Once again the people of the internet have voted on the top players in the league. The last vote was just before the preseason, but we will see how half a season can change things. All players needed to have at least 3 votes to qualify for this list. Most had many more. The Top 6. 1. Tim Duncan (1206 points) [2] 2. Kevin Garnett (1196 points) [1] 3. Shaquille O?Neal (1067 points) [3] 4. Lebron James (1043 points) [17] 5. Kobe Bryant (902 points) [4] 6. Dirk Nowitzki (867 points) [tied 6] Back in the off season the Top 5 completely dominated the voting, this time around things were a bit different. There really isn?t much of vote difference between 5 and 6 anymore. Duncan has managed to edge out the top spot by ten votes, likely due to the nightmare season the Timberwolves are enduring. Lebron jumps 13 spots and is a Top 5 newcomer coming in and forcing Kobe down to the fifth spot. Meanwhile Dirk continues to climb, now holding that sixth spot all to himself. The new sub-elite. 7. Allen Iverson (769 points) [9] 8. Steve Nash (749 points) [33] 9. Tracy McGrady (715 points) [5] 10. Dwayne Wade (628 points) [35] 11. Jermaine O?Neal (617 points) [tied 6] 12. Amare Stoudemire (584 points) [31] Aside from Iverson this group is completely new. Nash, Wade, and Stoudemire each make huge jumps. Meanwhile McGrady and O?Neal fall from the realm of the elite. The real surprise is Iverson beats out Nash for point guard with the most votes. Rest of the Top 20. 13. Ray Allen (432 points) [16] 14. Jason Kidd (412 points) [8] 15. Andrei Kirilenko (297 points) [12] 16. Chris Webber (265 points) [23] 17. Paul Pierce (237 points) [10] 18. Ben Wallace (234 points) [11] 19. Steve Francis (231 points) [30] 20. Shawn Marion (195 points) [26] Another group filled mostly with newcomers. Kidd missed the beginning of the season, and fell victim to Nash hype. Kirilenko doesn?t seemingly take much of a hit for his prolonged absence. Pierce and Ben Wallace seem to have moved down to make room for newcomers. Allen?s fantastic season bumps him a few spots. Meanwhile Webber, Francis and Marion all climb into the top 20. 21-30 21. Vince Carter (129 points) [19] 22. Elton Brand (114 points) [14] 23. Rip Hamilton (83 points) [24] 24. Ron Artest (69 points) [22] 25. Stephon Marbury (64 points) [25] 26. Gilbert Arenas (59 points) [unranked] 27. Rasheed Wallace (50 points) [21] 28. Tayshaun Prince (46 points) [40] 29. Chauncey Billups (43 points) [28] 30. Peja Stojakovic (36 points) [13] Whoa, a lot of Pistons in this group! Vince, Elton and Peja crashland here. Gilbert Arenas comes out of nowhere to claim the 26th spot. Tayshaun Prince is quietly making a name for himself. Ron Artest probably could?ve climbed into the top 20 if he was playing this season, instead he slides two spots. 31-40 31. Michael Redd (34 points) [37] 32. Brad Miller (32 points) [38] 33. Pau Gasol (31 points) [20] 34. Richard Jefferson (26 points) [unranked] 35. Baron Davis (25 points) [18] 35. Yao Ming (25 points) [15] 37. Carmello Anthony (18 points) [34] 38. Grant Hill (17 points) [unranked] 38. Larry Hughes (17 points) [unranked] 40. Mike Bibby (12 points) [43] Richard Jefferson, Grant Hill and Larry Hughes break into the top 40. Yao Ming doesn?t seem to be living up to the hype, and voters were hard on him. Baron Davis and Pau Gasol also fall hard. On the outside looking in. 41. Corey Magette (11 points) [unranked] 42. Rashard Lewis (7 points) [unranked] 43. Antawn Jamison (6 points) [unranked] These guys all got enough votes to qualify, but not enough points to climb into the top 40. The forgotten: Sam Cassel [27], Lamar Odom [29], Zach Randolph [32], Carlos Boozer [36], Kenyon Martin [39], Manu Ginobli [41], Tony Parker [42], Allen Houston [44], Michael Finley [45] The only name here that really suprises me is Ginobli, with all the Manu hype earlier in the season he doesn?t even get enough votes to qualify for our list. Thanks again everyone for voting, see you all again after the finals.
I'm pretty dissapointed to see Steve Francis, Ben Wallace and Webber making it over Brand in the top 20. Also Rip Hamilton over Arenas puzzles me at many levels, and Larry Hughes at #38 is pretty dissapointing. Tayshaun Prince must have a lot of loyal fans, I don't think he's even a top 50 player in the league, and Manu Ginobili should be in the top 30. Apart from that, it worked out pretty okay...
Very interesting...Gilly and Brand should crack top 20...Arenas is argueably the best clutch player in the league this year, and Brand is a double double machine...
Very interesting that they rank Artest as number 24 considering he's been suspended. I agree with the top 6 exept that Steve Nash should be ahead of Dirk Nowitzki. Dirk has been doing great this year but Nash's leadership means more to Pheonix than Dirk's scoring does to Dallas. I'm also surprised to see Ben Wallace in the top 20. IMO he hasn't had that great of a season.
