What is your All-NBA Team using only players in the 21st century?

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  • Poncier
    Poncier Posts: 18,063
    Glorified KC said:
    Poncier said:
    Shaq with his size and athleticism would do fine in any era.
    Anyone who thinks he wouldn't succeed in today's NBA is just forgetting (or maybe didn't witness) what a dominating presence he was in his prime.

    It's more of the ball-handling aspect and inability to step into a jump shot or catch and shoot.  Would he get his inside?  Probably, but to have him constantly running up-and-down the court (like the Suns/Nugs game last night)?  I'm not so sure.  He's more effective in a half court game rather than in transition.
    Again I say folks are misremembering just how athletic Shaq was in his prime.

    https://youtu.be/2I5q-IEh7Kg
    This weekend we rock Portland
  • Johnny Abruzzo
    Johnny Abruzzo Philly Posts: 12,546
    Glorified KC said:
    Ledbetterman10 said:
    tempo_n_groove said:
    Ledbetterman10 said:
    Rather than go by the traditional positions (they're kinda meaningless these days anyway), I'm gonna just make my best possible starting five....

    PG: LeBron James
    SG: Steph Curry
    SF: Kevin Durant 
    PF: Tim Duncan
    C: Shaq

    I think this works. LeBron already does the point-forward thing that Pippen used to do. Durant is a "power forward" in height only. Otherwise he totally plays like a small forward. And they can list Steph as a point guard all they want, but nobody in league history should have "shooting" in their title more than he should. 
    I like your 4 but Shaq is a liability in todays game.
    I actually think it's possible that he'd be more dominant now. Who even knows how to defend a guy in the low post these days? Even the guys that knew how to do it back in in the day (Mourning, Mutumbo, etc.) got dominated by Shaq regularly. 

    I also just watched a four-part Shaq documentary on HBO Max so I'm just kinda in a Shaq "mood." Fun doc. Worth checking out. 

    Shaq versus Jokic would be a fun match-up. Neither would have any clue how to guard the other. They'd probably both drop 50. 

    Shaq was throwing a lot of love at Jokic last night on Inside the NBA.  Shaq in the 90's may do all right in today's game.  He was young and extremely athletic.  He would also not have to deal with the "Hack a Shaq" strategy in the game as it currently is in all likelihood.
    The Hawks were playing Hack-a-Ben just 2 years ago, with (groaning) wild success.
    Spectrum 10/27/09; New Orleans JazzFest 5/1/10; Made in America 9/2/12; Phila, PA 10/21/13; Phila,  PA 10/22/13; Baltimore Arena 10/27/13; Phila, PA 4/28/16; Phila, PA 4/29/16; Fenway Park 8/7/16; Fenway Park 9/2/18; Asbury Park 9/18/21; Camden 9/14/22; Las Vegas 5/16/24; Las Vegas 5/18/24; Phila, PA 9/7/24; Phila, PA 9/9/24; Baltimore Arena 9/12/24; Pittsburgh 5/16/25; Pittsburgh 5/18/25

    Tres Mtns - TLA 3/23/11; EV - Tower Theatre 6/25/11; Temple of the Dog - Tower Theatre 11/5/16
  • Glorified KC
    Glorified KC KCMO Native Posts: 2,814
    Poncier said:
    Glorified KC said:
    Poncier said:
    Shaq with his size and athleticism would do fine in any era.
    Anyone who thinks he wouldn't succeed in today's NBA is just forgetting (or maybe didn't witness) what a dominating presence he was in his prime.

    It's more of the ball-handling aspect and inability to step into a jump shot or catch and shoot.  Would he get his inside?  Probably, but to have him constantly running up-and-down the court (like the Suns/Nugs game last night)?  I'm not so sure.  He's more effective in a half court game rather than in transition.
    Again I say folks are misremembering just how athletic Shaq was in his prime.

    https://youtu.be/2I5q-IEh7Kg
    I'm not debating Shaq's athleticism, its his ball handle and shooting.  I didn't see one jump shot in that entire video.  If I was going to choose a player to play the 5 in today's game, I would take Giannis.  He's almost a modern-day Shaq with ball handling.  Not much of a jumper, but can finish as well as anyone around the rim.  He can provide better spacing since he is able to consistently bring the ball up the floor and can more consistently create his own shot/drive off of the dribble.  Shaq would be very successful still in 2023, but I don't think he could sustain having to run constantly throughout a game and you could take advantage of his defense by drawing up away from the basket with a Giannis or Jokic if he tried to guard them.

