OT: Which NBA Legend would you start your franchise with?

McGrady2Head · Post #1 » by **McGrady2Head** » Fri May 30, 2008 3:27 am

If you were starting a team, and you could take any legend as a rookie and build your team around them, which one would you take?

bballmaniac27 · Post #2 » by **bballmaniac27** » Fri May 30, 2008 3:30 am

umm... Michael Jordan?

Post #3 » by **TMU** » Fri May 30, 2008 3:40 am

Toss up between Bill Russell and Michael Jordan.

Baller 24 · Post #4 » by **Baller 24** » Fri May 30, 2008 3:50 am

I've read so much about this player, lol so I'm going to go ahead and take Larry Bird.

Post #5 » by **TMU** » Fri May 30, 2008 3:52 am

Baller 24 wrote:I've read so much about this player, lol so I'm going to go ahead and take Larry Bird.

Homer...

McGrady2Head · Post #6 » by **McGrady2Head** » Fri May 30, 2008 4:01 am

T-Mac United wrote:Toss up between Bill Russell and Michael Jordan.

Yeah I dont know, Russell was great, but he also had some STACKED teams when he played chamberlain. I think if your starting from scratch, chamberlain would be easier to build around.

bballmaniac27 · Post #7 » by **bballmaniac27** » Fri May 30, 2008 4:03 am

Well, you can't really go wrong with anyone on the list....

but I just noticed.... where the heck is Hakeem ?? you call yourself a fan?

A.J. · Post #8 » by **A.J.** » Fri May 30, 2008 4:12 am

You can't go wrong with anyone on this list, but how can't you start a team with M.J.?

texasholdem · Post #9 » by **texasholdem** » Fri May 30, 2008 4:17 am

Hakeem

YaoZai · Post #10 » by **YaoZai** » Fri May 30, 2008 4:18 am

Hakeem

Texas Longhorns · Post #11 » by **Texas Longhorns** » Fri May 30, 2008 4:23 am

Jordan and Hakeem

Post #12 » by **TMU** » Fri May 30, 2008 4:45 am

McGrady2Head wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

Yeah I dont know, Russell was great, but he also had some STACKED teams when he played chamberlain. I think if your starting from scratch, chamberlain would be easier to build around.

That's a fair point. I'm not going to deny the fact that Russell played with some HOFers including Cousy, Heinsohn, Sharman, Ramsey, Sam Jones, K.C. Jones, and Havlicek. Who else am I missing?

However, based on today's HOF standards, Cousy, and Havlicek (and maybe Sharman and Sam Jones) would have been the only true HOFers. Guys like Heinsohn, Ramsey, and K.C. were inducted to the HOF as a result of playing alongside Russell. Let's not forget that the Celtics didn't win a championship prior to Russell's arrival and upon his departure. I mean, it wasn't until 74', when the Celtics won again, which was led by Havlicek.

I doubt that Wilt, Kareem or MJ could've filled Russell's shoes. The fact that he won 11 championships (8 straight), including 2 as a player/coach is simply astounding.

EDIT: I also chose MJ because his individual talent as a player can't be matched by any perimeter players that has/had played the game. History shows that it's rare to see a swingman dominate both ends of the court and lead his team to a championship. MJ didn't win twice or three times; he won six championships.

So yeah, Russell or MJ for me.

MaxRider · Post #13 » by **MaxRider** » Fri May 30, 2008 4:45 am

Robert Horry
he won 7 rings

McGrady2Head · Post #14 » by **McGrady2Head** » Fri May 30, 2008 5:10 am

Come on now lets be honest, Hakeem doesnt belong on this list, and im a fan. i didnt want to mess the poll up because i knew half of you would vote for hakeem, just because he played here

bballmaniac27 · Post #15 » by **bballmaniac27** » Fri May 30, 2008 5:18 am

McGrady2Head wrote:Come on now lets be honest, Hakeem doesnt belong on this list, and im a fan. i didnt want to mess the poll up because i knew half of you would vote for hakeem, just because he played here

Why not.... TD and Shaq are on the list.

Post #16 » by **TMACFORMVP** » Fri May 30, 2008 5:42 am

Considering Duncan and Shaq are on that poll justifies that Hakeem should on it, since he's definitely on their level and arguably even better accounting his dominance on both ends of the floor.

Anyways, it'd be Wilt or Jordan for me. In today's rules seeing how a guy like Kobe can control the pace of the game throughout and singlehandedly win you games in 4th quarters, it'd be scary to think what prime MJ would be able to do in the no handchecks era. Then a guy like Wilt that can anchor your defense, and is arguably the most dominant offensive player to have ever played is real tough to choose from.

Then you look at the difference from their peers at the same position and the depth at that position

Wilt
Russell
Kareem
Hakeem
Shaq
Robinson
Moses
Duncan
(guys like Ewing as well)

or

Jordan
West
Kobe
(other swings like Havlicek, Erving, Drexler are there as well)

Seems like the big man depth is more than the actual DOMINANT wing depth. Give Jordan a second option and a bunch of good defenders, and I'd think they'd fare better than a team led by Wilt, especially considering there's more actual footage of Jordan and in the modern day era which is more geared towards perimeter play.

Then again I'm a sucker for a big man, so I'll take the chicken way out and say it's either Jordan or Wilt for me.

jove9 · Post #17 » by **jove9** » Fri May 30, 2008 5:48 am

Dream is as good as Kareem and is WAY better than Shaq and Duncan. I'm not being a homer; I'm being honest.

Do you remember what he did to Robinson in '95?

Or were you still in diapers?

Putting other centers up and not Dream spoils the legitimacy of the thread. You might as well add Steve Novak at this point, because this thread is a sham.

(For the record I'm picking Jordan)

Post #18 » by **TMU** » Fri May 30, 2008 7:08 am

Yeah, you forgot Hakeem.
Prime Hakeem was better than Prime Shaq and Prime Duncan.

texasholdem · Post #19 » by **texasholdem** » Fri May 30, 2008 8:12 am

T-Mac United wrote:Prime Hakeem was better than Prime Shaq and Prime Duncan.

Mario Elie said as much on the radio and he played with both Dream and Duncan.

Robert Horry has played with all three Shaq, Hakeem and Duncan so someone go ask him who's the best of the three.

moofs · Post #20 » by **moofs** » Fri May 30, 2008 1:55 pm

Doubtful he answers that while playing with one of them.