This is a long running debate and there will never be a definitive list no matter how long you wait!!! Interesting to see the emergence of Dwyane Wade in his sophmore season as opposed to the much more hyped Carmelo Anthony. Funny to see how good teamwork (Phoenix Suns) impacts on individual superstars!!!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AA13:</div><div class="quote_post">Very interesting that they rank Artest as number 24 considering he's been suspended. I agree with the top 6 exept that Steve Nash should be ahead of Dirk Nowitzki. Dirk has been doing great this year but Nash's leadership means more to Pheonix than Dirk's scoring does to Dallas. I'm also surprised to see Ben Wallace in the top 20. IMO he hasn't had that great of a season.</div> Dirk hasnt just improved his scoring it's his all around game that has changed, and gone from a complimentary w/ Nash to a dominant, must double, impact superstar. Not taking anything from Nash, he's done a great Job but he leaves himself vulnerable to age and durability, Dirks only 26.
Prince must be a joke....no way in hell is he a top 50 player let alone 28!!!! Vince behind Francis and Ben Wallace is not right. I'd go as far to say Vince deserves it over Peirce, and Marion even. And if he keeps his play up, posting 25-5-5 numbers will get him in the top 12 by playoff time.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting 02civic:</div><div class="quote_post">Prince must be a joke....no way in hell is he a top 50 player let alone 28!!!! Vince behind Francis and Ben Wallace is not right. I'd go as far to say Vince deserves it over Peirce, and Marion even. And if he keeps his play up, posting 25-5-5 numbers will get him in the top 12 by playoff time.</div> This poll happened before Vince decided he wanted to be a player again. At the time he was being a pouting whiney piece of monkey spunk. At the time you could argue that he didn't deserve top fifty, but you always have those bandwagoners (probably like yourself) that vote him into the allstar game every year even though he hasn't played a game or is just sleepwalking through games collecting his max contract paycheck averaging 15-3-3.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting odde23:</div><div class="quote_post">This poll happened before Vince decided he wanted to be a player again. At the time he was being a pouting whiney piece of monkey spunk. At the time you could argue that he didn't deserve top fifty, but you always have those bandwagoners (probably like yourself) that vote him into the allstar game every year even though he hasn't played a game or is just sleepwalking through games collecting his max contract paycheck averaging 15-3-3.</div> bandwagoners?!? I dont know man, being a Raptors fan since their first season and a Vince Carter fan since his rookie year....doesnt go with the whole bandwagoner idea. I've always like Vince, I've always felt he was an amazing player while recognizing that he could be better than he plays. Bandwagoner i am not. I'm no longer a Vince fan, I'm a Raptor fan, but i respect his talents.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">This poll happened before Vince decided he wanted to be a player again. At the time he was being a pouting whiney piece of monkey spunk. At the time you could argue that he didn't deserve top fifty, but you always have those bandwagoners (probably like yourself) that vote him into the allstar game every year even though he hasn't played a game or is just sleepwalking through games collecting his max contract paycheck averaging 15-3-3.</div> Um actually, the poll was started on the first of February. At the time, Vince was a strong canidate for POM for January where he averaged 23.5, 5.5 and 5.5...So I'm not sure what you're talking about him pouting and all, since he's on fire on a team that he's getting PT on. You don't sleepwalk through games by averaging 26-6-5, and even 22-5-4. I can see that you aren't very knowledgable, when you make an accusation that someone is a Vince Carter bandwagoner, especially when it's listed that their fav team are the Raptors
Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Manu are all extremely underrated. I like the people finally showin some love for Lebron. Also Shaq is better than Garnett.
^The list only went up to #43, Hinrich is at best a 48-50 player, or a borderline Top 50 player in the league.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting og15:</div><div class="quote_post">I'm pretty dissapointed to see Steve Francis, Ben Wallace and Webber making it over Brand in the top 20. Also Rip Hamilton over Arenas puzzles me at many levels, and Larry Hughes at #38 is pretty dissapointing. Tayshaun Prince must have a lot of loyal fans, I don't think he's even a top 50 player in the league, and Manu Ginobili should be in the top 30. Apart from that, it worked out pretty okay...</div> Prince is a Marion like player...he doesnt quite fill the stat sheets as much as Marion, but hes an amazing defender, and can do so many things on the court. 28th seems really high but I have no problem with him being there. Francis is too high, Bibby is too low....I would take Bibby over Billups....
Prince isn't as good a defender as Marion, he also struggles a lot against quicker perimeter who can easily beat him to the basket, but having Ben and Rasheed behind him negates that because they give him great help defense. Tayshaun isn't a Top 50 player and should never be #28, did you see the guys behind him?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting og15:</div><div class="quote_post">^The list only went up to #43, Hinrich is at best a 48-50 player, or a borderline Top 50 player in the league.</div> ugh kirk is by far in the top 40, in his rookie year many oposing coaches said that he is probably one the best defensive gaurds they have seen, defense counts in this league
