MICHAEL JORDAN FANS HAVE "SELECTIVE MEMORIES"

My post stating that Wilt Chamberlain is the Basketball G.O.A.T has been driving Jordan fans craz. I kept the post factual by stating that Wilt still has 72 NBA records, Jordan has only 3, and even a first grader knows that 72 > 3. As expected the trolls came out with plenty of excuses.

Excuses like Wilt played against 6'5" centers, or less talented players was easy to prove as ridiculous. Other excuses were so outlandish that I would ask the culprits if they ever heard of Google, laugh and keep it moving. 

In addition, when countless fans continued to say that Michael Jordan was 6-0 and a greater winner than Wilt Chamberlain had to be addressed. Granted, Jordan won six championships and Wilt Chamberlain won twice. This made Jordan 6 - 9 for his career, not 6 - 0. In his first 7 years Jordan tried to win but got thrashed and sent home. At that time Dr.J, Moses Malone, Isiah Thomas, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parrish, Magic Johnson, and Kareem Abdul Jabbar (All Top 75) were in their primes. Make no mistake, Jordan was at his best at the time, and his 'Airness' got dismissed - FACTS.

In 1991 Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls defeated the aging Los Angeles Lakers and he won his first NBA championship. Kareem Abdul Jabbar had retired, and a 31 year old Magic Johnson would announce that he had HIV soon after the NBA Finals ended. Jordan defeated future Hall of Famers that were non-winners. Enough said.

                         Lady Skywalker

In comparison, Wilt Chamberlain faced the infamous Boston Celtic Dynasty teams 12 of his 13 professional seasons. These Celtic teams had Bill Russell and eight (8) other HOFs. For the record, that is 3 times a Lebron James Big 3 collaberation. 

This is why Wilt Chamberlain could drop several 50 point games (high of 62 points), and numerous 40 rebound games (high of 55 rebounds) on Bill Russell, and still lose. Realistically speaking, that is what should happen when 9 HOFs compete against 3 HOFs. In fact, the two times Wilt's teams won were two of the greatest upsets in sports history!!!

In conclusion, anyone that still calls Bill Russell the G.O.A.T after reading the last paragraph should go to rehab. The hard drugs have taken  control. Those that still think Michael Jordan is the G.O.A.T are living a lie. That is their peragotive and I could not care less if I tried. Nothing they can say will change the fact that 72 is greater than 3 (72 > 3).

* The Top 30 players of each position have been revealed within the pages of Basketball G.O.A.T (below). This was done with the use of the Player Valuation Numeric (PVN). It is both accurate and objective. In addition, the formula is so easy to understand that even a 5th grader can use it. For more information click the link below.

.                     Basketball G.O.A.T

WAS KOBE BRYANT THE "GREATEST" LAKER?

Los Angeles Laker owner Jeanie Buss called Kobe "Black Mamba" Bryant the greatest Laker ever. No one in the organization disputed her, and even basketball analysts agreed. 

I can understand why Jalen Rose gave Kobe Bryant 👍👍. The Black Mamba dropped 81 points on his head. On the other hand, there is usually more controversy with a subject like this. Kobe hasn't been gone that long, and I understand the pause. Any negativity may have caused a severe pushback. Kobe Bryant is loved!!!

Furthermore, Kobe Bryant was a bad bad boy on the basketball court. He played all of his 20 years in Los Angeles, scored the most points (33,643) in Laker history, won 5 NBA Championships, as well as several other accolades. The Black Mamba even ended his amazing career by scoring 60 points in his final NBA game. Kobe Bryant was a first ballot Hall of Famer in absentia (R.I.P), and he 100% deserved the honor.

With all of this being stated, the question still remains; Is Kobe Bryant the really the greatest Laker ever? Instead of accepting Jeanie Buss' opinion, I decided to actually check to see if her claim was valid. Was Kobe Bryant getting this acclaim because of his considerable talent, his unexpected passing, his incredible popularity, or the fact that he played with the organization longer than anyone else? 

