Who's Better - Today's Stars or Yesteryear's Stars?

Okay, the GSW has gotten out of control. Let's settle this.

Are today's top players as good as the top players of the '80s and 90's? If so, who are these players?

Here's a list of 80s/90s players off the top of my head, and I'm sure I'm missing 10-20 obvious names - especially the early 80s (throw out the missing names and I'll add them). I've loosely grouped these players into three tiers, with the third tier being role players because it was suggested that today's role players are clearly better than they use to be in decades past. Some of these names could probably be moved up or down I'm sure - I'm just going off gut instinct here (I don't have time or interest to delve into stats).

IMO there's a few players today that could hang with the first and second groups, and a larger handful that could hang with the third group. But there isn't the level or amount of talent today that can compare with:

Jordan
Pippen
Bird
McHale
Magic
Kareem
Stockton
Malone
Isaiah
Clyde
Barkley
Gervin
Erving
Robinson
Olajuwan
Ewing
Shaq

Kemp
Payton
Sprewell
Cassel
KJ
Porter
Worthy
Larry Johnson
Kidd
Rice
Webber
Mullin
Hardaway
Dumars
Reggie
‘Nique
Mourning
Sabas
Parish

Schrempf
Buck
Jerome
Hornacek
Majerle
Peja
Horry
AC Green
Rodman
Ainge
Laimbeer
Vinnie
Francis
Marbury
Richmond
Rider
Starks
Kerr

 

Starting a new thread is not going to end the discussion or arguments.

It's only going to lengthen them.

 

I thought a poll question would help, as consensus builds reality.
Also, I like organization - better to have it in an appropriately titled thread.

 

Cant argue with that.

Todays stars...

Curry
LBJ
Wade
Thompson
Cousins
Harden
Howard
Lillard
Horford
Bosch
Dirk
KD
Westbrook
C.Paul
D.Jordan
Drummond


I have to say today's players I think would be vastly outmatched. I don't see how these guys are better than your lists. MAYBE your third string...

 

You know who I miss watching play? Bernard King. That guy could score. He would really kill in today's NBA.

 

The dream team would beat the shit out of any combination of stars from today.

 

Totally missed him - I remember his name but don't have a clear memory of him as a player. Would you slot him 2nd or 3rd tier?

 

Wtf are you talking about? Can't argue with that? I guess you've never heard of

Tracy mcgrady
Kobe
Allen Iverson
Vince carter
Shaq
Duncan
Jason Kidd
Yao
Roy
Nash
Gasol
Gasol
Marbury
Carmelo
Anthony davis
John wall
Kyrie
Amare
Aldridge
Paul George
Kawai
Pierce
Kevin Garnett
Ray Allen
Rondo
Tony Parker
Manu
Rose
Camby
Mutombo
Marion
And the list goes on... This argument is stupid as fuck. Just because you liked watching basketball more back then, than you do now, does not mean that players were more talented back then. It's ok to have an opinion, but you can't just deny logic in order to appease your own personal bias.
Actually you can, that just makes you a fucking idiot.

 

Thanks for being the first to take a stab at listing today's stars! Here's how I'd break them out:

LBJ
Wade

Curry
Dirk
KD*
Westbrook*
CP3*

Thompson
Cousins
Harden
Howard
Lillard
Horford
Bosh
Jordan
Drummond**

*I understand if people would slot them in the first tier, but I personally don't think they belong. Eh, CP3 probably does. Westbrook certainly has the ability if a coach harnesses his talents, but as of now I slot him in the 2nd group.

**As much as I want Drummond on the Blazers I'm not sure I'd even put him in with the 3rd tier just yet - but I wouldn't be surprised if he gets into that 2nd tier when all is said and done.

 

Consensus does not build reality. In fact, it's scientifically proven that "group think" tends to lead to extremely stupid shit happening. Especially this type of group thinking that isn't based on any facts or science. On the contrary, this group thinking is going against science and facts.

 

Maybe the second list since he never won a ring. I don't remember his defense, but my god his offense. The guy had back-to-back 50 point games, led the league in scoring, just fun and amazing to watch. Had a devastating leg injury. He'd be a top 5 player if he were in his prime today.

 

So America, and the world in general, is making advancements in everything: science, medicine, mental health, technology, literally everything. Except basketball. Everyone got shittier. Right....

 

Uhhhh...these guys are all retired, genius.

Third tier.

All on the cusp of retirement, all made their impact for 1st/2nd tier 5+ years ago.

 

Agreed. But I was arguing that the talent level of the NBA, not an individual, doesn't stack up.
LBJ, Wade, Kobe (retired) all are 1st tier players, even if their current level of play isn't 1st tier.

 

That has nothing to do with the fact that they played their prime years in the 00's
Nice try.

 

And last time I checked, the gasol brothers are still playing... Genius.

 

Consensus and group-think are not the same thing. Based on this post of yours you need to take some philosophy and science classes.