Besides Durant

[TheKingOfVa360]

Thank you, If Lebron career ends now he isn't much more than a Nique/Bernard King type player. He has a lot of talent but he hasn't come through on the biggest stage yet. Legends win championships.

Better than either already. More efficient than Nique, more versatile than both and he's done more than either. That Finals appearance (nevermind the All-Defensive Teams and the consecutive MVPs) elevates him above that level.

I'd say you could comfortably rate him top 20 and make a compelling argument for him top 15, but there's still a LARGE gap between what he's achieved in his career and what would send him into the top 10.

Moses Malone, a 3-time MVP, is borderline top 10, right? Karl Malone, another 2-time MVP with no ring but a Finals appearance (two, actually) isn't conclusively top 10.

Lebron's sort of in that zone at the moment. Maybe a little lower for absent longevity because he's still young. These next 5 years or so are probably the make-or-break moments for him as far as legacy goes. And maybe a couple of years beyond that, too, but mainly right now.

I agree that Lebron is better than Nique and King were skills wise. The point I was making career wise he hasn't did much more than them besides go to the finals.

[mopper8]

Except of course for the numerous all-NBA 1st teams, all-Defensive selections, back-to-bacik MVPs, etc.

But other than that stuff, what has he accomplished that they haven't??

[Rerisen]

No one.

Meh. Ask the same question about Wade or Kobe after 2 years of their careers and nobody would say they could get to where they did either.

I don't know if it will be Rose, Tyreke or Wall, but chances are good that 5-7 years from now, we will have at least one player (probably a couple) in the same tier as Kobe, Lebron and Wade were in.

To think otherwise is quite short-sighted I think, looking at the rapid development of high quality players over the last 10 years or so. Look how fast Durant has exploded on to the scene in just a couple years, knocking on the door of the game's elite.

[Atmanne]

Chris Paul because he may have the stats to back him up. If he can get the accolades and some titles he will be in the mix.

This. Chris Paul is as skilled as those guys, imo.

[cool007]

Exactly.

Normally a player in their 3rd or 4th year separates from just a star player to a superstar and until These players (Rose/Tyreke/Wall/etc) go through that 3rd or 4th year, you can't just dismiss that they won't ever be elite or top 5 or top 10 players in that time.

Players work on their games and sometime they take 1step further and sometimes 2 steps. by their 3rd-4th year, they should have most of the kinks worked out and should show as if they are going to be a superstar, or just an all-star or borderline.

We need to give them that time. They are so young.

[sisibilio]

I can tell you're a "new school NBA" fan.

The only thing off-base with that statement is probably the Wade being the third best 2 guard of all time. The other two are accurate.

I think he meant when they're careers are done, although I think Wade can surely overtake Kobe depending on how the next 10 years turns out.

No, he can't, even if he gets 5 more rings with the Heat.
And do you really expect him to be around in 10 years? He's only 28 but has been quite banged up.

The Tyreke overrating machine is at full speed. Cmon, he's good but on a complete different level than Durant or Rose.

[sisibilio]

Man, Wade is really underrated here. I don't see Wall having the defensive potential of Wade, nor do I see him having the scoring skills. He does have very good vision and great feel for the game, but I don't see him being any better than Chris Paul, if anything.

I don't think I've underrated Wade at all. And if a player is better than CP3, then I think it's pretty fair to say that player is eqaul to Wade.

Chris Paul is being underrated, if anything. He's got nothing to envy Wade but playing with another superstar.

[tidho]

Dwight Howard has a shot at being an all-time great. I realize he's not a 25ppg. guy, but that doesn't mean he isn't capable of being considered an all-time great.

I'm still confused by the math in the Lebron 2nd best SF, Wade 3rd best SG of all time. Seems like Bird, Jordan and Kobe very naturally fit - probably without a lot of argument. What about guys like Dr. J, Jerry West, and the Big O?
...oh, well.

[laker]

ricky rubio

[D Nice]

Don't see any player in the league with that kind of potential. Even Durant is iffy. Wade is already a lock for top 5 SG ever (definitely surpassed Drexler in my book), and has a good chance at edging out West for top 3. Kobe is a lock for top 10 all-time, and Lebron has a great shot at replicating that feat.

CP3, Wall, and Durant can be really, really great players, but I don't see any of them ending up THAT good. Paul probably has the best shot.

[pourfood]

Imagine if Dwight Howard can sink FT......

Well, the same was said about Shaq and his legacy is gold, so maybe Dwight can emulate that.

