In his prime, a typical Shawn Kemp season was 18 points, 12 rebounds, 1-plus blocks while shooting nearly 50 percent from the field and better than 70 percent from the line. kemp was also a six-time All-Star, which suggests he clearly was more than a one-dimensional highlight reel.
Sure, Kemp wasn't as good as Charles Barkley and Karl Malone during that era -- but that's not an indictment on Kemp as it is a confirmation on how great Barkley and Malone were. But other than those two, I would take Kemp over any other power forward in the game, including Dennis Rodman.
Rodman was the better defender and rebounder of the two, but again that's not a slight against Kemp as much as how great Rodman was at those things. However, Kemp was a much better offensive player and a much better teammate for chemistry.
Kemp's biggest weakness as a player was fouling. The Reign Man led the NBA in fouls three times and was perennially in the top three every season in the 1990s.
There's a difference between an All-Star and a scrub
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Originally Posted by Mr.Prince
If we start to judge a player's value by dunking than Vince Carter would be the best player ever and Stromile Swift would be a god.
Except that Vince Carter is a perennial All-Star, Shawn Kemp was a six-time All-Star and Stromile Swift is not even an NBA-caliber starter.
People wouldn't hold Kemp and Carter in such reverence if they couldn't play -- which is the point here. Kemp was an electrifying player, but that's just a part of the package that included that he was one of the best players in the NBA in the early to mid-1990s.
Man after watching that, it just reminds me on how old Gary Payton really is. Man that Kemp/Payton combo was just fierce in the 90's.
Kemp was on of the best all around PF's at the time. Like everyone said, not on Malone/Barkley level, but in a whole different classification of his own
Sure, Kemp wasn't as good as Charles Barkley and Karl Malone during that era -- but that's not an indictment on Kemp as it is a confirmation on how great Barkley and Malone were. But other than those two, I would take Kemp over any other power forward in the game, including Dennis Rodman.
I'd take Tim Duncan first before Kemp.
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Originally Posted by spongyfungy
that Gay dunk on Noah was nasty
...kinda gross when you think about it without ever seeing it.
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I don't consider Tim Duncan in that era (late 1980s through mid-1990s) in which Shawn Kemp played. There is some overlap, but Duncan came into the NBA at the tail end of Kemp's, Charles Barkley's and Dennis Rodman's careers.
Man after watching that, it just reminds me on how old Gary Payton really is. Man that Kemp/Payton combo was just fierce in the 90's.
Nobody catched an alley-oop better than shawn Kemp.
Quote:
Kemp was on of the best all around PF's at the time. Like everyone said, not on Malone/Barkley level, but in a whole different classification of his own
No, he was not.
Kemp was a great physical specimen, and hne terrorized people on the break. But he was not a premier PF, all players considered. He lacked many things, most notably a post-up game. He also had very little basketball IQ.
It's not only Chuck, Mailman or Duncan. I would pick Kevin McHale, Kevin Garnett, Chris webber over him without the shadow of a doubt.
I'd put him in Larry Nance's competition. Not higher.
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Never thought I would post anything that might arguably be construed as favorable to Derrick Coleman, but why is it that Coleman is never mentioned in the company of players like Kemp anymore; he certainly was while playing (though at the time I remember arguing strongly that Kemp was better based on my perception of Coleman as a bad decision maker, low percentage shooter, and general team cancer). Kemp was also a poor decision maker(bad fouls and very little court vision . . . a great finisher but not a great initiator/post passer) and had character issues about his motivation and practice habits. Is it that Kemp and Payton turned Seattle into a very good team and title contender and Coleman and Anderson never took NJ to that level? (I would say Kemp was closer to Coleman type player than to a Karl Malone)
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If you have to shoot, shoot, don't talk
Never thought I would post anything that might arguably be construed as favorable to Derrick Coleman, but why is it that Coleman is never mentioned in the company of players like Kemp anymore; he certainly was while playing (though at the time I remember arguing strongly that Kemp was better based on my perception of Coleman as a bad decision maker, low percentage shooter, and general team cancer).
IMO, I never considered Derrick Coleman as good as Shawn Kemp -- I generally put DC a step below based on the things you said (namely, bad decision-maker, low percentage shooter and general team cancer). It seems like Coleman's career hit its peak in the 1993-94 season and he started regressing from that point forward.
As far as talent, Coleman reminded me of a taller version of Charles Barkley. However, Coleman didn't have Sir Charles' work ethic but did have all of Barkley's bad habits (namely, falling in love with the three-point shot despite being a decent long-range shooter).
Merged: Shawn Kemp (Dunks and Discussion)
