Best 5 players over the past 25 years

[Infinite Llamas]

Anyone rethinking their Jokic vote?

I didn't pick Jokic because of longevity but you should not seriously re-evaluate a player based on a single playoff series lol

Especially after a series where he averaged 29/11/8 lol

[One_and_Done]

Anyone rethinking their Jokic vote?

I didn't pick Jokic because of longevity but you should not seriously re-evaluate a player based on a single playoff series lol

Especially after a series where he averaged 29/11/8 lol

Jokic put up numbers and was a great player, but he didn't look like the GOAT candidate some want to paint him as. The disappointment this year provides important context to last year.

[Lockdown504090]

Duncan, Curry, and Other (Kobe) for staying with one team for their careers and bringing multiple rings. And, Lebron and Shaq.

This real! Why would you draft someone with the foresight in knowing they will leave when you can have one just as good or almost that won’t leave?

[Raps in 4]

1. LeBron
2. Duncan
3. Shaq
4. Steph
5. Jokic

You could make a case for Kobe over Jokic on accomplishments, but the individual production just wasn't on the same level.

[Vampirate]

It's pretty much the top 5 choices in the poll lol.

[Stan]

Peak for peak, I think Giannis was probably better than Duncan, though I know it's tough comparing players nearly 20 years apart.

[One_and_Done]

Duncan, Curry, and Other (Kobe) for staying with one team for their careers and bringing multiple rings. And, Lebron and Shaq.

This real! Why would you draft someone with the foresight in knowing they will leave when you can have one just as good or almost that won’t leave?

The OP literally says to assume you get them for their whole career.

[Roseability]

Hard to argue Jokic over Curry or Kobe cause of rings. If we’re talking peak, then he’s higher than those two. Jokic might have the highest peak of all 5, but far less team success so far.

[dhsilv2]

I didn't pick Jokic because of longevity but you should not seriously re-evaluate a player based on a single playoff series lol

Especially after a series where he averaged 29/11/8 lol

Jokic put up numbers and was a great player, but he didn't look like the GOAT candidate some want to paint him as. The disappointment this year provides important context to last year.

lol...a team built to challenge him and he once again had the best stats of anyone in the playoffs. He was absolutely incredible.

[dhsilv2]

1. LeBron
2. Duncan
3. Shaq
4. Steph
5. Jokic

You could make a case for Kobe over Jokic on accomplishments, but the individual production just wasn't on the same level.

Given the question is 25 years...and Shaq entered the league 32 years ago. Does that not factor into this question? I assume most ignored that and that's fine.

[dhsilv2]

Hard to argue Jokic over Curry or Kobe cause of rings. If we’re talking peak, then he’s higher than those two. Jokic might have the highest peak of all 5, but far less team success so far.

How dare he not have better teammates! What kinda lazy player doesn't just command the gods to bring them teammates so we can judge them fairly on a metric that isn't about their actual play.

[Grahf]

Peak for peak, I think Giannis was probably better than Duncan, though I know it's tough comparing players nearly 20 years apart.

I'd agree that comparing players 20 years apart is tough, and their games were also extremely different. My argument for how individually dominant Duncan was starts with that 2003 team. Seriously, look at that roster... I still can't believe he somehow carried that group to 60 wins and a championship. I don't think Giannis has reached the level Duncan played at that year.

[Raps in 4]

1. LeBron
2. Duncan
3. Shaq
4. Steph
5. Jokic

You could make a case for Kobe over Jokic on accomplishments, but the individual production just wasn't on the same level.

Given the question is 25 years...and Shaq entered the league 32 years ago. Does that not factor into this question? I assume most ignored that and that's fine.

Oh, I didn't read the OP. I assumed it was best players to play over the past 25 years. Duncan and Kobe also don't make the cut then.

[One_and_Done]

Especially after a series where he averaged 29/11/8 lol

Jokic put up numbers and was a great player, but he didn't look like the GOAT candidate some want to paint him as. The disappointment this year provides important context to last year.

lol...a team built to challenge him and he once again had the best stats of anyone in the playoffs. He was absolutely incredible.

The Nuggets would have lost to Boston, Dallas and OKC too. I'm not sure I'd have taken them over a healthy and functional Bucks team either. This idea the Wolves were an especially tough match up is largely revisionist history. The Wolves have some advantages against Denver, but they have weaknesses too like Gobert meaning you're not able to go 5 out. The same strategies Dallas used to beat Minny would have worked even better vs Denver.

[One_and_Done]

1. LeBron
2. Duncan
3. Shaq
4. Steph
5. Jokic

You could make a case for Kobe over Jokic on accomplishments, but the individual production just wasn't on the same level.

Given the question is 25 years...and Shaq entered the league 32 years ago. Does that not factor into this question? I assume most ignored that and that's fine.

Oh, I didn't read the OP. I assumed it was best players to play over the past 25 years. Duncan and Kobe also don't make the cut then.

No, as per the OP, you are not limited to the portion of their career that took place in the last 25 yrs.

[dhsilv2]

1. LeBron
2. Duncan
3. Shaq
4. Steph
5. Jokic

You could make a case for Kobe over Jokic on accomplishments, but the individual production just wasn't on the same level.

Given the question is 25 years...and Shaq entered the league 32 years ago. Does that not factor into this question? I assume most ignored that and that's fine.

Oh, I didn't read the OP. I assumed it was best players to play over the past 25 years. Duncan and Kobe also don't make the cut then.

25 years means we drop Duncan's rookie year and Kobe's first couple of no old enough years, right?

I assume we still count these guys, we just don't count their years before 25 years ago so I'm saying 1999 season. So I don't think we'd drop kobe or Duncan. Shaq maybe? I have KG over shaq but he also loses some teen years.

[dhsilv2]

Jokic put up numbers and was a great player, but he didn't look like the GOAT candidate some want to paint him as. The disappointment this year provides important context to last year.

lol...a team built to challenge him and he once again had the best stats of anyone in the playoffs. He was absolutely incredible.

The Nuggets would have lost to Boston, Dallas and OKC too. I'm not sure I'd have taken them over a healthy and functional Bucks team either. This idea the Wolves were an especially tough match up is largely revisionist history. The Wolves have some advantages against Denver, but they have weaknesses too like Gobert meaning you're not able to go 5 out. The same strategies Dallas used to beat Minny would have worked even better vs Denver.

You decided to talk about something I didn't say...I said they were built to challenge Jokic. Not Denver.

[dhsilv2]

Given the question is 25 years...and Shaq entered the league 32 years ago. Does that not factor into this question? I assume most ignored that and that's fine.

Oh, I didn't read the OP. I assumed it was best players to play over the past 25 years. Duncan and Kobe also don't make the cut then.

No, as per the OP, you are not limited to the portion of their career that took place in the last 25 yrs.

ok I didn't read that.

Then Jordan should be on the list.

[One_and_Done]

Oh, I didn't read the OP. I assumed it was best players to play over the past 25 years. Duncan and Kobe also don't make the cut then.

No, as per the OP, you are not limited to the portion of their career that took place in the last 25 yrs.

ok I didn't read that.

Then Jordan should be on the list.

I think we can safely exclude anyone who didn't have a single prime year in the last 25 years.

[dhsilv2]

No, as per the OP, you are not limited to the portion of their career that took place in the last 25 yrs.

ok I didn't read that.

Then Jordan should be on the list.

I think we can safely exclude anyone who didn't have a single prime year in the last 25 years.

This is getting into calculus! I think it's not that complex because as we know there was a talent gap here...but still