[frankie350]

Ok, so I was discussing with a friend of mine that we are nearing the 75th Anniversary of the league. Granted it's still a couple of years away, but that got me thinking: we already got the first 50 greatest players, what players would you include on a list of the next 25 players greatest players to round up the top 75 players.

If I counted right, we are about 8 years away from this. The first list was published in 1996. So from 1997 onward, which players would you include in this list to make 75.

Obvious choices out of the way first and one's I think we can all agree on:

1-Kobe
2-Lebron
3-Duncan

3 down, 22 to go!

Which players would you include?

[djohn]

The biggest thing to remember is that if you open this back up, you have to consider some of the players that just missed the Top 50 before, as they would certainly make a Top 75 (even if you add a bunch of the newer guys).

Players since 1996 (aside from the 3 you listed): Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Dwayne Wade, Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, Tony Parker, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, Allen Iverson, Paul Pierce

Players that would be on the edge due to years in the NBA: Kevin Durant, Kevin Love, Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook

Players that missed the first cut: Reggie Miller, Artis Gilmore, Dennis Rodman, JoJo White, Gary Payton, Jason Kidd, Bernard King, Joe Dumars, Alex English, Chris Webber, Sidney Moncrief, Chris Mullin, Gail Goodrich, Tom Heinsohn

[taffster74]

I think you'd have to throw detlef schrempf into the mix also. He may not have eye-popping stats, but if weren't for his success in the NBA, there would not have been the influx of Euro-players that came about in the lat eighties and onwards. So he'd be in as a pioneer.

[djohn]

I think you'd have to throw detlef schrempf into the mix also. He may not have eye-popping stats, but if weren't for his success in the NBA, there would not have been the influx of Euro-players that came about in the lat eighties and onwards. So he'd be in as a pioneer.

If this was the 50 or 75 Most Influential NBA players then yes he has a chance. But it's not, it is the Greatest NBA players. While Schrempf could be credited with the insurgence of European players in the NBA, I would call that somewhat of a stretch. Schrempf played his senior year of high school in the US and college basketball at the University of Washington, so he wasn't exactly a straight from Europe player. Plus Schrempf really didn't blossom in the NBA until his 5th NBA season when he was traded to Indiana in 1988. While teams were drafting top players directly from Europe in 1986 including Drazen Petrovic and Arvydas Sabonis.

[frankie350]

The biggest thing to remember is that if you open this back up, you have to consider some of the players that just missed the Top 50 before, as they would certainly make a Top 75 (even if you add a bunch of the newer guys).

Players since 1996 (aside from the 3 you listed): Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Dwayne Wade, Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, Tony Parker, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, Allen Iverson, Paul Pierce

Players that would be on the edge due to years in the NBA: Kevin Durant, Kevin Love, Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook

Players that missed the first cut: Reggie Miller, Artis Gilmore, Dennis Rodman, JoJo White, Gary Payton, Jason Kidd, Bernard King, Joe Dumars, Alex English, Chris Webber, Sidney Moncrief, Chris Mullin, Gail Goodrich, Tom Heinsohn

I agree that the list should start with the ones that missed the first cut. Their impact on the league is unquestioned and hall of fame material (most all ready are).

Any other names you would consider?

[taffster74]

If this was the 50 or 75 Most Influential NBA players then yes he has a chance. But it's not, it is the Greatest NBA players. While Schrempf could be credited with the insurgence of European players in the NBA, I would call that somewhat of a stretch. Schrempf played his senior year of high school in the US and college basketball at the University of Washington, so he wasn't exactly a straight from Europe player. Plus Schrempf really didn't blossom in the NBA until his 5th NBA season when he was traded to Indiana in 1988. While teams were drafting top players directly from Europe in 1986 including Drazen Petrovic and Arvydas Sabonis.

Djohn, what you said about the Europeans might be true, but you have to remember this - even though Detlef did go through high-school and Uni in the States, he was one of the first successful Europeans to make it to the NBA and have a long Career (Kiki Vandeweghe being the other). As to Sabonis and Petrovic... they were told to wait. Petrovic waited five years, Sabonis 10 years. Detlef was drafted in 1985-86, so his blossoming in Indiana happened in his fourth year (1989 he was traded across to indiana). You can also through the afformentioned Vandeweghe into the mix for top 75. My point is this - if Detlef hadn't have had the success he had - ditto for Vandeweghe, Petrovic, Kukoc, Marciulionus, Radja, Divac, Sabonis and company would have stayed in Europe and would never have been heard of outside of the olympics.

[SHowley2003]

I have to say, not much of a debatable topic as DJohn nailed it IMO. When I have time I will revisit the top 50 list to see who was missing, but I think that it has been covered. I do agree that in the upcoming years things may change a tough in Durant wins a ring or two or three more scoring titles, but I think we can predict who deserves it. And yes the first thing I did was check to see P. Pierce was included on the list though I feel he would be number 74 or 75...

[djohn]

Djohn, what you said about the Europeans might be true, but you have to remember this - even though Detlef did go through high-school and Uni in the States, he was one of the first successful Europeans to make it to the NBA and have a long Career (Kiki Vandeweghe being the other). As to Sabonis and Petrovic... they were told to wait. Petrovic waited five years, Sabonis 10 years. Detlef was drafted in 1985-86, so his blossoming in Indiana happened in his fourth year (1989 he was traded across to indiana). You can also through the afformentioned Vandeweghe into the mix for top 75. My point is this - if Detlef hadn't have had the success he had - ditto for Vandeweghe, Petrovic, Kukoc, Marciulionus, Radja, Divac, Sabonis and company would have stayed in Europe and would never have been heard of outside of the olympics.

I think you're overestimating the impact Shrempf had. The real reason that Europeans started coming to the NBA wasn't Shrempf having success, it was the Olympics showing the NBA that Europe had some top talent. After the 1988 Olympics when the US finished 3rd behind USSR and Yugoslavia, the floodgates opened. After those Olympics the NBA took notice and started picking up all the USSR and Yugoslavian players, and not many others from Europe. In 1989 there were 7 Europeans that were picked up by NBA teams of which 3 were from Yugoslavia, 2 from USSR, 1 from Great Britain and 1 from Norway. In 1990 2 more Europeans were brought to the NBA both from Yugoslavia. No Europeans in 1991. In 1992 there were 2 more Europeans brought to the NBA, both from Yugoslavia. In 1992 the NBA took over the Olympics with the Dream Team, which showed the world that the NBA was on a completely different talent level then the rest of the world. This definitely got more foreigners wanting to make it to the NBA. Still, the USSR and Yugoslavia were the main source of European NBA players until the late 90s to early 2000s when Dirk Nowitzki showed that a European could not only play and excel in the NBA but that one could dominate. That not only opened the flood gates for Europe but really all of the world. But even to say it was all Dirk would be missing the fact that the 2000 Olympics was another showcase for NBA talent with highlights like Vince Carter dunking over a 7-footer.

[patrick54]

Wow no mention of Dominique Wilkins on this thread..
The guy was screwed the 1st go around.

[djohn]

Wow no mention of Dominique Wilkins on this thread..
The guy was screwed the 1st go around.

You are absolutely correct. I guess I missed him when I made my list as I must have thought he made it on the original list. He should definitely get in to the Top 75.