers who had strong careers in the NBA (Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard)? Not only did they change the entire culture of the College game, they also had a big influence on the NBA before they even made it to the big leagues (long shorts). Webber had a stellar NBA Career, Jalen Rose had a solid career and was the team leader in all his years at Michigan plus he is doing huge things to better the Detroit community, and Juwan howard has just won his second NBA championship to go with a solid career (yes, Juwan did sit on the bench in civvies, I know that). Why not also consider Jerry Stackhouse or Antawn Jamison?

[djohn]

I believe consideration for the top 50 works pretty much the same way it does for the HOF - it's not just based on what a player did in the NBA, it covers all aspects including college, international and off-court activities. If that is true, then that leaves the door wide open.

The basketball HOF works that way, the NBA 50 at 50 did not. It was meant for the best in the NBA. There are plenty of great basketball stories of players in other leagues and in high school or college doing amazing things (and then having injuries or something else curtail them before they even began a NBA career). The list was not meant for the 50 best basketball players ever, or 50 most influential players ever, it was the 50 GREATEST NBA players ever. If the list was redone as a 50 greatest or most influential basketball players ever it would look completely different (players like Arvydas Sabonis and Yao Ming would definitely be on it).
Oh and someone else that I missed, as I guess I just assumed they were on the original 50 is Bob McAdoo. I still can't believe he and Dominique weren't on the original list.

[arabiansnowgriz]

Detlef schrempf?! what in the world? Negitive on all aspects.

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Not saying he was a bad player but TOP 50 or 75 players ever?! Not even close.