Ben Taylor
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NBA 75 team predictions
🕑 Added 2021-09-25 15:38:36 +0000 UTCFrom the latest podcast, here's the list of NBA at 75 predictions by draft class. Looking at 5-year periods since the beginning of the league, the breakdown is as follows:
- 1949-55: 5 (*Including Mikan in '49)
- 1956-60: 5
- 1961-65: 4
- 1966-70: 6
- 1971-75: 7
- 1976-80: 4
- 1981-85: 9
- 1986-90: 6
- 1991-95: 4
- 1996-00: 9
- 2001-05: 7
- 2006-10: 5
- 2011-15: 3
- 2015-20: 1
One of the reasons I think Carter (or perhaps McGrady) are on the bubble is because of how many players from that late '90s period are locks. I don't expect many voters (or any voters) to reach a quote by era, it's just harder to stand out across different criteria in a crowded era: There's only so many rings, so many All-NBA spots, etc.
Indirectly, this might be why Wilkins didn't make the NBA at 50 team. Both the early '80s (McHale, Isiah, Drexler, Stockton, Barkley, Hakeem, Jordan) and late '90s (Garnett, Kobe, Nash, Iverson, Duncan, Dirk) have a ton of locks from those stacked draft classes.
The full list in order of debut year:
- George Mikan 1949
- Dolph Schayes 1950
- Paul Arizin 1951
- Bob Cousy 1951
- Bob Pettit 1955
- Bill Russell 1957
- Sam Jones 1958
- Hal Greer 1959
- Elgin Baylor 1959
- Wilt Chamberlain 1960
- Jerry West 1961
- Oscar Robertson 1961
- John Havlicek 1963
- Willis Reed 1965
- Rick Barry 1966
- Earl Monroe 1968
- Walt Frazier 1968
- Elvin Hayes 1969
- Wes Unseld 1969
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 1970
- Tiny Archibald 1971
- Pete Maravich 1971
- Dave Cowens 1971
- Julius Erving 1972
- George Gervin 1973
- Bill Walton 1975
- Moses Malone 1975
- Alex English 1977
- Robert Parish 1977
- Larry Bird 1980
- Magic Johnson 1980
- Kevin McHale 1981
- Isiah Thomas 1982
- Dominique Wilkins 1983
- James Worthy 1983
- Clyde Drexler 1984
- John Stockton 1985
- Charles Barkley 1985
- Hakeem Olajuwon 1985
- Michael Jordan 1985
- Patrick Ewing 1986
- Karl Malone 1986
- Dennis Rodman 1987
- Reggie Miller 1988
- Scottie Pippen 1988
- David Robinson 1990
- Gary Payton 1991
- Alonzo Mourning 1993
- Shaquille O'Neal 1993
- Jason Kidd 1995
- Kevin Garnett 1996
- Kobe Bryant 1997
- Steve Nash 1997
- Allen Iverson 1997
- Ray Allen 1997
- Tracy McGrady 1998
- Tim Duncan 1998
- Dirk Nowitzki 1999
- Paul Pierce 1999
- Pau Gasol 2002
- Tony Parker 2002
- Manu Ginobili 2003
- Carmelo Anthony 2004
- LeBron James 2004
- Dwyane Wade 2004
- Dwight Howard 2005
- Chris Paul 2006
- Kevin Durant 2008
- Russell Westbrook 2009
- James Harden 2010
- Stephen Curry 2010
- Kawhi Leonard 2012
- Anthony Davis 2013
- Giannis Antetokounmpo 2014
- Nikola Jokić 2016
Comments
Sahar224
I know Embiid hasn’t played enough, but the the level he’s reached as a player has to draw some consideration imo
How about Rondo and Lowry? Both are like mentors now, speaking of modern biases. They had some good years and champions.
Just want to throw out a few additional thoughts after reading feedback: If I had to make a few more cuts based on modern biases, I think Hal Greer is in real trouble. (Sam Jones possibly as well.) If McGrady and Parker miss the cut from the modern players we discussed, I’d pick Carter, Dame, Grant Hill, Mutombo or Ben Wallace to replace them.
Klay was on my "list of guys I deliberated but we didn't have time to discuss." I agree with all your points, so much so that I think we should have discussed him as having a really good chance given that Curry and Durant would be the only Warriors.
Part 1 is on Spotify!
Where can that podcast episode be found?
Really enjoyed the podcast! I think you discounted just how much love Klay Thompson will get, though -- key part of one of the greatest teams in history, helped revolutionize how the game is played, has a recognizable elite skill and some immediately memorable historical moments (37 point quarter, Game 6 vs. OKC). I think he's likely to get in and also should be in (although I personally lean much more towards "these are the people who tell the story of the NBA" in these sorts of lists).
