When picking his own dream team, his squad would start with someone other than Michael Jordan.
"In my estimation, the guy that has to be there would be Bill Russell. He has won 11 championships as a player. That's really the idea of what excellence is, when you win championships."
But as for the most dominant, most incredible player I’ve seen - and I never saw Russell play, or Wilt - I’d go with LeBron.
Watching him is like watching Barry Bonds at peak steroids.
Why wouldn't you just be a man and post this right under my thread starter two posts below?
The game was obviously very different back then.
All of the things you mention below. It's impossible to measure era's but consecutive championships, number of total championships and a coaching championship are concrete facts.
Since the super bowl era people have also completely forgotten the Green Bay Packers when they talk about Dynasties. Five NFL Championships in a decade has never been matched.
The quote is from a guy who played against Russell for a couple of years and yet knows Jordan well:
Phil Jackson
Jordan was the best of his generation.
A worthy candidate as the best shooting guard ever. Nothing less. Nothing more.
Rings is rings. And Russell doesn’t have enough fingers.
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It's all about the rings, but racking up 11 titles when there were 6 and 8 teams in the league doesn't carry the same weight.
The dilution of quality is one thing.
The lax rules is another.
The rule changes to eliminate the effectiveness of centers.
Another is playing in a racist town where people break into your home and smear feces on the wall.
Try playing on a creaky parquet floor in ancient sneakers.