Two-Decade Position Leaders

[durantbird]

Who are the players who have been best in their position for two decades? I don't mean a 20 years span, I mean calendric decades.

- LeBron James - owns the 2000s and 2010s at SF, a case for the 2020s but probably falls short with guys like Tatum
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 1970s easily, though 1980s is a tough competition with Moses
- Michael Jordan - 1990s easily, but not sure about 1980s considering Gervin had more prime years, and Moncrief also has a case
- Jerry West - tough competition with Oscar in the 1960s for best PG, but 1970s seems like his decade, although only half a decade
- Tim Duncan - 2000s and maybe 2010s assuming you consider him PF for both decades, though AD might be the more natural 2010s position leader or maybe Giannis

Other names: Jokic (is he 2010s best center?), Giannis (is he dominant enough in the 10s?), Barkley or Malone (80s+90s), Steph (is there a case for him above Luka in 2020s?), Julius Erving (70s, but 80s probably Bird?)

[Jaivl]

Only LeBron, Kareem and arguably Jordan and Erving, IMO. Curry... he'll surely be surpassed this decade.

[tsherkin]

Only LeBron, Kareem and arguably Jordan and Erving, IMO. Curry... he'll surely be surpassed this decade.

Karl Malone comes to mind.

But yeah, that level of longevity is rare to begin with, and even less common when you take out guys like Robert Parish and Vince Carter, who stuck around for years as low-level nobodies.

[penbeast0]

Who are the players who have been best in their position for two decades? I don't mean a 20 years span, I mean calendric decades.

- LeBron James - owns the 2000s and 2010s at SF, a case for the 2020s but probably falls short with guys like Tatum
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 1970s easily, though 1980s is a tough competition with Moses
- Michael Jordan - 1990s easily, but not sure about 1980s considering Gervin had more prime years, and Moncrief also has a case
- Jerry West - tough competition with Oscar in the 1960s for best PG, but 1970s seems like his decade, although only half a decade
- Tim Duncan - 2000s and maybe 2010s assuming you consider him PF for both decades, though AD might be the more natural 2010s position leader or maybe Giannis

Other names: Jokic (is he 2010s best center?), Giannis (is he dominant enough in the 10s?), Barkley or Malone (80s+90s), Steph (is there a case for him above Luka in 2020s?), Julius Erving (70s, but 80s probably Bird?)

Mikan for 40s and 50s, Pettit was probably the best PF in the NBA for both the 50s and 60s. I'd go Frazier for the 70s rather than West but it's hard to find that level of dominance for multiple years in different decades.

[tsherkin]

Mikan for 40s and 50s, Pettit was probably the best PF in the NBA for both the 50s and 60s. I'd go Frazier for the 70s rather than West but it's hard to find that level of dominance for multiple years in different decades.

Mmm, I wonder if Mikan really counts, having played only 3 years in the 40s, and 2 of them in the NBL. Same same with Frazier, who only played 2 years in the 60s.

Don't know that either of those guys exhibit dominance over two whole decades, unless maybe I've misinterpreted the OP. I realize he says "not 20 years," but if it's literally just careers which leak into adjacent decades, that could be anyone. The examples given show some pretty significant overlap, like at least 5 years.

[penbeast0]

Mikan for 40s and 50s, Pettit was probably the best PF in the NBA for both the 50s and 60s. I'd go Frazier for the 70s rather than West but it's hard to find that level of dominance for multiple years in different decades.

Mmm, I wonder if Mikan really counts, having played only 3 years in the 40s, and 2 of them in the NBL. Same same with Frazier, who only played 2 years in the 60s.

Don't know that either of those guys exhibit dominance over two whole decades, unless maybe I've misinterpreted the OP. I realize he says "not 20 years," but if it's literally just careers which leak into adjacent decades, that could be anyone. The examples given show some pretty significant overlap, like at least 5 years.

Frazier was not intended to be a two decade player, his prime was pretty short and as you say, almost all 70s. But he's clearly above Jerry West for 70s impact in my book where I have him the top guard for that decade.

Mikan didn't play that long in the 40s but top level pro basketball wasn't around until the last few years after WW2 and what there was of pro basketball, Mikan dominated. The only real challenger might be a black star but Goose Tatum was more of a comedian and less of a dominant player from what I have read.

[tsherkin]

Frazier was not intended to be a two decade player, his prime was pretty short and as you say, almost all 70s. But he's clearly above Jerry West for 70s impact in my book where I have him the top guard for that decade.

Right, but isn't the point about impact spanning the two decades? Or were you saying it couldn't be West because Frazier's impact in the 70s was better?

Mikan didn't play that long in the 40s but top level pro basketball wasn't around until the last few years after WW2 and what there was of pro basketball, Mikan dominated. The only real challenger might be a black star but Goose Tatum was more of a comedian and less of a dominant player from what I have read.

Yeah. I guess it's just hard for me to reconcile the scope in this case, because a year or two doesn't really seem like it should count in context, but that may just be my semantic read. I see your point about the 40s environment, though, regardless.

[PistolPeteJR]

Only LeBron, Kareem and arguably Jordan and Erving, IMO. Curry... he'll surely be surpassed this decade.

Yeah Steph being the best in the 2020s-to-date, now that we're almost halfway done, is, arguable, but not a certainty. 5 more seasons? Definitely won't be the best PG of the decade. That'll go to one of SGA or Luka, most likely.

[An Unbiased Fan]

Baylor - 50s/60s
MJ - 80s/90s
Kobe - 00s/10s
Lebron - 00s/10s

[PistolPeteJR]

Baylor - 50s/60s
MJ - 80s/90s
Kobe - 00s/10s
Lebron - 00s/10s

Kobe's case for best SG in the 10s is very weak, IMO. Think it's Harden.

[OhayoKD]

Only LeBron, Kareem and arguably Jordan and Erving, IMO. Curry... he'll surely be surpassed this decade.

Yeah Steph being the best in the 2020s-to-date, now that we're almost halfway done, is, arguable, but not a certainty. 5 more seasons? Definitely won't be the best PG of the decade. That'll go to one of SGA or Luka, most likely.

Shai's going to be the best guard though I see him more as an SG.

For out and out PGs Hali's the best candidate

[EmpireFalls]

McGrady has an argument over Bron for 2000s SF no?

[PistolPeteJR]

McGrady has an argument over Bron for 2000s SF no?

Huh? He played two seasons at SF in the 2000s.

[penbeast0]

Only LeBron, Kareem and arguably Jordan and Erving, IMO. Curry... he'll surely be surpassed this decade.

Who was a better PF than Bob Petit in the 50s (only 6 seasons but clearly the best during that time)? (Dolph Schayes is probably the closest)

Who was a better PF than Bob Petit in the 60s, although he only played 4.5 seasons? (Jerry Lucas probably geta the most attention other than Pettit as a PF; Baylor could be said to play there but at 6'5 usually played SF with Rudy LaRusso the main Lakers' PF of the decade).