GOAT by POSITION

[got_watcha_want]

I have seen this topic on other boards and I want to see if I can get some opinions that could change my order here.

Center
1. Bill Russell
2. Wilt Chamberlin
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
4. Hakeem Olajuwon
5. Shaquille O'Neal
Honorable mention- George Mikan / David Robinson / Patrick Ewing


Power Forward
1. Tim Duncan
2. Karl Malone
3. Charles Barkley
4. Kevin McHale
5. Kevin Garnett / Dirk Nowitzki
Honorable mention- Bob Pettit / Elvin Hayes

Small Forward
1. Larry Bird
2. John Havlicek
3. Julius Erving
4. Elgin Baylor
5. Rick Barry
Honorable mention- Scottie Pippen / LeBron James

Shooting Guard
1. Michael Jordan
2. Kobe Bryant
3. Jerry West
4. Dwayne Wade
5. George Gervin
Honorable mention- Allen Iverson / Clyde Drexler / Pete Maravich

Point Guard
1. Magic Johnson
2. John Stockton
3. Bob Cousy
4. Oscar Robertson
5. Jason Kidd
Honorable mention- Isiah Thomas / Steve Nash

Here are 5 more active players that I think can eventually appear on this list if all goes well in their respective careers.
They are..........
Kevin Durant
Dwight Howard
Chris Paul
Deron Williams
Derrick Rose


All of these rankings are based not only on stats, but the era that they all played in and the respective competition in those positions of that time. Basically these lists are all just my opinion.

[Ray33]

Wasn't Maravich and West a point guard? Honorable mention for sure goes to Gary Payton.

[got_watcha_want]

Wasn't Maravich and West a point guard? Honorable mention for sure goes to Gary Payton.

Payton was almost on my list, very very close but I felt the resume and accolades were a bit shy of the others mentioned. He was actually the closest name to not make it throughout all the positions.

The Pistol and the LOGO both ran the 1 and 2 and they were much better and played the 2 more often. That is where I stuck them because I didn't want duplicate names on different positions. You could actually say the same for AI or even Magic Johnson.

How about the order of the lists, any big issues???

Thanks for the response.

[wrigleyfield]

I think the lists are pretty accurate.

[CavFanatic31]

don't really want to start THIS debate but just wanted to say that LEBUM has a LONG way to be mentioned as in the top 5 GOAT at SF. Obviously the skills are there........that's all I'll say lol

[NyFanCam01]

wow.. Lebron and Iverson not in the top 5 of those Positions??.. umm that is way off.

[boba]

wow.. Lebron and Iverson not in the top 5 of those Positions??.. umm that is way off.

To many great SG for Iverson to be on the list. Lebron hasn't been in the league long enough.

[got_watcha_want]

Iverson's raw stats get him on that list and his resume can hang with some of the best. I disliked Iverson when he played and he made my list.

I am also a LeBum hater too! Mainly a Kobe fan here. I dislike LeBron and his persona, but again he made the honorable metion because from my years of watching basketball of all kinds he is a freak of athleticism. He will continue to add to the great accolades he has already gotten, I have no doubts.

It is funny that these are the players debated, because I had my own reserves about them being there. I was adding thier names in the hopes of getting an unbias list.

Someone also asked me about Gary Payton earlier and he was the closest player of all positions that I had not mentioned. I am glad my list would be at least close to a general conensus among us.

[theonedru]

When it comes ot LeBron you can hate the man but you cannot deny a player who in 7 years has average 27.7/7.1/7 that he can't be considered among the best.

[Quigley24]

I don't like Lebron, but I do think he is better than Rick Barry and Dr. J. Lebron can do it all when he wants to (which rarely happens when it matters) compared to Dr. J who was a worse shooter and defender. And Barry I think can really be considered a great shooter, but wasn't really the complete package to the extent Lebron can be.