by 3Peatkb24 » Tue Mar 23, 2021 4:11 am
Yeah a lot of people like doing top 50 lists, even top 100 lists of all-time. To me top 20 is the cream of the crop, the elite of the elite and Baylor makes my top 20. Once you get to the top 20 of all-time it is really hard to say who is better than who. Players that belong in that top 20 with all era's included would be:
Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Larry Bird, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Dr J, Dwyane Wade, Isiah Thomas, and Elgin Baylor - these are my floor players as in non Big's. (11 players in total)
My Big's that made my list (PF's or Centers) are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Shaq O'Neal, Tim Duncan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Moses Malone, Karl Malone, and I would put Dirk Nowitzki in the top 20. (9 players in total)
I like Dirk a tad better than Charles Barkley or Kevin Garnett. Dirk was a hair better than both IMO. I could debate that Dirk's 1 legged fadeaway was the most unstoppable shot in NBA history with him being 7'0 tall. Kareem's skyhook is the only other shot that was probably more unstoppable but Dirk was hitting 3's doing that stuff. Kevin Durant still doesn't make my top 20 but he is right there just to bring him up. He still could before it is all said and done? Dirk gained my respect when he was the only Superstar on that 2011 Mavs team and they took out LeBron, Wade, and Bosh in 6 games without HCA to win it all. Jason Kidd is a Hall of Famer but he was a role player on that 2011 Mavs team (older), Jason Terry has always been a role player, a damn good one but a role player nevertheless.
Point to all of this is Elgin Baylor is a top 20 player of all-time and it's a no brainer to me. Some liked John Havlicek better (or thought he was better) but I think Elgin was better. Havlicek had a boat load of championships but he played on stacked teams his whole career.
4 best Titles- 1988 Repeat Lakers/2002 3Peat Lakers/2006 Colts/2016 Cubs