The NBA world has always been fascinated with all-time player rankings as they look to figure out who is the best to ever do it. We often see analysts give us their opinions on the topic and it unsurprisingly leads to a lot of debate and discussions, as was the case when Colin Cowherd gave us his All-time NBA rosters.
Cowherd is known for his flaming hot takes and here he was attempting to highlight Steph Curry’s impact on the game as he feels that the Warriors guard perhaps isn’t appreciated as much as he should be. He had Steph on his Third team and argued that no one in NBA history can do what Curry can:
"Very rarely are great players underrated. Michael didn't change the game. LeBron didn't change the game. Steph changed the sport."
— @ColinCowherd puts together his All-Time NBA rosters pic.twitter.com/tSnyDDNCM4
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) May 19, 2022
“Very rarely are great players underrated. Michael didn’t change the game. LeBron didn’t change the game. Steph changed the sport.” — @ColinCowherd puts together his All-Time NBA rosters
As for his First team, there can be few arguments about who Cowherd went with here, as it consisted of Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Larry Bird, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Four of those are pretty much locked for everyone, while Cowherd justified having Bird in there over Tim Duncan as the team lacked some outside shooting.
For his Second team, he had Isiah Thomas, Kobe Bryant, Julius Erving, Tim Duncan, and Wilt Chamberlain, some of the biggest names in NBA history. The Third team consisted of Curry, Jerry West, Charles Barkley, Kevin Durant, and Shaquille O’Neal. NBA fans, as you would expect, had a lot to say about Cowherd’s rankings here:
https://twitter.com/simshine95/status/1527358106816364547
Agree. He did change the game. That DOESN'T mean he is a top 15 all-time player. He is in the 20-11 range for sure.
— Al Gator (@AlexKepfer) May 19, 2022
https://twitter.com/RevDJEsq/status/1527354708637401095
Mark Jackson changed the game too! You can no longer back down a player for more than 5 seconds because of Mark Jackson.
— RocketsIn6!! (@TVerse82) May 19, 2022
Jordan didn’t change the game? They interviewed other players about him, and they said he’s a nice player, but you have to have a dominant big man to win. He’s the one who made it a guard league, and they changed officiating because of it too.
— Colt1317 (@JColt1317) May 19, 2022
https://twitter.com/CristianMusk25/status/1527361106141818897https://twitter.com/BullishRaven/status/1527397398821195782
Colin with another absurd opinion.
— Serenity Now! 🇺🇸 (@Serenitynow1776) May 19, 2022
https://twitter.com/DaxGeb/status/1527353696169840676
Nothing more to say, Colin … 💯👌🏀
— Linda Vastardis (@OriginalLinnie) May 20, 2022
Colin whatever good stuff you are taking is having an adverse effect!
— Mitch (@Mitch22823515) May 19, 2022
Jordan didn’t change the game? Lebron didn’t change the game? You a bozo for even thinking that 🤦♂️
— ⒶCOSTVNZVⒶ (@COSTVNZA) May 19, 2022
Solid 5, might switch @KDTrey5 at the 3 move Bron to the 4 and bring @SHAQ at center. https://t.co/JgMgAqOTr6
— Vinny (@vinnyv37) May 20, 2022
•first team: magic, jordan, lebron, bird, kareem
•second team: oscar, kobe, kd, duncan, russell
•third team: curry, guy from lakers hbo show, baylor, giannis, wilt
apologies to shaq, hakeem, & moses. 3 of the 12 greatest ever imo just too many centers https://t.co/KVIjmKO7bo
— Stu Heffernan (@MattSchaubFreak) May 19, 2022
I agree with 99% of this…but MJ changed the game! https://t.co/iumpfRVSMT
— Coach Eric Carrillo (@BigEZ77) May 19, 2022
His reasoning behind the starting fives is valid, but insulating that the rise of smaller, driving, athletic guard sponsored by MJ didn’t change the game is criminal, don’t even get me started on Lebron. Can’t wait till I’m in that chair, man. https://t.co/sdZyrUdqzV
— Billy Listyl (@BListyl) May 19, 2022
From the looks of it, only a few seem to have major issues with his teams, as someone like Bill Russell probably deserves a spot in there someone. Most of the people seem to be taking issue with the remark that Jordan and LeBron didn’t change the game, which is quite frankly a bit absurd to say at this point.
As one fan correctly pointed out, before Jordan, the sentiment around the league was that you needed a great big man to have success in the NBA, but he changed that notion. Jordan showed that a great guard can get it done at the highest level and we have seen that over and over again since then.
