The 10 Best NBA peaks since 1977

[@ThinkingBasketball]

Thank you for all the amazing comments throughout this series!! Reading your reactions, feedback and (undefeated) jokes was one of the highlights of my week over the last few months. So...how do you feel about differentiating between these all-time greats? What would your top-10 look like?

[@cdmacd]

Well done. This series is a KZbin masterpiece

[@dask5687]

Do you edit all your videos? Including the hilarious but incredible drawings?

[@perryquijano6749]

Just a masterpiece

[@TheOnlyRizzy]

No Kobe in top 10 😢

[@AX5Terminator]

Jordan is freaken Thanos with all 6 infinity stones: 1) Mind - Killer Mentality 2) Power - Explosive First Step 3) Reality - Control and Mastery of the Ball 4) Soul - Unmatched Artistry 5) Space - Created with his Amazing footwork 6) Time - Hang Time! All held by his gauntlet size hands!

[@samuelyuan291]

Jokic just sliding in during the Shaq segment is so funny

[@minecraftowypolak]

skinny/sneaky jokic

[@toteispoe4]

Got to think he's going to have a very high spot on this list when it's all said and done. Most offensively skilled center ever with sneaky decent defense. Doncic for sure will be on here, too. Playmaking is a powerful thing.

[@vauneoso3292]

MVP!!!

[@clevisbernier8973]

@@toteispoe4 I think he's already a top 20 Center probably.

[@toteispoe4]

@@clevisbernier8973 Definitely, not probably :)

[@savethetrees1214]

Thinking basketball is at the greatest peak for basketball KZbinrs

[@acpliego]

The GOAT without a doubt

[@luketanner5419]

Thanks Thanos

[@ahmedadem2227]

clayton crowley and thinking basketball must be going through the worst backpain, the way they're carrying basketball on youtube lmao

[@0401412740]

Coach Daniel was good too until he was recruited by Dallas Mavericks

[@conorskurk-dawgg2947]

For real. Makes you recognize just how horrible the "analysts" on ESPN are.

[@MindfulAttraction]

This was the greatest series of basketball videos ever on youtube. The greatest peak

[@dusk6159]

And it's not even close

[@TheSands83]

😂no it’s not

[@dusk6159]

@@TheSands83 Yes it is casual, and you're saying it's not literally just because Ben addressed both the flaws and positives of Jordan. Which is especially embarassing considering that Ben still has MJ in the literal top echelon.

[@SilentSneakman]

Making The Case by Crayton Crowley is 100x better than this.

[@TheSands83]

@@SilentSneakman yeah this is awful

[@FootyInsights_]

Jokic sliding in during the Shaq segment hits even more after this 2021-23 stretch he produced

[@amazintr3266]

I was thinking this after I saw it 😭😭

[@maximus3294]

that stretch is extending to the '25 season, it seems

[@LBJ-s9n]

​@@maximus32944 MVP's in 5 years😂😭

[@EDAOM27]

Jordan’s weakness being a “gambler” was smooth as fuck

[@Max-kv8uw]

Yeah, it fits perfectly on and off the court.

[@t4d0W]

I mean when you a gawd at basketball, you find other things to try dabble as a mortal human being like baseball, golf or gambling. Well golf is a popular crossover hobby that many athletes partake in.

[@ireplytostupidpeople4750]

@@t4d0W I know it's a joke but it's cringe to refer a person as "above mortal" 🤢

[@epictubegamer]

@@t4d0W “jOrDan Is A gOd”

[@dusk6159]

@@t4d0W No need to insert a cult of personality defense when there wasn't any criticism to Jordan to begin with.

[@nicolocadamuro9988]

You were really killing me with that Jordan&LeBron switching

[@geordiejones5618]

They really are closer than most fans are willing to admit. Very different players but truly the only two who should be considered the greatest of all time.

[@snazzrazzmazzlejazz8974]

@@geordiejones5618 reject Bron and Jordan, embrace Tim Duncan.

[@brrr3301]

@@snazzrazzmazzlejazz8974 why not embrace all of them?

[@nicolocadamuro9988]

They are on a tier on their own

[@ImbetterthanDWade]

Lebron couldn’t even guard me. Of course, he isn’t better than Jordan lol

[@ciaranboland439]

this man doesn’t miss. best youtube basketball channel peak of all time without a doubt.

[@zamitlegoatis10-0inmybooks5]

LEGOAT SHOULD BE NUMBER 1 AND BUMJ AND CURFRAUD SHOULDNT BE IN THE TOP 10

[@ciaranboland439]

@@zamitlegoatis10-0inmybooks5 get hit with this fat ass ratio my guy

[@koolkai4299]

Thinking basketball is not GOSPEL

[@guren_mk_II]

@@zamitlegoatis10-0inmybooks5 lol

[@Ubblvx]

@@zamitlegoatis10-0inmybooks5 your on the wrong app bud, take that shit back to Twitter😂

[@freaking7459]

The fact that Kareem was good enough to have the 6th greatest peak ever between the age of 30-33 as a Center is insane.

[@kingofallmen1]

Yeah. Nobody is close to him in total scoring.

[@peterpan3022]

@@kingofallmen1 wdym? lebron will pass him next year in total points scored and has already passed him if you include playoff points. and mj has the bigger ppg by quite a bit. so in what world does noone come close to him in scoring?

[@Careless_101]

Maybe he was in his prime in the aba when he was in physical peak.

