OK, I do get your point....in order to explain why I think that Russ brought something special, please allow me to outline some thoughts first, Russ led USF to back to back, undefeated seasons....I believe the only teammate who went on to play in the NBA was KC Jones...before he arrived and after he left the program was not a powehouse... then he joined the Celtics.....they were always good enough to make the playoffs but never good enough to make the finals....along came Russ and Heinson and the Celtics went to the Finals 12 times in the next 13 years...the only time they lost was when Russ was injured against the Hawks... over the years, so many of the greats left.....in no particular order were Sharman, Ramsey, Cousy, Heinson, KC....the Celtics were able to replace them with other players but Russell remained the constant.... The team got older and finally couldn't keep up with the powerfull Sixers, led by Wilt....they lost in the Eastern Conference Finals and the Sixers were anointed as the new powerhouse after they dismantled the Warriors.....I will never forget listening to the radio and hearing the Philly crowd chanting over and over...as the final game became a mismatch........."hey Red.....your old men are dead".....I had to hear it from all of my buddies who hated the Celtics and I had to read about it all offseason then a funny thing happened.....the "old men" came back and beat Philly the next year and went on to defeat the Lakers once again....a lot of people called it a fluke.....Wilt was so frustrated he got himself traded to the Lakers of Baylor and West.... the following year the old Celts were a tired bunch.....they played .500 ball but made it to the playoffs....on their way, they beat the younger and favored Knicks, a series that included the first ever prime time telecast of an NBA playoff game....they ended up once again meeting the Lakers in the Finals....they were huge underdogs.....and they won game 7 in Jack Kent Cooke's "Fabulous Forum"..... Russ and Sam retired after the series.....the Celtic core remained and they added a great young guard named Jo Jo White.....the team had it's first losing season in close to 20 years... throughout all of this the Celtic motto was......."the spokes change but the wheel just keeps on turning".....Russell was the strongest of those strokes....to quote Reggie Jackson.....he was truly the straw that stirred the drink.... That is why I think Russ could've changed a team like the Knicks....he was not only a great and talented athlete....he was the smartest man who ever played....he simply knew how to win and made everyone around him better.... at least that is my opinion...
Posted by Duke4

well....I'd start with Len Bias and Reggie Lewis.....and of course Greg Oden....Sam Bowie...
Posted by Duke4

    Center, Wilt, sorry Russ, no one be  Center, Wilt, most dominant player to ever play the game!  Power forward, i'm taking Kevin McHale, offensively, and defensively, whose better?  Small forward, Bird, i don't see how anyone else could even get a vote!!  Shooting Guard, MJ, same thing as i said about Bird!!   Point guard, Oscar Robertson, could do everything Magic could do and more!                                                                                                          
Posted by kyceltic

In Response to Re: Who were the top 5 players by position in the NBA's history? : I agree....  On pure ability alone, it's Wilt hands down!
Posted by Indiansbacker

....on pure ability.....to have great statistics? ....yes, then go with Wilt ....on pure ability.....to make everyone around you better...to rise to the occasion when championships are on the line....to become the ultimate winner? Russ, hands down....when all is said and done, winning is all that anyone remembers and really all that matters...
Posted by Duke4

1. Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Center 2. Tim Duncan, Power Forward 3. Larry Bird, Small Forward  4. Michael Jordan, Shooting Guard 5. Magic Johnson, Point Guard
Posted by rsalas67m