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Forum nameOkay Sports
Topic subjectKareem: Big O >>>>> Jordan or Bron
Topic URLhttp://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=8&topic_id=2240583
2240583, Kareem: Big O >>>>> Jordan or Bron
Posted by melmag, Thu Oct-03-13 11:00 PM
http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/10/03/kareem-says-oscar-robertson-better-than-jordan-or-lebron/


While most current NBA fans give Michael Jordan the nod in the hypothetical “best player ever” competition, but a lot of that is simply due to timing — most hoops fans alive today saw him play, or have heard the mythology of his era at least.

Basketball is a game that is hard to compare across eras and generations and most of us didn’t see the greats of the 1960s or 1970s play. Those that did have the same bias for the players of their generation as people who came of age in the 1990s do for Jordan.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was on ESPN’s Collin Cowherd radio show on Thursday and was asked about the greatest — and he went with the first major star he ever played with (transcription via LakersNation).

“LeBron is awesome, MJ was awesome — but I think Oscar Robinson would have kicked them both in the behind,” said Abdul-Jabbar when asked about James and Jordan. “Absolutely. Oscar was awesome. He had brains. He had all the skills.

“He could rebound and box out guys four and six inches taller than him. He was ruggedly built. He had fluid, quickness, and just understood the game. No flair, he just got the job done every night. Who’s going to average double figures in points, assists and rebounds?”

I don’t think anybody sane questions that Oscar Robertson belongs among the all-time greats. He is a perfect example of why the “rings” argument is a poor judge of a player — he carried bad teams pretty far, not winning until he was past his prime but Kareem joined him in Milwaukee. Robertson AVERAGED a triple double 1962, he was ridiculously good. He should be front and center in the Hall of Fame. But he also played in an era when the pace of the game was much faster, which boost his per-game numbers.

How does he stack up to Jordan and LeBron? I don’t know. I wasn’t alive when Robertson was at his peak and the grainy Youtube footage of him likely does not do his game justice.

It’s easy to say Jordan is the best or LeBron could challenge them, or that Magic Johnson belongs in the conversation, because we saw them — not in an unbiased way, but we saw them. We can form conclusions we just can’t with Robertson.

By the way, the guy always shortchanged in the GOAT conversation in Kareem himself.
2240592, When you win one chip, it's luck (c) Cheese-Eyes
Posted by FILF, Thu Oct-03-13 11:52 PM
2240600, BIG O Belongs in the Conversation
Posted by mistermaxxx08, Fri Oct-04-13 01:02 AM
however he has more than a few times given Bron much love and he did say that Jordan while a Great player, was markted even Greater.

in my eyes Lebron is the Greatest I ever saw and then I would say Oscar along with Shaq, Kareem,Magic,Jordan and Bird
2240627, Kareem: I'm old, WHERE ARE MY STRAINED PEAS DAMNIT?
Posted by bshelly, Fri Oct-04-13 07:00 AM
2240700, Isn't this a pretty common opinion for players of that time?
Posted by Marauder21, Fri Oct-04-13 09:54 AM
I realize Kareem came into the league when Big O was getting out of his prime years, but dude was pretty much considered GOAT at his position up until MJ.
2240755, or just human beings in general
Posted by Drizzit, Fri Oct-04-13 11:44 AM
you get old and start grumbling, "kids these days ain't shit! back in my day ..."

applicable in all facets of life, really.
2240712, Kareem: Ella Fitzgerald >>>>> Beyonce
Posted by southphillyman, Fri Oct-04-13 10:07 AM
2242116, proper posting
Posted by MistaGoodBar, Mon Oct-07-13 08:29 AM
2240737, Far from a Bronista, but Bron's pace-adjusted stats are better, no?
Posted by theeraser, Fri Oct-04-13 10:56 AM
2240759, I thinks it's more telling that MJ and Cap got Bron's name in their
Posted by bentagain, Fri Oct-04-13 11:47 AM
mouth...

...and he's only half way into his career

Feeling Threatened?
2240776, ^^^^^^^^
Posted by DanSpeak, Fri Oct-04-13 12:19 PM
2240783, or it's just a hyperactive media world we live in
Posted by Beamer6178, Fri Oct-04-13 12:40 PM
and questions are being asked that lead to these answers.

>mouth...
>
>...and he's only half way into his career
>
>Feeling Threatened?
2240786, Jordan can't go a month it seems w/o mentioning Lebron's name
Posted by vee-lover, Fri Oct-04-13 12:47 PM
he, more than other great player, feels threatened abt Lebron replacing him in the minds of future generations as the GOAT.


>mouth...
>
>...and he's only half way into his career
>
>Feeling Threatened?
2240969, he know Bron better
Posted by mistermaxxx08, Sat Oct-05-13 01:36 AM
he can't avoid the bron express
2240996, that applies to MJ but not Cap, why would he feel threatened?
Posted by ConcreteCharlie, Sat Oct-05-13 09:58 AM
2241344, Bron coming for that #1 spot!
Posted by bentagain, Sun Oct-06-13 10:27 AM
the argument for Bron being GOAT is based on efficiency

he's put up these statistical anomalies of seasons for efficiency

and now we see other players trying to focus on efficiency and NOT hero ball

so there is a definite shift in basketball in general

but, I did this in another post, if you project Bron's #s

assuming he's at the halfway point in his career

that projects to top 5 in scoring, top 10 in assists, and top 20 in rebounds

taking into consideration health and production level

he could catch Cap for that #1 spot

and finish top 5 in assists

those aren't completely out of the question

if he can do that, and add a couple of more chips

the argument for him being GOAT makes itself
2241346, many words, zero answers
Posted by ConcreteCharlie, Sun Oct-06-13 10:34 AM
lebron is no threat to jabbar's place in history.
2241520, he better than Kareem
Posted by mistermaxxx08, Sun Oct-06-13 02:39 PM
because Bron been doing it on a real way.

teams gotta deal with him period.

he got chips, league awards and Dominance what else do you want?

and he ain't even 30 and you already know if he stays healthy, Motivated and driven then he will own it all.

and i didn't mention 2 gold medals as well.

