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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNuu1e8p5Rg&feature=youtube_gdata_player][/youtube]

This was the 1989 Season and it was mentioned at the 4:13-4:25 mark that MJ, Magic and Nique were the top 3 in the league.


I do remember Nique was a great player and I could say from at least 1986-1990 I thought at the time of him being a top 5 player a few years. But never did I remember anyone calling him a top 3 player at one point.
Now granted this may be a Hawks commentator and also Bird was injured for most of the season this year, but I thought it was interesting for this commentator to say this.

Dominique was terrifying. I remember games he managed to make James Worthy look unathletic, which is something. Never put him in that Magic/Bird/Jordan class, though. Just seemed a cut below.

Criminally underrated. If he played today, the only players I would take over him would be Bron/Kobe

Bomb_First wrote:Criminally underrated. If he played today, the only players I would take over him would be Bron/Kobe

Really good point.

'Nique was a beast. Him, Stacey Augmon and Spud Webb formed the most likeable lineup the Hawks have ever had.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wmsz-HImILw&t=3m37s
3:37
+unsung hero
+never knew what to expect from him "unknown is very scary"
+exciting player
+highlight film
+crunch time competes
+always on the verge
+public underrated him but players respected him bcuz of what he could do/capable of doing
+never get respect bcuz he never won
+fear that you could be on a highlight film in a second; embarassing

nique was an amazing athlete and an absolute bully, but the man played with blinders on. he wasnt surrounded by the greatest of teammates but he didnt make them any better.

Doc Rivers used to joke that he could ask Nique for an accurate point total at any point in the game, as well as all the free throws the officials failed to give him.

Nique proves to me that any athletic player today will dominate back then.

By "back then," you mean the distant, dark days of the 1980s?

Not Bias wrote:Nique proves to me that any athletic player today will dominate back then.

Athletic players dominating a basketball game, wow, Can you imagine? And 'Nique had skills u just dont know a lot about him cuz he didnt win a lot.

He was like James Worthy a scoring forward, except with a bit more range and went off the dribble more often. Like Worthy, Except he never had a Magic or Kareem.

He would have 30 points and the next highest guy would have 12.

rumdiary wrote:

Bomb_First wrote:Criminally underrated. If he played today, the only players I would take over him would be Bron/Kobe

Really good point.

'Nique was a beast. Him, Stacey Augmon and Spud Webb formed the most likeable lineup the Hawks have ever had.

More likable than Mookie, Steve Smith, and Augmon?

Not Bias wrote:Nique proves to me that any athletic player today will dominate back then.

So what you're saying then is that any athletic player today is in Jordan's category.

Alrighty then.

Great finisher but he never passed the ball. That's one reason why he has zero rings.

But his nickname (the human highlight reel) was well deserved.

Not Bias wrote:Nique proves to me that any athletic player today will dominate back then.

Maybe in the 1950's.

This is the 90's we are talking about.

One of the greatest players in NBA history. He was simply unstoppable with his combination of athletic ability and shooting. If he did not have his Achilles heel tear back in 90/91 IIRC he would have continued to be an elite player longer than he actually was one.

IMO he's one of the most underrated superstars I've ever seen in any sport.

The strange thing about Wilkins is that the whole thing came apart when the tried to put other scorers around him he was much better as the total focus of an offense, much like AI or MJ were. It wasn't like he didn't have teammates he a half dozen guys around him that could all go for 20 on a given night but they all avg around 12 like was said.

'Nique was as unstoppable a player offensively as there ever was. You just generally don't combine efficiency and volume in this way pure scoring machine. He was a lot like Carmelo more athletic and without the turnovers.

There was some debate back then on who was more exciting between him and Jordan, but I don't think there was ever any question as to who was better. Nique was one of the most exciting players to watch back then, but he wasn't on the level of Bird, Magic, or Jordan.

BTW, he got robbed in that dunk contest that Jordan won with the FT line dunk. Big time.

If the Lakers had drafted Dominique over Worthy, we'd be talking about his rings.