    I wish I was a sacrifice, but somehow still lived on.
  • Poncier
    Poncier Posts: 18,063
    That video showed about 8 instances of him taking the ball and going coast to coast. He had great ball skills for a man his size.
    This weekend we rock Portland
  • Glorified KC
    Glorified KC KCMO Native Posts: 2,814
    Poncier said:
    That video showed about 8 instances of him taking the ball and going coast to coast. He had great ball skills for a man his size.

    Not as good of ball skills as the elite 4/5's in today's game (Jokic, Embiid, Giannis, KAT, AD)
    I wish I was a sacrifice, but somehow still lived on.
  • Poncier
    Poncier Posts: 18,063
    Glorified KC said:
    Poncier said:
    That video showed about 8 instances of him taking the ball and going coast to coast. He had great ball skills for a man his size.

    Not as good of ball skills as the elite 4/5's in today's game (Jokic, Embiid, Giannis, KAT, AD)
    Probably not but certainly sufficient and much more physically imposing than any of the above.
    I'd take prime Shaq over any of those others in a matchup 6 times out of 5.

    This weekend we rock Portland
  • Johnny Abruzzo
    Johnny Abruzzo Philly Posts: 12,546
    I love JoJo (and he can shoot free throws (watch that blow up in my face tonight)) but he ain't Shaq.
    Spectrum 10/27/09; New Orleans JazzFest 5/1/10; Made in America 9/2/12; Phila, PA 10/21/13; Phila,  PA 10/22/13; Baltimore Arena 10/27/13; Phila, PA 4/28/16; Phila, PA 4/29/16; Fenway Park 8/7/16; Fenway Park 9/2/18; Asbury Park 9/18/21; Camden 9/14/22; Las Vegas 5/16/24; Las Vegas 5/18/24; Phila, PA 9/7/24; Phila, PA 9/9/24; Baltimore Arena 9/12/24; Pittsburgh 5/16/25; Pittsburgh 5/18/25

    Tres Mtns - TLA 3/23/11; EV - Tower Theatre 6/25/11; Temple of the Dog - Tower Theatre 11/5/16
  • Glorified KC
    Glorified KC KCMO Native Posts: 2,814
    Poncier said:
    Glorified KC said:
    Poncier said:
    That video showed about 8 instances of him taking the ball and going coast to coast. He had great ball skills for a man his size.

    Not as good of ball skills as the elite 4/5's in today's game (Jokic, Embiid, Giannis, KAT, AD)
    Probably not but certainly sufficient and much more physically imposing than any of the above.
    I'd take prime Shaq over any of those others in a matchup 6 times out of 5.

    I’ll take Giannis over prime Shaq in a one-on-one.
    I wish I was a sacrifice, but somehow still lived on.
  • tempo_n_groove
    tempo_n_groove Posts: 41,943
    Poncier said:
    That video showed about 8 instances of him taking the ball and going coast to coast. He had great ball skills for a man his size.
    He had a long career and those were very rare occasions he did that.  I’m telling you his coaches cringed when he ran full floor w the ball because he wasn’t that good at it.


  • tempo_n_groove
    tempo_n_groove Posts: 41,943
    Yeah, that doesn’t happen anywhere in the NBA today, sorry.
  • Poncier
    Poncier Posts: 18,063
    tempo_n_groove said:
    Poncier said:
    That video showed about 8 instances of him taking the ball and going coast to coast. He had great ball skills for a man his size.
    He had a long career and those were very rare occasions he did that.  I’m telling you his coaches cringed when he ran full floor w the ball because he wasn’t that good at it.


    Video was just to illustrate my point that Shaq was far more athletic than folks seem to be remembering. Folks are equating the 400LB 50 year old in a suit making fun of Charles Barkley with the man's playing days. He was a freak of nature. First time I remember seeing him was an LSU game on TV and he did the coast to coast thing and I couldn't believe what I had just seen. Granted he didn't have an outside shot. Largely because he didn't need to develop one. He'd snap Giannis in half in the post in his prime.
    This weekend we rock Portland
  • Glorified KC
    Glorified KC KCMO Native Posts: 2,814
    Poncier said:
    tempo_n_groove said:
    Poncier said:
    That video showed about 8 instances of him taking the ball and going coast to coast. He had great ball skills for a man his size.
    He had a long career and those were very rare occasions he did that.  I’m telling you his coaches cringed when he ran full floor w the ball because he wasn’t that good at it.