[pourfood]

Man, Wade is really underrated here. I don't see Wall having the defensive potential of Wade, nor do I see him having the scoring skills. He does have very good vision and great feel for the game, but I don't see him being any better than Chris Paul, if anything.

I don't think I've underrated Wade at all. And if a player is better than CP3, then I think it's pretty fair to say that player is eqaul to Wade.

Read that quote again. I don't see Wall being any better than Chris Paul.

Oh, my bad.

But to go back on that topic, I think Wall has the potential to be as good as Wade in D. Just look at how long it took Wade to become a good perimeter defender. Wall's defensive awareness is already impressive and he has the physique & quickness to contain the smaller gaurds. Going back to one of his recent games, Wall had Jrue in his pocket (although Jrue is just MEH...) and stole the ball 9 times. NINE. Not bad for a 20 year old.

[menofvalor]

Wait when did Derek freakin Rose become a superstar, or even have superstar potential. Theres only one guy that can reach the level of dominance of a Lebron, Kobe, Wade, Howard, Chris Paul, and thats Durant.

[KevinMcreynolds]

Monta.

[Jvaughn]

Imagine if Dwight Howard can sink FT......

Well, the same was said about Shaq and his legacy is gold, so maybe Dwight can emulate that.

But Shaq was an offensive force on the post. Basically unstoppable. If Dwight isn't dunking the ball or going up with a putback, you'd rather him shoot in the post. If Dwight can somehow (doubtful) develop a dominant post game he has a chance. I honestly don't see that ever happening though. He just doesn't have the mindframe to work on that type of thing.

[BubbaTee]

No one.

Meh. Ask the same question about Wade or Kobe after 2 years of their careers and nobody would say they could get to where they did either.

I don't know if it will be Rose, Tyreke or Wall, but chances are good that 5-7 years from now, we will have at least one player (probably a couple) in the same tier as Kobe, Lebron and Wade were in.

To think otherwise is quite short-sighted I think, looking at the rapid development of high quality players over the last 10 years or so. Look how fast Durant has exploded on to the scene in just a couple years, knocking on the door of the game's elite.

^This.

What's inaccurate is saying that none of the league's young players have all-timer potential, as if there's some unbreakable ceiling hovering over them. Players improve, occasionally in giant leaps and bounds. Young Karl Malone shot FTs like Stevie Wonder. Hakeem went from asking "What's a basketball?" to being the #1 draft pick in 6 years.

Do people not remember young Kobe was a skinny benchwarmer who chucked airballs during crunch time in playoff games? Corey Benjamin's potential in HS was as high as Kobe's. Felipe Lopez' was as high as Allen Iverson's.

Heck, not even Steve Nash's mom would have predicted him to become a 2-time MVP back in 2001, let alone when he was 21 years old.

[Gus McCrae]

People are sleeping on Adam Morrison in this thread

[Mourning_Would]

Only John Wall has the potential.

Tyreke hasn't, not even close.

Rose can be as good as D Wade, but not as Bron or Kobe.

LOL. Heck no.

More insightful and informative posts by knowledgeable heat fans.

Lol why would we need to reply to something like that seriously? Rose hasnt even won a playoff series, while Wade lead his team to the 2nd round, and almost conference finals, in his rookie season.

[MitchellUK]

Wade, Lebron and Bryant are at the top of the NBA tree for the last decade, and will likely all be included somewhere in the all-time arguments when their careers are over and done. So to reach the heights they have is an incredible acheivement, not one which is going to come easily to anyone. However, to simply laugh off the idea that any of the current younger generation - Evans, Wall, Rose, any other highly rated young player - could do it is stupid.

8 years ago the same people would have been laughing at the idea of Wade being included in the discussion of the top SGs of all time. Now look where we stand. The very fact that these guys were picked highly, were handed the reigns to their teams at such a young age, is because they do have vast potential. It's not beyond the realms of fantasy that one or more of them, with the right drive and motivation, and good coaching, is in the discussions of the great guards of all-time once they retire.

[Mourning_Would]

Wall and that's only if he can reach his full potential.

We are talking about multiple MVPs and Finals MVPs with some of the greatest stats ever, Rose and Evans are not even close imo.

Why are we talking about mulitple MVPS and Finals MVP's when Lebron and Wade don't have that. Wade has been 1st round knock out material for years (maybe the most overrated player on realgm even though he is a top 5 player). Lebron hasn't sniffed a ring.

Lol did you see Wade's team? Kobe got knocked out the 1st first round too. You need at least a decent team to get outta the first round. And i guess going to the Finals doesn't mean sniffing a ring. SMH