Best Player to never make All-NBA Team?

[sixerswillrule]

A lot of good candidates:

Pre-1988 (no all-NBA 3rd team)
Walt Bellamy
Mo Cheeks
Dan Issel
Bob Lanier
Bill Laimbeer
Cedric Maxwell
Calvin Murphy
Larry Nance
Jack Sikma
Nate Thurmond
Kiki Vandeweghe
Chet Walker
Jamaal Wilkes
Lenny Wilkens
Buck Williams

Post-1988
Mookie Blaylock
Terrell Brandon
Marcus Camby
Mike Conley
Vlade Divac
Dale Ellis
Horace Grant
Rip Hamilton
Hersey Hawkins
Jeff Hornacek
Andre Iguodala
Antawn Jamison
Andrei Kirilenko
Rashard Lewis
Paul Millsap
Dan Majerle
Terry Porter
Doc Rivers
Steve Smith
Otis Thorpe
Rasheed Wallace
David West

[JoeMalburg]

My picks would be Nate Thurmond and Bob Lanier. Throw in Artis Gilmore if you don't count all-ABA selections.

A lot of centers at the top of the list since it was the dominant position for years and only had two total all-NBA spots. Walt Bellamy and Jack Sikma would be on the list too.

As far as non-centers, I'd go with Lenny Wilkins and Chet Walker. With Rasheed, Horace Grant, Larry Nance and Maurice Cheeks right behind them.

[eminence]

Just looking at those lists I'd say AK and Sheed were the two best players in terms of peak/prime. A lot of darn good players though who in my mind were likely deserving of a 3rd or even 2nd team at some point (some being around before the 3rd team).

[sixerswillrule]

My picks would be Nate Thurmond and Bob Lanier. Throw in Artis Gilmore if you don't count all-ABA selections.

A lot of centers at the top of the list since it was the dominant position for years and only had two total all-NBA spots. Walt Bellamy and Jack Sikma would be on the list too.

As far as non-centers, I'd go with Lenny Wilkins and Chet Walker. With Rasheed, Horace Grant, Larry Nance and Maurice Cheeks right behind them.

I made the lists using a search limited to 5 all stars or less thinking anyone with more than that surely would've made at least 1 all NBA team. Looks like I was wrong!

[JoeMalburg]

My picks would be Nate Thurmond and Bob Lanier. Throw in Artis Gilmore if you don't count all-ABA selections.

A lot of centers at the top of the list since it was the dominant position for years and only had two total all-NBA spots. Walt Bellamy and Jack Sikma would be on the list too.

As far as non-centers, I'd go with Lenny Wilkins and Chet Walker. With Rasheed, Horace Grant, Larry Nance and Maurice Cheeks right behind them.

I made the lists using a search limited to 5 all stars or less thinking anyone with more than that surely would've made at least 1 all NBA team. Looks like I was wrong!

Lenny Wilkins resume is really odd. Nine times an all-star, finished second in the 1968 MVP vote, led the league in assists, averaged 20-5-9 over a six year stretch, yet never made an All-NBA team.

[Amare_1_Knicks]

I’ll throw Lamar Odom into the mix. He wasn’t the dominant scorer or defender that some of those guys listed were, but he had a great all around game.

[Jaivl]

Thurmond is a top 50 player on my book, so him.

[rocopc]

Bob Lanier for me, but are a group of close calls likes Lenny Wilkens, Nate Thurmond or Sheed

[Odinn21]

I guess I’m the only one thinking this is Terry Porter. At least for post 1988.

[kendogg]

Thurmond or Bellamy. Centers get half the nomination spots and in the 60's, Wilt and Russ took all the nominations.

[70sFan]

Thurmond or Lanier. If we don't count ABA, then Gilmore clearly. All of them are probably top 50 players ever.

[henshao]

I'm also in the Nate camp

[Doctor MJ]

Nate Thurmond was the guy I thought of just because it was such fierce competition. Just 2 slots for the most important position at the time. Crazy.

I was really surprised to see Lenny Wilkens. I'd still go with Thurmond, but wow, it's amazing Wilkens never got one of the 4 guard spots given what a lock he was for all-star each year.

In terms of the 3 All-NBA Team era, I'd go with Rasheed Wallace. He was better than was realized at the time. Like a poor man's Shaq, there was every reason to think his ridiculous behavior would cause problems with his impact, but no, Sheed was really good for a long time.

Incidentally if it were "Best not an All-Star", there I'd go Mike Conley.