    Video was just to illustrate my point that Shaq was far more athletic than folks seem to be remembering. Folks are equating the 400LB 50 year old in a suit making fun of Charles Barkley with the man's playing days. He was a freak of nature. First time I remember seeing him was an LSU game on TV and he did the coast to coast thing and I couldn't believe what I had just seen. Granted he didn't have an outside shot. Largely because he didn't need to develop one. He'd snap Giannis in half in the post in his prime.

    Giannis would posterize Shaq with his freakishly long reach and ability to finish at the rim.
    I wish I was a sacrifice, but somehow still lived on.
  • tempo_n_groove
    tempo_n_groove Posts: 41,943
    Poncier said:
    tempo_n_groove said:
    Poncier said:
    That video showed about 8 instances of him taking the ball and going coast to coast. He had great ball skills for a man his size.
    He had a long career and those were very rare occasions he did that.  I’m telling you his coaches cringed when he ran full floor w the ball because he wasn’t that good at it.


    Video was just to illustrate my point that Shaq was far more athletic than folks seem to be remembering. Folks are equating the 400LB 50 year old in a suit making fun of Charles Barkley with the man's playing days. He was a freak of nature. First time I remember seeing him was an LSU game on TV and he did the coast to coast thing and I couldn't believe what I had just seen. Granted he didn't have an outside shot. Largely because he didn't need to develop one. He'd snap Giannis in half in the post in his prime.
    Didn't Laetner get the better of him with finesse?

    Look, I know he was a freak and he would dominate in the paint but he isn't built for todays NBA with everyone having an outside shot now.

    If there was room in the game for his type there would be more Rudy Goebert's in the league.
  • Poncier
    Poncier Posts: 18,063
    Agree to disagree.
    Comparing Shaq to Rudy Goebert is like comparing Michael Jordan to someone like Brandon Ingraham or similar.
    This weekend we rock Portland
  • Glorified KC
    Glorified KC KCMO Native Posts: 2,814
    Poncier said:
    Agree to disagree.
    Comparing Shaq to Rudy Goebert is like comparing Michael Jordan to someone like Brandon Ingraham or similar.

    I think that's going to far in the wrong direction with Goebert too.  There really isn't a comp for him in today's game.  That's how much the 5 position has changed.
    I wish I was a sacrifice, but somehow still lived on.
  • tempo_n_groove
    tempo_n_groove Posts: 41,943
    Poncier said:
    Agree to disagree.
    Comparing Shaq to Rudy Goebert is like comparing Michael Jordan to someone like Brandon Ingraham or similar.
    Glorified KC said:
    Poncier said:
    Agree to disagree.
    Comparing Shaq to Rudy Goebert is like comparing Michael Jordan to someone like Brandon Ingraham or similar.

    I think that's going to far in the wrong direction with Goebert too.  There really isn't a comp for him in today's game.  That's how much the 5 position has changed.
    Nobody plays like Goebert though so he is the only one I could think of.  Surely nobody plays like Shaq.  I think Shaq would foul out in the first half nowadays with all the flopping.  He would have a hard time using his "boom boom" (I think that's what he called it?) posting up.

    Rodman was good at flopping, imagine someone in todays game?  Oh man that would be a great blooper real because you know there would be guys flopping and shaq would pull up and not even touch them, lol.
  • Glorified KC
    Glorified KC KCMO Native Posts: 2,814
    As far as athleticism goes, Jokic definitely has nothing on Shaq.  Dude looks like a 45-year-old who dominates the YMCA.
    I wish I was a sacrifice, but somehow still lived on.
  • tempo_n_groove
    tempo_n_groove Posts: 41,943
    Glorified KC said:
    As far as athleticism goes, Jokic definitely has nothing on Shaq.  Dude looks like a 45-year-old who dominates the YMCA.
    Same was said about Bird and both are bad dudes.

    You ever watch Kawhi?  He moves slow on a dribble and somehow gets by everyone with his handling.  He isn't lightning but precise.  It's weird watching him when he dribbles.
  • Glorified KC
    Glorified KC KCMO Native Posts: 2,814
    tempo_n_groove said:
    Glorified KC said:
    As far as athleticism goes, Jokic definitely has nothing on Shaq.  Dude looks like a 45-year-old who dominates the YMCA.
    Same was said about Bird and both are bad dudes.

    You ever watch Kawhi?  He moves slow on a dribble and somehow gets by everyone with his handling.  He isn't lightning but precise.  It's weird watching him when he dribbles.

    Maybe the advantage he has are those gargantuan hands of his.
    I wish I was a sacrifice, but somehow still lived on.

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