Players who “deserve” to win championships.

[nikeball]

EDIT - please move to Around NBA thread. I accidentallly put it in "Other Sports Talk"
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I got bored at work so I decided to put this list together.


Players who “deserve” to win championships.

Early this year, I heard many cries from fans that Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett “deserve” to win a championship and thus would be rooting for the Boston Celtics in the finals. What criteria sets players apart from those who do or don’t deserve to win a championship? This is my attempt to make a list.

My Criteria:

1. All-Star – Only multiple-time All-Stars currently in the NBA on this list, because others won’t have a chance to win a championship because they have retired, died, or are in jail. Role Players are interchangeable because they are a dime a dozen. They are traded more easily and are more likely to change teams in the free agent market. This also factors in skill. It is assumed that All-Stars have skill. Bad players won’t make multiple All-Star teams. It is possible that bad players will make an All-Star team during weak years. See 2004 Jamaal Magloire. On my list I also included players who have announced a possible return to the NBA. MVPs are weighted a little more heavily here.

2. Veteran – Must be in the league at least 7 years. Careers are more productive and longer with NBA franchises drafting younger players. The progress of medicine in the 20th and 21st century also contributes to longevity. Younger players will have more chances to win later.

3. Loyalty – This is a hard criterion to judge. Money plays a huge factor in the NBA these days. It is hard to stay with one team in the NBA with the salary cap and the collective bargaining agreement. Trade demands and in-fighting with teammates and/or coaches have a negative impact in this section. Call me old-school but I think players should stick it out with the franchise they started with unless there is some huge scandal like hiring Isiah Thomas as your President/coach.

4. Heart - Does the player have a love for the game? Love for the game includes practice. Gym rats who are constantly in the gym fine-tuning aspects of their game. Do they play through injuries? Do they hustle and play “the right way?”

5. Character – Are they in the news constantly for negative things? Do these multi-millionaires give back to the community? Morally upstanding?

6. Winning – Do these players win games? Are they constantly in the playoffs? Do their teams advance? A lot of people think that teams with one good player cannot win playoff games. It has been proven that a single great player can carry a team.

7. Adversity – Is there something holding them back? A monkey they can’t get off their backs? A hump they can’t get over? How do they respond to this?



These are the players you should be rooting for:

Steve Nash – Who has more accolades besides Nash who has not won a championship? 2 MVPs, 6 time All-NBA. Credited for turning around the Suns and helped resurrect the Mavericks. Huge Humanitarian. Players & Coaches love to be around him

Dikembe Mutombo probably had one of the most underrated careers, 8x All-Star, Regarded as one of the best post defenders ever. Built hospital in Africa.

Dirk Nowitzki – Homer pick - If Kevin Garnett deserves one, why not Dirk? Dirk has a MVP, 7x All-Star, 8x All-NBA to his resume. Dirk Nowtizki Foundation. UNPARALLELED work ethic. Comes back from terrible looking injuries in days. Teammates/coaches/police love him. Excelled with many different players on team. Has had playoff successes & blunders.

Reggie Miller – Would have a championship but he had to play in the Jordan Era. 5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA, great showman, clutch performer of the late 90s and early 00s. Terrible announcer.


Honorable Mention:
Peja Stojakovic (If Ray Allen, why not Peja?),
Tracy McGrady (many questions about his work ethic, injuries, the way he plays).
Grant Hill – Although struggled with injury, had MANY surgeries just so he could play again. For many other players they would’ve just given up. Career is very similar to TMac – Multiple all-stars/all-nba teams never got out of first round
Jason Kidd (did not end well with NJN. But teammates/media love him. Cons – beat his hot wife, kid’s head is way too big.)
Allen Iverson has one of the biggest hearts in the NBA on the floor-gives 110%. Cons- MANY off the floor issues with coaches/teammates/practice/lawmen.


Players to root against –
Stephon Marbury (labeled as team cancer),
Steve Francis (team cancer, work ethic in Orlando/nyk),
Jerry Stackhouse (quite possibly one of the dumbest players ever to play the game q=) - I am NOT a Stackhouse fan.).
Vince Carter (quitter)

Others who make the All-star/Veteran cut:
Has not done enough in career yet: Gilbert Arenas, Joe Johnson, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Allan Houston, Brad Miller, Antwan Jamison, Eddie Jones, Elton Brand
Whiner: Chris Webber, Shawn Marion
Injuries: Jermaine O’neal, Anfernee Hardaway, Baron Davis

[birdsanctuary]

I question T-Mac's addition to the list of honorable mention and I used to hate Starbury, but after learning about Marbury creating an inexpensive line of shoes for poor inner city kids. I bump him up onto the Honorable Mention list.

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[BGMaverick9]

I mean out of the "stars" of the league, whether it be by fans or the media, Dirk and Nash have to be pretty high up on the list if not at the top. Now that KG has gotten his they have to be up a few notches.

People will say Melo and Lebron obviously, but they haven't been in the league as long as those two have and haven't been through the playoffs as many times.

[ty]

I'm not sure if anybody would say Melo. Maybe not even Denver fans. The man is a defensive flop.