[@alessandropozzi2214]

lebron at 31-34 with cleveland even better, but we take lebron so much for granted that we don't even notice

[@reimixo]

That wasnt his peak tho

[@radithya6594]

Ben, we need a Joker video asap and how his season stacks up against other bigs. Can't wait till the season ends

[@Katsos44]

I’ve watched his playoff Jokic video about a thousand times, the 3-1 comeback nuggets will live in my heart forever right next to the we believe warriors super jam Seattle teams

[@RLSmith-jt8qj]

Like for real

[@othmanhawasly]

Yeah Seriously, one about Joker and another about Luka, ASAP PLEASE ❤

[@mskomu]

But we don't even know if Jokic has even played any of his top 3 seasons. It's not like he's showing any symptoms of not continuing to improve and he's 26.

[@doyouseestroberries]

@@mskomu He's seemingly getting more athletic with age, as his body improves. Add in the improvement of getting to the line more as he gets more respect/smarter with drawing shooting fouls, and Jokic could very well force his way into top 5 peak territory.

[@akshaychekuri9504]

I think we all knew what the top 2 would be when everyone else on the list had a ceiling of 3rd place.

[@ΚώσταςΠαππάς-φ7ζ]

i also knew Shaq would definitely be either 3rd or 4rd

[@FlyLikeATachyon]

I don't think it was ever in question, cutting it at 1977 hurt Kareem's chances of top 2, and there's no one else who has a good argument other than LeBron or MJ.

[@davidolinger3948]

@@FlyLikeATachyon yeah, I'm actually a huge believer in how incredible young kareem was, but mj and lebron are no doubt the best 2 in this time frame

[@Alphadestrious]

No kobe?!

[@StefveoX]

You mean a roof?

[@dulogmaz]

The fact that you can separate 3 different stretches that would end up on the list for Jordan and LeBron each just shows how dominant they really are/were. GOATs no doubt

[@kaimarquez8046]

When is this shown in the video?

[@charlesfowler4308]

@@kaimarquez8046 at 21:27 they show 8 Jordan playoffs, using the 3 year peak system that's 3 peaks (2.66 for the pedants). While at 22:07 They show 3 sets of LeBron peaks and 2 Jordan sets.

[@mbok29915]

half of the greatest peaks in history belonging to two players, they indeed are in a different stratosphere

[@Xanninja]

@@mbok29915 Been saying this. 💯💯 even if you don't prefer either player, no debating their spots.

[@Mercurial.]

So how does Lebron has 3 peaks when he STILL has a LOSING RECORD and lost the most of all time for an MVP again 🤔

[@mrr1491]

As a graduate student in Psychology who LOVES basketball, I feel this is the *only* channel that does justice to the GOAT and Mount Rushmore debates and that provides critical analyses of basketball that isn't couched in sensationalism and uni-dimensionalism.

[@conflictedpersonnage6276]

Just for the culture, what type of work do you do?

[@mrr1491]

@@conflictedpersonnage6276 Primarily work with Psychosis and Substance Use. Mainly from a liberation perspective, which views society and its constraints and labels as the primary issues driving illness and distress rather than biology. How bout you?!

[@conflictedpersonnage6276]

@@mrr1491 That’s actually really interesting. Well I’m still in middle school so I don’t have job yet.

[@mrr1491]

@@conflictedpersonnage6276 Ahh I see! go get it in school! Then go out there and make a difference in this world.

[@mattdotts]

Basketball is a fascinating game of superhuman athletes and I'm glad you appreciate it!

[@cgmp326]

Olajuwon top 5 is all I needed to see. Good job on the ratings

[@bolt7047]

He's really underrated, but am glad hardcore fans like us can appreciate how good he was

[@mixedpleasure4324]

you have to remember Wilt and other from before 77 was not in this video and Wilt was better then Olajuwon

[@siya2195]

Mixed pleasure no bro Wilt under played underplayed the playoff and people don't know .hakeem would never have Hakeem>Wilt

[@mixedpleasure4324]

@@siya2195 Wilt was a two time champion just like Hakeem so what are you talking about and Wilt average way more point twice as many rebounds and almost twice as many assist with a better FG% and Wilt has 4 mvps and average over 50 pint and over 44 point and 38 and 36 and 37 with a 48 vertical like Mj.. Wilt was arguable the best player ever only Mj is surely better imo but Wilt could easily go as high as number 2. Hakeem doesnt do anything better then Wilt so just cut it out

[@siya2195]

@@mixedpleasure4324 Bra the the chainpainships he won were when he wasn't averaging record breaking numbers in the first one he was a 21 ppg scorer and the 2nd he was a 14 ppg in the playoffs and as I said there were many times in the play-offs were Wilt had a chance to beat the Celtics and Russel but he didn't have his record breaking averages (he underplayed) and got beaten many ,many times and only won when he wasn't avenging those numbers. Lastly Wilt is still an alltime great but people get lost in stats and records but we have to realize that you can avenge 50 if your taking 39.5 shots a game Hakeem > Wilt

[@legamingchair6632]

This was so good. I think we all appreciate this series so much🙏🏼 Thank you Ben!

[@ThinkingBasketball]

Appreciate the support!

[@milesvincent6953]

I already knew D-Wade and Dirk were goated. Can’t wait for a future series on them

[@zamitlegoatis10-0inmybooks5]

LEGOAT CARRIED WADE AND OWNS DIRK

[@Thanosdidtherighthing]

@@zamitlegoatis10-0inmybooks5 2011 Finals 🌝

[@zamitlegoatis10-0inmybooks5]

@@Thanosdidtherighthing DIRK CHEATED

[@snazzrazzmazzlejazz8974]

@@zamitlegoatis10-0inmybooks5 Hold the hell up. People really say whatever the hell comes to mind now, huh.

