rk2023 wrote:homecourtloss wrote:rk2023 wrote:
2009 >
2010 >
1973 >
2012 >
2013 >>
2014 >
1977 >>
2016 >
2017 >
2018 (close)
2020 >
Not included, but I would take 1970 over 2008 (and anything before that ofc).
I pretty much agree with this list here, which isn’t really fair to someone as great as Kareem.
Perhaps start LeBron at 2007, include 2019, and take Kareem up to 1984 or even 1985 (add 2021 to LeBron).
It’s pretty nutty in the sense that on top of the chosen years, both still have 8 more campaigns to work with.
It really is. To me, longevity is an indicator of player’s resiliency regardless of league environment, rules changes, etc., and/or his ability to adapt. It’s always frustrating to see posters on the GB or even here sometimes equate longevity with playing a long time. A player who has been able to continually have winning impact and effect championship odds increase of a team through multiple different NBA environments, rules, rosters, coaching, etc., must either have a game/qualities that are highly resilient and/or be highly adaptable. Being able to do so in and of itself is a testament to the player’s game resiliency in the face of changing environments and/or the players ability to adjust to any environment/era. Being able to do so it’s a testament to player’s greatness.
Look at Kareem. He has a GOATish peak but also has a game that regardless of era or rules was so effective that he provided championship odds increasing impact into his late 30s. I go back to the little variance in his scoring from game to game. You knew how he was going to score, but you couldn’t do anything about it, which engendered GOATish longevity.
Look at James. James’s longevity’s catalyst is his ability to adjust his game in so many ways and roster constructions in vastly different playing style eras, which is impressive, and a testament to his ability to impact the game in so many different ways, whether that is though quarterbacking defenses, providing rim pressure, scoring inside, shooting, playmaking in a defensive era with two bigs, playmaking in a five out offense, playmaking and scoring with great efficiency in vastly different leagues, i.e., late 2000s versus pace and space of the 2020s, etc.
Kareem’s longevity is engendered by the fact that there is no answer to him regardless of playing era, and LeBron’s by the fact that he will adjust his game to provide winning impact regardless of era, rules (including playing with two bigs in pace and space era.
These players have GOAT type peaks, GOAT type primes, and also GOAT type longevity.