Greatest players of all time (number 11)

[Dee-Zy]

Same, before I vote, I would like to hear more arguments of west of Moses.

[PauloCatarino]

Originally Posted by Dee-Zy

Same, before I vote, I would like to hear more arguments of west of Moses.

Well, Moses has the individual accolades, concerning MVPs (Mo 3, Logo 0).

But Mo was a 7 time all-Nba (3 2nd team) and 2 time all-D (1 2nd team), while West was a 12 time All-Nba (2 2nd team) and 5 time all-D (1 2nd team), wich i think levels it all a bit.

But West was the Tragic Man. He played in 9 NBA Finals, only to win once (eventhough he is the sole player to be awarded Finals MVP while playing for the losing team). He had to play Pettit's Hawks and Russell's Celtics, and couldn't prevail, eventhough he played his heart out. Had West arrived in the NBA 10 years later, he would surely won much more.

Eventhough he didn't have much team success, his play was legendary.
From NBA.com:

"Combine a deadly jump shot, tenacious defense, obsessive perfectionism, unabashed confidence, and an uncompromising will to win, and you've got Jerry West, one of the greatest guards in NBA history.
During his 14-year playing career with the Los Angeles Lakers, West became synonymous with brilliant basketball. He was the third player in league history to reach 25,000 points (after Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson). He was an All-Star every year of his career and led Los Angeles to the NBA Finals nine times. He left the game holding records for career postseason scoring and the highest average in a playoff series.
West's statistical record only begins to tell his story. When the chips were down, West, with his lightning-quick release, was the guy the Lakers turned to for the big basket. Many players have been tagged with the nickname "Mr. Clutch," but none of them lived up to it as well as West did. He was responsible for perhaps the most famous buzzer-beater of all time: a 60-foot swish that tied Game 3 of the 1970 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks.
West was motivated by a relentless drive to succeed. Years after a game in which he hit 16 of 17 shots from the field, sank all 12 free throw attempts, and notched 12 rebounds, 12 assists and 10 blocked shots, West told the National Sports Daily, "Defensively, from a team standpoint, I didn't feel I played very well. Very rarely was I satisfied with how I played." This obsessive quest for perfection was a constant during West's playing years, and it continued in his later roles as coach and general manager of the Lakers and, currently, as president of basketball operations for the Memphis Grizzlies.
Equally legendary was West's tolerance for pain. Not blessed with great size, strength, or dribbling ability, West made up for these deficiencies with pure hustle and an apparent lack of regard for his body. He broke his nose at least nine times. On more than one occasion West had to be helped to the court before games in which he ultimately scored 30 or 40 points."

This were the times when it was rugged in the court. Sharman took a swing at West after he nailed like 7 straight shots in his face. People nowadays talk about the "beatings" a player endures driving the lane? West sustained much, much more.

West was a great scorer, a great defender and an excelent passer. Even Jordan was quoted as saying " i wish i could have played Jerry West. Just to see which one of us was the better player". And West is right there with Bird, Reggie, Kobe and Mike as one of the greatest clutch players in history.

I have the impression that, if West had won a couple of MVPs (he played in the times of Russell, Oscar, Wilt and Pettit) and a couple more rings, he would be a sure-fire Top-5 ever.

[Luke]

I've narrowed it down to West, Moses, and Oscar.

I'm still leaning Moses.

But West is my boy, one of the few players that I really and truly wish I could have watched play. He's the most important Laker of all time and the blue print for all shooting guards that have come since him.

Oscar is making a decent case too. I was strongly against him going in the top ten because I feel like he is one of the more overrated players ever, but 11 does not seem like a reach in any way, shape or form.

[ChrisWoj]

I went with West, the argument from Paulo won me over. Looks like it was a lost vote - Moses vs Lebron. Not a lot of people saying Lebron in the thread, considering he's leading the vote right now.

[hobojoe]

If we're talking greatest basketball players of all-time here, shouldn't Julius Erving get a little more consideration here with his combined ABA/NBA work? I'm going with LeBron, but I think Dr. J is in that next group with Moses, Oscar and the Logo.

[PauloCatarino]

Originally Posted by ChrisWoj

I went with West, the argument from Paulo won me over. Looks like it was a lost vote - Moses vs Lebron. Not a lot of people saying Lebron in the thread, considering he's leading the vote right now.

Polls should be put up identifying the voters.

[e-monk]

Originally Posted by PauloCatarino

Polls should be put up identifying the voters.

LeBron James =
atz, Diable, GrandKenyon6, hobojoe, MemphisX, RR 823, Salomon, XxIrvingxX

there's link in the poll itself

[PauloCatarino]

Originally Posted by hobojoe

If we're talking greatest basketball players of all-time here, shouldn't Julius Erving get a little more consideration here with his combined ABA/NBA work? I'm going with LeBron, but I think Dr. J is in that next group with Moses, Oscar and the Logo.

Dr. J should be getting his dues soon enough.

I was actually wondering where should a guy like George Mikan rate in this "greatest players ever" polls...

[PauloCatarino]

Originally Posted by e-monk

LeBron James =
atz, Diable, GrandKenyon6, hobojoe, MemphisX, RR 823, Salomon, XxIrvingxX

there's link in the poll itself

Stupid me. completely forgot about that function.
Thanks, e-monk.

[Dee-Zy]

Went with Moses after all.

Looks like West has the KG/Malone/Barkley Syndrome. Great player but didn't win nearly enough as he should because he just so happened to play in the wrong era.

If I hold KG/Barkley/Malone to the same standard, I have to do the same for West.

[PauloCatarino]

Originally Posted by Dee-Zy

Went with Moses after all.

Looks like West has the KG/Malone/Barkley Syndrome. Great player but didn't win nearly enough as he should because he just so happened to play in the wrong era.

If I hold KG/Barkley/Malone to the same standard, I have to do the same for West.

Championships won:

Moses: 1
West: 1.

[Luke]

Went with Moses by a hair.

I think I like West over Oscar though. Missing the playoffs three straight times in a row during your prime is too big of a black mark for me. Especially when your call to fame is inflated numbers and needing arguably the best player of all time to ever realize real success in the post season.

[hobojoe]

Originally Posted by Dee-Zy

Went with Moses after all.

Looks like West has the KG/Malone/Barkley Syndrome. Great player but didn't win nearly enough as he should because he just so happened to play in the wrong era.

If I hold KG/Barkley/Malone to the same standard, I have to do the same for West.

Wait, how does KG get lumped into that group playing in the wrong era?

[PauloCatarino]

Originally Posted by hobojoe

Wait, how does KG get lumped into that group playing in the wrong era?

Yeah. Dude didn't even make it to the Finals being the Franchise Player...

[e-monk]

West would have had more alll nba defensive nods fwiw (if only they had started naming all defensive teams before 68)