I think in part I’m guilty as much of compiling a list of players that I really like as I am of compiling the best ten players of all-time. I’m quite comfortable only with the placement of Michael Jordan at the top of my list. Other than that, I think Bill Russell based on winning, Wilt Chamberlain based on stats, Magic Johnson based on how he made his teams better, Kobe Bryant based on his eerie similarity to Jordan, and Larry Bird because of his all-around game and success in a such a tough era, they all have an argument for the second spot.
In his prime, I may have taken Shaquille O'Neal to build my team around ahead of anyone on my Top-10. Tim Duncan is the least sexy name on the list, but his production, winning, and his lack of superstar help demand his placement here. Elgin Baylor, I admit, was a provocative pick, especially considering that Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, and Hakeem Olajuwon had to be left off. Still, the statistical argument can easily be made for Baylor, and I feel that he is an oft-forgotten superstar in an NBA history full of stars.
Really, the phrase “an argument can be made” is the point of this list. It’s meant to make people argue and create cases for certain players. Some may argue Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the 3rd-best center on this list, that he was more of a stat compiler than a dominant player. Some will say Kobe piggy-backed Shaq to his first three titles. Others will argue Shaq never won another title as the best player on his own team once he left Kobe. A case could also be made the Bill Russell was a winner because of the magnificent talent around him and because of the low level of competition that characterized his era.
The only argument I really can’t respect is one against Jordan as the best all-time. Yes, Scottie Pippen was a great player, but no other player on this list was the absolute alpha-dog for six championship teams, all while compiling arguably the best statistics of any player ever. Jordan was also seemingly always at his best when the games mattered most, with countless memories and moments that will stick with all of us NBA fans forever. His will, matched with his talent, complemented by his theatrics, make him the undisputed best player of all time.
--from @AdamHocking
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