Before we get into the countdown, I would like to set some kind of precedent for this list. This list is not who I think is the best player skill wise but rather they are ranked by the impact and influence they had on me as a fan growing up. I grew up, fortunately enough, in a time when MJ and Kobe shared the court before MJ passed the torch. In a time when LeBron James and Kobe Bryant shared the court before Kobe passed the torch. It was an era where competition, skill, passion and intensity were at an all time high. This list is not about statistics, although I will use them in the article, but rather about how a kid on Eastern Long Island’s love for the game grew through these 10 players. Without any further delay, here we go.
#10-Gilbert Arenas
I can imagine people’s reaction right now when they see this name cracking my top 10. Shocked. Laughing. Thats all good and well but growing up, Gilbert Arenas was such a force in the league for a 4 year stretch that everybody was talking about him. In the 05-06 season, Arenas was Top 5 in the league in scoring with 29.3 ppg and also Top 5 in assists with 6.1 apg. More importantly to this list, is the fiery passion and chip on his shoulder he played with. He chose the jersey number 0 as homage to the NBA scouts and executives that told him that is how many minutes he would play. He met every challenge and smashed it. He never gave up. He became a top 10 player in the NBA despite being told he couldnt do it. So before asking me why he is on my list, maybe you should ask yourselves why he isnt on yours. Let us be honest here. If you have ever stood at a free throw line, you have tried the Arenas patented behind the back regimen at least once!
#9-Dwayne Wade
Man, how could D Wade not be on this list?! Watching him even at Marquette, I think I knew he was going to be one special player. In 2006, that championship run was magical. I am a lifelong Mavericks fan and you think I would have been crushed. I was. But I was also ecstatic because the way Wade and Shaq led that team was incredible to watch. In just his 3rd season, Wade showed the true toughness and grit of a bonafide veteran leader on his way to being named Finals MVP. That summer, he led the US Olympic “Redeem Team” in scoring on the way to a gold medal. He is Miami’s all time leader in points assists and steals. I will never forget the game against the Bulls when Wade went on a tear and to top it off, hit a physics defying game winner and promptly jumped up on the scorer’s table screaming “This is my house”! Chills. The embodiment of fire and passion on the court, there is no doubt why Dwayne Wade makes this list!
#8-Kevin Garnett
From the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Boston Celtics and back there is one thing that Kevin Garnett took with him everywhere he went and every time he stepped out on the court, his love for the game of basketball. I didnt even need to see the ball in his hands to know how much every game meant to him. Whether it was bumping his chest ferociously with his own fist or headbutting the padding under the hoop pre game or crawling across the court on all fours while getting back on defense like some kind of giant tarantula, Kevin Garnett oozed intensity. His energy was so viable, you felt it through the TV screen and goosebumps would crawl up your arms. He was a warrior in every sense of the word on and off the court. He pushed himself and his teammates for greatness so much that sometimes it broke them. I loved it. I would literally stop everything if KG was going to be on tv and made sure I tuned in every minute he played. The championship he finally got in Boston made it all sweeter. Not many have deserved it like him. I think I yelled just as loud as he did every time i saw his iconic “ANYTHING IS POSSIBLEEEEEE” COMMERCIAL. His statistics alone are among the greats but it is the other things I mentioned that have him on my list today. Dont ever change KG!!!
#7- Vince Carter
Vince Carter is hands down the greatest dunker the game has ever seen. Fluid motion, smooth hangtime and flushed down with explosive ferocity, every slam was jaw dropping! The dunk heard around the world at the Olympics is evidence of this in itself. He corrals the loose ball, one dribble and soared over a 7 footer with such ease it made the the behemoth seem like Mini Me from Austin Powers. Vinsanity swept the world well before that in one of the most iconic performances at the Slam Dunk Contests of all time in 2000. I remember as kids, my friends and I would lower the local neighborhood rims just to try and imitate him. We failed miserably every time. That is the impact he had on all of us. When he won the title with The Mavericks a few years ago, I was just as happy for him as I was for Dirk and Jason Kidd. All those years of blood sweat and tears propelling the league to superstardom finally paid off. The best part of it is at 42 years old, Vince is still out there right now playing for the Atlanta Hawks. His best years are behind him but he is doing what every great does, mentoring the younger generations and providing leadership helping to usher in a new era. What Vince did for the game will never be forgotten. I show my kids old videos of him all the time. A legend of almost mythical proportions. Thank you VC.
#6- Shaquille O’Neal
The most dominant force to EVER wear an NBA uniform. His game and his personality paralled his gigantic frame in the way that they were larger than life. His best performances were in my opinion, the battles between his and Kobe’s Lakers and the Sacramento Kings. That was knock down drag out war. Shaq was so strong and so powerful, he just bullied Brad Miller and Vlade Divac making them look like mere average players, which they were not. Shaq filled my childhood with memories other than basketball too. I grew up on Kazaam and his Shaq-Fu video game. I owned a pair of his light up shoes. Shaq is truly a larger than life figure. His dominance of the NBA just fueled that thought. His performance in the Finals from 2000-2002 is something we will probably never see again. 3 straight Finals MVP awards, but his sheer power and dominance over his opponents is what I will remember most. The Big Diesel is widely considered or at least in my eyes, a top 10 player of all time. Thank you Shaq.
