One of the more fun things to do in the sports world is speculate. Speculate on the outcome of games. Speculate on “what if” situations. Speculate on what the future will hold.
I consider myself a basketball historian. So, I am going to “speculate” and try to come up with the best team I possibly can. I have to throw a caveat in here, because otherwise the hate mail will pour in. I am NOT, repeat, NOT picking the best player at every position. I am picking a TEAM that could conceivably play together for the length of an NBA season.
Without further adieu, here is my list:
Point: Magic Johnson.
A lot of reasons to pick Magic here. He was 6’9” and yet played point. He could see over anyone. He could rebound and score in the post. One of, if not THE, most versatile players ever. He would be my trigger man. He can play run-n-gun or slow it down. He is a brilliant offensive force.
Two-guard: Jerry West
I picked West because I needed a zone buster. West’s jump shot is one of the best of all time. But he was not a one-trick pony. He could run faster than almost anyone. He could defend like crazy. Having him allows Magic to guard a bigger player while West guards the opponents point.
Small forward: Scottie Pippen
Pippen could do it all. He was the greatest sidekick the league has ever seen. He was a lockdown defender and a great team defender as well. He could handle the ball and hit jump shots to spread the floor. He could attack. He rebounded.
Power forward: Dennis Rodman
I have a lot of scorers on this team, so I need someone who is willing to do the dirty work and not complain. Enter Rodman. Rodman serves a lot of purposes on this roster. For one, he is pound for pound the second best rebounder ever. The guy just knew where to be and above all, wanted it more than anyone else. Second, he is the most insane defensive player I have ever seen. Call him dirty, I don’t care. He got the job done. I watched his Bulls beat my Jazz twice in a row in the late 90’s for the title. It’s easy to say that Jordan and Pippen were the reason the Bulls won. I would argue that Rodman was just as valuable, if not more so, to that team. He was the only player in the league who could get in the head of Karl Malone. And that is what won the Bulls the title, as much as anything anyone else did.
There is no discrete metric called “Basketball IQ”, but if someone were to come up with a way to measure a person’s “Basketball IQ”, I would stake my reputation on Dennis Rodman’s being in the top 5 of all time. The guy knew his strengths, he knew the game, and he did exactly what his team needed him to do. Yes, he was the most bizarre human that basketball has ever seen, but he was one heck of a player.
Center: Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem might be the greatest combination of power and grace that basketball has ever seen. He remains my all-time favorite player to watch, and that is saying something when you consider how frequently he dominated my favorite team, the Utah Jazz.
Hakeem had great moves in the low post, a soft touch, and a power that came from tireless work. He ran the floor like a guard. He took personal pride in his defense. He was a great shot blocker and resilient rebounder. He was one of the most complete centers of all time.
This team could run a five-man fast break that would be very difficult to stop. They would rebound the ball like there is no tomorrow. My point and wings could all handle the ball and initiate the offense. With the exception of Magic, all of my starting five are elite defenders. Magic would be taught to force his man toward Olajuwon, where Hakeem would clean up any junk left behind. My team could also play half-court basketball, which would be crucial in the playoffs.
This team does have some weaknesses. West is the only dead-eye shooter with Pippen as a decent second option. A quick guard like Chris Paul or Rajon Rondo might be able to get into open spots as well. Finally, a big center, such as Shaq or Wilt Chamberlain, might be able to wear down my frontcourt, but that problem will be solved when I reveal who would be playing off the bench later this week……
So there you have it, that is my starting line up. What would you change? What would your all-time starting lineup look like?
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