Over the decades, NBA has grown a lot in terms of talent and popularity all around the globe. It is due to the impact created by the likes of Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Michael Jordan, who took the sport to a global level.
As a result, we now have players from many parts of the world showcasing their talent in the league. So much so that, over the last four seasons, a foreign player has won the NBA regular season MVP award.
There are players of many ethnicities in the league. Recently, Houston-based actor/comedian Keraun Harris a.k.a. King Keraun, asked NBA fans a question on Twitter. He urged them to name a starting 5 of the best all-time white NBA players.
https://twitter.com/Kingkeraun/status/1527073288031068160
Apparently, the actor forgot to mention his criteria for white players. Fans were confused about whether to name players from European origins on the list or not. Regardless, many fans gave it a shot, and here is what they came up with.
PG Jason Williams
SG Luka Doncic
SF Larry Bird
PF Dirk
C Bill Laimbeer
My squad running you off the floor and shooting your lights out
— DontMoveToAtlanta (@Gentlemen_Alive) May 19, 2022
Pete Maravich
Rick Barry
Jerry West
Kevin McHale
Bill Laimbeer
No euro players, bird is an easy pick
— TeeReazly (@TroyTatePDX) May 19, 2022
Jason Kidd
Tyler Herro
Luka
Dirk
Bird Man Anderson
— ICantName5 🫨🔫 (@_toopac) May 19, 2022
Guards: Pistol Pete, Steve Nash
Forwards: Dirk, Bird
Center: either Portland Bill Walton or Euro league Arvydas Sabonis
Some of y'all answers show you don't know basketball
— Chance the Scrapper (@DrewEveryday) May 19, 2022
Do they have to be full white or can they have a little white in them? pic.twitter.com/bCpwSmc8VH
— Thomas (@TheodorePupples) May 18, 2022
Stockton
West
Barry
Bird
Walton
— devin phillips (@djdx71485) May 19, 2022
(Only using White American players)
PG – John Stockton
SG – John Havlecik
SF – Larry Bird
PF – Kevin Love
C – Bill Walton
— Georges Dominique 🇭🇹 📸 👨🏿🍳 🎺👨🏿✈️ (@TheGeorge407) May 19, 2022
Blake Griffin
Shane Battier
Doug Christie
Klay Thompson
Jason Kidd
— DaBrad (@DaBrad2) May 19, 2022
1st Team
John Stockton
Jerry West
Larry Bird
Bob Pettit
George Mikan
2nd
Steve Nash
Manu Ginobili
Paul Arizin
Dirk Nowitzki
Nikola Jokic
3rd
Bob Cousy
John Havlicek
Rick Barry
Dolph Schayes
Ed Macauley
— Matheus G. (@matheusgallina.bsky.social) (@MatheusDVG) May 19, 2022
‘White’ players of any nationality?
PG – Steve Nash
SG – Manu Ginobli
SF – Larry Bird
PF – Dirk Nowitzki
C – Nikola Jokic
Purely ‘American-born’ white players?
PG – John Stockton
SG – Pete Maravich
SF – Larry Bird
PF – Kevin Love
C – Bill Walton
— SportsTalkQue (@SportsTalkQue) May 19, 2022
Jerry West
Pistol Pete Marivich
Larry Bird
John Stockton
Mark Price
— Melanie Solomon (@MellyMel985) May 19, 2022
https://twitter.com/big_sean_228/status/1527128189733990400https://twitter.com/jimmydinnyc/status/1527151271047725062
Americans only. Stockton West Bird McHale Walton is actually a pretty fire 5
— preacher boy sammie (@SamChotty) May 19, 2022
1-pistol pete
2-luka doncic
3-larry bird
4-dirk
5-bill Walton
1-john Stockton
2-john havlicek
3-rick barry
4-kevin mchale
5-jokic
1-jerry west
2-Steve nash
3-chris mullin
4-bob pettit
5-george mikan
— jack cloran (@jack_cloran12) May 19, 2022
https://twitter.com/jamiemurt64/status/1527083454357245956https://twitter.com/bijancbayne/status/1527126008742268928https://twitter.com/TheAldridges/status/1527077730340114432
WHITE MAMBA!!! pic.twitter.com/7IsWGEIgVj
— Colt (@ColtZero) May 19, 2022
If we’re talking white-skinned: Stockton, Luka, Bird, Dirk, Jokic
If we’re talking white as in white Americans: Stockton, Mullin, Bird, McHale, K-Love
Luka was never a 2 but we play position-less now so lol
— Jeff (@Daqmos) May 19, 2022
pg: nash
sg: 1/2 steph
sf: 1/2 klay
pf: bird
c: dirk
— shi idk (@ABInThePool) May 19, 2022
John Stockton
Corey Kispert
Adam Morrison
Domantis Sabonis
Chet Holmgren
— James Franklin (@Just_joking93) May 19, 2022
The lack of Tom Chambers love in this thread is troubling pic.twitter.com/SmpgO3qHtv
— Chance the Scrapper (@DrewEveryday) May 19, 2022
https://twitter.com/Marcus_Scott_14/status/1527145403765780480
Nash
Luka
Bird
Dirk
Jokic
Kidd isn't there cos he isn't fully white I'm pretty sure
— Conflict of Interest (@robertmuh92) May 18, 2022
That's a difficult list, really not that many great white players since Bird. I'll go with the white players I watched play. Bird, Dirk, then it gets hard. Luka and Jokic haven't played long enough imo to be on an all time list, So there's Nash, Stockton, and Mchale
— Terrence Mohn (@citgo2005) May 19, 2022
PG Steve Nash
SG Luka Doncic
SF Larry Bird
PF Dirk Nowitzki
C Nikola Jokic
— Marcos A. Cruz Santos (@Marcuspokus) May 19, 2022
Steve Nash
Jerry West
Rick Barry
Larry Bird
Bill Walton
— Eric the Red (@RealEric4Real) May 19, 2022
https://twitter.com/ayotruthhh/status/1527185182670737410
PG- Jason Williams(white chocolate)
SG- Luka
SF- Larry Bird
PF- Dirk
C- Nikola Jokic
— Meg.G (@hoopsMG23) May 19, 2022
Fans suggested a lot of amazing 5-man lineups in the thread. A few fans took it to another level and decided to name a great bench to support these elite lineups created.
Looking at all the answers dropped by the fans, the majority of them featured John Stockton, Luka Doncic, Larry Bird, Dirk Nowitzki, and Nikola Jokic. Apart from these 5 players, many fans also noted that Jerry West and Steve Nash certainly deserve a nod in these discussions.
At the end of the day, creating such imaginary teams is always fun for the fans. But considering that most of the players mentioned in these lineups played in different eras, we will never get to see all of them share a court together. Maybe a few fans create these rosters on NBA 2K, but that’s the extent to it.