[@cia6520]

@@snazzrazzmazzlejazz8974 cmon man he is being funny

[@Akaya7777]

Seeing those on/off splits for Green (Im Assuming Draymond) and Ginobili makes me want a breakdown video for each player. Those stretches are absolutely insane. You could argue that those splits showcase their claim as two of the greatest supporting stars of all time.

[@DEVILONBOTHSHOULDERS]

draymond green is one of the most unique players in nba history a 6’6 center whos defensive ability matched 7 footers

[@enzogialdi8647]

It was just me that got nervous in the top 2?? man fenomenal series thanks man you are amazing

[@ThinkingBasketball]

No, I too got nervous in the top 2. 😂

[@nandylast1314]

@@ThinkingBasketball I saw every player's peak maxing out to 3 and not 2, and that's when the hype started building for the Jordan and LeBron debate for me

[@nandylast1314]

Everyone got nervous in the top 2, especially Jordan and LeBron fans.

[@sexyshadowcat7]

@@ThinkingBasketball You would have been roasted if you hadn't put Jordan #1 and then he would have challenged you and dunked on you.

[@MatteoRuberto]

@@ThinkingBasketball I mean, it could have become personal..

[@diegocarvajalcastro]

That final race for the first place was way dramatic, well done Ben

[@jacktata5284]

My life is complete. I can die now

[@JarvisN]

No

[@zamitlegoatis10-0inmybooks5]

LEGOAT BETTER BE 1

[@joshuasamuel2274]

I still have to finish one piece

[@exiege]

Don’t

[@austin5944]

@@zamitlegoatis10-0inmybooks5 are you just a bronsexual bot or a delusional fan. 6 for 6.

[@AKSBSU]

Olajuwon was the first name I thought about when I saw the title would be focusing on best at peak. That guy was always good but off the charts on both ends of the court in the mid-90s. I've never seen center play at a higher level than he did at his peak, and it was against absurdly strong competition in an era of tough, physical defense and top tier centers.

[@HiNRGboy]

Wilt had the most insane Center play ever, you just never saw it lol

[@Blank9458]

@@HiNRGboy yea that’s what he said

[@planetpoog]

best defender ever😤

[@ME-yo4op]

@@HiNRGboyactually I did and dream was better, Wilt was amazingly talented and great but he had lesser talent that he competed against. The 60s only fielded 9 teams for the most past and the average starting center was 6’10 and change. There was one real challenge to Wilt and he was 6’9, dream was smaller than most centers and these were all good to plus athletes and dream was still head and shoulders above. Sorry but it’s not Wilt.

[@HiNRGboy]

@@ME-yo4op Wilt is my GOAT..Just my opinion buddy, love me some Dream regardless. You can't go wrong picking any of them. I would've chosen Hakeem over Jordan just like the Rockets did.

[@shockboomjj7070]

1:16 there is a graphical area when you say what years the criteria fall into (graphic says 1997-2020)

[@TheBest-gf8qo]

He meant 1977 I think

[@ThinkingBasketball]

Nice catch! That's my subconscious wishing the ABA existed until 1997.

[@TheBest-gf8qo]

@@ThinkingBasketball While we're on the topic, could you make a series about the forgotten stars of the ABA and their placement amongst the basketball greats? Love this series btw

[@davidolinger3948]

@@TheBest-gf8qo man I miss ABA dr j, he was rediculous

[@hmmBEEFY]

Glad someone else caught that

[@sussvarman]

a weird detail to point out but: i love these thumbnails SO much. its so hard to find a balance between what works for the algorithm while making something that looks genuinely pretty. the graphic designer behind them deserves so much credit, as they are what drew most of us into these videos!

[@johnrockyryan]

Omg your so right the thumbnails are so beautiful

[@dhruvkasthuri6401]

25:00 The fact that Jordan and LeBron are so far ahead of all other all time great players in their peaks shows how special they really are

[@Akashic85]

Wait how are their top 3 voted more than their vote share

[@Herv3]

Just remember that Lew Alcindor - AKA Kareem Abdul Jabbar - of his Milwaukee Years would probably have a peak as high as those two.

[@Herv3]

@@JVeleta11 that's a lie

[@Herv3]

@@JVeleta11 dude, you ain't fooling anyone.

[@loydkline]

Michael Jordan own nba basketball 🏀 1980s & 1990s

[@MrAntwan301]

That Jokic cameo is perfect hahaha

[@Ancient_Regime88]

"Impact relative to era" pretty much guarantees Jordan's place at number one.

[@libraalibaba]

Most definitely

[@mjg6233]

No

[@leultrainstinct406]

As the greatest peak? Then yea I guess. But like Ben said, it’s really really close.

[@claudiojr.bellin496]

Exactly, Richard!

[@myasswithacherryontop1902]

Richard!

[@samuelyuan291]

I'm just happy that Steph Curry gets his respect

[@zamitlegoatis10-0inmybooks5]

Lurry shouldnt be top 100

[@xenopanda1]

@@zamitlegoatis10-0inmybooks5 ZaMickey acting like his low-quality videos :)

[@edwardtimothy3581]

Agree

[@scoots2085]

@joceja23 what

[@alliesstartedww1308]

@@zamitlegoatis10-0inmybooks5 you clearly have bo basketball knowledge lmfao

[@Bushidounohana]

It is irrefutable-you are the GOAT of analysis! While allowing for personal perspectives that may differ, you quantify a solid case for each ranking through thorough consideration. This is a model for how these kinds of discussions ought to be carried out, thank you and the team for all your work on this!

