CBS Sports' 50 greatest NBA players of all time

[JordansBulls]

Magic even said Kobe was the greatest laker. Not that I agree with it but look how far down the list Kobe is in comparison and both played there entire careers in LA.

[G35]

I think as the league changes so should these lists. It's fun to have these lists but you really can't fairly equate the players. People are talking about LeBron and how he can change his legacy.

In the past players were not so blatant with the ring chasing and team building. Stars were not able to "reload" the roster with elite players at the end of their careers like they are doing now. I mean if the game was like this in the 80s and 90s the Celtics would have picked up Hakeem after his first contract to keep it going with Bird. The Lakers would have taken DRob out of San Antonio. Jordan would have picked up Barkley or Karl Malone. Utah definitely would not have been able to keep Stockton and Malone for 20 years.
It's like only certain players are getting a chance to play for their legacy whole others are getting swept aside. Anthony Davis, Westbrook, Harden, George, Cousins are just side shows. They likely have zero shot at the top 50 because they will never get to the finals which is a huge part of being a top 50 guy. Imagine Iverson if he never males that 2001 run. He is not a top 50 guy without that playoff run.....


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[Zasterror]

I love CP3 but over Pippen/Wade/Durant?

Literally no rings, notable PS success, and MVPs on any level.

[Bklynborn682]

Magic even said Kobe was the greatest laker. Not that I agree with it but look how far down the list Kobe is in comparison and both played there entire careers in LA.

I am not arguing with you but interested in why do you believe playing for 1 team over 20 years matters more in a historical ranking over someone who played for 4 teams in 20 years or something of the like?

[Texas Chuck]

I'll echo the posters who don't want to tear apart the list especially without knowing the criteria used to produce it. There were a couple things that really stood as glaringly off, but meh.

I liked KG,Dirk, and Malone all grouped together, because I believe the separation between these players is much smaller than the arguments typically about KG and Dirk(surprisingly this board almost never discusses the Mailman except in some kind of large list of players or PF's).

[Texas Chuck]

Magic even said Kobe was the greatest laker. Not that I agree with it but look how far down the list Kobe is in comparison and both played there entire careers in LA.

I can almost guarantee you that Magic Johnson does not believe that Kobe was better than him or is even a more iconic Laker. Magic Johnson knows how to play the game and says the right thing when the spotlight is on Kobe. But I bet if you had Magic alone and he knew you would never reveal it, he'd tell you he was the best Laker ever. And he'd be right.

[Ballerhogger]

I love CP3 but over Pippen/Wade/Durant?

Literally no rings, notable PS success, and MVPs on any level.

Yea not fan of this one either. Wade clearly ahead of Cp3.

[JordansBulls]

Magic even said Kobe was the greatest laker. Not that I agree with it but look how far down the list Kobe is in comparison and both played there entire careers in LA.

I can almost guarantee you that Magic Johnson does not believe that Kobe was better than him or is even a more iconic Laker. Magic Johnson knows how to play the game and says the right thing when the spotlight is on Kobe. But I bet if you had Magic alone and he knew you would never reveal it, he'd tell you he was the best Laker ever. And he'd be right.

Well not sure. I remember back in 1993 when Isiah was talking about the Bulls would beat Magic's Lakers, that Magic was adamant that the Bulls wouldn't. He said the Lakers had too many weapons. And then he said we would beat them. So it would be similar if he didn't feel that way.