Friday, July 17th, 2009 at 2:48 pm  |  130 responses

Links: I Got 50!

Plus, astronauts and grilled cheese…

by Lang Whitaker

Fri-Day! Yes!

And the good news? Summer League is almost over! Hey, did you hear that Anthony Morrow scored 47 points last night in a Summer League game? That’s great. He also scored 37 points last season in an actual NBA game. That, I care about. But 47 in a Summer League game? Eh. And yet, because we are all so NBA deprived right now, for many people, Summer League morphs into something greater than it actually is. I tuned out when they retired Nate Robinson’s jersey.

So, here’s a couple of non-basketball related links, and then we end it with some NBA talk…

• Ebony magazine really screwed this one up. I don’t think anyone looked like this in the year 2000, but definitely not Michael Jackson.

• The Boston Globe has a ton of very cool pictures from Apollo 11. I think I’m turning into a space geek.

• Also from NASA, here’s a great picture of a volcano erupting.

• Jay-Z vs. The Game and lessons for the American primacy debate.

• Some Starbucks stores are changing their names. I love Starbucks, but when you have to change your name to get people to come into your stores, maybe the name isn’t the problem.

• Cool…but nope, still not going to drink the Red Bull Cola.

• Here is the proper way to make a grilled cheese sandwich. Don’t say we never taught you anything.

• Finally, a couple of days ago, the guys from Basket, which is definitely one of my two favorite basketball magazines from Germany, hit me with an email. They were assembling a panel of international experts to rank the top 10 NBA players for each position (PG, SG, SF, PF, C = 50 players) for their next issue. By German rules, I qualified as an NBA expert, so they sent along a list of the top few dozen at each position, asked me to rank them, and added a few caveats:

- Don’t mix up the positions, please use their list and positions.
– No rookies.
– It’s not about value for money.
– It doesn’t matter if the player was good two years ago or if he has potential – it’s about today.

So…here’s how I ranked the top ten NBA players at each position. Surely there won’t be anyone out there who disagrees with me, right? Apologies go to whoever it pleases. Here’s my Top 50…

POINT GUARDS
1. Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets)
2. Tony Parker (San Antonio Spurs)
3. Deron Williams (Utah Jazz)
4. Jameer Nelson (Orlando Magic)
5. Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls)
6. Rajon Rondo (Boston Celtics)
7. Chauncey Billups (Denver Nuggets)
8. Steve Nash (Phoenix Suns)
9. Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks)
10. Andre Miller (Philadelphia 76ers)

EXPLANATION: I wasn’t sure what to do with Gilbert Arenas. When he’s healthy, he’s probably top half of that list, but since this list is for today, and we have no idea how Gilbert’s knee is right now, I left him off. Mo Williams also almost cracked my list, but I put this together thinking if I were starting a franchise today and needed a point guard, these are the guys I’d go after first. Mo would probably be number 11 on my list. Or 12, because Devin Harris was also just left off. I know people will probably quibble with Andre Miller making my list, but I’ve always appreciated his game — never the most athletic guy, but he’s really solid and, in the right system, he understands how to run a team. Same with Baron Davis, who I couldn’t find room for, either.

SHOOTING GUARDS
1. Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)
2. Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat)
3. Brandon Roy (Portland Trail Blazers)
4. Joe Johnson (Atlanta Hawks)
5. Vince Carter (Orlando Magic)
6. Michael Redd (Milwaukee Bucks)
7. Ray Allen (Boston Celtics)
8. Jason Terry (Dallas Mavericks)
9. Ben Gordon (Detroit Pistons)
10. Allen Iverson (Detroit Pistons)

EXPLANATION: Calm down, Sacramento fans. Kevin Martin scores a lot of points, but he doesn’t play defense. At all. Also, he’s missed 52 games the last two seasons, and if I’m building my team around someone, it’s not going to be him. GINOBILI! would have made the list, but with his recent injuries I felt safer leaving him off this time. Same with T-Mac. Iverson? He averaged 17 and 5 last year for Detroit, and when the Pistons let him do his thing, they were still a tough team to beat.