[@ImBarryScottCSS]

Without doubt this series challenged my own preconceptions and furthered my ability to analyse players on what is/is not valuable. That's what this is all about, it's not about who's number one and who's number 6, that's your choice, it's about the process of making the choice and you explained that process perfectly. Thanks for such wonderful content and I really hope this channel keeps moving forward and the content keeps flowing 👍

[@noparkingbp7355]

You legitimately deserve a job at ESPN or some major sports network with this intensive and accurate basketball analysis. It’s just so good

[@daltongiddings2771]

We just lost Coach Daniel, please let me get through that before we lose Ben too 😂

[@mskomu]

Masses are not interested in truth. They are interested in stories instead. Read the news or follow pro sport "analysts". It's about stories and narratives, because those sell. I hate to day it, but Thinking Basketball is a niche thing. It will never attract the majority, but it's so great that all the niche followers root for it.

[@kingz5493]

@@mskomu Yeah Idk about that it could be easily marketable I mean he gets hella views anyway the problem is the live cable tv format he’d actually be great having a tv show like series.

[@bcyost1908]

Ben is way too good for ESPN.

[@adamjohnson1966]

@@mskomu well said and unfortunately true

[@harrincourt95]

I wish most NBA fans knew that there are no time machines :(

[@scordatura9259]

Fr man it's so annoying. Like jordan fans say lebron would die in the 90s with that soft flopping. While lebron fans would say that mj wouldn't be able to face the modern nba with the three point shot and his inefficient latter years. While the truth is it's impossible to know what the players will be at each era since well they're humans and can adapt and change according to the style of basketball being played

[@tchalla7828]

@@scordatura9259 that’s why you should only judge them by how well they dominated their respective eras.

[@iLawfGaming]

@@tchalla7828 except lebron didn't dominate his era. He only dominated his conference. So even with those standards MJ is still more dominant and the better player.

[@MrReverseOreo]

@@iLawfGaming Are you just going to different comments to place MJ over Lebron?

[@lik7953]

@@iLawfGaming He did dominate his era. Look at the stats. This series isn’t about championships or rings or MVP’s. It’s about impact metrics. And Jordan and Lebron are neck and neck in them

[@thelegendofBigRay]

Just discovered this channel 1st week April 2023. I respect the research and insight. It has been fun watching !

[@Piripiao_YT]

*Brb gotta rewatch this series all over again.*

[@secretcow4228]

JordanHeads: "He had us in the first half not gonna lie"

[@chrischen5048]

@You mad Bro!? The thing about LeBron (for me) isn't so much the choking job in 2011. The thing is a lot of players choke, and that sucks, but it's really LeBron's lack of consistent winning that takes away his shine. It's one thing to be the greatest floor raiser of all time, but it doesn't matter how much you raise the floor if you're not winning championships. Moreover, I know LeBron is catching up in terms of his championships, but I do think his longevity (also important) is a factor. I don't think very many players have the opportunity to play at their peak for as long as LeBron has (not sure if that should be attributed to him or science) and that skews things (though I'd give it to Lebron though). If Jordan was Jordan, but without the titles, we wouldn't even come close to seeing him in the same light.

[@ObnoxiousOtter8]

Chris Chen man you really saying that you’re disappointed in Brin for not winning with Matthew delly and an aged Kyle korver in a finals starting 5 against prime super team warriors? Come on now.

[@ObnoxiousOtter8]

Chris Chen didn’t mean for it to come off as stupid as it reads btw, it was a good and well thought take.

[@leultrainstinct406]

@You mad Bro!? top two, no lower than that. As much as you hate him, you can’t deny that they’re sitting at the top of the mountain and everyone is below them. Eh, the generic reason lol. Sure you have 2011, but you also have 2016 which was the greatest finals performance of all time against the 2nd greatest team ever. That performance alone should’ve completely scrubbed away 2011.

[@leultrainstinct406]

@@chrischen5048 tons of players who played in this era don’t have primes nearly as long as Lebron, so it’s a lot more than just science(Kobe, wade, Vince, Carmelo, etc.) Science alone isn’t enough to make a 36 year old man in his 18th season the best player in the world. That’s just greatness at that point. To your championship point, you have to think about the context. 2007, he took a team of scrubs to the finals against the spurs dynasty. 2014 he was against the spurs dynasty again but wade and bosh were too injured to show up. 2015, he was up against a 67 win team alone with role players as support. 2017 he had a great team but KD just made things unfair. 2018 he had an even worse team then before, STILL dragged them to the finals, but was against the 73-9 warriors+KD. So only 2011 is his fault, and the fact he can carry teams like nobody else in history is a testament to his greatness, and why he’s called the best floor raiser ever.

[@AsadKhan-tz6vr]

I loved this series. You really make the game more fun to watch for me. I hope you can do a series on single year peaks i.e. 94 Pippen, 03 T-mac, 09 Wade etc.

[@aaanawaleh]

Its interesting how those single year peaks weren't in their championship winning seasons.

[@zotanica]

​@@aaanawalehpeaks usually occur when they take a lot of the offensive load(=less help, less championship aspirations)

[@nb_nic]

recently had this series pop up in my KZbin feed, never seen your channel before. I watched about 1/3 of them and this one, this is amazing content. as someone who only really watches playoff basketball and some hawks games it's been really interesting to hear what made all these players so great from someone who knows way more about basketball than me or my friends lol

[@GeorgeElEmery]

Why the f*** am I crying like this is the end of Friends or something?! Fantastic series 😭

[@yungluluu]

I swear bro 😂😂😂😂😂

[@YoungPhenix]

Same bub

[@bobbyjankins3796]

i feel you man when the outro came on i felt like i just finished a long journey

[@dusk6159]

It seems like yesterday that I was watching the YT announcement video and started waiting lol Or the Wilt vs Bill precursor video. Wow!

