I have been watching the NBA playoffs since the 50s, and after watching Joel Embiid throw-up 51 last night against the Knicks I started thinking about the players that are currently playing that are “unstoppable”. Players like Jokic, Doncic, Tatum, Giannis, AD, and maybe even a very young Wemby, are great offensive players but NOT unstoppable. There have been a lot of great offensive players down through the decades like Mikan, Bird, West, Baylor, Kobe, MJ, Shaq, Dr J, Gervin, Hawkins, KD, Curry, and LeBron. But, in my opinion, there are two players that are “head and shoulders” above them all. I don’t think there is anyone playing today that IS “unstoppable”. The two players that I believe were the hardest players to guard and were truly “unstoppable” were Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Wilt had his “finger roll” and “fallaway” and Kareem had the “skyhook”. Perhaps there could be an argument for Jordan, KD in his prime, Shaq in his early days, or even LeBron, who at 39 is still able to “get downhill” and finish. I’ve watched them all for 70 years and I’ll take Wilt and Kareem.
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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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