How do you rank em?

[Texas Longhorns]

Too many..

[eyejayem]

I just figured since there are always some "top" threads, I catergorize players differently in my opinion and wondered if anybody else had methods to their madness. I have four groups: Megastars(self explainable), Superstars(centerpieces or core pieces), Allstars(supplement core), and Stars(Glue guys-do one thing really well or overall above average).

I just wanted to know how people made their tiers of players but if you want to bash(which is most likely) or comment on a misplaced player or a player I missed I am all for it.

+Guys who top the lists can IMO make it to the next tier while guys at the bottom can possibly fall out. Oh and when it got tough I just listed them, too hard to judge at times.

Megastars
Kobe Bryant
Lebron James
Tim Duncan
Kevin Garnett

Superstars
Chris Paul
Dwight Howard
Chris Bosh
Dwayne Wade
Deron Williams
Amare Stoudemire
Yao Ming
Dirk Nowitzki
Carmelo Anthony
Al Jefferson
Baron Davis
Allen Iverson
Kevin Durant
Tony Parker
Steve Nash
Vince Carter
Tracy Mcgrady
Joe Johnson
Shawn Marion
Pau Gasol
Manu Ginobli
Carlos Boozer
Rudy Gay
Elton Brand
Rasheed Wallace
Andre Iguodala
Jason Kidd
Jermaine ONeal
Gilbert Arenas
Chauncey Billups
Brandon Roy
Paul Pierce
Monte Ellis
Ron Artest
Antoine Jamison
Shaquille ONeal

AllStars
Greg Oden?
Hedo Turkolou
Caron Butler
David West
Stephen Jackson
Andrew Bynum
Michael Redd
Lamar Odom
Rashard Lewis
Chris Kaman
Lamarcus Aldridge
Gerald Wallace
Emeka Okafor
Andre Miller
Tayshaun Prince
Danny Granger
Josh Howard
Jose Calderon
Josh Smith
Luol Deng
Richard Jefferson
Mike Miller
Kirk Hinrich
TJ Ford
Andrew Bogut
Ray Allen
Ben Gordon
Rip Hamilton
Samuel Dalembert
Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Jason Richardson
Corey Maggette
Mo Williams
Mike Bibby
Larry Hughes
Stephon Marbury
Zach Randolf

Stars
Pedrag Stojakovic
Troy Murphy
Andris Biedris
Mike Dunlevy Jr
Tyson Chandler
Marcus Camby
Shane Battier
Andrei Kirilenko
Jeff Green
JR Smith
Travis Outlaw
Al Harrington
Kendric Perkins
Ronjo Rondo
Rafer Alston
Al Horford
Thaddeus Young
Jamal Tinsley
Raymond Felton
Jason Terry
Bruce Bowen
Antonio McDysse
Kenyon Martin
Dikembe Mutombo
Ben Wallace
Charlie Villanueva
Yi
Jamal Crawford
Ronnie Brewer
Kyle Korver
Daniel Gibson
Tyrus Thomas
Jokim Noah
Jasom Maxiell
Anderson Varajao
Andrei Barginani
Alonzo Mourning
Sam Cassell
Eddy Curry

There are a lot of gray areas where guys could be higher or lower but this was off the top of my head.

[Pats19andO]

Way too many

[AgEnT50]

I just want to know how long it took you to make this thread. . .

[shawngoat23]

Rule of thumb--there should be only about 5 superstars at a given time.

Edit: I'll allow for 10 now to account for league expansion and increased media coverage.

[Cevap]

Al Jefferson is not a superstar

[aikgtd]

Wow. that's about all I have to say...That's a huge list

[j-ragg]

Durant a superstar? Mo Williams and Kirk Hinrich all stars? Hmm...

[NO-KG-AI]

Though I don't think Paul and Dwight belong with the top 4, I think they are clearly ahead of the rest, along with a healthy Wade.

[LiquidFire]

RON ARTEST A SUPERSTAR

[BirdIsDaKing]

Charlie Villanueva a star?
Mo Williams an all star?
Rudy Gay a superstar?

This made me laugh.

[pacers33granger]

jeez even the biggest pacers homer wouldnt consider jermaine oneal a superstar anymore

[eyejayem]

Took me a lil over 10 min.

Durant-ROY, ~20ppg, meeting expectations just short on rebounding. Will be the center of that franchise for years to come for better or worse.

Mo Williams- Numbers went down but the entire team was horrible. Before that his numbers were near identical to Billups when they were both looking for contracts but Mo plays no D and not experienced leader but he is working on his big shot.

Kirk Hinrich- Bad year but is a 15 and +6 player. If it wasnt for the fact he is usually paired with Ben in the backcourt he would defend PGs and not SGs, but is a great defender.

[J~Rush]

'Toine? A superstar?

And waaaay too many names.

[Patterns]

WTF?

There are only 2 megastars.

There are probably only 6 or 7 superstars combined with the megastars.

Ridiculous list.

[LiquidFire]

who are the 2 mega stars?