[@jonathanoka7866]

Probably bc u watch friends lol

[@MindfulAttraction]

I'll watch this when I can relax and watch it

[@okeythegoat2332]

Fr

[@mydogsnameislucy768]

Facts. Imma just see the top spot right now. Lol

[@johnsmith1474]

Like anyone gives a shit ...

[@fw9512]

@@johnsmith1474 what’s wrong with you

[@KyleNamiteVlogs]

@@johnsmith1474 oh god a stereotypical mean white man 😂😂😂

[@jesusshuttleworth6301]

This is definitely the greatest basketball series of all time.

[@leultrainstinct406]

It’s up there with “making the case”

[@En_Gho]

This is one of the greatest series in all KZbin history. So much thorough work and dedication, and I just want you to know that we appreciate it very much. Thank you @ Thinking Basketball

[@ReCharredSigh]

one thing i appreciate about you listing the top 10 peaks is you acknowledging that the order isn't set in stone and can vary depending on how you optimistically view them, like some players being listed around the lower 6-10 range but can be bumped up as high as 3. ie, it's not a contest; these guys are all really good, and it's tough to definitely tier them.

[@elroz1675]

exactly. many overlooked that factor.

[@Arthur5000]

True

[@Chairsium]

This was one hell of a series, best basketball content on KZbin for sure.

[@adampohlen2133]

KG is the most underrated player of all time because he was on the Wolves

[@kingdinodragonite3470]

Facts. It’s still disgusting how Lakers fans taunt me that I said KG was better than Kobe smh.

[@A-A-RonDavis2470]

@@kingdinodragonite3470 he ain't better than Kobe, but is RIGHT there in the mix of greatest PF's of all-time. Skill-wise, I think so.

[@kingdinodragonite3470]

@@A-A-RonDavis2470 you would not say that if Kobe was on the hornets and the Wolves didn’t fuck up with that bullshit scandal that costed them 5 first round draft picks.

[@allanhouston6759]

KG is overrated.

[@FuShengAlex]

@@allanhouston6759 wow....finally a comment from you I can agree with 😆

[@YevgenyBazarov1862]

This series contains some of the most impressive content I’ve ever seen. As a teacher, it has an amazing balance of content and explanation that makes sure viewers don’t get lost. It would be hard to make one of these videos, let alone sixteen. Thank you, Thinking Basketball Team!

[@redbee5]

I will miss this series. I bought the book because of the first episode! It’s obvious Ben puts everything into what he does. His analysis’s are the highest quality, not just on KZbin but anywhere period. He deserves more credit. Love the podcast too! Literally cannot get enough.

[@legamingchair6632]

Facts

[@palebluedot930g76]

Ben, your attention at minimizing biases is charming. Love your work, this series was a bliss.

[@SirKibblestein]

This was literally the best basketball analysis series

[@Dozalable]

This is the first time I've ever commented on a KZbin video, but this series was just so astoundingly brilliant and thought provoking that I had to let you know. Thank you, Ben.

[@raysmith6731]

These videos are the best part of my week

[@zamitlegoatis10-0inmybooks5]

NO THEY SUCK HE DISRESPECTS LEGOAT

[@matthewbodony4000]

@@zamitlegoatis10-0inmybooks5 I hope you’re joking ( doesn’t even matter if you think Lebron’s the goat, these are high effort extremely high quality videos using stats and numbers to provide information to the viewer).

[@acpliego]

@@zamitlegoatis10-0inmybooks5 como on fanboy. LeBron is questionably tied at 1. Let’s analyze, why do you think he’s disrespected ?

[@jappinjames]

Told my wife that I feel like I was a part of something epic. Thanks Ben

[@cameroncampbell1638]

You were right.

[@iisaii]

literally took my lunch break now just to watch this masterpiece lol but I’m gonna miss the greatest peaks series :(

[@ja8ames]

Great series, fantastic work Ben! However you might work it in, I'd be really interested to see something on Charles Barkley. He was such a unique, unconventionally dominant player in his own way, it would be cool to see your perspective on him.

[@Svensemannen]

This is seriously my favourite KZbin series ever. You deserve way more subscribers. Props to the whole team, keep up the excellent work!

[@TheSeekerNFT]

I would like to take the time and comment on the level of production this series carried through the weeks. I was eager to watch every single one of these as they rolled out making sure I had enough time to digest all the amazing stats and facts from each peak. Simply amazing work from the perspective of the stat gathering and the thesis of who had the best peak. Simply Brilliant and worthy of an award for sports broadcasting. ESPN or NBA TV would be pushing this series so hard if they made this level of quality work! Thank you for making this and I am looking forward to more videos and books in the future!

[@takensteak4485]

Jordan in 91 and lebron in 18 curry in 16 and shaq in 01 are the most unstoppable offensive weapons ive seen

[@hennore]

More nerve-racking: switching Bron and Jordan back and forth OR the bouncing Kawhi buzzer-beater? 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@Links2077]

one day we need a breakdown for chris paul from you brother

[@Raghuveer2798]

It's so amazing that even after 18 years since MJ's retirement, people still think he's the greatest.

[@Max-kv8uw]

(peak)

[@yvans.]

@@Max-kv8uw well Ben had him as his GOAT Edit: In fact he got Kareem as number 1, MJ number 2 and Bron number 3

[@murm9460]

@@yvans. as the goat perhaps (legacy,accolades etc.) but he has admitted to lebron being a better basketball player in a vacuum. Stating the only reason he would pick jordan over lebron in any scenario would be because of his bias for jordan which is understandable given his age

[@haha69sexnumber]

@@yvans. He doesn't though, Ben has MJ as a better peak but not a better player

[@yvans.]

