Mount Rushmore: A Trendy Topic

     As if LeBron James’s play on the court doesn’t speak for it’s self, the self-proclaimed “Chosen One” and current figurehead of the NBA felt the need to defend the future of his legacy when he revealed his NBA Mount Rushmore just weeks ago.

     When James maintained that either MJ, Magic, Bird, or Robertson would have to make room for him on the “basketball mountain,” the notion of a Mount Rushmore for the NBA’s all-time greats promptly became a hot topic among basketball fans everywhere.

     I, too, am one of those fans who couldn’t resist acknowledging a Mount Rushmore of my own. Unlike LeBron, however, I didn’t stop after ranking who I considered the four greatest of all-time.

     Instead, I chose to assert a top four for a variety of positions and categories. In most instances, it is extremely difficult to limit these lists to four. Nevertheless, without further ado, here are my Mount Rushmores…

Best Players In NBA History:

1. Michael Jordan     2. Bill Russell     3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar     4. Kobe Bryant

*Honorable Mention: Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamerblain, LeBron James

Best Point Guards In NBA History:

1. Oscar Robertson     2. Magic Johnson     3. John Stockton     4. Isiah Thomas



Best Shooting Guards In NBA History:

1. Michael Jordan     2. Kobe Bryant     3. Jerry West     4. Dwyane Wade

*It kills me to leave Allen Iverson off this list, but he and Clyde Drexler were right on Wade’s heels.

Best Small Forwards In NBA History:

1. LeBron James     2. Larry Bird     3. Julius Erving     4. Elgin Baylor

*Kevin Durant is coming.



Best Power Forwards In NBA History:

1. Tim Duncan     2. Charles Barkley     3. Karl Malone     4. Dirk Nowitzki

*Two Boston big boys (Kevin Garnett and Kevin McHale) just missed this mountain.

Best Centers In NBA History:

1. Bill Russell     2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar     3. Shaquille O’Neal     4. Wilt Chamberlain

* Hakeem Olajuwon rounds out the top five.

Best Shooters In NBA History:

1. Steve Kerr     2. Ray Allen     3. Reggie Miller     4. Kyle Korver

*Most people don’t realize that Steve Nash could arguably fit on this list (if going by the numbers) as well.



Best Dunkers In NBA History:

1. Vince Carter     2. Dominique Wilkins     3. Michael Jordan     4. Julius Erving

*Shawn Kemp and Blake Griffin lead the pack of power dunkers.

Best Passers In NBA History:

1. Jason Kidd     2. Steve Nash     3. Magic Johnson     4. John Stockton



Best Defenders In NBA History:

1. Bill Russell     2. Dennis Rodman     3. Ben Wallace     4. Scottie Pippen

*Gary Payton, David Robinson, Kevin Garnett, Joe Dumars, and Bruce Bowen also deserve consideration.



Best Footwork In NBA History:

1. Kobe Bryant     2. Hakeem Olajuwon     3. Michael Jordan     4. Manu Ginobili

*Dwyane Wade, Paul Pierce, and Al Jefferson come to mind when thinking of strictly current players whose feet work magic.

Best Euro Step In NBA History:

1. Manu Ginobili     2. James Harden     3. Dwyane Wade     4. Chris Paul



Classiest Players In NBA History:

1. David Robinson     2. Grant Hill     3. John Stockton     4. Tim Duncan

Biggest Cry-babies In NBA History:

1. Dikembe Mutombo     2. Rasheed Wallace     3. Antoine Walker     4. Dwight Howard



Biggest Floppers In NBA History:

1. Vlade Divac     2. Reggie Miller     3. Manu Ginobili     4. Bill Lambeer

*Honorable Mention: LeBron James, Richard Hamilton, Anderson Varejao

Best Coaches In NBA History:

1. Greg Popovich     2. Red Auerbach     3. Phil Jackson     4. Pat Riley

Best 6’0 And Under Players In NBA History:

1. Allen Iverson     2. Calvin Murphy     3. Chris Paul     4. Tim Hardaway



Best Handles In NBA History:

1. Pete Maravich     2. Tim Hardaway     3. Jason Williams     4. Allen Iverson

Best Mid-Range Shooters In NBA History:

1. Jerry West     2. Kobe Bryant     3. Richard Hamilton     4. Dirk Nowitzki



VP’s Favorite Players In NBA History:

1. Allen Iverson     2. Kobe Bryant     3. Steve Nash     4. Chauncey Billups

*Honorable Mention: Earl Boykins, JJ Barea, Rasheed Wallace, Kevin Garnett, Chris Paul