We are at the point of the NBA offseason where the news cycle has slowed down. A lot of the stories that come out are about players working out and improving their game. Players are keeping sharp while playing in pick-up games and sometimes they provide some major highlights.
This is also prime time for people to debate certainly all time lists as there isn’t much else to talk about. The legendary Julius Erving caught a lot of people by surprise with the list that he made, as he didn’t include anyone that is still currently playing.
Recently, Shaquille O’Neal provided his opinion on the 10 greatest NBA players of all time. His list differed from Dr. J’s greatly, as he did include one active player, LeBron James. In fact, the two legends didn’t have a single player in common in their first team that each shared.
“O’Neal then gave his top 10, adding more fodder to the conversation by giving a first and second team. He said his first team, in no particular order, was Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, LeBron James and then [expletive] me.” “That ain’t no disrespect to Malone, [Charles] Barkley and Kareem,” O’Neal said. “Hey, that’s my list. Understand what I’m saying?””
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James, Michael Jordan & Kobe Bryant Updates
Debating these kinds of lists comes down to a matter of opinion as there is no correct answer. However, Erving not having Michael Jordan on his list, as Shaq does, was certainly a shocking development.
Erving’s list included Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West and Elgin Baylor. It would certainly be a lot of fun to watch each person’s top five go at it, as 10 of the best players to every step on the court were mentioned.
It also goes to show how different the thought process is between players from different eras. Every player that Erving named played in the 70s or earlier, which is the basketball he would have grown up watching.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James, Michael Jordan & Kobe Bryant Updates
O’Neal’s list includes players whose dominance came in the 80s, 90s and 2000s, which are the eras in which he watched, played in and now commentates on. It is interesting how two all-time greats could have such differing views of the game, but that just goes to show how many incredible basketball players have graced an NBA court throughout the years.
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