Semi OT: 2024 Team USA/Olympic Basketball Thread

[Crystallas]

I like Curry. But it was fun to watch pre-knee injury Rose, pretty much cancel Steph out in those matchups.

Goat behind the arc. That's as much as I'll give him. Of course, if you faintly touch him in his era, he's going to the line. Makes it pretty unfair to compare across eras.

But as far as respect....
I do consider Steph up there, just not sure if it's top-10. I respect that he wasn't a ring chaser. I don't have a single ring chaser in my top-10, unless they're at the end of their career, past the point where they need to prove themselves able to win without going to Miami like a fool. Start with one team, and looks like he will finish with that team. That is a major plus in my book. That's something I greatly respect.

 

[knoxville7]

I like Curry. But it was fun to watch pre-knee injury Rose, pretty much cancel Steph out in those matchups.

Goat behind the arc. That's as much as I'll give him. Of course, if you faintly touch him in his era, he's going to the line. Makes it pretty unfair to compare across eras.

But as far as respect....
I do consider Steph up there, just not sure if it's top-10. I respect that he wasn't a ring chaser. I don't have a single ring chaser in my top-10, unless they're at the end of their career, past the point where they need to prove themselves able to win without going to Miami like a fool. Start with one team, and looks like he will finish with that team. That is a major plus in my book. That's something I greatly respect.

So you don’t have LeBron in your top 10?!

 

[Scoot26]

So you don’t have LeBron in your top 10?!

Wild. But that's why these lists are always quite subjective.

 

[knoxville7]

Wild. But that's why these lists are always quite subjective.

true, but at the same time i think its fair to say that subjectively or not....LeBron is a top 10 player all time. To claim otherwise only diminishes the posters takes on things IMO

 

[Scoot26]

true, but at the same time i think its fair to say that subjectively or not....LeBron is a top 10 player all time. To claim otherwise only diminishes the posters takes on things IMO

Ive pretty much despised LeBron his entire career, but yeah there's no way I'm not putting him on a top 10 all time list.

But I don't have a team loyalty criteria or anti-ring chaser stipulation.

 

[knoxville7]

Ive pretty much despised LeBron his entire career, but yeah there's no way I'm not putting him on a top 10 all time list.

But I don't have a team loyalty criteria or anti-ring chaser stipulation.

im right there with you on the despising of lebron, but you have to acknowledge greatness when it is due still.

different sport, but i wonder if the poster would consider Tom Brady a ring chaser for going to Tampa? Would Tom be eliminated from GOAT status in his eyes??

 

[SilenceS]

im right there with you on the despising of lebron, but you have to acknowledge greatness when it is due still.

different sport, but i wonder if the poster would consider Tom Brady a ring chaser for going to Tampa? Would Tom be eliminated from GOAT status in his eyes??

I wouldnt consider that apples to apples. Brady left cause of the falling out with Belli and he wanted to prove he was him. Lebron left to get a ring. Lebron is top 10 without a doubt and honestly, the sure stamina and freak he is at this age. He is only behind Jordan to me and Im not a Bron Bron fan. But, Lebron and the decision was the most ring chasing, cringe thing. I dont blame players for doing it. You want to win.

 

[clonetrooper264]

im right there with you on the despising of lebron, but you have to acknowledge greatness when it is due still.

different sport, but i wonder if the poster would consider Tom Brady a ring chaser for going to Tampa? Would Tom be eliminated from GOAT status in his eyes??

I'm with Silence on this one, Brady's "legacy" as it was, was already set with NE. Winning another with Tampa wasn't out of ring chaser type of motivation. It's apples and oranges anyway as the two sports just work differently. If anything, Gronk coming out of retirement to play with Brady is the closer comparison.

 

[knoxville7]

I wouldnt consider that apples to apples. Brady left cause of the falling out with Belli and he wanted to prove he was him. Lebron left to get a ring. Lebron is top 10 without a doubt and honestly, the sure stamina and freak he is at this age. He is only behind Jordan to me and Im not a Bron Bron fan. But, Lebron and the decision was the most ring chasing, cringe thing. I dont blame players for doing it. You want to win.

I'm with Silence on this one, Brady's "legacy" as it was, was already set with NE. Winning another with Tampa wasn't out of ring chaser type of motivation. It's apples and oranges anyway as the two sports just work differently. If anything, Gronk coming out of retirement to play with Brady is the closer comparison.

I would just counter with the fact that Brady chose TB because he thought he could win a ring there. Is that not ring chasing??

I agree there are differing degrees to it, but I’d still say Brady left to go try to win a ring. The reasoning for leaving isn’t relevant as to whether it was due to Bill or not

Different points in their careers, but I’d still say Brady left with the goal of winning a ring elsewhere to prove he could do it without bill, and that’s chasing a ring still

 

[Axl Rose]

No LeBron in the top 10 would be crazy. Wade and Bosh had lost a step on ring 1 and were washed by ring 2. The only ring chase year in terms of creating an unfair advantage ended up being 2011. LeBron did the heavy lifting after that (also Ray hitting that shot).

LeBron has maybe the strongest case for #1. Its ironically him quitting in the 2011 Finals that's hard to overlook - but then you have him beating a 73-9 team which is an incredible accomplishment.

 

[clonetrooper264]

I would just counter with the fact that Brady chose TB because he thought he could win a ring there. Is that not ring chasing??

I agree there are differing degrees to it, but I’d still say Brady left to go try to win a ring. The reasoning for leaving isn’t relevant as to whether it was due to Bill or not

Different points in their careers, but I’d still say Brady left with the goal of winning a ring elsewhere to prove he could do it without bill, and that’s chasing a ring still

I suppose, but still you have to admit "ring chasing" at the end of your career in your 40s doesn't quite hold the same weight as "ring chasing" when you're like 26. Like...ring chasing is something you would associate with an older player typically no?

Admittedly, I also don't really know how stacked Tampa was when Brady got there either. I know the receivers were good, but that's about it.

 

[knoxville7]

I suppose, but still you have to admit "ring chasing" at the end of your career in your 40s doesn't quite hold the same weight as "ring chasing" when you're like 26. Like...ring chasing is something you would associate with an older player typically no?

Admittedly, I also don't really know how stacked Tampa was when Brady got there either. I know the receivers were good, but that's about it.

sure, like i said there are different levels to "ring chasing." but the original poster about leaving ring chasers off the list didnt specify the level at which it bothers them, they just said they hate ring chasers. that to me is a general distaste for those that do such a thing

if that poster wants to clarify at all, they can by all means do so. till then, we are left to assume it is a general dislike for ring chasers that would cause them to leave someone as great as lebron out of the top 10(which is just asinine)

 

[Crystallas]

But I did

 

[knoxville7]

But I did

yep, and it was a pretty terrible take to leave LeBron out of the top 10