SMALL FORWARDS
1. LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers)
2. Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets)
3. Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder)
4. Paul Pierce (Boston Celtics)
5. Ron Artest (L.A. Lakers)
6. Danny Granger (Indiana Pacers)
7. Hedo Turkoglu (Toronto Raptors)
8. Shawn Marion (Miami Heat)
9. Josh Howard (Dallas Mavericks)
10. Richard Jefferson (San Antonio Spurs)

EXPLANATION: I thought this was the toughest category, by far. At different points I had both Andre Iguodala and Caron Butler on this list, but ended up dropping them. There’s also a lot of younger guys on the come-up (Al Thornton, Luol Deng, Rudy Gay, Trevor Ariza) who could crack this list a year from now.

POWER FORWARDS
1. Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs)
2. Pau Gasol (Los Angeles Lakers)
3. Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas Mavericks)
4. Kevin Garnett (Boston Celtics)
5. Chris Bosh (Toronto Raptors)
6. Amare Stoudemire (Phoenix Suns)
7. Carlos Boozer (Utah Jazz)
8. David West (New Orleans Hornets)
9. Rashard Lewis (Orlando Magic)
10. Josh Smith (Atlanta Hawks)

EXPLANATION: There may be some quibbling with some of these guys being listed as power forwards, but I didn’t come up with the list. That said, I found it interesting that Boozer was my generously-rated seventh-best power forward in the NBA and he’s still on target to get a $14 million-a-year deal next season. And so many teams are talking about Bosh as a max guy…really? I left off Elton Brand because of his injuries. I left off Charlie Villanueva because he’s not one of the ten best power forwards in the NBA, although someone probably should have explained that to Joe Dumars a while ago. The ten spot came down to Josh Smith and Kenyon Martin, but I went with Smoove because he’s younger and sturdier.

CENTERS
1. Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic)
2. Shaquille O’Neal (Cleveland Cavaliers)
3. Andrew Bynum (Los Angeles Lakers)
4. Al Horford (Atlanta Hawks)
5. Al Jefferson (Minnesota Timberwolves)
6. Mehmet Okur (Utah Jazz)
7. Nene (Denver Nuggets)
8. Brad Miller (Chicago Bulls)
9. Marcus Camby (Los Angeles Clippers)
10. Tyson Chandler (New Orleans Hornets)

EXPLANATION:
I let off Yao because his foot exploded, otherwise he was my definite number 2 on this list. At the same time, I broke my own rule about the injuries to include Al Jefferson on this list, because the top ten centers were really looking weak and I was afraid I’d have to include Jermaine O’Neal or Chris Kaman or Emeka Okafor. And we can’t be having that.

That’s it. Have a great weekend everyone and catch you all back here next week.

(Go Braves!)

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  • http://allthatjazzbasketball.blogspot.com/ AllThatJazz/Amar

    I fail to see Bynum (in his current incarnation) as a Top 5 center in the L right now. I’m not trying to be a dick, but asides getting injured every year (including high school) he hasn’t really made headlines. If he was on any other team he’d get more touched, but vastly less media regard. I’d take Nene or Memo over him because they are men and they do their jobs. (Nene bangs and plays inside, Memo’s 17/8 isn’t anything bynum is getting right now either, plus memo shot 40+% from three last year and makes his FTs / his a clutch performer)

  • http://nun.com Marion’s ghost

    Not sure if the german mag will catch this but Shawn Marion doesn’t play for the Heat anymore (thankfully)

  • myles brown

    Lamar Odom > Josh Smith.

  • http://shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com Cheryl

    Man, that looks like a goooood grilled cheese. Makes me wanna go make one now!

  • http://shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com Cheryl

    Well, okay, so basketball really wasn’t an emphasis for me right now…

  • Steve

    Mike Bibby???

  • Steve

    Josh Smith> Lamar “Dissapreaing Act/ I want more $$$ than i’m worth” Odum

  • http://www.bbaxn.com Darksaber

    oh my, Lang. Get ready for an avalanche of comments on this post. You saw what happened yesterday on the Odom to Miami post. 280 comments cause we got into Wade-Bron comparisons. And BASKET used to be the only other baller Mag i bought when i lived in Europe. But a few years ago they totally ripped off Slam. I mean layouts (yep, they have their version of Noyz for example) and even took your stories and translated them. Then they had one of you slammers play the columnist role (can’t remember, Russ i think) thats when i stopped buying.