                         High IQ Hoops

Be advised, the Los Angeles Laker organization is one of the most successfull in NBA history. They have also had some of the greatest players of All-time on their rosters. I decided to include only the players that played at least 4.5 seasons, the average length of an NBA career, which left out Top 75 players like Lebron James, Anthony Davis, and Karl Malone. This requirement left Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, and Magic Johnson to compare to Kobe Bryant for overall Laker greatness.

I will compare each player's primary stats; points, rebounds, assists, championships, finals appearances, and Player Valuation Numeric scores. Blocks and steals were not officially counted for all of these players, so they were not used for these comparisons. Also, for those that do not know, the Player Valuation Numeric is an accurate and objective formula designed to calculate true player value. Here are all of the results.

SCORING

True, Kobe Bryant has scored more points as a Los Angeles Laker than any other player, but he has not scored the most points of all Lakers. Kareem Abdul Jabbar hilds that distinction, and he is the current All-time leading scorer in NBA history. In addition, Kobe Bryant''s points lead has a lot to do with his career longevity with respect to the other players, except for Magic Johnson. Wilt Chamberlain (30.1 ppg), Elgin Baylor (27.4 ppg) and Jerry West (27.0 ppg) all played 3 times as long as the average player, but still played more than 400 less games than Kobe Bryant (25.0 ppg). If they played as many games, then they easily would have surpassed his points total.

REBOUNDS

Kobe Bryant averaged 5.2 rpg. This is nowhere near the lead or even better than any of the others reviewed; Wilt Chamberlain (22.9 rpg), Elgin Baylor (13.5 rpg), Kareem Abdul Jabbar (10.4 rpg), Magic Johnson (7.2), and Jerry West (5.8).

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ASSISTS 

Kobe Bryant averaged 4.7 apg during his career. Here are the other Laker legend's assist outputs; Magic Johnson (11.2 apg), Jerry West (6.7 apg), Wilt Chamberlain (4.4 apg), Elgin Baylor (4.3 apg), and Kareem Abdul Jabbar (3.6 apg)

CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Black Mamba had 5 championships and 7 Finals appearance. In comparison, Kareem Abdul Jabbar had 6 championships and 10 Finals appearances; Magic Johnson had 5 championships and 9 Finals appearances; Wilt Chamberlain had 2 championships and 6 Finals appearances; Jerry West won 1 championship along with 9 Finals appearances; and Elgin Baylor had 1 championship and 8 Finals appearances. Kobe Bryant was an unquestionable winner

PLAYER VALUATION NUMERIC (PVN)

Kobe Bryant PVN = 38.8

* Other Laker Legends *

Magic Johnson PVN = 46.4

Jerry West PVN = 49.8

Elgin Baylor PVN = 49.2

Kareem Abdul Jabbar PVN = 51.1

Wilt Chamberlain PVN = 73.4

PLEASE NOTE: I did not include the George Mikan nor Shaquille O'Neal in this analysis. Mikan played well before all of these legends, and O'Neal would immediately be compared unfavorably to Chamberlain, which is not the point of this summary. Since both George Mikan and Shaquille O'Neal are Top 75 players, refusing to mention them would be blatantly disrespectful. Here are their Player Valuation Numeric scores:

                       Basketball G.O.A.T

George Mikan PVN = 44.3

Shaquille O'Neal PVN = 42.8

As stated earlier, the Player Valuation Numeric is an accurate and objective formula that calculates each player's value on the court. It uses each player's own production as well as championships, excellence points, and premium points, while also penalizing all players with 'weak points'. Be advised, all differences in PVN scores of 1.5 or more are significant.

In conclusion, after doing the research for this article, I have learned quite a bit about the Los Angeles Laker elite players that I did not know definitively. First of all, Jerry West is legitimately more valuable guard than both Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson. In addition, four out of seven Laker legends examined have PVN scores more than 10 points higher than Bryant's.

Finally, if Lebron James (PVN =  47.7), George Mikan (44.3), Shaquille O'Neal (42.8), Anthony Davis (PVN = 40.3), and Karl Malone (39.9) had been included, then ALL of them would have been rated higher than Kobe Bryant on the merits. Therefore, it is safe to say that Kobe "Black Mamba" Bryant is NOT the greatest Los Angeles Laker ever. In fact, he is not even close. He either ranks 6th or11th depending on whether James, Mikan, O'Neal, Davis, and Malone are considered. I will leave that to the Laker fans who now have quite a bit of previously unmentioned facts and reality to consider.