@@haha69sexnumber No he does. He just doesn’t have MJ has His GOAT but he has him over Bron career wise too. Ben consider Kareem had his GOAT check his website you will see.

[@MinLee2]

Amazing series! Thanks for putting this together. I wish sports shows were this deep. Their level of analysis is, "if you score more points than the other team, you'll probably win."

[@Webbie2689]

I’m about 3 years late, but this series is amazing. Loved the in depth breakdowns of each superstar in their peak and then this comparison to wrap it all up was perfect. The thumbnail art is fire as well. Whoever made the graphics did a good job making them appeal to my eye as I was scrolling through KZbin.

[@NickTriant23]

The Greatest basketball series on KZbin came to an end. Sad to see it go but thank you very much for these videos. I'm going to refer to them for the rest of my life probably, when contemplating about some of these players. Would love to see something similar in the future with the guys that just missed out on this list, such as Chuck and DWade!

[@gamemeister27]

Oh man is he making the KG argument!? OH MY GOD HE'S DOING IT! YES! YES! I LOVE YOU! THE STATE OF MINNESOTA LOVES YOU! YOU ARE WELCOME IN EVERY HOUSEHOLD, YOU GET FREE HOTDISH FOR LIFE, AAAAAAAA!!!!

[@bcyost1908]

As a minnesotan, I liked this because of your use of hotdish.

[@gamemeister27]

@@bcyost1908 I'm a native after all

[@moaden9553]

No cap lol 😂 😂😂😂

[@andythedeane]

Loved this series! Can’t wait to see what’s next!!! I think I’m going to rewatch them because it just was so much fun.

[@jeffreyt4345]

My heart couldn't take back and forth anticipation during the 1 and 2 discussions...! Great finale Ben, you should be incredibly proud of this work. One of the best historical NBA player analysis series ever made.

[@donkashaveli]

Facts because when I watched the jordan video he was sounding like a hater especially jordan defense and was high on Lebron in his video I’m like dude better not pick Lebron over jordan lol

[@harshdeshpande3382]

@@donkashaveli At this point I don't think you should have a problem with him picking either because it is really close

[@andrewrose4223]

@@donkashaveli he has Bron over MJ all time

[@Xanninja]

@@donkashaveli you are mistaken, he showed way more criticism of lebron defense and offense and as an off ball teammate, showed actual misses from LeBron and his growth.. he did no such thing for Jordan, made Jordan look flawless (which he partly is) on offense, he was completely fair in his criticism of Jordan's overrated defense and passing in those early 90s years!

[@NothingElseMattersJM]

@@Xanninja If anything MJ is underrated as a passer. His defense is accurately ranked. One of the best guard defenders of all time but not as impactful as guys like KG , Hakeem or Duncan due to size

[@chanendlerbong]

I died when Joker sneaked when u talked about Shaqs all time offense 😂😂 :D btw make a video about Joker, he is probably having the GOAT offensive season for any center this year

[@TheBronzeBomber38]

🌝Shaq’s scoring, foul drawing and offensive rebounding shits on Jokic’s 🌝

[@enzorossi9853]

@@TheBronzeBomber38 Jokic passing, spacing, shooting and playmaking shit on shaq

[@TheBronzeBomber38]

@@enzorossi9853 Get back to me when Jokic can average at least one block per game lol

[@LeksoSai]

@@TheBronzeBomber38 irrelevant how many blocks Jokic has as he has more steals and assists. You’re just trapped in an outdated mode of thinking

[@TheBronzeBomber38]

@@LeksoSai It’s hard to go deep in the playoffs if your center can’t protect the rim. The opposing team can just walk in the paint without any fear of having their shot altered. Jokic is still a beast though on offense no doubt

[@Dominicankareem]

Wade from 04-05 to 10-11 was something to behold elite on both ends took over games defensively as well

[@WhelmedButReady]

By God, i wasn't ready for that face reveal at the end. I expected a slightly nerdier image lol. Nice hair Ben 👌🏾😁

[@crablord7934]

His face was already on his book lol

[@WhelmedButReady]

@@crablord7934 I never read the book or seen anything else besides what's on this channel. He was a headless mystery LMAO

[@crablord7934]

@@WhelmedButReady You can pick it up if you want to, though it's really more for hardcore analytics enthusiasts.

[@ThinkingBasketball]

Hey, I can be nerdier!

[@samhartje723]

Where is the reveal at?

[@johnjones528]

Moses Malone was the best basketball player in the NBA for like, 5 years. He won 3 league MVPs, a Finals MVP, a championship, and is the all-time leader in NBA history, in offensive rebounds. Anyone who had Moses in the late 70s/early 80s was a contender. He is clearly the most underrated basketball player in league history.

[@MakaveliDior]

In a era where nobody could shoot the ball and dribble

[@MakaveliDior]

@@batssama 50s,60s,70s and early 80s are ass compared to todays era

[@the757general2]

@@MakaveliDior you mean today's soft ass no defense era?

[@jacobponce9900]

facts. Moses, Bird, Duncan, and Stockton are some of the most underrated athletes in sports, period.

[@HiNRGboy]

@@MakaveliDior Watch the 80's Pistons vs Nuggets game on youtube where they scored the highest amount of points ever, it'll change your mind...