[Mr. Fundamental]

Megastars
Kobe Bryant
Lebron James
Tim Duncan
Kevin Garnett

Superstars
Chris Paul
Dwight Howard
Chris Bosh
Dwayne Wade
Deron Williams
Amare Stoudemire
Yao Ming
Dirk Nowitzki
Carmelo Anthony
Al Jefferson
Baron Davis
Allen Iverson
Kevin Durant
Tony Parker
Steve Nash
Vince Carter
Tracy Mcgrady
Joe Johnson
Shawn Marion
Pau Gasol
Manu Ginobli
Carlos Boozer
Rudy Gay (all star)
Elton Brand
Rasheed Wallace
Andre Iguodala (all star)
Jason Kidd
Jermaine ONeal (all star but his stock is getting lower every day)
Gilbert Arenas
Chauncey Billups
Brandon Roy
Paul Pierce
Monte Ellis
Ron Artest (all star)
Antoine Jamison
Shaquille ONeal (all star right now)

AllStars
Greg Oden? (he hasnt played a single minute, not applicable)
Hedo Turkolou (agree)
Caron Butler (agree could be higher though)
David West (agree)
Stephen Jackson (agree)
Andrew Bynum (star)
Michael Redd (agree)
Lamar Odom (agree)
Rashard Lewis (agree)
Chris Kaman (star)
Lamarcus Aldridge (star)
Gerald Wallace (agree)
Emeka Okafor (agree)
Andre Miller (agree)
Tayshaun Prince (star)
Danny Granger (star, could be more in the making)
Josh Howard (was higher once but now is a star)
Jose Calderon (star, not yet an allstar)
Josh Smith (star but ceiling is high)
Luol Deng (agree)
Richard Jefferson (sure agree)
Mike Miller (star)
Kirk Hinrich (star)
TJ Ford (star)
Andrew Bogut (star)
Ray Allen (agree)
Ben Gordon (star)
Rip Hamilton (superstar)
Samuel Dalembert (star maybe)
Zydrunas Ilgauskas (star)
Jason Richardson (agree)
Corey Maggette (star)
Mo Williams (star)
Mike Bibby (star,not bought on his role with the hawks)
Larry Hughes (a star on his best day)
Stephon Marbury (star not all star)
Zach Randolf (star not all star)

Stars
Pedrag Stojakovic (agree)
Troy Murphy (nope)
Andris Biedris (not yet)
Mike Dunlevy Jr (this year yes, but not from previous years)
Tyson Chandler (agree)
Marcus Camby (agree)
Shane Battier (agree)
Andrei Kirilenko (agree)
Jeff Green (to early for that)
JR Smith (nope)
Travis Outlaw (not yet)
Al Harrington (sure)
Kendric Perkins (sorry, not yet, maybe never)
Ronjo Rondo (nope, not yet good prospect though)
Rafer Alston (not good enough)
Al Horford (good future but he is not a star)
Thaddeus Young (too premature)
Jamal Tinsley (nope never)
Raymond Felton (more success needed)
Jason Terry (agree)
Bruce Bowen (agree)
Antonio McDysse (on the fence but i will agree)
Kenyon Martin (sure)
Dikembe Mutombo (used to but now he is too old but still effective)
Ben Wallace (once was, not anymore not even close)
Charlie Villanueva (could be not right now though)
Yi (not yet maybe in China)
Jamal Crawford (agree)
Ronnie Brewer (hell no)
Kyle Korver (nope)
Daniel Gibson (nope)
Tyrus Thomas (could be, but now no)
Jokim Noah ( nope)
Jasom Maxiell (really solid player but he aint no star)
Anderson Varajao (nope)
Andrei Barginani (rap fans will agree on a nope)
Alonzo Mourning ( was not anymore)
Sam Cassell (was not anymore)
Eddy Curry (he ahs the hype of a star but the production of a 7th men)

There are a lot of gray areas where guys could be higher or lower but this was off the top of my head.

Thats my assesment the ones i left on teh top i agreed with

[Patterns]

who are the 2 mega stars?

Kobe, Lebron and Wade before he got hurt and exposed.

[NY MAVURS]

these lists suck...

[HarlemHeat37]

Kobe is only a "megastar" because he plays in LA..a guy with his reputation and sexual history would never be marketed as a "megastar", no matter how good he is..I'm not hating, it's the truth from a marketing standpoint..I wouldn't risk my product with an alleged felon..*please don't hate on this part of my post, I'm not trying to bring up a discussion about this..it has been a while, I'm just speaking from a marketing standpoint*..

since Duncan was in the OP's original post as a "megastar" and all those others were ranked as "superstars", I guess this is a list of tiers for best players in the NBA, and not popularity..

The King
Lebron James..the best player in the NBA/the biggest draw in the NBA..

megastar player that hasn't led a team to the finals
Kobe Bryant

all-time players but at the end of their primes
Tim Duncan
Kevin Garnett

young/injured superstars near the top
Chris Paul
Dwight Howard
Dwyane Wade
Yao Ming

superstars
Dirk Nowitzki
Carmelo Anthony
Elton Brand
Amare Stoudemire
Chris Bosh
Steve Nash
Paul Pierce
Deron Williams
Allen Iverson

near-superstars that look better because of a teammate
Boozer
Gasol
West

injured/on-off superstars(guys that can elevate to superstars at any time when focused or healthy)
Gilbert Arenas
Vince Carter
Manu Ginobili

superstar PGs
Billups
Parker
Baron