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jericho · 12-15-2006, 08:04 PM

Letting myself be sucked more and more into the hype and speculation, I have to wonder...

If Iverson does indeed put on a Nuggets jersey soon, would he immediately become the best ever to wear one?

Skywalker was more dynamic, but scored less in a faster era, had a shorter peak, never sniffed the far end of the NBA playoffs, and frankly wasn't a tremendously driven professional.

English was a hugely classy pro, decent to great at most everything, and extremely consistent. But while he was an all-time great and deserving HoFer, he was never a consistent MVP candidate. He was great, but not "special."

Issel was a reliable warhorse but saw his best days in the ABA. Mutombo was a defensive ace, glass-cleaner and superior swatter who seemed to regress offensively each year. Am I missing anyone?

Whether Iverson would be the best Nugget ever is an intriguing question because I don't...well...like him very much.

I admire him, as one of the toughest and gutsiest (and fastest) players ever. And I USED to have more regard for him. I followed his high school exploits, and actually once had the opportunity to discuss his legal case (the bowling alley fracas) with the then-president of the NAACP. I liked him well enough at Georgetown. But then, the woeful shooting percentages, the noise and behavior that always set up apart from the team, the seeming inability to mesh consistently with other stars...he's rarely struck me as the kind of superstar you can build a consistent contender around.

And yet...he's a special player. And I'm probably an old-fashioned hoops snob who doesn't appreciate or understand him well enough.

He won't go down as Philadelphia's best (that's surely Wilt's honor) or the 76ers' best (pick Erving or Moses there). But would he go down as Denver's finest?

pac4eva5 · 12-15-2006, 08:52 PM

carmelo

jericho · 12-15-2006, 09:24 PM

As in, is "better" than Iverson?

Kuskid · 12-15-2006, 10:29 PM

Not gonna touch this because I'm not old enough, but this is sort of like saying that Karl Malone is one of the greatest players ever to suit up for the Lakers. Obviously not to the same degree, but the same idea applies- AI's seen his best years already. If he comes to Denver, he'll be damn good for a couple years, but he'd be too old to be considered an all-time great Nugget.

pac4eva5 · 12-16-2006, 02:00 AM

u cant be on a team for a week and be the best ever. a player has to play most or a good part of his career for a team to even qualify. stupid thread...

jericho · 12-16-2006, 03:03 AM

Well I am old enough to not be bothered by someone saying my thread is stupid.

Karl Malone was hard pressed to average double figures in scoring for the Lakers. This is hardly the same situation. Iverson appears fully capable of leading the league in scoring yet again, as a six-foot smurf who has lost maybe an eighth of a step but for the most part is (amazingly) not showing signs yet of running out of gas. Last season was arguably his most impressive ever.

And I guess if you want to set some arbitrary threshold of weeks or games or years a player has to wear a uniform before being considered an all-time great of that particular team, you can. But I'm asking a slightly different question...

Would the Iverson of this year and last be the best player to wear a Nuggets jersey?

If you think it's a stupid question, feel free to move on to the next thread. But it's an intriguing question to me because again, I'm not an Iverson fan. My initial reaction to rumors that he might be headed to Denver was pretty negative. But I'm trying to come to grips with the fact that he might be such a high-impact player that a franchise with no titles or dynasties to its name (and very few HoF-caliber players in its history) maybe just doesn't turn down the opportunity to get him.

**Yao Mania** · 12-16-2006, 04:11 AM

Deke!

Good question though, and I think Melo will end up being the best Nugget ever. If AI coming can lead to championships and him winning a MVP, then he'd be on that list.

Kuskid · 12-16-2006, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jericho

Well I am old enough to not be bothered by someone saying my thread is stupid.

Karl Malone was hard pressed to average double figures in scoring for the Lakers. This is hardly the same situation. Iverson appears fully capable of leading the league in scoring yet again, as a six-foot smurf who has lost maybe an eighth of a step but for the most part is (amazingly) not showing signs yet of running out of gas. Last season was arguably his most impressive ever.

And I guess if you want to set some arbitrary threshold of weeks or games or years a player has to wear a uniform before being considered an all-time great of that particular team, you can. But I'm asking a slightly different question...

Would the Iverson of this year and last be the best player to wear a Nuggets jersey?

If you think it's a stupid question, feel free to move on to the next thread. But it's an intriguing question to me because again, I'm not an Iverson fan. My initial reaction to rumors that he might be headed to Denver was pretty negative. But I'm trying to come to grips with the fact that he might be such a high-impact player that a franchise with no titles or dynasties to its name (and very few HoF-caliber players in its history) maybe just doesn't turn down the opportunity to get him.

I was just using Malone as an example, obviously AI's not gonna average 12 a game or whatever Karl did no matter where he goes, but it's the same idea. If the question is do I think AI is better than anyone ever to suit up for the Nuggets? Then yeah, probably. But with the situation he'd be in (playing with what I believe is still the top scoring duo in the NBA), I don't think he'd put up numbers in Denver that would put him head and shoulders above guys like Alex English, Mutombo, or Skywalker. He could realistically go for like 20 and 9 from here on out though, in a Nuggets jersey.

Summary- Best player ever to suit up for the Nuggets? Yes.
Best Nugget ever? no.

jericho · 12-16-2006, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kuskid

I was just using Malone as an example, obviously AI's not gonna average 12 a game or whatever Karl did no matter where he goes, but it's the same idea. If the question is do I think AI is better than anyone ever to suit up for the Nuggets? Then yeah, probably. But with the situation he'd be in (playing with what I believe is still the top scoring duo in the NBA), I don't think he'd put up numbers in Denver that would put him head and shoulders above guys like Alex English, Mutombo, or Skywalker. He could realistically go for like 20 and 9 from here on out though, in a Nuggets jersey.

Summary- Best player ever to suit up for the Nuggets? Yes.
Best Nugget ever? no.

Fair enough. Thanks for the clarification.

pac4eva5 · 12-16-2006, 04:00 PM

jerry rice is the best ever to wear a niners, raiders, seahawks, and broncos jersey...see how stupid of a statement that is???

jericho · 12-16-2006, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pac4eva5

jerry rice is the best ever to wear a niners, raiders, seahawks, and broncos jersey...see how stupid of a statement that is???

You're answering a different question than I'm asking. Rice obviously wasn't the best BRONCOS receiver ever.

**DANNY** · 12-16-2006, 08:05 PM

Melo, just because he really knows how to run.

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