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Pick any 5 players in NBA history to create the the best possible defensive team to play in today's league. Assumptions:

Defensive peaks

Try to keep players at positions they played significant time at (ie, can't have Pippen or LeBron at PG, but its fine to have Duncan at PF or C, or LeBron at SF or PF). There's obviously gray area here.

Players will have a similar amount of defensive energy/focus as they did during their peaks

Players from past eras will have time to adjust to modern strategy/rules

Disregard offense

Just note: Having a defense full of Tony Allen-like defenders isn't going to be a great Defense. Why? Because you are never going to score, meaning the opposing offense can always run after a miss or turnover.

Wilt, Russ, LeBron, Jordan, Kidd

CENTER - Wilt is the perfect drop center. He's arguably the best shotblocker and rebounder in history, and with his ridiculous length plus bounce he could block shots from several feet away, so he doesn't have to come all the way up on a screen. Well above average basketball IQ

POWER FORWARD - Russ is the best overall defender in history. He's what Dray wishes he was. 5 inches taller, far more athletic, and still super switchable. GOAT level basketball IQ.

SMALL FORWARD - LeBron is the most overall menacing wing with his size, strength, speed and explosion. When he's locked in, there's nobody getting by him, and good luck challenging him in the paint. Also an outstanding help defender. GOAT level basketball IQ

SHOOTING GUARD - Jordan is the most athletic guard and and a combination of speed and explosion not seen before or since. Can defend on ball and also an outstanding help defender. GOAT level basketball IQ

POINT GUARD - Kidd is again like Wilt and LeBron, as big, strong and quick as they come for his position. Combine that with GOAT level basketball IQ, and you got a top tier on-ball defender and help defender.

It just so happens these guys are also good on the other side of the ball too. They are all uber athletes that are willing and able passers. If aliens came to earth with a time machine and asked me to assemble the best team to beat theirs or all humans die, this is the team I pick. 6th man Bird for a little extra grit and tough shot making.

Bill Russell
Kevin Garnett
LeBron James
Kawhi Leonard
Walt Frazier

Gary Payton
Kawhi Leonard
Scottie Pippen
Kevin Garnett
David Robinson

In today's league, you can't pick someone like Kidd or CP3 at PG/SG. You don't need great help defenders at PG/SG what you need are people who can fight over screens and disrupt the handles/shooting of their assignments. You want someone who will lock down perimeter players at the point of attack and stick to them off-ball.

At PF/C, you must have mobile, athletic bigs who can switch onto the perimeter when necessary. You also need players who have very high defensive awareness, motor, and BBIQ so they won't get lost on rotations or have the athleticism to erase mistakes when defensive assignments are missed. With that being said:

Walt Frazier
Sidney Moncrief
Scottie Pippen
Kevin Garnett
Hakeem Olajuwon

Colbinii wrote:Bill Russell
Kevin Garnett
LeBron James
Kawhi Leonard
Walt Frazier

Why Russell over Olajuwon? More confident in his ability to be disruptive on the perimeter? Not that I disagree, but was wondering about the reasoning.

Tomtolbert wrote:

Colbinii wrote:Bill Russell
Kevin Garnett
LeBron James
Kawhi Leonard
Walt Frazier

Why Russell over Olajuwon? More confident in his ability to be disruptive on the perimeter? Not that I disagree, but was wondering about the reasoning.

Yeah--I am higher on Russell's switch ability and lateral quickness. It often isn't talked about but I have russell as an elite athlete horizontally and vertically.

uberhikari wrote:In today's league, you can't pick someone like Kidd or CP3 at PG/SG. You don't need great help defenders at PG/SG what you need are people who can fight over screens and disrupt the handles/shooting of their assignments. You want someone who will lock down perimeter players at the point of attack and stick to them off-ball.

At PF/C, you must have mobile, athletic bigs who can switch onto the perimeter when necessary. You also need players who have very high defensive awareness, motor, and BBIQ so they won't get lost on rotations or have the athleticism to erase mistakes when defensive assignments are missed. With that being said:

Walt Frazier
Sidney Moncrief
Scottie Pippen
Kevin Garnett
Hakeem Olajuwon

Why are you picking SIdney Moncrief then?

70sFan did a breakdown recently and sighted his lateral quickness to not be all that great [and If I remember correctly] doesn't think he would translate well to the modern NBA.

Colbinii wrote:

Tomtolbert wrote:

Colbinii wrote:Bill Russell
Kevin Garnett
LeBron James
Kawhi Leonard
Walt Frazier

Why Russell over Olajuwon? More confident in his ability to be disruptive on the perimeter? Not that I disagree, but was wondering about the reasoning.

Yeah--I am higher on Russell's switch ability and lateral quickness. It often isn't talked about but I have russell as an elite athlete horizontally and vertically.

Also superior defensive rebounding by a healthy margin.

Colbinii wrote:

uberhikari wrote:In today's league, you can't pick someone like Kidd or CP3 at PG/SG. You don't need great help defenders at PG/SG what you need are people who can fight over screens and disrupt the handles/shooting of their assignments. You want someone who will lock down perimeter players at the point of attack and stick to them off-ball.

At PF/C, you must have mobile, athletic bigs who can switch onto the perimeter when necessary. You also need players who have very high defensive awareness, motor, and BBIQ so they won't get lost on rotations or have the athleticism to erase mistakes when defensive assignments are missed. With that being said:

Walt Frazier
Sidney Moncrief
Scottie Pippen
Kevin Garnett
Hakeem Olajuwon

Why are you picking SIdney Moncrief then?

70sFan did a breakdown recently and sighted his lateral quickness to not be all that great [and If I remember correctly] doesn't think he would translate well to the modern NBA.

I disagree with him on that to some degree; Sid was quick for a 2 when the knees were working. He covered a lot of ones in Milwaukee's schemes where the 1 was more dangerous and they wanted to didn't want Brian Winters or RIcky Pierce exposed and like most wings guarding points, he could be beaten by a Calvin Murphy style small superquick player but that's true of someone like Michael Jordan as well and Moncrief was consistently dialed in defensively where Jordan needed to convince himself he was being disrespected to maintain defensive focus. Of course, once Jordan convinced himself, he might then go super saiyan.

Colbinii wrote:

uberhikari wrote:In today's league, you can't pick someone like Kidd or CP3 at PG/SG. You don't need great help defenders at PG/SG what you need are people who can fight over screens and disrupt the handles/shooting of their assignments. You want someone who will lock down perimeter players at the point of attack and stick to them off-ball.

At PF/C, you must have mobile, athletic bigs who can switch onto the perimeter when necessary. You also need players who have very high defensive awareness, motor, and BBIQ so they won't get lost on rotations or have the athleticism to erase mistakes when defensive assignments are missed. With that being said:

Walt Frazier
Sidney Moncrief
Scottie Pippen
Kevin Garnett
Hakeem Olajuwon

Why are you picking SIdney Moncrief then?

70sFan did a breakdown recently and sighted his lateral quickness to not be all that great [and If I remember correctly] doesn't think he would translate well to the modern NBA.

I wouldn't go that far, he'd be still very valuable today. I just don't find his lateral quickness and footwork to reach his reputation and he's not very disruptive either. Overall, he was a sound defender with long arms but I think his defense was (and still is) overrated a little bit.

it depends on what offense you're going to face.
going against the nuggets or the suns creates completely different challenges