Bron got old heads, Middle age heads and Young Heads all talking.
2241725, 1) no one else will compare them 2) your bron dickriding is out of control
Posted by ConcreteCharlie, Sun Oct-06-13 05:10 PM
2241523, The first half of Lebron's career guarantees he cannot be GOAT nm.
Posted by RaFromQueens, Sun Oct-06-13 02:44 PM
2241727, lol yeah because the first half of jorn's career was any better
Posted by ConcreteCharlie, Sun Oct-06-13 05:11 PM
2241878, It was a LOT better and didn't involve losing with the better team.
Posted by RaFromQueens, Sun Oct-06-13 07:11 PM
It's remarkable really. Lebron is most notable for his statistically amazing seasons and yet has nothing like Jordans 32-8-8 season shooting 53%+.

Michael was better than Lebron at what Lebron does.
2242141, lol, "losing with the better team?" you are still cysing those cavs?
Posted by ConcreteCharlie, Mon Oct-07-13 09:15 AM
that says it all, really. they both won MVP in their fourth season, but bron was considerably younger. bron reached the finals first. we will see what the final chip count is but all things considered lebron is on his way.

i dont think the early parts of their careers are where to look at the gaps dude, sorry, and the fact that you are shows some insecurity about their primes/total careers. for why? jorn still got a nice lead here.
2241738, Because he's the current 2-time defending champ? The same...
Posted by ThaTruth, Sun Oct-06-13 05:26 PM
conversations were had about Jordan when he was doing his thing
2240987, why would anyone expect him to say anything else? that's his teammate.
Posted by Bombastic, Sat Oct-05-13 08:45 AM
2240992, he coulda said Magic
Posted by melmag, Sat Oct-05-13 09:49 AM
2241058, he prolly thinks Magic gets enough praise (see: statue at Staples)
Posted by Bombastic, Sat Oct-05-13 01:25 PM
plus Magic's beloved, for Kareem it would make much more sense for him to go with the older/quieter/sometimes-surly/misunderstood legend.
2240993, did fans always obsess over this best ever thing?
Posted by DJR, Sat Oct-05-13 09:54 AM
I don't know. I don't remember it being discussed like this when I was a kid.

Maybe it's just because there's too much sports media now, that there's nothing to talk about so they have to fill time. It's just gotten to be a real tired, dead end conversation at this point though.

I don't know how people feel so confident about knowing who the best "ever" is when most of the ones who are all about this argument have only watched and experienced like 15 seasons of hoops. Some of the loudest ones, have seen much less than that.
2240995, I think it was more who's the best at the moment but now ...
Posted by ConcreteCharlie, Sat Oct-05-13 09:58 AM
LeBron has made that such a moot question that you've got to start looking back.

You don't see anyone comparing Kershaw to Steve Carlton or Warren Spahn in baseball or really pushing the issue to compare Sid and Gretzky in hockey.

Here this is kind of a legit debate to have Bron vs Jilla vs Big O or whatever, maybe even more so than Shaq vs Kareem vs Wilt. Only Shaq really held that debate while he was getting stoned and freestyling.
2240994, I've heard a ton of older cats say this, could be true
Posted by ConcreteCharlie, Sat Oct-05-13 09:56 AM
The Big O was a force, there is no denying that. It's too bad more of his career didn't come in a TV-friendlier era and that he didn't get the early TV shine that the Celtics and Wilt's teams did. Those early broadcasts were almost always Celtics-Warriors or Celtics-Sixers. I saw the series where his Royals played Boston in the Finals and a few other games, but it's not like you're going to find the mountain of film you would for Bron or Jordan.

Seems like an early generation Bron to me, physical beast with all sorts of skill.
2241671, Duke played 4 season w/ Kareem & only has one chip to show for it
Posted by FILF, Sun Oct-06-13 04:15 PM
Meanwhile cats are grading Wilt on a curve b/c he only won one chip w/o an all-time 10 player when he was w/ the 76ers when he was going up against a loaded Celtics team. The reason the Bucks lost to the Wilt's Lakers in 72 (WCF) was b/c Oscar went MIA.
2241728, he was already old by then
Posted by ConcreteCharlie, Sun Oct-06-13 05:12 PM
in his prime those same celtics and a loaded lakers team and wilt were all crowding the top. who did he have? jerry lucas?
2241737, Right, usually faced those stacked ass Boston teams or Wilt's squad...
Posted by ThaTruth, Sun Oct-06-13 05:24 PM
Nobody was getting past both of them in the east in the 60's
2242143, once the royals moved to the east, they were royally fucked.
Posted by ConcreteCharlie, Mon Oct-07-13 09:17 AM