Why is Wilt West and Russell all soo underrated and MJ so overrated???

Question

They critize Wilt for playing way back in another Era and thats why he could score 100 pts, well Kobe scored 81, 50/60 numerous times in the current era against all sorts of talent, like Prince, Artest, which are designed to stop player like Kobe. So that myth is debunked. Also Mj had to play 8 years and wait for Pippen to win. Mj waited for Bird and Magic to leave before he could win. MJ was great but I dont think he was the best ever. He was the best of his watered down era. He also had a great team that everyone seems to forget. Everyone from Pippen to Rodman had their role on the team. It was well built and In between Magic, Birds, Dr. J primes and Shaq, AI, KG, Kobe, Duncan coming of age. Espn sold a whole generation on him. The 60s was one of the most talent eras in the history of the game. Look it up. With was playing people like Russell, Baylor, West, Halvick, Oscar, Mikan, Jones, Cousy

Answer 1

Because, those guys played before ESPN and 24 hour sports TV, and NIKE, and David Stern.

In the 60's the focus was on the TEAMS. In the 90's, thanks to David Stern, the focus was on the INDIVIDUALS.

They over-hyped Jordan in order to sell tickets to casual fans.

MICHAEL JORDAN SUCKS!

Answer 2

Because you and King are LMAO!!! kOBE SUCKS WITHOUT Shaq.

Answer 3

-Why is Jordan so good, that people only compare him to players from the 50's and 60's?

-Jordan is the best player from the modern era, live with it.......................

-Some things are just set in stone

Who's the best basketball player? Michael Jordan

Who's the best Hockey Player? Wayne Gretzky

Who's the best QB? Joe Montana

Whos the best professional wrestler? LOL Hulk Hogan

Whos the best rapper? 2-pac

etc

etc

etc

Answer 4

David Stern and David Falk were not active in the 60's.

Somebody claimed that Kobe is so and so superior to Russell because he is a great defensive player and scores a lot of points. What this argument forgets is that Russell is a great defensive player and an awesome REBOUNDER. Russ averaged 22rpg, second highest all time but Russ is #1 in the post season with 24.9rpg. Rebounding is a completely seperate aspect of the game from scoring and defense (and ball movement ie. passing and dribbling); thats why you differentiate it into offensive or defensive rebounding. The rest of the Celtics could just focus on scoring (and ball movement but Russell's outlet passing is a critical contribution to the Celtics ball movement) knowing that the other 2 important aspects of the game are in Russell's capable hands.

And really comparing Kobe's defensive impact to Russell is really stretching it. Not only was Russ a great one on one defender who draws the tough assignments (and in the 60's there was almost always a talented big man to guard), he was also a fantastic help defender; a catch all defensive net for the Celtics that plays havoc on opposing teams offense. You've got opposing coaches lamenting that their players on the floor all thinks Russell is guarding him on every play.

I've said this once and i'll say it again, KC Jones was drafted in 1956 like Russell and Heinsohn but he only started to play during 1958-59 season because of his 2 year Army service. He wasnt there for Russell's first ring and neither was he of importance the next few years after since he was a bench player and Cousy was manning the point.

Heinsohn retired after the 1965 season. He wasnt in the lineup for the 1966 season when Russell lead the team to its eight-peat and its ninth title in ten years. Heinsohn by the way only won the Rookie of the Year over his fellow rookie Russell because Russ was removed out of the running from any awards during his rookie year. Its because Russell signed his contract with the Celtics midway into the season in December, and played only half a season. Russ did this to maintain his amateur status and play in the Olympics.

Also did i mention that either of the two werent there when Russell PLAYERcoached the Celtics to two more championships in '68 and '69?

Saying that Russell's first 8 rings are overrated would invalidate every other NBA champion's rings. Mind you all teams in the 60's were loaded with hall of famers because the NCAA and NIT (when it still mattered) talent pool was concentrated in only 8-9 teams. Having plenty of help in the Celtic team with Russell is no big thing. Those Hall of Famers never won anything with out Russell. Heck when Russell retired, the celtics went down 14 games and did not even went into the Playoffs. The '94 Bulls w/o Jordan went to the Playoffs and only lost the series because of a disputed call against the eventual eastern champions. And even without his rings Russell still has his MVP's and statistical records to fall back to (remember half of the stats and awards were not existent during Russell's time). And try as you might you could never invalidate Russell's last two rings when he PLAYERcoached his aging and depleted team to victory. Shaq's, Duncan's, Jordan's, Magic's, Bird's, Wilt's, Mikan's etc. rings could only be attributed to talented teammates (and coach) and by some twisted logic be summarily dismissed as overrated and invalid, Russell would still be left with his two rings, everybody else's ring count would be zero.

Anybody find it amusing that Jordan fans are quick to point out to Jordan's one ring advantage over Magic as proof of his superiority but BACK PEDALS and declares rings are OVERRATED when compared to his ring-superior Bill Russell?

Answer 5

NBA fans (mostly teens 13+ - 30) grew up watching MJ. Therefore MJ is the man...and because he has his own shoe, his own brand, and all that stuff.  

Answer 6

Russell's 8 rings in a row is over rated.  He played on a team that had 4 hall of famers in the lineup his first 8 rings and all guys were in their primes at the same time.  Russells team was so good his main job was to play defense and grab the rebound and make sure he made the out let pass to cousy.  He only averaged about 16 ppg...you know why..because he didn't have to score, guys like couse cousy and sharman averaged about 20 ppg as well as sam jones and k.c. jones.  Tommy Heinsohn was rookie of the year and also came to the team the same time Russell did.  So Russell had 2 hall of famers that joined the team the same time he did in winning his first 8 rings.  

Guys like kobe have it a lot rougher.  Kobe plays shut down defense on the best offensive player night in and night out and he also has to put up about 25ppg to keep his team in it.  Russell never had to worry about scoring 25-30 ppg game night in and night out.  He was a lot more rested when the playoffs came and only had to turn it on when his team needed him.  Their has never been a team from 1-8 as good as the celtics were ever.  MJ is the same thing.  On a great team in a watered down 90's.  only reason you don't here much about russell and wilt because that was over 30 years ago.  And if you wanna say Russell still won championship without cousy,heinsohn and k.c. jones...i give that to him, but that's only 3 rings without his great core team.  So in essence Russell is more equal to a tim duncan or shaq in the ring department.  And those teams that he was player coach and won those last 3 rings were still arguably best of all time.  Great teamates bill had.

But I do think Kareem, Russell, Wilt, Oscar, and West were all better than Jordan.

Answer 7

Its gotta be his Sneakerline. If you look on youtube and search "Sneakerheads" you will see kids lined up for days trying to cop the lastest Jordan sneaker. Some J's sell for about $500 on Ebay, the hype is crazy. Thats why kids/teens are so obsessed over MJ.

Answer 8

jordan was just a superstar and still is an icon. he was the face of the nba because he was so clutch and a great player and leader. maybe wilt and west were just as good, but they werent above the game like jordan was. he was more than a basketball player hes just greatness

Answer 9

Basically just because the majority of people on here grew up watching MJ and never seen any of the players from the 60s. So they automatically assume he was the best player