Expanding NBA’s 50 Greatest Players to 65 | Part 3

by Patrick ‘Rey’ Reynell

View Part 1 and Part 2 of this discussion.

In case you’ve missed the first two parts, we’re attempting to expand the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players to accomodate its 65th anniversary as a league in two seasons.

After two rounds of voting, here are the players and their respective number of votes:

Tim Duncan – 5
Kobe Bryant – 5
Bob McAdoo – 4
Chet Walker – 3
Maurice Stokes – 3
Dennis Johnson – 3
Artis Gilmore – 3
LeBron James – 2
Allen Iverson – 2
Adrian Dantley – 2
Dennis Rodman – 1
Bernard King – 1
Dan Issel – 1
Dominique Wilkins – 1
Tom Heinsohn – 1
Kevin Garnett – 1
Steve Nash – 1
Dirk Nowitzki – 1
Bill Lambier – 1
Cliff Hagan – 1
Alex English – 1
Ray Allen – 1

With this part, we will complete the voting and be able to add our 15 players to the original list of 50. Once again, you can vote for a player only once.

Here are my last five additions:

Artis Gilmore – Career averages: 18.8 ppg, 12.3 rpg, 2.4 bpg, 2.3 apg (combined 5 ABA seasons, 12 NBA seasons). His 16,330 career rebounds would be fourth on the 50 greatest list, behind only Chamberlain, Russell and Jabbar. Led NBA in field goal percentage for four straight seasons (shot 67% in 1980-1981 season). Shot nearly 60% for his career in the NBA which remains first all-time. (Thanks to Wally for bringing Gilmore into the discussion!)

Alex English – Hall of Famer. 25,613 career points. Career 50% shooter with over 21,000 field goal attempts, which makes him eighth all time in attempts (unprecedented for a wing). Only players to shoot over 50% with more attempts are Chamberlain, Jabbar and Karl Malone.

Adrian Dantley – Hall of Famer. Over 23,000 career points in less than 1,000 games. Finished in top three of scoring title five times (scoring champ in 1980-1981, 1983-1984). Averaged 30 points or more in four straight seasons. Sixteenth in NBA history for field goal percentage at 54%. (Thanks to Chas for bringing Dantley into the discussion!)

Gary Payton – Fifth all-time in steals (2,243) and seventh in assists (8,966). 9X first team All-Defensive; 1995-1996 defensive player of the year. Finished in top-10 for MVP voting for eight straight seasons. Won 2006 NBA championship with Miami Heat. *Note: I would place Alvin Robertson in Payton’s place, but I just can’t based on his recent troubles with the law. The guy could flat out play though. Maybe one of the best all-around players ever in the NBA. His playoff numbers are excellent even though his teams never advanced. Against San Antonio in the first round in 1988, he averaged 23.3 ppg, 9.3 apg, 4.7 rpg and 4 spg.

Steve Nash – Back-to-back MVP in 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 (top-10 finisher five times). Ranks eighth all-time in assists with 8,397. Excellent free throw shooter with career 90% average. Thirteenth all-time in 3-point field goals made. Hard time putting him on this list because he is a defensive liability on and off-the-ball, but only eleven other players have won multiple MVPs.

So there are my final five additions. You can agree, refute, or (in the spirit of Mt. Otsego) just add your ’splinters.’ If this is your first time voting, you can vote for five, ten, or submit a complete list of fifteen.