RealGM

Who would you say has a credible argument to be the GOAT? Of course this doesn't necessarily mean you think they are the GOAT, but just that the argument is logical.

For me, I have MJ as the GOAT, with LBJ and maybe KAJ as having a solid claim. I don't have anyone else with a good argument-but Russell/Wilt are tough for me since I never saw them play.

Would you consider a player who you see as a Top 5-6 player ever and has arguments for players above him but could never be #1 as a GOAT candidate?

Jordan, LeBron, Kareem, Wilt & Russell would be mine.

I've got MJ, LeBron, Kareem and Russell as GOAT candidates. Wilt and Duncan are on the fringes, I think they belong in the conversation but I have a hard time seeing them take the #1 spot.

Dutchball97 wrote:I've got MJ, LeBron, Kareem and Russell as GOAT candidates. Wilt and Duncan are on the fringes, I think they belong in the conversation but I have a hard time seeing them take the #1 spot.

I think I agree with these, I have 4 players on the clear GOAT tier, but Duncan and Wilt are very close behind... and actually, I have Hakeem and Shaq very close to them as well. My top 8 is well established.

Jordan, Kareem, and LeBron

Jordan 100
Lebron 99

Kareem 97
Bill 96

Rest 95 or under

70sFan wrote:I think I agree with these, I have 4 players on the clear GOAT tier, but Duncan and Wilt are very close behind... and actually, I have Hakeem and Shaq very close to them as well. My top 8 is well established.

Hi Brother,
Who are your top 8, in order?

Also, I voted for:
Wilt
Kareem
Russell
LeBron
Jordan

They all have very strong cases, IMHO. For very different reasons.

Top ten minus Magic/Shaq/Hakeem.

Jordan/Lebron/Kareem

Jordan, Lebron, Kareem. I have Kareem’s peak a little below those 2, but his longevity is considerably better than the likes of Shaq, Russell, Hakeem etc. Kareem’s average prime level is a tad above Duncan’s and longevity probably about the same.

An argument? Mikan should be on the list of choices. I don't have him there but there's at least an argument as he dominated his league, more than the likes of Erving, Bird, Magic, etc.

It depends on your criteria. Effect on winning -- Russell. Individual dominance -- Wilt. Length of dominance -- Kareem or LeBron. Throw Jordan into the mix as well and you have the legit candidates. My criteria involve effect on team winning rather than statistical dominance so I have Russell on top though if you take into account the much stronger and larger league, I might have to move LeBron into first the next time we do the top 100. Jordan, Kareem, and Wilt round out the potential GOATS.

penbeast0 wrote:An argument? Mikan should be on the list of choices. I don't have him there but there's at least an argument as he dominated his league, more than the likes of Erving, Bird, Magic, etc.

It depends on your criteria. Effect on winning -- Russell. Individual dominance -- Wilt. Length of dominance -- Kareem or LeBron. Throw Jordan into the mix as well and you have the legit candidates. My criteria involve effect on team winning rather than statistical dominance so I have Russell on top though if you take into account the much stronger and larger league, I might have to move LeBron into first the next time we do the top 100. Jordan, Kareem, and Wilt round out the potential GOATS.

Well, for Mikan he would have had to dominated the league more than Russell did, right?

Also what are you considering "individual dominance" if it's not "effect on winning"

Lebron, kareen, russel and jordan imo

The first five guys on the poll.

LBJ and Russell for me are the two with reasonable GOAT arguments, though I do rank a few other players above Russell (Duncan and KAJ).

Stan wrote:Jordan, LeBron, Kareem, Wilt & Russell would be mine.

HeartBreakKid wrote:The first five guys on the poll.

yep

Lebron, Kareem, and Russell

Seems pretty difficult to make a case for another player that doesn't get buried by one of these 3. I guess if you have wilt in 67 as > russell he should be included there too.

Jordan can be argued vs lebron or kareem on the basis of team success and resume but russell goes brr
Duncan can be argued vs lebron on team success and maaaybe kareem as well on peak(that's not an easy case tho), but russell goes brr. Cultural argument also gets eaten up by russell
Hakeem runs into the same problems as Duncan

Am interested in how people suggesting either of three would actually go about making case vs lebron or kareem or russell that doesn't get countered by one or two of the others.

eminence wrote:LBJ and Russell for me are the two with reasonable GOAT arguments, though I do rank a few other players above Russell (Duncan and KAJ).

you don't think kareem's case is reasonable?

Chamberlain, Russell, Jordan and Kareem. In that order.