Who Would Lebron Pick For An All-Time Best Team?
A question my buddies and I often ask eachother, as i’m sure you have asked your fellow hoop heads from time to time, is “if you could pick 5 players of all-time to make up your perfect starting lineup in the NBA, who would they be?” It is a lot harder than it sounds. We are talking all-time, and you can only select one player per position!
Well that question was posed to Lebron James recently, and you may be surprised at his answers. I know it’s very tough to choose Lebron, but no Bill Russell??? Kareem is definitely one of the all-time greats, but there is no way you can leave out the most decorated champion of all-time in NBA history!
My all-time greatest starting line-up (considering that each player is at their prime): Magic Johnson at the 1, Michael Jordan at the 2, Larry Bird at the 3, Bill Russell at the 4, and Shaquille O’Neal at the 5.
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Rio Ferdinand interview Lebron James? Can I see more of this?
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@Tony – i’ll see if I can find the rest of the interview for you.
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Are you deaf or retarded…the very first one. Oscar Robertson at the 1.
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@Paterick – ??? What do you mean? Yes, Lebron picked Oscar at 1…..did someone say otherwise?
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Wilt at center. No question. Did Kareem run the court, or rebound, or defend, or even scor as well as Wilt. No.
My dad would argue for Oscar Robertson and/or Jerry West for either or both of the guard positions.
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@Michael – Yeah, I wouldn’t fault anyone for picking Oscar over Magic, or Wilt over Shaq, but I don’t think you could pick West over Jordan, unless you slid Jordan to the 3 spot which he was capable of.
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2 problems with your selections. 1st: Bill Russell played center, the 5 position. 2nd: Both Russell and Shaq would have to be on the bench in crunch-time since the each shot around 50% from the free throw line for their careers. If you’re allowed to move players from their historic positions, how about Olajuwan at the 4? That would give defense, rebounding, and shot blocking as well as a high free throw percentage at the 4, not to mention his prolific scoring ability. I would then have Kareem at the 5. He had it ALL in his prime. And in response to Michael above, yes, Kareem did run the court, rebound, AND defend in his early years in Milwaukee while scoring AGAINST Wilt (whom I personally idolize as a player).
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@Brian – Good points. I realize that Russell played Center but he also played like a PF. It’s like the Tim Duncan debate on whether he’s a PF or C. He probably is a legit PF, even though he has logged most playoff minutes at the 5 spot. So if I had to choose 5 players all-time for a starting five, i’d choose Russell as my 4 to free open one of the many great Centers to fit my 5 spot.
As for free throws, I get it, you’re most likely right. You’ll probably have to substitute those two guys offensive/defense in the final minute of any close game regardless.
Although i’m also from the school of thought that says, a game isn’t won or lost in the closing minutes. If you play Shaq and Russell all game long when they were in their primes, they were so good the game wouldn’t be close at the end when a missed free throw here and there would actually make a difference in the outcome.
I stick by choice of Shaq in his prime at the Center spot. Poor free throws and all. He just couldn’t be stopped.
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This topic has come recently with my basketball guru’s
Magic PG
Kobe SG
Olajawon C
Jordan SF
Duncan PF
If the argument is that Jordan cannt play small forward then you will have to leave Kobe off that team.
Magic PG
Jordan SG
Olajawon C
Bird SF
Duncan PF
2nd tean
Thomas
Wade
Shag
James
Russell
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