[@sed1589]

Would love to see a series or even just a couple videos on those who just missed out on this series. (Wade, Dirk, Nash, AI, etc)

[@justinrossman3255]

Hard to be too hurt by the microscopic edge given to MJ here, but I do think it’s attributable more to the sampling bias here than anything else. ‘Consecutive three year peak’ is a metric favoring players who put it all together in a cohesive prime - Lebron’s 5 best seasons are spread over 11 years. Regardless, this was brilliant and a ton of fun :)

[@charlesfowler4308]

True but it is "the greatest peaks" not greatest players or greatest careers. I'd probably agree with the video MJ probably had a better peak (for the same team building reason). I'd say LeBron is a more interesting and complete player over the course of his career given how he's changed his game. Personally I like the idea of greatest peaks as it allows more precision when comparing, and you don't have to worry about longevity, just watch them play and look at the data. (Also I like greatest peaks as an idea as it deffo favours Steph who I am 100% biased towards 😅)

[@justinrossman3255]

@@charlesfowler4308 I’d have steph even higher than Ben does on this list so I’m with you, but I guess I don’t see why a bimodal or even quadmodal peak is less significant than a single wide one? If Lebron 08, 09, 12, 13, 16 > MJ 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, that would be significant, no? My only point is that “3 year consecutive peak” is a very specific dataset and one I don’t find incontrovertibly conclusive

[@marquisdaniels8371]

@@justinrossman3255 When did he 3 peat ?

[@charlesfowler4308]

@@justinrossman3255 fair that's a good point, I feel like there's something be said about the simplicity of 3 consecutive years peak. stats and rankings are all good and well but they're only as useful as people can understand them. Also nice to see a fellow Steph appreciator. Is that you standing next to Bill Clinton in your profile? 😅

[@justinrossman3255]

@@charlesfowler4308 can’t tell you why it’s still my profile pic, it’s from ages ago, but yes haha :)

[@alexarsineau5369]

I need a CP3 greatest peak ASAP, point god forever

[@HailKingCeezer]

i was surprised he had no mention. Statistically he looks like the goat pure PG in his peak

[@onedone2011]

Nah. He is a game 7 disaster.

[@AndrejIzAwesome]

​@@onedone2011 dude literally has a game 7 gamewinner (on a bad leg I might add)

[@bleach4k239]

True. He's an advance stats type of player.

[@kyrito11]

@@onedone2011 huh

[@johnyounce]

Thanks!

[@TranquilAura77]

Best basketball channel on youtube by far.

[@JalengreentheGOAT]

the fact i almost completely agree with this makes me feel happy with my basketball knowledge

[@yvans.]

True

[@tiktokexposed898]

Other than not having LeBron at #1 this list is spot on

[@JalengreentheGOAT]

@@tiktokexposed898 you would have lebron 1 this isnt about right or wrong,its all opinions at the end of the day

[@rhenzomarcial3262]

You dropped this 👑

[@emkast8257]

Ur low end is top 3 basketball youtube channel easily. Just amazing work

[@Chaching632]

These videos are incredibly details. Wow thank you!

[@ReflectionEternal2]

Do you think you can do a "Greatest Peaks" series on the greatest teams, instead of players? Your analysis of these players and their overall impact is immaculate. I wonder how that translates into the entire package of the team.

[@slimmoses4129]

Pretty sure it would just be the Warriors, CLE (they beat the Warriors), Spurs, Lakers, and the Spurs.

[@kaiwong3514]

I wonder how you would rank these teams, as the same core of players (the Jordan bulls, Steph warriors, Shaq-Kobe laker etc.) would each have a case to rank multiple top ten teams of all time.

[@malachai533]

@@slimmoses4129I doubt the Cavs would make the list lol, apart from Lebron and Kyrie and maybe Love, that team was equal to countless other teams we’ve seen, and they also just beat the warriors cause the warriors played worse than usual and not because the Cavs played better. This would mostly consist of the Warriors, Spurs, Bulls and Celtics

[@tariqtopey]

I can finally rest like Thanos at the end of Infinity War! The work has been completed.

[@samuelcunha827]

I just wish that NBA commentators and annalists were as transparent as you, with their data and insights... Great content keep it up

[@hectorwatt9712]

Watching this 2 years later it fascinates me how Giannis and Jokic would do on these lists, their recent peaks have been sensational

[@TheMissiIe]

Bird 100%, 1984-86: 2x Champ 2x FMVP 3x MVP 2x NBA First Team 2x 50-40-90 club 3x 3pt Contest Champ

[@jantaramiyongsuntriyapas2570]

I think the concensus meaning of peak in basketball, NBA inparticular is a single season. Three years is too long of a peak, somehow it makes it a plateau. But I agree, Bird 1984-1986 is one of the best thee year stretch.

[@MeLoveParisHilton]

@@jantaramiyongsuntriyapas2570 No, the series discusses mostly three year peaks actually. I think Bird had an insane peak. My criticism of this series would be that it focuses almost exclusively on numbers and does not give much of a consideration to how those numbers came about.

[@ezekielspates5677]

Jordan from 91-93 and Shaq from '00-02 were both better than Bird.

[@bsn0730]

I don't know how I saw all the other videos and missed this one. This series has put into perspective a lot of the gut feelings I've had about great players and their impact. I also love that Shaq is in the top 5. He was so dominant at his peak! These are probably the players I would've landed on if I worked as hard to analyze nba history as Ben did. You're amazing Ben!

[@shamgar86]

I have loved most of your work (I say most, 'cause I haven't watched ALL of your videos), but this was my favorite series yet. I truly hope for another 3 or 4 volumes of this series. Thanks a bunch. Good stuff.

