If you had one pick to take any player ever who would you take? Would you take a star center to build around or the greatest player ever in Michael Jordan? Honestly, I would take Wilt Chamberlain.
I personally would take Wilt Chamberlain. With the exception of Bill Russel, Chamberlain virtually could not be stopped. He dominated the NBA by averaging 50 PPG a mark that no one has even come close to breaking. Chamberlain came in his rookie year and instantly contributed by scoring 37 points and grabbing a stunning 27 boards a night. On the Warriors, he instantly meshed with Paul Azirin and they led Philadelphia to a 49-23 record. For the next 3 years Chamberlain continued to dominate on the Warriors. However, the Warriors had a very weak supporting cast which kept Wilt out of the playoffs until the team became the Sixers. Once Chamberlain was surrounded by a solid supporting cast including Hal Greer and he was not asked to score 35+ a night, he would finally win a championship. Later on he would continue to contribute on a Lakers championship squad. Wilt likely would have won many more championships but he unfortunately played in an era dominated by the Celtics and while he was in his prime the Philadelphia orginization was going through major changes. ---It is much easier to build a franchise around a big-man rather than a scorer. The Spurs were built around David Robinson and Tim Duncan, The 50-60's Celtics were built around Bill Russel, the Showtime Lakers were originally built around Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Most of the greatest teams were built around Big-men. Jordan, when surrounded with talent, won more rings than Chamberlain did. However, Micheal Jordan was surrounded with legendary role-players while Chamberlain's supporting cast was only great for the era.
I'd take chamberlain, because as Frank Layden once said "You can't teach height", plus historically teams with great centers win championships, the exception to that being the Bulls.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (redneck @ Jul 17 2007, 03:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I'd take chamberlain, because as Frank Layden once said "You can't teach height", plus historically teams with great centers win championships, the exception to that being the Bulls.</div>and the Isiah Led Pistons.
If I were to build my team around one all-time player, it would be....Shaquille O'Neal.Say what you want about the man, but he has brought 3 different teams to the Finals. No matter what defender has ever been on him, he has dominated and done basically what he wanted. An amazing mix of height, muscle and athleticism, he is arguably most dominant force the NBA has ever seen. When you are dropping 35/16 in a series against one of the all time best shot blockers (Mutombo), that's something special. Wilt was also incredibly dominant offensively, but if I were to build my team around one or the other in terms of offense, I'd pick Shaq due to being a bigger body.Aside from being an offensive force, he is very easy to build around...one all star swingman and a nice mix of young and veteran role players that can hit some 3's, and you have a ring. He was an awesome rebounder in his best years, a big presence down low defensively, a great leader, willing to put a team on his back, very passionate and an extremely skilled passer who knows how to make players around him better.
I think you have to consider Kareem a dominant force too.Not for sheer strength but his unstoppable sky hook and athleticsm for his size.forget the last 5-6 years of his career in the mid-late 80'sit's the 70's and early 80's where he was such a force.all 3 Center's were unstoppable for their time and picking any of them would be a great choice IMO.Jordan too for his sheer determination and mental strength is also a great choice.
I'd take Kareem, Moses, Hakeem, or Magic. Kareem, Moses and Hakeem because they were great and they each played 20 or 21 seasons and were all winners and dominant, Magic because he's the greatest winner in the history of the sport.
Everybody knows who I'd pick. Can you blame me? Chamberlain should be everybody's default answer. He was by far and away the most dominant player in the games history. Build a good group of guys around Wilt (especially these days) and you can't go wrong.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Michael Bryant @ Jul 21 2007, 10:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Everybody knows who I'd pick. Can you blame me? Chamberlain should be everybody's default answer. He was by far and away the most dominant player in the games history. Build a good group of guys around Wilt (especially these days) and you can't go wrong.</div>here's what I don't get. At times you admit that guys like Lebron would probably dominate the '60s like no other, and at other times you maintain that the sixties players could compete today. Which is it?
I would take hakeem. not only is he dominant but also he seems like one of the better go-to guys with the game on the line(I would rather give the ball to hakeem or kareem than shaq or wilt in clutch situations)
I would start it with Jordan. I know a lot of people pick big men but Jordan makes all players around him better which makes him a great team player. He can do everything great like shoot, defend, and he can even get rebounds good for a SG. I was having a hard time deciding between Shaq or Jordan, I have to go with Jordan just because he can do it all.
I'm gonna be different from everyone lol... My favourite player of all-time... Larry Bird... He is IMO and I'm sure a lot of people would agree the greatest shooter in NBA history... He also was an excellent passer who could make the players around him play better than they would on any other team... He was part of the Celtics unstoppable 80's team which in fairness also had some of the greatest players ever to hit the court but it was clear that Bird excelled from the rest...
I would either take Bill Russell or Wilt Chamberlain. Bill Russell won 11 championships and was a dominant force on defense. So he knows how to win. Wilt would be a good choice as well because he is arguably the most dominant players in NBA history.
I would honestly take Magic Johnson. To be a good team you need a point guard that makes everyone around him better. And that's what he does.I know that to be a great team, you need a guy like Wilt and Kareem but you need to a Point Guard to give them touches like how Nash is making Amare and Marion better.