* Are you tired of the heated player debates like,  Who is the G.O.A.T? Or, Is Kobe Brysnt better than Lebron James? Have no fear, each player's true value can be accurately and objectively calculated. In fact, the formula is so easy to understand that even a 5th grader can use it. For more information click the link below.

                 Player Valuation Numeric

THERE IS A "JORDAN RULE" THAT NO ONE LIKES TO TALK ABOUT

When Wilt Chamberlain was asked if Michael Jordan was the G.O.A.T, he gave Jordan his credit for being a spectacular player, and then just laughed. He could have brought up a few examples of his many records as 'proof', but he did not. Chamberlain simply said, "When I played they came up with rules designed to stop me. Today the NBA makes up rules to help Jordan."

Oddly, the interviewer immediately changed the subject. I was confused because that was a bold statement. I decided to check to see if any rules had been created to slow Wilt down. Chamberlain was 100% correct. Goal tending, 3 seconds, and believe it or not, no jumping from the foul line on foul shots were all created to slow down Wilt Chamberlain. In addition, the lane was widened, and inbounding rules were revised.

Next I checked to see if there were any rules created to help Michael Jordan. There were a few. The most egregious change occurred when a technicall foul would be called for double teaming. Michael Jordan would routinely receive the basketball on the left side of the court. All of his teamnates would then run to the opposite side of the court. This would leave Jordan one on one with a defender who was guarding him, or one that had switched onto him. Whenever one of the defender's teammates would slack off in order to help their teammate, his teammates would alert a referee, and the referee would call a technical foul, which put Michael Jordan on the foul line. The Bulls would then get the basketball back, and they could do the same thing over again if they chose.

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This went on for years!!! That is why there are so many pictures of a 6'6" Michael Jordan being defended one-on-one by a 5'3" Mugsey Bogues. I made sure to put examples of Michael Jordan wearing different numbers in his 'Mugsey Matchups' within the post picture.  You can clearly see that this rule was in effect for several years.

Imagine the type of advantage today's players would have if double teaming was illegal, or if a defender using their arms was banned. For example, every NBA team literally double teams Steph Curry as soon as he passes half court. If not, then he goes crazy, and the Warriors will blow the team out. This is reality and undisputable for the past 8 seasons. With the 'Jordan Rule' Steph Curry would be LITERALLY unstoppable, and it would be unfair. Teams could only hope that he missed, because a single defender would be all alone on an island with no help coming.

Further, Curry is much more deadly than Jordan if you put him on the foul line, so getting technical fouls would not be an option. Also, it would be completely unfair if defenders could not use their arms when attempting to keep Steph "The Chef" out of the lane. Curry already gets where he wants when they do double team him. Bottom line, those rule changes were an incredible advantage for Michael Jordan. Now you know why Jordan fans conveniently forget about these real 'Jordan Rules' in favor of the JORDAN RULES that are really just defensive instructions. 

                          High IQ Hoops

72 IS GREATER THAN 3

Every basketball fan likes who they like. On the other hand, it is usrless to dispute facts. Especially with lopsided comparisons such as this one. Meaning this, how can any rational person make the claim that Michael Jordan was a greater player than Wilt Chamberlain if tbe "Big Dipper" still owns 72 NBA records, while Michael Jordan only has 3?

Unfortunately, some people WANT to believe media propaganda. Yes, even when the statements are illogical and make absolutely no sense. Stating that Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of All-time makes no sense - NONE!!! Even a 1st grader knows that 72 is greater than 3 (72 > 3). 

* Actual player value can now be calculated by using each player's own production and accomplishments. Also, the formula is objective and accurate. In fact, it is so easy to use that a 5th grader can master it. For more information click the link below.

                 Player Valuation Numeric

WHO WAS MORE EXPLOSIVE - BARKLEY OR WILLIAMSON

When today's fans watch Zion Williamson play they marvel at his abilty to play above the rim, score inside, and dunk on much taller players. Since Zion Williamson has only average NBA height, and his playing weight is 284 lbs, many analysts consider him an anomoly. 

