Gary Sheffield, Jr
Videos by OutKick
NBA legend Dr. J was asked by Yahoo’s Chris Haynes who he had in his top 10 players all-time, and his list was interesting. LeBron James wasn’t on it.
Dr. J explained why he doesn’t have LeBron on his top two all-time NBA teams 📝 (via @ChrisBHaynes) pic.twitter.com/CzvM4SvWrg
— ESPN (@espn) April 28, 2021
“He’s the guy who has led the charge of super teams,” Erving said.
So lets lay out Dr. J’s full list where he made a ‘first’ and ‘second team’
Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Bill Russel, and Wilt Chamberlain rounded out his first team.
Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Karl Malone, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar rounded out his second team. My god this list is cheeks.
First of all, saying that LeBron James “started the super team” is a bit dishonest. We can start by mentioning that James left for Miami in the 2010 offseason to give himself a better shot at beating the Boston Celtics. How’d that team form? Oh that’s right, they gathered around a phone and pulled every string imaginable until the roster had four Hall of Famers on it. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, lifelong Celtic Paul Pierce, and Rajon Rondo were a juggernaut and something had to be done.
After six seasons in Cleveland watching his front office fail to draft other talent, James had had enough and he did what he had to do. If he hadn’t, then the same people who criticize LeBron for heading to Miami would say he wasn’t a “winner.” An impossible standard that former and current fans of the NBA pretend isn’t there.
This whole thing could’ve been avoided if LeBron got “G.O.A.T.” consideration prior to winning titles while he was in Cleveland. The media put far too much focus on winning to determine legacy, and NBA fans paid for it in the long run.
It’s also happened in the past, it just didn’t work
Remember when Charles Barkley forced his way to Houston to try and win an NBA title late in his career? Well, Barkley thought that would work. When it failed miserably, old school fans swept it under the rug like it never happened. Barkley maintained his legendary status, and instead, LeBron became known as the “first player to ever do this.”
Complete and utter nonsense.
If you don’t think LeBron is a top 10 player because of his basketball talents, then that’s your right. But don’t come up with some shoddy list because you’re butthurt LeBron got sick of being told he couldn’t win.
James’ counter to being stuck behind a stinker of a front office in Cleveland was to play with other great players the way Jordan and Magic did. If James had the luxury of being patient with then GM Jim Paxton, James would still be in Cleveland. If anything, Dr. J, like Steve Kerr, looks like a bitter old man who simply doesn’t like LeBron. I’m a writer for OutKick and understand that most of my readers don’t like LeBron either. But for any of us to put a player like Karl Malone on a list ahead of James for any reason makes us look bad.
Let’s normalize criticizing athletes without pretending they suck. You go first, Dr. J.
Awwwww…no Pistol Pete.
Don’t worry, LeBoon — you’re in the top 5 on the Hate Whitey Team…
In the end I’d like to know which LBJ will turn out to be the biggest racist.
Two points!
You got that right, PSU.
I’ll take Dr. J’s opinion over the ESPN LeBron slurp fest
I never understand these lists – leaving off the greatest defender and rebounder in NBA history….
Dennis Rodman
WTF
“leaving off the greatest defender and rebounder in NBA history…”
Nope, Bill Russell is on there
Honestly Malone was a better player than Lebron. Had he been on super teams he’d have a few rings….And Kobe belongs on any top 2 list. Let alone top 10
He was on a Laker team with Kobe, Shaq, and Gary Payton that was coached by Phil Jackson. Shouldn’t that have been a super team?
Actually, Karl Malone is the only one that looks indefensible ahead of LeBron. All the others, you can pretty easily make the case. Although I would sub Kobe in for either Oscar or Jerry.
I would probably sub in Kobe for Karl Malone. Other than that, I can’t really argue with Dr J’s choices even if I’m not sold on the logic behind his criticism of James.
I’d make the case for Kobe and keeping Karl Malone on. I’d add Hakeem on there too based on what Michael Jordan said.
That said…I’d bump Bill Russell or Elgin Baylor off for LeBron.
I’ve heard many veteran NBA players hail Russell as one of the best, if not the best player of all time. Aside from the 11 rings, he was absolutely dominant for years at center on both ends of the court.
I think these lists are always entertaining, but I’ll always go with what the players say. Especially now where people are so wedded to stats and NBA scoring is a joke due to the total lack of defense
That may be the case…I’d like to watch that type of basketball at some point just to see how Bill Russell played. I watched some Wilt film and it was amazing how he would just dominate the other team and he knew it.
You need watch some of the 76ers with Wilt versus the Celtics with Russell (1965-1968).
I remember the Boston Celtics were different than Lebron’ superteams in that Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce were all past their peak powers. They were savvy vets that figured out a way to make it happen. LeBron got Bosh and Wade at their peak while he was at his peak. Lebron demanded max money, the ball, leadership of the franchise, free access to anything in the organization and made everyone else work for the league minimum (a bit exaggerated).
