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Oh Doctor! Your Take: Who should made the Top Eight
Posted: Monday June 14, 1999 11:35 AM
CNN/SI asked users to tell us who should have made our Top Eight list of the Century's Best pro basketball players. The one name that many felt was missing was Julius Erving. Dr. J scored more than 30,000 points (between the ABA and NBA) and revolutionized the art of the dunk. Here's a sampling of your submissions: How could the man they call "Mr. Clutch", and the person that was used in designing the NBA logo not be listed as one of the Top Eight basketball players ever? I submit Jerry West. -- Jeff Hughes, Chandler AZ Before MJ, there was one man who had the skill, the hops, and the afro to play above the rim -- Julius Erving. What a basketball icon he was, especially with that crazy red white & blue ABL ball. He opened up the game and made basketball fun again. He defense was disjointed at times, but who was more exciting to watch than Dr. J. flying towards the rim with his knees at someone's shoulders, his blow-out-comb afro acting as his sail as he slammed it down? You gotta give it up for the Doctor! -- Young Lee, Seattle, WA
Jery West should have been on the list instead of Bob Cousy. I don't know one person other than Phil Taylor who would not rank Jerry West ahead of Bob Cousy. West was a great shooter, leader and defender, and a very good ball handler. The only thing Cousy could do better than West was handle the ball, but he was not so much better at that to make up for his inferiority to West in virtually everything else. Elgin Baylor is right up there with West, if not ahead of him. A great scorer with fantastic moves and great strength who was also an excellent rebounder, Baylor was so superior to Cousy that it's almost laughable to mention them in the same breath. I'd also have put Julius Erving, Rick Barry, John Havlicek, and several others ahead of Cousy, despite the fact that I've been a Celtics fan since 1958. Your other seven all deserved to be in the Top Eight. -- Alan Axelrod, New York City I feel that Hakeem Olajuwon should have made the Eight. There has never been a center who had the ability to blocks shots, rebound, and still have the moves and agility to make the shots he makes. You put Hakeem against anyone in his prime, and they will be shaking their heads just like David Robinson and Shaq found out on the 1995 championship season. -- Stayton Powers, Baytown, TX I'm 32, so the majority of my basketball viewing has been since Showtime. I find it interesting that the poll has more current players winning over older players. Bill Russell and Oscar Robertson were better than Bird and Magic. I'm betting your voters are younger and have never seen Russell and Big O play. You should have included an age category for your voters. Dr. J. should be somewhere on the list. -- Mike Smith, Waukesha, WI I believe Elvin Hayes should have made the list in lieu of Bob Cousy. While Bob Cousy was a magician with the ball. Hayes was bigger, stronger, and commanded a greater presence around the basket. It boils down to the "better big man beats the better little man every time". I would opine that Moses Malone & Dr. J should have made the team over Cousy, too. -- Tom O'Rourke, Santa Cruz, CA John Havlicek was the heart of the fiercely competitive, perennial contender, 1960s Boston Celtics. That team was much more than the sum of its parts. Ironically, Havlicek, a player of comparatively modest personal stats, was great for that very reason. The 1960s Celtics were a clinic in teamwork over individual talent. -- Don Holder, Baton Rouge, LA Ed Nealy, Rodney McCray, Bobby Hansen, Trent Tucker, Dennis Hopson, Cliff Livingston, Stacey King and Corey Williams. Opps, I'm sorry those are the eight luckiest players to play in the NBA. Rings courtesy of M.J. Jewlers.-- Jim Franzone, Madison, WI I was very disappointed that Hubert "Geese" Ausbie didn't make the Top Eight. Under his exuberant leadership the Harlem Globetrotters only lost two games (out of more than 9000) to the always tough Washington Generals. Teaming with his dribbling sidekick Curly Neal the Globetrotters were arguably the most popular team in the world during the 60s, 70s, & 80s. -- Keith Whipple, Cedar Rapids One of the Century's Best has to be Isiah Thomas. Isiah's ability to take over a game in crucial moments was one of his defining characteristics. If it wasn't his lightning quick dribble penetration that created his own shot or an easy dish to a waiting teammate, it was his vastly improved and consistent mid-range to long-range jumper. He was also perhaps one of the true great leaders of this era. Through an ankle injury in 1988 he lit up the Lakers for a record output of points in a quarter that sparked his team. The Pistons later two straight championships have to cement his place in history. -- Joel Dykens, Jacksonville, FL Julius Erving should have made the list. He almost single handedly forced the merger (or absorption) of the ABA and NBA. Without him none of the current roster of ex-ABA teams (Pacers, Nuggets, Spurs, etc.) would even exist today. -- Keola Donaghy, Hilo, HI I must admit that the Top Eight you have chosen are all in their own right incredible players. The one player that really stands out that has been left out of this elite group is Julius Erving. Dr.J won two ABA championships while in New Jersey and one NBA championship while in Philly. He helped lead the Sixers to several other Finals appearances along the way. Many ABA owners themselves have said that Dr. J was the one player who held together the ABA as long as it lasted. He has been deemed by many to be the "spokesman" for the NBA. He showed class on and off the court. He was a born leader. He brought a style of play that even Michael Jordan has copied. He brought more attention to basketball than anyone could ever possibly imagine. He is definitely the best ever. Case closed. -- Ray Reece, Weatherford It is hard to imagine any list of the Top Eight players of all time leaving Elgin Baylor off the list. In my mind, there is no question about Jordan, Bird, and Baylor as belonging on the all-time starting five. The question is whether you have Russell or Chamberlain at center (I'm conflicted over this one, but I lean slightly towards Russell), and Robertson, Magic, or Jerry West at the second guard position (I lean slightly towards Robertson). Any player who is clearly on the all time starting five should definitely have been included on any listing of the Top Eight. The short memories of fans horrifies me. I loved Larry Bird, but there is simply no way that you can compare what he contributed to basketball to what Bill Russell brought. The two most competitive basketball players I have ever seen have been Russell and Jordan. The competitive fire that burned inside each of those two set them apart from all other players in the history of the NBA. The question is not whether Russell is greater than Bird; the question is whether Jordan or Russell is the greatest player of all time. -- Robert Moore, Chicago, IL
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