On the other hand, those that have seen Charles Barkley play say that Zion is a "copy" just like Kobe Bryant was a "copy" of Michael Jordan. They also go a step further and say "Although both are great copies, they do not really compare to the originals."

Both Zion Williamson and Charles Barkley are quick to dunk on someone, often much taller, as soon as they get a glimpse of daylight. Also, they both shoot a very high percentage from the field. Therefore, dunk stats and shooting efficiency cannot be used to differential the two. I decided to go back to the basics, and use the. vertical jump tests results.

When I checked Charles Barkley had recorded a 39" verical at the NBA rookie combine. For the record, in tvat sane combine Michael Jordan recorded a 42" vertical, NOT the 48" nonsense floating on the internet. Zion Williamson, on the other hand, had recorded an amazing 45" vertical at a Duke preseason workout before his freshman year began. According to this initial research Zion Williamson jumped higher than both Barkley and Jordan!!!

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I was shocked and amazed because I have seen them all play at the same ages, and Zion Williamson did not look like he was in the same "rare air" as the former Dream Teamers. I had seen Charles Barkley, a 6'4" +300 lb, dunk on everyone willing to stand in his way. I also saw a slimmed down Barkley (250 lbs) snatch shots out of the air like he was Wilt Chamberlain for over a decade. I felt compelled to see the Duke video for confirmation. That is when I realized that I was not tripping, and my eyes had not deceived me. 

When Charles Barkley (and Michael Jordan) were tested they stood flat footed then leaped into the air. When Zion Williamson was tested, he had a running start. He also used the penultimate step, and arm swing momentum to perfection to reach the 45" mark. This is MUCH EASIER, which means the results are skewed.

Furthermore, Charles "Round Mound of Rebound" Barkley was the player that took the initial vertical jump test. For those that do not know, when Charles Barkley went to training camp Moses Malone told him to his face, "You are fat and lazy. Get in shape." Moses challenged Charles, and Barkley lost over 50 lbs. because he respected the future Hall of Famer, and because Moses was right. Barkley has stated this on several occasions.

Therefore, common sense and basic math allows me to say that Charles Barkley was more explosive and a greater leaper than Zion Williamson. When he recorded his flat footed 39" vertical it was equivalent to the HOF  Charles Barkley jumping with a 60lb.weight vest on. Furthermore, in order to make things equal Zion would have had to put on a 25 lb weight vest, and then take the vertical jump test flat footed. If he did, then his results would be SIGNIFICANTLY lower. Zion Williamson got hurt, became fat, and the Pelicans kept him out for the whole season with instructions to LOSE WEIGHT, and to get his "bounce" back. Enough said.

* Playing above the rim can be a reality no matter what a tour size.  You just have to use the techniques and workouts elite jump athletes and professional dunkers utilize. For this detailed information click the link below.

                           How To LEAP

WHICH ALL-TIME GREAT POWER FORWARD WAS THE STRONGEST REBOUNDER?

The players in the picture are Bob Pettit, Karl Malone, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. They each have been selected as one of the NBA's All-time Top 75. Also, all three have been an all-star on multiple occassions, as well as NBA MVP. The title's question is far from a "gimme". Before continuing to read on, make a mental selection, and then let's see how close you were.

1) Bob Pettit (6'9") - 792 games & 16.2 rpg

2) Karl Malone (6'9) - 1476 games & 10.1 rpg

3) Giannis Antetokounmpo  (7'0") - 656 games & 9.4 rpg

How many of you looked at the three choices and mentally selected Bob Pettit? Those that did also knew that it wasnt even close. Bob Pettit has the third highest rebounds per game average in NBA history. He is behind only Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell, who both incredibly averaged over 22 rebounds per game!!!

* The Top 30 power forwards, along with the Top 30 players of every position, have been revealed in Basketball G.O.A.T. If you would like to see these results, as well as how they were decided, then click the link below for more information.

                      Basketball G.O.A.T

HERE IS HOW NATE "TINY" ARCHIBALD DID IT

During the 1972 - 73 NBA season Nate "Tiny" Archibald led the league in scoring 34.0 ppg, and assists 11.4 apg. No other player has been able to achieve this feat since.