[KobesScarf]

Artis Gilmore>>>Nate Thurmond overall hut only counting NBA years Nate Thurmond is slightly better so I would go with Thurmond

[Doctor MJ]

Artis Gilmore>>>Nate Thurmond overall hut only counting NBA years Nate Thurmond is slightly better so I would go with Thurmond

Ftr I consider Artis >> Nate for his ABA years and don’t really care to ignore ABA accolades, but if you just go by NBA years then I’d agree Nate gets the nod by a smidge.


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[JoeMalburg]

Incidentally if it were "Best not an All-Star", there I'd go Mike Conley.

Made one of those lists the other day and Conley came in third for me, but i could see him getting to the top of the list with a few more good years and all-star snubs.

Here's what I came up with for a collection of all-time best's never selected for the All-Star Game

1. Cedric Maxwell
2. Arvydas Sabonis
3. Mike Conley
4. Derek Harper
5. Tyson Chandler
6. Lamar Odom
7. Toni Kukoc
8. Byron Scott
9. Marcus Camby
10. Sam Perkins
11. Jason Terry
12. Paul Pressey
13. Rod Strickland
14. Mychal Thompson
15. Al Jefferson
16. Andre Miller
17. Josh Smith
18. Jalen Rose
19. Mike Bibby
20. Nick Anderson
21. Greg Ballard
22. Purvis Short
23. Ty Lawson
24. Mickey Johnson
25. P.J. Brown

Honorable Mention: (Guys good enough to make, but rightfully never selected due to limited role)

Michael Cooper, Robert Horry, Frank Ramsey, Ron Harper, Derek Fisher, Bruce Bowen, Tom Sanders, K.C. Jones, Shane Battier, Don Nelson

[Doctor MJ]

Incidentally if it were "Best not an All-Star", there I'd go Mike Conley.

Made one of those lists the other day and Conley came in third for me, but i could see him getting to the top of the list with a few more good years and all-star snubs.

Here's what I came up with for a collection of all-time best's never selected for the All-Star Game

1. Cedric Maxwell
2. Arvydas Sabonis
3. Mike Conley
4. Derek Harper
5. Tyson Chandler
6. Lamar Odom
7. Toni Kukoc
8. Byron Scott
9. Marcus Camby
10. Sam Perkins
11. Jason Terry
12. Paul Pressey
13. Rod Strickland
14. Mychal Thompson
15. Al Jefferson
16. Andre Miller
17. Josh Smith
18. Jalen Rose
19. Mike Bibby
20. Nick Anderson
21. Greg Ballard
22. Purvis Short
23. Ty Lawson
24. Mickey Johnson
25. P.J. Brown

Honorable Mention: (Guys good enough to make, but rightfully never selected due to limited role)

Michael Cooper, Robert Horry, Frank Ramsey, Ron Harper, Derek Fisher, Bruce Bowen, Tom Sanders, K.C. Jones, Shane Battier, Don Nelson

A thorough list.

Sabonis is Sabonis of course. By far the best player on this list. I don't like the idea of giving him this title because I think it's meaningless for him: We all know he was a superstar talent whose birthplace got in the way of things.

I'd be inclined to put Conley over Maxwell though I can see your argument. It's a big deal to me the way Conley became the rock for his franchise.

In terms of other guys:

Chandler actually was an all-star once.

Odom's a great choice. Definitely a candidate, though I'd still go with Conley.

When you get to someone like Lawson I really see things differently. Yes he's low on your list, but I don't see him as a Top 10 guy in his own draft class. Heck I think that draftmate Darren Collison from that same draft class clearly deserves a higher rank here, and he also probably isn't a Top 10 guy from that class, which makes him nowhere near Top 25 levels for all-time non-all-star.

Some other guys from recent years I think deserve consideration for inclusion above guys like this:

Shane Battier - debatable given his affirmed role player status and not super-long longevity
Nene - should absolutely be high on a list like this
Tayshaun Prince - would probably be on my list
Andrew Bogut - he made All-NBA though so he doesn't fit in spirit
JJ Redick - has had an exceptional NBA career

[ShotCreator]

Could very well be Terry Porter. His DRAPM numbers were elite as an old man in SA and his offensive prime was strong in Portland.

I think he peaked higher than Stockton on offense.

If not him then probably Rasheed Wallace. Andrei Kirilenko was the highest level player you could be without being a all-league offensive player or DPOY caliber defender. Really really strong two-way prime from 04-06. One of the most unique offensive games I have seen. Could lift any lineup with his off-ball cutting/curling game which essentially effected defenses like an elite post-player or slasher.


Those are definitely the 3 highest peaks to me.