Your 5 Favorite Players?

[DukeC]

Hrmmm....5 favorite players now?

Demarcus Cousins
Iman Shumpert
Ricky Rubio
Tyreke Evans (happened to meet him over Xbox Live. He talks mad trash for someone who uses the Heat online )
Marcus Thornton

5 players retired/not in thier prime?

George Gervin
Pete Maravich
Allen Iverson
Micheal Jordan
Ray Allen

I like people who epitomized what it meant to shoot. Forget defense (MJ is the exception to my list ) I like scorers. They make the game enjoyable to watch for me. Defense can be awesome to watch if it's a lockdown defender against a dominant scorer. Not so much if it's a team defense concept. I can appreciate it, but help defense isn't going to get me on my feet unless it's someone like Ibaka soaring through the sky to block a shot attempt.

That said all the people on my list could shoot the midrange like no-one's business.

Seeing Gervin come down the court and jack 15 footer after 15 footer and making it regardless of defense was an awesome sight to see (Thank you youtube and my grandad).

Seeing Maravich's range on tape was an awesome sight to see (And he and Gervin are the reason why the number 44 is my favorite number).

Seeing the off ball movement Jordan had coming off of a screen and shooting that mid-range was enjoyable to watch. Which also led to him driving to the basket if they overplayed it. Especially if his shot was on that night.

Of course seeing AI jack deep 2 pointers after crossing someone over is so reminiscent of playground basketball I couldn't help but enjoy it

[ojandpizza]

Quote: Originally Posted by DukeC

Hrmmm....5 favorite players now? Demarcus Cousins Iman Shumpert Ricky Rubio Tyreke Evans (happened to meet him over Xbox Live. He talks mad trash for someone who uses the Heat online ) Marcus Thornton 5 players retired/not in thier prime? George Gervin Pete Maravich Allen Iverson Micheal Jordan Ray Allen I like people who epitomized what it meant to shoot. Forget defense (MJ is the exception to my list ) I like scorers. They make the game enjoyable to watch for me. Defense can be awesome to watch if it's a lockdown defender against a dominant scorer. Not so much if it's a team defense concept. I can appreciate it, but help defense isn't going to get me on my feet unless it's someone like Ibaka soaring through the sky to block a shot attempt. That said all the people on my list could shoot the midrange like no-one's business. Seeing Gervin come down the court and jack 15 footer after 15 footer and making it regardless of defense was an awesome sight to see (Thank you youtube and my grandad). Seeing Maravich's range on tape was an awesome sight to see (And he and Gervin are the reason why the number 44 is my favorite number). Seeing the off ball movement Jordan had coming off of a screen and shooting that mid-range was enjoyable to watch. Which also led to him driving to the basket if they overplayed it. Especially if his shot was on that night. Of course seeing AI jack deep 2 pointers after crossing someone over is so reminiscent of playground basketball I couldn't help but enjoy it

What's Evan's gamer tag? lol

[DukeC]

Quote: Originally Posted by ojandpizza

What's Evan's gamer tag? lol

The last time I saw him?

R33k Havok or something like that. It was definitely Reek Havok. I just don't remember whether he used number combinations or not.

[K.So]

Players Currently in NBA:

Kobe Bryant
Chris Paul
Russell Westbrook
Dwight Howard
Kyrie Irving
*DeMarcus Cousins

Retired/Not In Prime:

Michael Jordan
Allen Iverson
Ray Allen
Isiah Thomas
Tim Duncan

[Mauer4MVP]

Current:

Rubio
Love
Pekovic
Roy
Kirilenko

[st0rmb11]

My 5 Favorite Players All-Time

1. Michael Jordan - The reason I got into basketball.

2. Pete Maravich - never actually saw him play, as I'm only 23, but I have studied highlight reels and full game videos of his until my eyes were red. I have patterned every aspect of my offensive game after the "Pistol". My parents both coach basketball, so I learned most of my fundamentals from them, but my grandma bought me a series of Pete Maravich basketball VHS tapes, and I studied those religiously when I was learning the game.

3. Penny Hardaway - loved his game. Not so much his attitude, after a while, but his game was beautiful.

4. Vince Carter - come on? what kid growing up didn't love watching Vince Carter highlights, or tuning into SportsCenter every night knowing he would make an appearance?

5. Tie. Tim Hardaway & Allen Iverson - tried forever to master each of their crossovers. Eventually, I learned The UTEP 2-Step, but Iverson's crossover was impossible to pull off, legally. Got called for palming the ball enough that I just quit trying.


Favorites Right Now

1. Stephen Curry - Don't mean to toot my own horn, but our game style is eerily similar. Plus, my dad is a Davidson alum, so I loved watching this guy have historical performance after historical performance in the 2008 NCAA Tournament. From then on, I was hooked.

2. Ty Lawson - UNC guy, plus, just loved his game at UNC, and I love watching him grow as a player in Denver, now.

3. Kevin Durant - love his work ethic and his commitment to the game of basketball. His drive is something to be inspired by.

4. Vince Carter - I know he was on my first list, but he's still active, so..

5. Chris Paul - Never really had any feelings about him one way or the other before this past season with the Clippers, when I finally got to see him a lot on TV. I just love his game. I love the way he controls every aspect of the game, from his teammates, to the defense, to the crowd, to the ball, to the refs...he is just a master and student o the game, and it shows. I honestly can't recall the last player I saw that just controlled the game with such ease.

[aloncho11]

Quote: Originally Posted by st0rmb11

2. Pete Maravich - never actually saw him play, as I'm only 23, but I have studied highlight reels and full game videos of his until my eyes were red. I have patterned every aspect of my offensive game after the "Pistol". My parents both coach basketball, so I learned most of my fundamentals from them, but my grandma bought me a series of Pete Maravich basketball VHS tapes, and I studied those religiously when I was learning the game.

Pistol Pete! So many times overlooked, one of my favorite players. He's the reason why the game became a spectacular show to watch. The first virtuoso of the NBA.

[bghost]

Quote: Originally Posted by VDusen04

The running theme here is I think people were drawn to Vince Carter for what he could do on the basketball court. Maybe we're optimists. We think about and appreciate all that Vince Carter did, as opposed to wallowing about everything he didn't. It seems many people wanted him to be Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant because he could jump high and make shots. I just wanted him to be Vince Carter.

I just want that for every player, its why all of the MJ vs Lebron or Kobe vs MJ talk just bores me to death.
Somewhere along the road it became impossible to appreciate a player for the player that they are, and instead we always have to compare one to another.
Its garbage.