  • http://www.galatasaray.org madamerica

    Jameer Nelson is too high. No way he’s better than Billups. Jameer just had half a good season, he hasn’t proven anything. I’d take Rose and Billups over him any day.

  • larrylegend

    ha ha, time for discussion. BASKET, mhn, they copied SLAM’s article in the past…hope you guys get money for that.

  • http://www.bbaxn.com Darksaber

    as for the lists, i’ll take a stab at it later. It’s 3am here and i just got home. Be interesting to see what the list experts here *ahem, Juks* have commented when i get up tomorrow. Night.

  • http://slamonline.com Lang Whitaker

    Amar, I hear you, but you’re underrating Bynum a bit. Bynum/Nene/Memo have all missed time the last few years. I go with Bynum because of his youth.

  • http://slamonline.com Ben Osborne

    I like the subtle quoting of Chuck D. Don’t like Jameer Nelson’s ranking.

  • larrylegend

    damn, dark, i was too slow :) . i am with you on the copying thing, and they copied bad. never touched another bball mag besides SLAM after that.

  • jdn41

    Definate hawks bias on the list cmon now Al Horford 4th best center in the league…

  • http://www.bbaxn.com Darksaber

    oh, last thought for now: Dallas has 4 of the best players at their respective positions on their roster. Ftw? They better figure their mess out soon.

  • http://www.bbaxn.com Darksaber

    you bet, larry. It was toooo obvious. So gotta catch some Z’s now (not of the Iglauskas kind.)

  • JD

    Jameer Nelson is ranked far too high. And how can you completely forget about Kendrick Perkins? He nearly played Dwight Howard evenly throughout the entire Boston-Orlando series. He’s better than Brad Miller, Al Horford and he’s certainly as good as Andrew Bynum, who is easily the most overrated player in the league.

  • Heims

    Lang, I know you didn’t come up with the list of who plays which position, but can you explain to me why Duncan and Gasol are PFs? I never felt really satisfied with calling either a PF, but at least it was defensible 10 years ago when Duncan was playing next to Dave Rob. That was the NBA game 10 years ago – post dominant. Different story now, tho.

    7 footers, solid build (not rail-skinny), does most of their damage in the paint, defends the rim . . . what is the difference between a PF and a C? I understand why Rashard Lewis isn’t a C, but TD and Gasol? If they’re PFs then why isn’t Jefferson, Howard, or Okur (for example)?

    Especially when Duncan’s playing next to Matt Bonner!

  • Tyrone Shoelaces

    Caron Butler > Shawn Marion x2.

  • Marcnificent

    Will people please stop making Duncan out to be a Power Foward…He is not, and will always be a Center…He has fooled most of you all for years. This has to be debated at some point…It comes up every year with the allstar selection, where to put Duncan, and also it will come up with what position he will be inducted to the Hall of Fame as.

  • http://slamonline.com Lang Whitaker

    @Heims: Gasol starts at PF, right? So technically I guess he’s a PF. Same for Duncan. And I really don’t see either guy as a center in the classical sense of the position.

  • Dirtybird

    I don’t see why Duncan wouldn’t be a C full time in 09-10, or in previous seasons.

  • http://slamonline.com Brad Long

    The only part I really have a problem with is the PG list. Jameer is way high and I’d put Deron in front of Tony Parker. I also don’t think Rondo would be on the list if he played for pretty much any other team besides the Celtics. I’d take Devin Harris over him and Jameer in a heartbeat.

  • http://slamonline.com Brad Long

    Wait I missed something. You have Shawn Marion at #8 small forward. Shawn Marion is a Decepticon. Your whole list fails because of this.

  • jdote

    duncan bein a power forward is cool i guess, but Pau ahead of Dirk?

  • Heims

    @ Lang – That’s kind of what I’m wondering, what is the classical sense of either position? Especially now when Lamar Odom and Rashard Lewis log major minutes at PF?