#5- Allen Iverson
Let’s just be 100% truthful here, if you grew up in the 2000’s watching basketball, you wanted to be like A.I. Every person I knew had his shoes, his headbands, his jersey or some sort of 76ers memorabilia. Iverson got so much negative press for his swagger and attitude, but didnt he earn the right to be that way? Wouldn’t you eventually grow tired of the negativity considering what you had and continued to accomplish on the court? I know I would. I mean the man led a team who’s next notable players were Eric Snow and Samuel Dalembert (no disrespect intended). A.I led the league in scoring multiple times, won MVP, put up with alot of unwarranted grief while still playing at an intensely high level. Even as a 13 year old kid, I understood that. His iconic moment in the Finals against the Lakers is where his legend in my eyes grew exponentially. Him and his team had been counted out from the jump in that matchup and when he emphatically stepped over Tyronn Lue after dropping him with a crossover and draining the jumper, the look in his eyes said “Damnit, I deserve to be here!” He certainly did. Although the 76ers were ultimately no match for Kobe and Shaq’s Lakers, Iverson put the world on notice that he was a force to be reckoned with. His handles and uniqie ability to get to the hoop with such ease and grace is what set him apart from the rest. He made our childhoods and the NBA a lot of fun and no one can ever take that away.
#4 Dirk Nowitski
Ahh, the legend himself. I have mentioned a few times before that I am a diehard Mavs fan and it is 90 percent because of this man. 7 feet tall but almost played like a 3 or 2. His ability to get to the hoop alone warranted respect, but his jumpshot changed the game. Before Dirk, big men could lay back a bit with little to no worry that their adversary could drain an outside shot. When Dirk stepped on the floor, that gameplan went out the window. It seemed that every jumper hit nothing but the bottom of the net. There was no one more fun to watch go on a hot streak. If you wanted him to post you up he could, and he would either get to the rim or give you that famous turn around, tear drop, nothing but net jumper again. The Mavs title run and win over Lebron and Wade’s Heat does not happen without Dirk’s pure desire to win and lead. He finished his career in the top 10 in Points in NBA history. He also holds the record for most points scored by a foreign born player. He led the same franchise day in and day out the entirety of his career. He left every ounce of what he had out on the floor for us Mavericks fans. Without Nowitski, I do not know that I am as enamored with the game of basketball as I am now. One of the best to ever do it. Thank You, Dirk.
#3-Lebron James
Love him or Hate him, Lebron James is one of the most influential players ever. I have been his biggest fan, his biggest critic and biggest fan again all in the 17 year span of his career. He has been just awe inspiring to watch on and off the court. His willingness to lead and to teach those around him and impact their lives is unmatched. He had led teams that without him otherwise would fall into obscurity (they pretty much have), to the promise land of the NBA Finals. He has turned almost an entire nation against him wirh his constant moving and the stands he takes. He is THAT polarizing. The moment my opinion changed on Lebron is the moment i finally started being an actual witness. He is crucified daily for things that normal beings would be praised for. He has devoted his life to being a dad and husband while being the face of the NBA. He has built schools and provided futures for children who would other else not have the opportunity. In year 17, he has taken on the role of mentor to the future generations of players while simultaneously playing at an MVP level and leading the Lakers to the best record in the West. On and off the floor, no matter what he makes you feel, Lebron is forever high on this list. 3 titles. Countless accolades. 34,000 points and counting. Top 3 of all time. None of that matters to me as much as this. James has made me grow as a fan and a person. Any one who can make you feel those emotions on either end of the spectrum are bound to do so. Those are things that cannot be debated.
#2 -Michael Jordan
I dont think there are many NBA lists that exist without this mans name on it. Michael Jordan is basketball. He is yet another legend on this list that no matter what, his impact and legacy will be felt forever. The only reason he is not number 1 is because technically his greatest years weren’t the ones I was around for too much. Don’t get me wrong, I watched the 1998 championship battle with Utah. I grew up idolizing Michael Jordan. His legacy speaks for itself. His jumpman logo is everywhere. I don’t know many people who don’t own a piece of apparel or brand of shoe. My older brother grew up with MJ and he made sure I knew who Jordan was before I began even watching basketball. I used to watch his film “Come Fly With Me” on repeat day after day after day in my VCR. I have argued and argued over him being the greatest player of all time. His physical and mental toughness are mind boggling. His battles with Detroit are etched in sports lore forever. He is Michael freaking Jordan, of course he is on the list!!! I have never seen a man float or glide in air before I saw Michael play. He battled and battled on the court through injury and sickness. The “Flu Game” is proof of his unwillingness to surrender. Not to mention, the man saved the Looney Tunes from aliens!!! In all seriousness, Jordan came into the league when the NBA needed someone the most to save it. He did and then some. He is the reason we can sit and enjoy the game as we do today. Thank you MJ.
#1-Kobe Bryant
Ladies and Gentlemen, my generations Mike. This is really hard to write considering the past month has seemed unreal. I find that in some way darkly fitting because what Kobe was able to accomplish seemed unreal as well. His accomplishments are great but that is not why Kobe sits here at #1. Kobe had something in him that set him apart from everyone. That “Mamba Mentality”. The unwaivering, never satisfied fuel and desire to be the best. The work ethic. The first one in the gym last one out demeanor. The ” Hey, theres no way you’re working harder than me so why should you get the ball” thought process. The savage killer on the court. The intensity to push his teammates to be great to the point of almost causing mental breakdowns. 81 points. Gold medals. MVP awards. Titles. But also, the things we saw shortly before his passing. As a dad, seeing how much he enjoyed being a father, made me realize Kobe and I are not different in that aspect. It really is the best feeling in the world. His work for the LA community and the girls he coached was amazing. He brought everything he could and all the knowledge he had to others as he transitioned to life after basketball. His life was cut short, but his impact on me and every basketball fan will live forever. We will make sure of that!
To The Rack With Mac 