iggymcfrack wrote:I definitely think of Rodman as more of a 4. Wikipedia and LandOfBasketball both list his position simply as power forward. Obviously, he could guard smaller guys if that’s what you wanted him to do, but he could also bang inside just as well and when you have the GOAT rebounder, don’t you want him as close to the basket as possible?
It's not a matter of what people "want" from him, or what he "could [do] ... if that's what you wanted him to do".
Dennis Rodman came into the league as a small forward. Through to 1991 (when he started alongside Bill Laimbeer and James Edwards) that was probably his primary position (with Salley and to a lesser extent Bedford claiming a chunk of the "big" minutes). That span includes over a third of his career minutes, and both his DPoY awards.
Things that call Dennis Rodman
only a power forward are either: (a) keen to simplify and put him at only position or (b) wrong.
If you want to cover where Rodman played most of his minutes then the answer would be power forward. The same if you want the position he's most famous as/associated with. But the idea (and I don't know the intent here, but it seemed a fairly casual dismissal) that it's simple to put him at PF, as though SF is weird or ahistorical, doesn't seem to stand up, particularly as the criteria for defining position hasn't been specific. For someone who thinks it's about the position they defended best, on the anecdotal/awards side ... that's SF for Rodman (and all the more so if the person considers rebounding a distinct aspect from offense or defense).
I'd put him as PF otoh, but I'd be open to either and if it's based on where he defended better, per the above, there's obvious anecdotal evidence to put him here, so I don't think it's open and shut.
DeBusschere was a PF for most of his career and for the years where he was most obviously impactful so I'd be inclined to put him there. Kirilenko, Marion and Bobby Jones I think of as just forwards ... (lean maybe SF, where historically the 4 has been for bangers and these guys are more skillful and athletic - but then Odom fits that, and I'm more comfortable calling him a 4, maybe because he's taller?). Sanders is kind of the same - it's up in the air because Havlicek played 2 positions and is more identified as a 3, which might push him to 4, but they could both be getting the majority of their minutes at the 3 position.
Posey worth mentioning for the longlist (impact less than I thought - though more an impact player in the playoffs)? Bob Love got some recognition as a defender, though probably more a longlist mention than a contender. E.C. Coleman had a reputation as a defensive specialist and Rick Barry said Coleman defended him best, though again probably not a contender. Hanzlik was pushed to here from the SG discussion.
George Lynch is a RAPM standout. Jerome Kersey is, too, in a small sample (odd, as his defensive rep in his prime was more middling and worse than his boxscore).
Will try to check up who the Barry handbooks liked when I get time, maybe dig deeper rather than going mostly off the top of my head.