Malone was a Forward, Lebron a Guard, now considering the current NBA might use them interchangeably it wasn’t always so in the past. Using this argument for an all Team list, you cant switch out Lebron for Malone. Besides if it wasn’t for Jordan the Mailman would have some rings.
I mean that should be something that is looked at. LeBron certainly has basketball talent…but he’s also playing in the softest stretch of NBA history where defense is optional.
Nailed it.
^^THIS.
Let’s get this out of the way: Lebron is a complete and total p*ssy *ss b*tch. That said, he is probably the 2nd best player of all time and clearly a top 10 guy. He might suck when he opens his mouth, but when he keeps it closed and plays ball, it’s undeniable. It’s just a shame he couldn’t have kept it that way. He would be immensely popular if he had any common sense.
I just wish he could have met Bill Laimbeer and Rick Mahorn much tougher league in those days I don’t think the queen is wired to handle that
Gary just because I’m bored let’s Wikipedia ranger this Malone vs Lebron. Look at the numbers and dissect what era they were playing in.
Malone:
Points Games Avg FG 3s Free Throw
36,928 1,476 25.0 13,528 85 9,787
Lebron
35,283 1,306 27.0 12,869 1,973 7,574
So Bron has a slight avg. advantage but made almost 1900 more points than Malone from 3s. Mailman played in the paint when defense in the NBA were hard checks that threw people to the ground. Looking at these numbers no way I would take Lebron over Malone. Now, let’s look at the team matchups you have Robertson vs Johnson PG, West vs Jordan SG, Baylor vs Bird SF, Russel (would need to fill PF) vs Malone, and Chamberlain vs Kareem C. The only legit argument would be to switch Magic and Bird for Kobe and Lebron. But I’d rather just make a third team than try and justify that. It would cover all three eras of the NBA though.
I can’t stand LeBron but I’m gonna have to go with Gary on this one. I think based on both sheer talent and on court accomplishments, you have to at least put LeBron somewhere on one of those teams
Dr J had some spectacular dunks great player and one that was so fun to watch
Gary, what do you think of this 1st Team NBA by position: PG Oscar Robertson (traditional) or Kobe Bryant (Modern), SG Michael Jordan, SF Lebron James, PF Karl Malone, and Center Kareem?
Dr. J left himself off the top 10 list. Would LeMoron leave himself off the top 10 list? You know the answer.
“It’s great to be great, but it’s greater to be human.”–Will Rogers
LeFraud would probably put himself in all 10 spots.
Now that is funny and true.
Putting Jerry West ahead of Jordan is clown show material. That said – I barely care enough about this dumb league to even leave this comment lol
Here’s to the GMDOAT. And Glenn Rivers needs to get himself his own nickname.
I understand the point/counterpoint of it all, but the teams you mentioned as “super teams” all had players well past their prime, while the Celtics were arguably just over their primes. When LeBron put together the team in Miami they were all in their primes of their careers.
LeBron is a top 5 player. Somewhere between 2 -5.
Dr. J never got over the hump until they acquired Moses Malone, who lead the 76ers in scoring and rebounding that year (1983).
This reads like an opinion piece from Yahoo sports protecting LeBron. There is no way LeBron would be great in the era of toughness and competition. Dr. J’s list is legit and his opinion. He revered the players that came before him. I may find a way to put Hakeem, Duncan or Kobe in the top 10 list cause they were true competitors, unlike LeBron. Also, Rondo isn’t a hall of famer. Please. The Celtics were put together by a GM, not players plotting to play together.
“This reads like an opinion piece” then proceeds to deliver your own opinion. Just say you disagree and keep it moving.
Lists are like assholes, everyone has one and most aren’t the same.
That being said, if there were a top 10 list of great players I would never want on my team, LeBron would top it.
I wouldn’t change the list Malone did things LJ can’t he’s not tough he’s won yes but how he’s done it sucks he’ll never be the goat and by the looks he’s not top ten
In an age of position-less basketball, Dr. J is clearly sticking to the classic PG, SG, SF, PF, C lineup to determine his top NBA all-time teams. From a traditional standpoint, LeBron is undoubtedly a SF. Not a guard, not a PF, not a PG. Like Larry Bird, call him a “Point Forward”, but his true position is the “three” at SF. So really, Dr. J is saying that Elgin Baylor and Larry Bird are both better than LeBron. I disagree, but can certainly make this argument. Also, like everyone else in the world, I disagree that Jerry West > MJ. However, I respect Dr. J for basing his teams on true position. The best teams are built this way w/ role players and stars alike. Moron millennials and pundits today would just load their all NBA teams with great scorers.