Playing favorites: NBA

Out of sheer boredom, many sports broadcasters and journalists have been posting lists of their favorites and all-time greats on social media. Often, commenters try to turn the declaration into a debate, though it isn’t intended to be. For this writer, the following are my 10 favorite NBA players. Not the all-time greatest, mind you. That’s a list for another day. Each of us has their own experiences of admiration and appreciation. These are the ones I enjoyed watching most, and identified with most closely through my life.

10. Michael Cooper. Growing up, I saw Cooper as having a great attitude. At 6’7”, he could play either guard spot or small forward. In comparing similar players of different eras, I often gravitate to the original. I see Michael Cooper as Scottie Pippen before there was Scottie Pippen. Not as strong, but with better range. When Magic Johnson threw a fastbreak alley oop, Coop was there to catch it. The only defender Larry Bird was concerned about. 

9. Tracy McGrady. The NBA player this writer has interviewed the most. After he left Toronto and stepped out of his cousin Vince Carter’s shadow, he became a force to reckon with. He single-handedly turned games around with his size (6’8”), shooting and ability to get to the basket. Sadly, when the Houston Rockets acquired Yao Ming, the big man had priority. It clogged the lane and made it hard for T-Mac to make an impact.

8. Larry Bird. Work ethic personified. They said he was slow, white and couldn’t jump. But despite not being prototypically athletic, Bird was probably the strongest player on the court mentally. He could lead the Boston Celtics in any statistical category, and bail them out of close games. That’s why Red Auerbach drafted him a year early; he was that good. His rivalry with Magic Johnson elevated the entire league from its darkest period.

7. Magic Johnson. Pure love of the game. Magic changed the way the point guard was perceived. He had the size, imagination that lit up the game. He lit up the league with his infectious personality, and helped make the Lakers the most prestigious (and most expensive) franchise in the league. He even got Kareem to smile. And five championships in the 1980’s topped the Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons and Philadelphia 76ers.

6. Jerry West. Making the most of what he had. It was a toss-up between Zeke and Pistol Pete. But West’s sheer desire to win left him a tormented, almost tragic figure. He was often decimated in the finals by those great Celtics teams. If their era had a three-point shot, his career numbers would have been much higher. The only NBA Finals MVP, and the league’s logo.

5. Wilt Chamberlain. Unbelievable as it may seem, for me Wilt is the most underrated player in NBA history. Glamour, talent, unequaled athletic prowess. A man among boys who set scoring records in every NBA venue. I didn’t blink when Kobe Bryant scored 81 in a lopsided game. Wilt did that. All the time. Like West, he lost a bunch of finals through no fault of his own, but due to weaker teammates and bad coaching. A lot of the knocks against him were sour grapes. Nobody loved Goliath. The Big Dipper led the league in scoring, assists, rebounds and playing time. And yet, he never fouled out of a game.

4. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The Captain. The single most dominant player in US NCAA history brought the most unstoppable weapon – the sky hook – to the NBA. A champion with the Milwaukee Bucks before an unprecedented trade took him to LA. He discovered yoga and its tenets helped him last two decades at a level few even reach. 

3. Michael Jordan. There are generational, once-in-a-lifetime talents, and there are talents for all time. An unequalled shotmaker with a force of will rarely seen even among the greats. Jordan made everyone play better whether they wanted to or not. Checked off all the major awards multiple times. Love him or hate him, the greatest player the game has ever seen. And fun to watch.

2. Bill Russell. The godfather of defense. They didn’t keep track of blocked shots in his day. He would probably still hold the record if they did. He and Red Auerbach steered Boston to 11 championships – including eight straight – through the 1950’s and 1969’s. At only 6’9” and 220 pounds, he more than held his own against 7’1”, 275-pound Wilt Chamberlain. Let that sink in for a moment. 

1. Julius Erving. Dr. J. Playground legend. The man who could fly. Huge ups, large hands, gigantic Afro. The first player I ever admired; the first jersey I ever got. His battle with David Thompson in the ABA slam dunk championship was legendary, a word thrown around cheaply nowadays. He also won the NBA version. He was the reason the NBA absorbed the ABA’s four remaining teams. Sadly, Erving was a little older when he transferred, then had to wait seven years before finally winning a championship with Philadelphia. Sports Illustrated  called  his unforgettable reverse lay-up from behind the backboard against the Lakers “the greatest hang-time of all time.” What I loved most was that he was his generation’s ambassador of the game. Always dignified, always classy, always spectacular.

Who’s on your list of favorites?