[got watcha want]

I have seen this topic on other boards and I want to see if I can get some opinions that could change my order here.

Center
1. Bill Russell
2. Wilt Chamberlin
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
4. Hakeem Olajuwon
5. Shaquille O'Neal
Honorable mention- George Mikan / David Robinson / Patrick Ewing


Power Forward
1. Tim Duncan
2. Karl Malone
3. Charles Barkley
4. Kevin McHale
5. Kevin Garnett / Dirk Nowitzki
Honorable mention- Bob Pettit / Elvin Hayes

Small Forward
1. Larry Bird
2. John Havlicek
3. Julius Erving
4. Elgin Baylor
5. Rick Barry
Honorable mention- Scottie Pippen / LeBron James

Shooting Guard
1. Michael Jordan
2. Kobe Bryant
3. Jerry West
4. Dwayne Wade
5. George Gervin
Honorable mention- Allen Iverson / Clyde Drexler / Pete Maravich

Point Guard
1. Magic Johnson
2. John Stockton
3. Bob Cousy
4. Oscar Robertson
5. Jason Kidd
Honorable mention- Isiah Thomas / Steve Nash

Here are 5 more active players that I think can eventually appear on this list if all goes well in their respective careers.
They are..........
Kevin Durant
Dwight Howard
Chris Paul
Deron Williams
Derrick Rose


All of these rankings are based not only on stats, but the era that they all played in and the respective competition in those positions of that time. Basically these lists are all just my opinion.

[eman97]

tyreke evans!

[got watcha want]

tyreke evans!

We will have to see where he falls on position. He won't make the list at the point, he has to get moved to the two and then I think he has a better chance of someday making my list.

[taffster74]

I think it's unfair that Garnett is classified strictly as a "power forward" when, during the height of his career he played every position because he had the skill set to do so. I'm also surprised that Detlef Schrempf did not get a mention - either at power forward or small forward. He was one of the best all round players of his time also.

[will23c1982]

Detlef Schrempf? That's a joke, right?

I mean, sure, he was an All-Star once upon a time, but his name doesn't belong anywhere near this list.

Slam magazine justifiably ranks him as the 248th best player of all-time, meaning that there are approximately 50 small forwards (or 100 small forwards and power forwards) better than him.

[taffster74]

Will, you have to remember the 1990's was a time when just about every year a rookie made the All-star team based on popularity votes. If the voting had been purely on performance rather than popularity, Detlef would have made more all-star games. He also made it to the All-NBA 3rd team and was 6th man of the year in back to back to seasons. Detlef wasn't the sort of player who deliberately saught out the limelight, he was happy to take a back seat. Even still, once he was given more playing time after his initial trade to indiana, he quickly elevated his game to being among the top three players both for indiana and seattle. If you look at his stats, he was a far better player than the popular vote gave him credit. Also, Slam magazine is a popularity magazine. I did see that article (perused it) and honestly, i have dispute with many of their selections. Through out his career, Patrick Ewing was constantly given the label of being on of the tope centers of all time. Yet where did slam rank Ewing? Behind the centers who did far less in their career. There is no way that Ewing should be ranked below 50 in regards to the greatest of all time while someone like Alonzo Mourning is ranked in the top 50.

Got watcha want, I think it is way to early to even consider Dwyane Wade among the top five shooting guards of all time.Why not someone like Earl Monroe? Oscar Robertson was more of a small Forward than a point guard, so that needs to be changed.

[will23c1982]

Through out his career, Patrick Ewing was constantly given the label of being on of the tope centers of all time. Yet where did slam rank Ewing? Behind the centers who did far less in their career. There is no way that Ewing should be ranked below 50 in regards to the greatest of all time while someone like Alonzo Mourning is ranked in the top 50.

I'm not sure what article you were reading because Slam has Ewing 37th and Mourning 73rd all-time.

I won't get into an argument about Schrempf. I agree that he probably lost out on some of the limelight due to being relatively 'uncool' (i.e. that probably affected his All-Star votes). But even if you look at his stats, they are unremarkable. He was a good player for the Pacers and Sonics, but not a great player. Not a superstar.

There's no way he deserves to me in the discussion of greatest forwards ever. Not even close.

[got watcha want]

taffster- Schrempf is a NO GO on my lists. The closest retired player to almost make my honorable mention from all positions was Gary Payton at the one. Your arguments about him being in this list are kinda weak.

Just compare the highligts of his career with anyone else on either forward list and I think that you would be hard pressed to put him on the list after that. He was a great player, but I don't think he was or will ever be in a greatest PF conversation that I would have.

"The Pearl" was a close honorable mention, but he wouldn't take a spot on the list IMO.

I dislike LeBron and AI, but thier raw stats have them in those lists and I can't ignore that. Schrempf I liked and he didn't make my lists for a good reason, he was not even near the quality of any of these other players mentioned.

The other forums I have posted on, members have had issues with AI and James more so. I haven't heard a peep out of anyone except you about Wade's position in my list. That guy has the accolades, the athletisim and the stats to make this list if any other active players do.

Finnaly, if I have to move Oscar Robinson, then I could move Magic, West, and AI with that same reasoning.

I put the "Big O" where he played when he averaged a triple double. I just thought that made him one of the best PGs ever. He played the two more in his later years on his way to a title.