}~~~> Official 2024/2025 NBA Thread<~~~{ OKC Thunder NBA champs}

Bronny scored more than Kobe averaged as a rookie last night. :lol:
Kobe didn't have Jelly Bean strong-arming the Lakers to play this bum
Kobe had to Earn an NBA spot.
Kobe's spot was not purchased with Cash like Bronny by his father.

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I think KD is obviously in the 11-20 range, which is fine. Arguably a top 10 talent but clearly not a top 10 output.

But this reply was more interesting than the main argument to me:


What are we doing here? Dominique Wilkins was in a class below Bird but right up there in the mix throughout the 80's. Kevin Durant clears Wilkins by MAGNITUDES. An EXTREMELY unathletic Chris Mullin was averaging 25+ ppg for half a decade in the late 80's, early 90's. Durant is almost SIX INCHES TALLER with a much better handle and more athleticism. You're being disingenuous if you don't think KD would absolutely dominate the 80's. Bird came in at the right time. The 70's didn't see A SINGLE perimeter player good enough to win an MVP. Julius Erving was the best perimeter player in the league when Bird came in and he couldn't even go left. Bird himself could barely faceup dribble at all. Even if you're going to tax KD's handle, he's one of the greatest shooters in the history of the game and he's 7 foot tall. You can't just tax him because you feel like it. Earvin Johnson was a 6'9" "point guard." If you think he could handle the ball, there would be nothing stopping KD from doing the same. I'm taking him higher than anyone other than Kobe, MJ, and Bron in an all-time draft. That's more important to me than anything you're talking about.

Obviously this is just fantasy shit but if you just magically dropped KD in the 80s, he’d probably be in the GOAT conversation.
 
But this reply was more interesting than the main argument to me:


What are we doing here? Dominique Wilkins was in a class below Bird but right up there in the mix throughout the 80's. Kevin Durant clears Wilkins by MAGNITUDES. An EXTREMELY unathletic Chris Mullin was averaging 25+ ppg for half a decade in the late 80's, early 90's. Durant is almost SIX INCHES TALLER with a much better handle and more athleticism. You're being disingenuous if you don't think KD would absolutely dominate the 80's. Bird came in at the right time. The 70's didn't see A SINGLE perimeter player good enough to win an MVP. Julius Erving was the best perimeter player in the league when Bird came in and he couldn't even go left. Bird himself could barely faceup dribble at all. Even if you're going to tax KD's handle, he's one of the greatest shooters in the history of the game and he's 7 foot tall. You can't just tax him because you feel like it. Earvin Johnson was a 6'9" "point guard." If you think he could handle the ball, there would be nothing stopping KD from doing the same. I'm taking him higher than anyone other than Kobe, MJ, and Bron in an all-time draft. That's more important to me than anything you're talking about.

Obviously this is just fantasy shit but if you just magically dropped KD in the 80s, he’d probably be in the GOAT conversation.

The reply only underscores the point ive made ad nasuem... that th e90s was a weak era for guard play and significantly weaker than this era for wing play. These guys are just better.
 
The reply only underscores the point ive made ad nasuem... that th e90s was a weak era for guard play and significantly weaker than this era for wing play. These guys are just better.

Well the reply undermines the 70s and 80s as well, not just the 90s.

Seems to me that there has been a natural evolution since the Magic/Bird era that has come from exponentially more people being able to watch games and learn from and improve upon their predecessors.

These guys aren’t “just better,” they’re reaping the benefits. If they grew up 40 years ago they wouldn’t be as good as they are. (Which is why I prefaced my KD in the 80s hypothetical by labeling it fantasy and magic. Not just because he obviously was born later but, even if he wasn’t, he could never have been KD without KG and dozens of others he grew up watching, a benefit kids born in the 70s largely didn’t have.)
 
One of my dumbest thoughts in recent years was that prime Steph was in the same class as prime Kobe offensively. I learned the other night it has been 9 years since Steph last had 5 consecutive games scoring over 30.

It just really is not close.

Mamba >

He hasn't had a 40 point game in a calendar year and his 10 career trip dubs ties how many Bron has this season.

That being said Steph is closer to Kobe than he is Bron. His efficiency and team play outweighs Kobe's shot chucking.
 
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