[@stephenmoney4722]

i got shivers at the end 😭

[@samuelyuan291]

Everyone's range is at 3rd because of Lebron and Jordan lmao

[@leultrainstinct406]

Greatest players of all time. The order is interchangeable, but they’re above everyone else

[@siriusblack7714]

6 championships in 8 years, 5 mvps, 6 finals mvps, dpoy, multiple scoring titles, all this in 8 seasons where he was playing baseball for 2 of them and not even in the nba

[@Islandkid679]

In one franchise, to top it all off

[@FuShengAlex]

Orlando ousted him = not playing baseball

[@nickmclawhorn5559]

4 MVPs and no DPOY in that 8 year stretch from 1991-1998 that you're referring to

[@T65XJ]

@@nickmclawhorn5559 6 first team all nba and 6 first team all defense in the 8 years he was talking about

[@nickmclawhorn5559]

@@T65XJ yes

[@hanyan574]

Aside from the amazing, intelligent video, can we just take a minute to appreciate the artwork of the player avatars? It's amazing how you can tell who they are just by their faces.

[@coloneldusty4476]

Awesomeness

[@hjalmarskytnielsen9383]

I take a bow in the presence of greatness

[@diegosantacruz6331]

Awesome series! I was just wondering where you think bill russell, wilt and other greats before 1977 would stack up. Such an awesome series. And a great finale. The whole time I was nervous knowing this would determine my opinion on the Lebron vs Jordan debate lol and it was obvious those 2 spots were for them. I'm also curious if you could someday make a series or video on what you think great pairings of superstars that never happened would have been based on their playstyle. I think it would be fun.

[@glyle2504]

We’re gonna have to put Jokic in this list now. The last 3 years has been *INSANE* for this man.

[@xisckillerx7578]

No

[@kingtowmater1038]

Jokic is insane but putting him here is a stretch imo. I’d say peak Jokic falls more towards the 15-20 range, but you never know things may change 🤷‍♂️

[@glyle2504]

⁠​⁠@@kingtowmater1038 I completely disagree. We’re talking 3 straight years of 26/12/9 on 59% from the field and 37% from 3 that in the playoffs becomes 30/13/8 on 54% and 41% from 3. How is that not as good as what Magic and Bird were doing? Also I’m putting Giannis in here as well, he’s right there with Duncan and KG defensively except he’s a better playmaker and playmaker than both and he’s clearly better at scoring the ball as well. 28/12/6 on 57% while being an all-time defender is absurd. I’m definitely putting both of them over KG

[@kingtowmater1038]

@@glyle2504 1) I don’t wanna sound biased here bc I’m a huge Jokic fan but basketball at a certain point isn’t just all stats. What Jokic is doing insane and he truly is the greatest offensive center of all time. I think he is a bit higher, maybe 11-15 range. But first, he is very very average at defense, nothing special at all. Of course, that is barely nothing of a flaw since he is virtually unstoppable offensively, however everyone in the top 10 has practically all time great defense besides curry and magic, and I think it’s easy for anyone to distinguish that peak curry is a better basketball player than Jokic. As for magic, it is definitely close, I ain’t gonna lie. But at the end it all comes down to the fact that in his peak Magic Johnson is the greatest passer of all time; he averaged 24 and 12 along with 7 reb on 50% efficiency. As for bird he is arguably the most complete player to ever play the game, I would take him over Jokic. Jokic is gonna be there one day tho. 2) Giannis is an amazing defender and he does fall somewhere all time but please don’t say he’s at the level of KG and Tim Duncan. KG and Tim both have respective cases as the greatest defender of all time: to compare Gianni’s to that is way too far of a stretch. Don’t mistake me for hating on current day players bc giannis is crazy and he’s surpassed virtually every PF in peak (Barkley Dirk Karl Malone) but he’s still behind KG and Tim for me. He is a better playmaker and he has great scoring volume but KG and Tim are def better in terms of their range; both are two of the greatest midrange shooting bigs of all time, KG prob 2nd right after Dirk. Giannis cannot shoot for shit. Giannis is very close to KG and Tim D rn in terms of peak and I think he can surpass KG but he hasn’t done it for me yet.

[@glyle2504]

@@kingtowmater1038 I feel like when we have these discussions about older players we tend to make it a matter of who’s greater instead of removing the names and comparing the games. Nobody’s saying Jokic is greater than Magic or Giannis is greater than Tim Duncan, these are just about 3 year peaks, and I don’t think that’s something you necessarily have to “earn.” First I’m gonna do Magic and Jokic because it’s the more direct comparison. Magic obviously is the better passer, he’s the best passer of all time. But Jokic is arguably a top five passer ever, behind Magic LeBron and Kidd. You wanna put Nash CP3 and idk, Isiah Thomas above him fine but that’s really it. So the passing gap is there but you’re still talking about a guy who’s an offensive hub and can make just about any pass Magic can make just with less flair. But there’s more to being an offensive hub than playmaking, scoring matters as well. And Magic’s 3 year stretch has him at 20/13 which is ludicrous passing and far from being a scoring liability-but he couldn’t be a scorer. He’s not going to beat you with that more often than not and the whole “make him a scorer” thing people say about Jokic applies to Magic. Jokic however is 26 ppg guy who can’t be stopped from scoring the ball, in part BECASE of that passing. But unlike Magic he can kill you in the post, he can hit midrange shots with ease, and he can hit threes…he’ll, he can hit stepback threes over 7 footers. And in the playoffs his scoring reaches a level that only guys like Shaq Hakeem and Kareem can match. Not to mention his defense against other centers is very underrated as I just watched him go against my Lakers and defend Anthony Davis better than Anthony Davis defended him. The same Anthony Davis who was on an all time defensive playoff run. