Best Basketball Player Ever?
Who is the best basketball player ever?
Jordan? Magic? Bird? Abdul-Jabbar? Wilt? The Big O?
One stands above the rest: Bill Russell.
What about Mike? Everyone says he's the best.
If you carefully study all the facts you have to land with Russell.
In fact, you could call him Mr. Basketball.
Of three years he played college basketball, he won 2 national titles at a school that hasn't really done anything before or since.
11 NBA titles with the Celtics in 13 seasons.
Coached two NBA championship teams.
IMHO, was an excellent color commentator for NBA games, clearly showing what an intelligent player and coach he was.
If anyone thinks someone else is better, make the argument. Fair warning: any argument you make can be easily brought down.
posted by Brett @ 11:03 AM
6 comments
6 Comments:
While I still hold that Jordan is the GOAT I've got to acknowledge what you say about Russell as a legitimate arguement.
The man personifies "champion" not just because of the rings but by the way he carries himself.
I think he's gotten overlooked because it's easy (naive, but easy) for fans who didn't watch him play to think of him as the first great defensive specialist (obviously incorrect).
I'd love to have each of his games versus Wilt on DVD.
By the way, nice blog you got here. I linked over from a comment on my blog. I'll be adding your feed to my RSS reader.
Thanks, Jeff for your comments. But I'd like to hear your reasons for holding to Jordan as the GOAT.
Two words: Kurt Rambis. Anyone who could wear such goofy-looking glasses and still shoot the ball in the right basket has to have enormous talent.
I think you're right. And Russell does indeed personify "champion" as Jeff Wright said so eloquently.
Jordon might be the third greatest basketball player of all time, behind Russell and Oscar Robertson.
I think Marcus Laughlin is the greatest basketball player ever. I played peewee basketball with Marcus. He has a full-court baseball pass that always suckered the opposition. His sky hook was Kareem-like. He was sure money from the free-throw line, and he had several blocked shots every game.
We were third place in the state tournament in TN. The next year I was too old to play on that team. Marcus and the others won the state tournament that year.
I played on the AAU Junior Olympic team with Marcus. Our team was third in the nation. The next year I was too old to play on that team. Marcus and the others won the national championship that year.
Does that say more about Marcus or me?
Russell never lost a game 7. Ever.
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