What if and what quantifies it, in my opinion? If you look at it as a team sport and analyze his career from 1983 to 1988, you might argue that he was as good as anyone during that time. Had he left college after just one year, as Magic did, and gone on to play for younger players like Lebron and Kobe, his numbers would have been amplified, and he would have had an even bigger advantage in intelligence when he was at his best.
He wouldn’t have needed traction the latter few seasons of his career, when he averaged 20+ 9+ and 7+, if he hadn’t damaged his back doing his own driveway. During breaks, he was unable to even sit on his chair on the bench.
Despite this, during his career, an assist was valued more highly; he lacked exceptional athleticism; people used to cling to his shirt, and they were still unable to stop him.
In his prime, he ought to be on every 12-man all-time roster, broken down by position. He should make a compelling case to start with Magic, LeBron James, Jordan, and a center debate. Between Bill Russell, Wilt, and Kareem.
3 consecutive MVPs and 4 consecutive finals. Second-highest winning percentage in history. Before the deals that resulted in the draft selections of DJ, Parrish, and McHale, his team achieved 61 victories as a rookie. The previous season, they were the NBA’s second-worst team.
Although he is my favorite player, his lengthy career and health problems make it difficult to truly argue against Jordan Lebron, Wilt, and Russell.
On most GOAT lists, just a select handful of the greatest players are typically ranked higher than him.
Though those (a few, or a little more) may have been superior, the fact that he was ranked in the top 10 by most observers placed him in the 99th percentile of all NBA players ever.
He was one of the players Kareem cited as perhaps belonging in the discussion of the GOAT.
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