Most Versatile players in NBA history

I was actually surprised Penny & Grant Hill were that low until i saw some of the players in the top 10. but the Westbrook on there over Penny was a bit of a head-scratcher.

http://www.complex.com/sports/2013/08/versatile-nba-players-history/

I'd still be inclined to rank Hill and Penny higher, not to mention Bird.

Can't believe that Larry Bird didn't make it to the top 10. And why the hell they include Westbrook on that list?

I'll put Dave Cowens on that list instead of Westbrook and although offensively limited, i can tell that Dennis Rodman is a very versatile player (especially his Detroit years)

Only used the top 100 players by WS who played 10000+ minutes because you do it if you want more.

Minimum 4pts 4rebs 4asts per 36:

Code:

Magic Johnson*
Larry Bird*
Bill Walton*
LeBron James
George McGinnis
Alvan Adams
Jerry West*
Michael Jordan*
Chris Webber
Billy Cunningham*
Clyde Drexler*
Julius Erving*
Oscar Robertson*
Tom Boerwinkle
Dwyane Wade
Rick Barry*
Micheal Ray Richardson
Rich Kelley
Fat Lever
Russell Westbrook
Tracy McGrady
Ray Williams
Sam Lacey
Connie Hawkins*
Scottie Pippen*
Jason Kidd
Chris Paul
Alex English*
Alvin Robertson
Kobe Bryant
Paul Pressey
Lamar Odom
Baron Davis
Walt Frazier*
John Havlicek*
Manu Ginobili
Steve Francis
Lenny Wilkens*
Grant Hill
Rod Strickland

Minimum 4pts 3rebs 3asts:

Code:

Magic Johnson*
Larry Bird*
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*
LeBron James
Alvan Adams
Charles Barkley*
Jerry West*
Bob Lanier*
Michael Jordan*
Chris Webber
Kevin Garnett
Clyde Drexler*
Tim Duncan
Karl Malone*
Julius Erving*
Oscar Robertson*
Dwyane Wade
Rick Barry*
Dave Cowens*
Tracy McGrady
Scottie Pippen*
Vlade Divac
Jason Kidd
Jack Sikma
Chris Paul
Marques Johnson
Alex English*
Kobe Bryant
Jerry Lucas*
Kevin Johnson
Isiah Thomas*
Bobby Jones
Pau Gasol
Wes Unseld*
Lamar Odom
Kevin Durant
Wilt Chamberlain*
Walt Frazier*
John Havlicek*
Manu Ginobili

LoL, Wade in between Larry Bird and Wilt Chamberlain. I approve this shit. #sarcaStatiscally

The writer has it messed up like benji with his list. Being 'versatile' should never include one dimensional player like T-Mac, Kobe, and Westbrook. They're high usage, low efficient players with needs of ball in their hands to do anything productive and lemme mention about their inability to play any other way than jacking up the shots. Say, any average player can do 4-4-4 with 25%+ usage. The thing is Wilt's game was just as versatile as LeBron and he's like 15 rank lower? LeBron dickriders, wake up. Wilt was asked to change his game completely, was asked to play within or build a completely different basketball system, and was also asked to play different sports lol, and the outcome was CONTENDER at all levels.

Some players like T-Man and Eastbrook need specific structure and system to flourish. That's not being versatile even though you might be getting your 4-4-4. Now, Wade is versatile because he can still be a batman on teams with LeBron, Shaq, and Beasley. Yet still he was successful so was the team.

23.8pts 6.1rebs 5.0asts 1.3stls 0.9blks
24.1pts 4.9rebs 5.9asts 1.7stls 1.0blks

Which player is "more versatile"?

How about we in add in this one?
23.5pts 5.0rebs 7.3asts 1.8stls 0.3blks

23.8pts 6.1rebs 5.0asts 1.3stls 0.9blks
24.1pts 4.9rebs 5.9asts 1.7stls 1.0blks

Which player is "more versatile"?

This guy.

How about we in add in this one?
23.5pts 5.0rebs 7.3asts 1.8stls 0.3blks

Still the guy above.

What are you on about?

Explain why using no other information.

Because you forgot to add them.

whoever made this list sucks. so many players out of place on the list. how is the fuck was barkley more versatile than bird? i might even argue for pippen being higher than he is.

The dumbest thing is Russell higher than Bird and Bird's 15th ranking when the guy writes in his "explanation":

Bird was one of the best ever because he could simply do everything; he was a tremendous passer, strong rebounder, and an assassin from deep (five seasons shooting 40-plus percent on threes). Perhaps his most underrated skill over time has been his defense; not only did he make three All-Defensive teams, but he ranks 31st all-time in steals despite guarding predominantly post players. Not bad for a slowpoke that can't jump.

But what do you expect from a Bleacher Report knock-off.

yeah the entire list is really messed up. he puts hill lower cause he had a shorter career, ok whatever, but he was one of the most versatile players to ever step on the damn court.

So whom would you guys include in the coversation of versatility? Whose game is dynamic? Who can play interchangeable positionally? Who can fit into many different kind of team structure/system without hurting much? Whose game was more than one/multi-dimensional? Who can simply do everything?

Wade

I can respect that 'versatility' differs from person to person.

to me being able to fill many roles is what makes you versatile. to me this guy seems to consider being athletic as being versatile

Who can fit into many different kind of team structure/system without hurting much? Whose game was more than one/multi-dimensional? Who can simply do everything?

Lamar Odom 2k10 edition

to me this guy seems to consider being athletic as being versatile

What about Andrei Kirilenko? I thought he should have been on the list instead of at least Westbrook.

Kirilenko should be there, as a top 10.

Also, Lamar Odom and Boris Diaw deserve some love, Diaw entered the league as a SG, in Phoenix he played SG, SF, PF, C and Point Forward.

What about Andrei Kirilenko? I thought he should have been on the list instead of at least Westbrook.

thats what i was thinking but he seems to only consider big name players. he cares less about how versatile someone is and more about how good they were

Giving the list another glance, it seems to be equating versatility to being multi-talented/well-rounded. While they might go hand-in-hand a lot of the time, they aren't necessarily the same thing.

Take Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen for example. Both were great offensively and defensively, could play more than one position, had great numbers across the board and were skilled in basically every facet of the game. However, while Jordan was the better player, Pippen was more versatile as his role was dynamic, changing to whatever the team needed of him at that particular moment. MJ's approach would vary slightly at times - sometimes he'd start slower and be a facilitator, other times he'd be attacking out of the gate - but as the number one option and alpha dog, his role was more consistent with less variation.

What about Andrei Kirilenko? I thought he should have been on the list instead of at least Westbrook.

On that note, I think Hakeem Olajuwon should be on this list as well. Having multiple five-by-fives should count for something in the versatility category.

They should also considered Hakeem Olajuwon.

Last edited by Alpha_ on Thu Aug 22, 2013 8:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Kobe at 9 is a travesty when he showed his versatility as the Pippen in the Triangle offense when he played with Shaq and Kobe became the Jordan when The Mamba became the main man.

this entire list is fucked up. i spit on it