3Peatkb24 wrote:If LeBron James wins this championship in 2021, I will probably move him to 2nd all-time on my greatest players ever list. Ahead of Magic and Kareem and I love both those guys. The Lakers are going to have to beat teams like the Jazz and Nets to get it done is why, another reason why is his longevity - he still plays like he is 30 lol. The Nets are just loaded and the Jazz are loaded too! The only reason why I have LeBron ahead of Kobe is he could just do more as an all-around player and he has won 4 League MVP's, Kobe only won 1. Kobe did get cheated out of a League MVP in 2006 though. The championships are about even, Kobe has 5/LeBron 4 but if LeBron wins this season that gives him 5. I have Kareem at #3 still out of respect because IMO he is greatest Center ever and has won 6 Championships and 6 League MVP's. He is also the NBA's all-time leading scorer. Centers can't do the things that floor players can do though, as in creating their own shot and the passing like a Point Guard.
What Magic did by winning Finals MVP as a rookie scoring 42 points, getting 15 Rebounds, and dishing out 7 Assists still may be the greatest thing I have ever witnessed. Magic did that without Kareem who was injured. The Lakers put the Sixers away at Philly, (otherwise we would've been facing a Game 7) who had DR J, Mo Cheeks, Andrew Toney, and Darryl Dawkins. 4 great Vets, it didn't matter. My eye test seen something that night that blew me away. I was almost 9 then and remember telling my mom that is the greatest basketball player I have ever seen and it's not even close. At the time I loved Kareem too. Michael Jordan came along and by the end of the 90's, I had to say he was the best ever. He just accomplished so much and never lost in the Finals going 6-0 with 6 Finals MVP's. It took that much for someone to out due Magic to change my thinking.
It didn't happen, my top 5 list remains (out of the players I have seen live 1977-2021)
1. Jordan
2. Magic
3. Kareem
4. LeBron
5. Kobe
Bird and Shaq honorable mentions.