I recently saw where Luka Doncic just became the third highest scorer in NBA history, by average, with a 29 points per game average. That is a monumental achievement! Only MJ with a 30.12 average and Wilt with a 30.07 average have a better scoring average than Luka’s 28.98. Doncic came into the league as a 19-year-old in 2018 so he has been a top scorer for awhile. He is a 5x All-NBA selection and has finished in the top 10 vote getters for NBA MVP 5 times. Besides the scoring he also averages over 8 assists and 8 rebounds per game.
I say all of this to begin thinking about "Could Doncic crack the Top 10 NBA All-Time Team?" I know he has some company with that possibility, like KD, Giannis, Jokic, Curry, and eventually Wemby. Some NBA followers may already have Curry and Durant in their Top 10. In my book of my 75 greatest of all time I place a lot of importance on longevity. The Top 10 of ALL TIME is rarefied air and, in my opinion, reserved for the most elite to ever play the game. Domination during their playing career is the most important criteria. Those players who were the "best of the best" when they played. AND they performed at that level for several years.
Getting INTO the Top 10 is a great accomplishment, but just as difficult a decision is who comes out of the Top 10, if and when, one of the afore mentioned players crack the elite group?
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Jack has spent 70+ years playing, coaching, and watching basketball. Former D1 player at Middle Tennessee State, assistant coach at Oral Roberts University (3 All-Americans, 7 NBA Draftees, Top 10 rankings, 1974 Elite Eight), and author of three books on the sport he loves.
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Jack Sutter has spent 70 years playing, coaching, and watching players play the game he loves. His books are written for the casual basketball fan as well as the "hard core" fan.
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