Basically, the title
Who is the best player all time in these categories?
Best Scorer: MJ
Best 3pt Shooter: Steph
Best Midrange Shooter: MJ
Best Free Throw Shooter: Steph
Best Passer/Playmaker: Magic
Best Rebounder: Rodman
Best Perimeter Defender: Pippen/Tony Allen
Best Interior Defender: Bill Russell/Tim Duncan
Best Post Player: Hakeem
Most Athletic: Wilt
Best Ball Handler/Dribbler: Kyrie
Best Hooker: Kareem
Most Athletic: Wilt
If we are looking at athleticism alone, it is probably some obscure benchwarmer. I lost count how many super athletic freaks were there in the NBA that just weren’t that good at basketball.
For real, there are some absolutely insane athletes in random European leagues. Look up Yves Pons highlights.
I’d argue he’s not just the greatest athlete in nba history, he’s the greatest natural athlete in documented human history
7’1 with elite hand-eye coordination, track speed, a 40” vertical, and strong as an ox. He’s a mythical creature. Idk how you could possibly find a more well-rounded overall athlete than that
Jim Thorpe; being the greatest athlete isn’t just about measurables, it’s also about what you accomplish.
He is a mythical creature. As in, most of what is said about him is a myth.
Or just Michael Jordan again
Best Scorer: Wilt
Best 3pt Shooter: Bird
Best Midrange Shooter: MJ
Best Free Throw Shooter: Curry
Best Passer/Playmaker: Stockton
Best Rebounder: Rodman
Best Perimeter Defender: Jordan
Best Interior Defender: Wilt
Best Post Player: Duncan
Most Athletic: Wilt
Most Dominant: Wilt
Best Ball Handler/Dribbler: Maravich
Best Post Up Hook Specialist: Kareem (Sky Hook)
Ngl not sure why you’re getting downvoted, but since everyone else is downvoting I’ma downvote too
Kareem was a better post player than Hakeem. Hakeem just had way more moves and Kareem dominated with one move
And Wilt was a better post player than both of them. His fadeaway was just as if not more dominant than Kareem’s skyhook. It’s easily the most underrated & under-appreciated signature move in the history of basketball. Guy scored 100pts in a game with 80% of them coming from post fadeaways
People have gone back and tracked Wilt’s fadeaway from available film, he made like 40% of them.
Don’t think that’s possible when something like 28 points came from free throws
You’re right, based on all available footage of his career only 70% of his shots were fadeaways, not 80%. I apologize for slightly exaggerated that one game in particular. The main point still stands though that his fadeaway was the most unguardable move in nba history, not kareems skyhook
You are making this up.
Give me KD for midrange and prime Kawhi for perimeter defense
With all do respect to MJ, KD is kinda a better mid range shooter
Maybe unpopular, but I put Kobe’s scoring ability above MJ’s. MJ was more talented overall, and better physically, so a better overall player.
That said, Kobe’s ability to score during the dead ball era after they changed zone defense rules is severely underrated. I think people forget just how much space could be given to iso players or (PnRs) pre 2000.
You could safely have big men sitting out by the 3pt line that couldn’t shoot, because their defender had to stick with them, or commit fully to the double team, couldn’t have defenders floating in space cutting off lanes and the like.
So you clear out for an iso situation (MJ) or clear out for a PnR (Stockton/Malone), and the buckets come pretty easy.
Talking about pure scoring? I put LeBron ahead of Kobe easily.
But it just depends on what you value more, but honestly I don’t see an argument for why Kobe is even a better scorer than someone like KD, MJ and Bron because most of it comes off of him scoring 35 in a season and being smaller than MJ, Bron, KD but all of these 3 are ahead of Kobe, even Steph honestly because you cant just ignore how much more efficient all of them were than Kobe.
LeBron could easily have a 35 win season on a mediocre team…it’s just not his game because of his superior court vision and passing.
Best at running and jumping: Giannis
I just wouldn’t put Scottie as best perimeter defender. i couldn’t tell you his percentage of being the PO defender, but he was not as active on every play as some people seem to wanna remember him as. i would put Jrue, tony allen, moncrief (2 DPOYs and never gets mentioned) and even a guy like draymond over him. i would maybe argue gary payton but i think scottie clears due to versatility. scottie was great, and was great for several years which puts him ahead of others, but imo he’s more in the convo for cracking top 5 perimeter defenders.