  • http://www.slamonline.com wayno

    For PG’s, switch Billups and Nelson around and Deron and Parker around and I agree with it. for PF/C I don’t see how Rasheed Wallace doesn’t make either of those lists. Sheed’s numbers have dropped, but his defense and big play ability should keep him on the list. Also, Jefferson, Okur, and Nene should all be above both Al Horford and Andrew Bynum.

  • http://www.slamonline.com wayno

    Also, I’d take Richard Hamilton over Allen Iverson at this point any day of the week. AI is done being a top tier SG.

  • http://www.slamonline.com wayno

    Also, Michael Redd was on the list despite being injured the majority of last season…ok, I’m done now.

  • Jer Boi

    RONDO OVER BILLUPS!?

  • Diesel

    Let me get this straight… I want to use a non-stick pan so my chesses doesn’t stick?

  • Diesel

    That mess of letters is supposed to spell cheese

  • http://allthatjazzbasketball.blogspot.com/ AllThatJazz/Amar

    now i’m going to check the stats right now, but nene/memo have averaged double doubles in the playoffs. (memo only played in 2 games in the playoffs this year, both while injured, so his recent playoff stats aren’t so hot — but he still managed to get 5 rpg, more than bynum did)

    bynum is young, but dude, when shaq was his age he was killing it with 20/10. age isn’t an excuse for poor production now.

  • http://slamonline.com Brad Long

    List of Small Forward’s I’d rather have on my team right now besides Shawn Marion who aren’t on the list:Rudy Gay, Paul Pierce, Lamar Odom, Jeff Green, and Trevor Ariza.

  • http://lastknickstanding.blogspot.com Bryan

    I don’t like nash’s ranking but whatever what I LOVE is Kevin Durants ranking!

  • call me li

    i will never fail at grill cheese again. and nas is much better than jigga for “tryna kick knowledge”.
    dre miller deserves that spot after last season and hopefully jrue turns into just as steady a player..potentially better (more skilled) obviously but we’ll take it slow

  • Oli

    @Marion’s ghost: since the matrix is on the same squad with the only german in the league, i bet they’ve figured it out by now.

    @JerBoi: Lang went with youth this time. He didn’t do this when he was asked which woman he’d like to be together (for all of you who can’t remember: he picked eva mendes)

  • http://deleted hillbilly

    I’ll trade you my t-shirt for a grilled cheese!

  • http://www.anwilson.blogspot.com rainman10

    Pierce is number 4 on that list B-Long. I like the list, was Monta on an original list, and was he a PG or a shooting guard? To me he is up there with Gordon and Terry, minus clutch play.

  • http://lastknickstanding.blogspot.com Bryan

    Marion isn’t top ten anything.

  • http://lastknickstanding.blogspot.com Bryan

    Oo I take it back : marion is the number one malcontent in the league.I rank him even above stephon marbury.

  • max

    Imo the NOW part was kind of forgotten when ranking the PFs, because i would ,right now, rather build a team around Dirk than any other pf in the game. Duncans getting old (at least thats what it looked like to me last season) and more injury prone, and i think that pau and dirk rank even in most parts of the game, but dirk has the 3 and other teams have to really adjust when playing dirk. And then theres that All-NBA first team…

  • http://www.realcavsfans.com Anton

    Shaq > Dwight

  • TONEY BLARE

    did they pay russ in…RAMSTEIN??

  • jdote

    i actually don’t mind ai being in the top ten, since a lot of the list seems 2005ish. The Matrix being a top ten sf and Kidd being a top ten point has to be more about careers than right now. Im not sure D Rose is better than Billups or even Rondo. I luv the kid but his defense is suspect.

  • Jordan

    After this season Danny will be up to at least 4 on the SF list.

  • http://slamonline.com Brad Long

    I saw Paul and tried to delete it last min. dammnit.

  • http://slamonline.com Brad Long

    I saw Paul and tried to delete it last min. dammnit.

  • http://fashionsensei.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/jackie-moon.jpg Jackie Moon

    @Lang Thanks for the Grilled Cheese Sandwich Video! mmmmm cheeese.

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