In 1972 I was a lil dude, but still a dreamer and budding basketball fan. I would collect everything basketball related. At the time Pro  Keds (his sneaker sponsor) put out a record series with each of its athletes speaking about their game strategy. I had all of them including Tiny Nate's. Here is what Tiny had to say about his scoring and assists strategy.

First of all, Nate Archibald always played with a chip on his shoulder. His being a smaller player from New York, and not being drafted in the first round made the "chip" bigger. His game and attitude was like Terrible Tim Hardaway's without the "Killa Crossover". He was always in attack mode.  Archibald was able to sustain his momentum because he played, and ran 6 miles each day

Furthermore, Nate Archibald was left handed and like today, far too many defenders get abused by left handed players because they defend them incorrectly. Such was the case with Tiny, accept he was also a blurr on the court, and highly skilled when attacking the basket. Archibsld shot close to 50% that season, and for his career. This stands out because Tiny got most of his points in the lane, and on the foul line.

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Unlike far too many small guards, Nate Archibald embraced contact ala Allen Iverson. Tiny did not have the "bunnies" like AI, but he did something else most would consider "gangsta". Nate would create contact with the big guys, wear them down, and get them in foul trouble by driving straight at them. 

The difference was tha Tiny would take off with his knees high and use them as "weapons". On the record Nate Archibald even stated "There was something about my knee landing square into their midsections that did not allow them to defend quite as well." The full on "knee attack" landed Tiny on the foul line 10 times per game. Add this to his unstoppable open court play and one can see why Tiny had his way offensively.

In addition, Archibald was able to rack up assist because he knew his teammates strengths and where they liked to shoot. Nate could get into the lane whenever he wanted and draw multiple defenders. Therefore, every time down Tiny would put pressure on the defense which would consistently lead to his scoring or a teammate doing the honors via an assist.

Most NBA players are either not as well conditioned or bold enough to compete as Nate "Tiny" Archibald did when he had his one-of-a-kind year. Those that are have not shown the unselfishness required to average anywhere near double figure assists. Nate "Tiny" Archibald's accomplishment may stand for as long as Wilt Chamberlain's 100 point game.

* Nate Archibald is one of the Top 30 point guards of all-time. Would you like to know just where he ranks amongst the 150 greatest players ever and how it was all decided? Just click the link below for more information.

                     Basketball G.O.A.T

SUCCESSFUL ATHLETES vs. UNSUCCESSFUL ATHLETES

Successful and unsuccessful athletes can look alike, and even compete against one another, but they are as different as night and day. The successful athletes have "intangible traits" that set them apart from the rest. Good players compete well, but players with these untouchable qualities play to win, and they usually do!!!

* Great players have several "intangible traits", but average players have very few. Do you want to be great, or just average. For more detailed information click the link below.

                        Intangible Traits

STEPH CURRY IS ELITE AND ONE-OF-A-KIND

Steph Curry is a two-time NBA MVP, two time scoring champion, and the greatest shooter of All-time. These are documented FACTS. When he came back for the playoffs after missing the remainder of the regular sesson, his coach Steve Kerr kept Jordan Poole in the starting line up and decided to work Steph into minutes.

For the record, Jordan Poole had been playing great, and he was "turning it up" in the playoffs. In reality, 99.9% of the "great" players in the league would not be as understanding about being "benched" if they had Curry's resume and pedigree. In fact, Allen Iverson retired before he would come off of the bench - REAL TALK.

Steph Curry is "different". In his first game back he shook off the rust, had a fair shooting night, but he still was intrical to their game 1 victory. In game 2 Curry came off of the bench again, dropped 34 points in only 23 minutes, and they blew out the Nuggets.

All basketball players, especially the "stars", should be taking notes of how the "winners" think. It doesn't matter who starts opposed to who finishes. Steph Curry came off of the bench, and scored more points than everyone else in less than half of the game. Curry remained silent, but his game spoke for him, not the coach.

