The greatest of all time.

So he's been retired for good this time long enough that we can do some revisionism re: MJ. And no, he's not the greatest NBA player of all time merely the second best with the "initals" MJ. The best . . . when Jordan is a stone cold passing freak machine who can strap it on and play center as a rookie in a deciding game of an NBA championship then he will be GOAT. Ain't happening and, as much it pains my Celtic heart to say this, Michael meet Magic. Oh yeah, Jordan is also only the second best clutch shooter of all time. Better was Bird! Trust me.


The most underrated NBA great of all time. Easy . . . The man with the one truly unstoppable shot, Kareem. Just look at the rings and the stats, kids. Much as I love Bird, if I need one shot to win it all: SkyHook, Babee! Apparently Bird agrees.

The measure of Alcindor/Jabbar's greatness; they banned dunks while he was in college to contain him. Final 3 year record 88-2, 3 straight Final Four MVPs, 3-0 in championship games. Guess what guys? All you did was create the SkyHook, the greatest offensive weapon basketball has ever seen or will ever see! Here's what ESPN classic says about his first game ever at UCLA as a non-eligible frosh:

Alcindor played for the best college team in the country in 1965-66, but unfortunately for him and his teammates, freshmen were ineligible to compete for the varsity then. In their first game, the first game ever at Pauley Pavilion, the UCLA freshmen whipped the varsity, two-time defending champions and preseason No. 1, 75-60. Alcindor scored 31 points, grabbed 21 rebounds and blocked seven shots. The Brubabes went 21-0 and Alcindor averaged 33 points and 21 rebounds.

(http://espn.go.com/classic/biography/s/abdul-jabbar_kareem.html)

For an encore his first varsity game he breaks UCLA's scoring record with 56 and later that season he went for 61, as UCLA went 30-0 and won the first of seven consecutive for the Wizard of Westwood. Sorry Bill, putting 88 straight aside, 3 championships is better than 2 and 88-2 is better than 86-4 even if you were the greatest for one night against Memphis State:

On that magical night in St. Louis, Walton became a basketball icon. In the championship game of the NCAA tournament against Memphis State, the big redhead from San Diego, CA, canned 21 of 22 shots, scored 44 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and led UCLA to the NCAA title.

(http://www.hoophall.com/halloffamers/Walton.htm)

Somebody hurry up and give Kareem a coaching job; he's earned it!

This love for ex-Lakers is killing me. Guess I'll have to pull my "I hate LA" T-shirt out of mothballs!