Fans of different eras of the BA often like to talk about what would happen if all-time greats met on the blacktop for street basketball instead of the regulation NBA basketball we see them play. The game changes a lot when there aren’t NBA rules to dictate the pace and call fouls, so an excellent NBA player may not be a great street player and vice versa.
However, most NBA players got their start by playing pick-up hoops at courts around wherever they grew up. Caron Butler was on All The Smoke with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson when the hosts asked the current assistant coach of the Miami Heat about the ideal 5-man lineup that he would bring to the blacktop.
Butler had a great list, naming 2 of the greatest guards in NBA history on his team: Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. He had some great wing depth by adding prime Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson while rounding the team out with one of the greatest microwave scorers of the last era in Jamal Crawford.
Not a bad list, @realtuffjuice. 🔥
Which 🖐 are you taking with you to the blacktop? pic.twitter.com/WuM8Ne98nQ
— All the Smoke (@allthesmokeprod) August 31, 2022
“To the blacktop? I’ll tell you, God rest his soul, my brother Kobe Bryant, I’ll take him on any blacktop. You get busy anywhere, so I’ll take MJ. I’ll need enforcers, so I’ll bring you both also. Imma go and get busy with it and coach the team with the seat I am at. I got J-Crossover getting busy out there.”
This team would be a treat to watch, especially in a street setting. Crawford would put on a show with his handles and ability to finish around the rim, while Bryant and MJ could put on their own dunk contest and mid-range clinic if they had to. Barnes and Jackson would do all the dirty work against the opponents on defense and could be counted on to hit the occasional big shot.
NBA 2K allows us to put these lineups into the video game and see how they’d play out. Sadly, there is no way to do that in real-life unless players get together to do so. That won’t be possible but this is very well-constructed and would be a dangerous team.