Jordan Poole was playing awesome basketball along with the other Warriors. Reporters asked him if he should remain the starter, and he said "no comment". They asked him if he should shoot technicals (Steph missed two one night), and he said "no comment" once again. We all know that he wanted to say yes, but he knew deep down that he was a starter on borrowed time. The Warriors chose Steph Curry over Kevin Durant, so what chance does Jordan Poole really have of  replacing Steph?

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No matter who starts the fact still remains, there is no one like Steph Curry. The Warriors pay him over $40M/year for a reason. If you have been watching GSW games then you have noticed that EVERY team guards Curry different from EVERYONE else, even when he comes off the bench. Although both Klay Thompson,  and Jordan Poole are lighting it up, the double teams still go to Curry as soon as he passes half court.

For several years now NBA teams have left Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole, and ALL the other Warriors, wide open or with single coverage for a legitimate reason. Refusing to double team Steph Curry usually results with him getting 30 points in three quarters, and a GSW blowout victory. 

Steph Curry sat out the fourth quarter 16 times in his first MVP season (2014 - 2015). Since then and the double teams have become MANDATORY. Look what he did in the last All-star game with single coverage (50 points). 

No other player in the NBA gets double teamed constantly like Step Curry. It is just not necessary. Steph Curry is on a level all his own, and EVERYONE knows it. Disputing this reality is useless. A blind man can see that he is THE MAN and "one-of-a-kind". Shaquille  O'Neal was absolutely correct when he recently stated "Steph Curry is by far the best player in the world."

* Steph Curry is not the biggest or most athletic player, but he is "the best" for two reasons; a superior skill set, and a high basketball IQ. Players have to put in the time to develop their skills, but they can significantly upgrade their basketball IQ in a short amount of time. For more detailed information about High IQ Hoops click the link below.

                         High IQ Hoops

IS MICHAEL JORDAN REALLY THE G.O.A.T?

Michael "Air" Jordan is widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all-time. Jordan took the game winning shot to win a NCAA men's basketball championship as a freshman in college, and his "star" has shined noticebly until he finally retired in 2003. Scoring titles, All-defensive selections, NBA championships, and numerous other accolades fill his basketball resume. 

Furthermore, Michael Jordan is the first professional athlete of any sport to become a billionaire. Not many people on the planet can legitimately claim to have tripled and/or quadrupled their career wages into generational wealth - PERIOD. From a business perspective Michael Jordan is easily the greatest athlete turned business man at the moment.

I decided to keep all things basketball for this post, and I was able to come to an OBVIOUS answer when faced with whether Michael Jordan is the basketball G.O.A.T. I asked myself the fillowing televant questions. A "yes" answer for most of the questions would leave no doubt to his Airness' ultimate greatness. Here are the questions.

1) Does he have the most points. No, but Michael Jordan has the highest points per game average in NBA history, and he is one of only a handful of players to score over 30,000 points. Kareem Abdul Jabbar is the all-time leader.

2) Most rebounds, steals, assists, triple doubles, etc.? No, and Michael Jordan is not in contention in any form (total or per game) of any other category other than scoring.

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3) Most NBA championships? No, has six(6) rings. There are nine (9) players with seven (7) or more rings with Bill Russell topping everyone with 11.

4) Has he dominated in more than one disciplne? For example scoring and rebounds. The answer is no as well.

5) Does Michael Jordan own the most NBA records? No, Jordan has three records (all scoring) that he took from Wilt. Wilt Chamberlain still has 72 NBA records.

In conclusion, calling Michael Jordan the greatest of all time (G.O.A.T) is nothing more than pure propoganda which is not backed by facts. Granted, he was the greatest during the time (6 years) that social media and the internet exploded, but that IS NOT "all-time". 

The segment of time that Michael Jordan was an unstoppable winner is more like "some time", but definitely not all-time. Some of us still remember how Dr.J, Moses, Isiah & the Bad Boys, Bird, McHale, and Parrish sent him home every season for the first six years of his career.  When they got old or hurt and retired, Jordan stepped up. 

* Basketball G.O.A.T has the entire breakdown of the Top 30 players of each position (150 total). Yes, have no fear, Michael Jordan is the top shooting guard of all-time. For more information about all of the rest  click the link below.

                        Basketball G.O.A.T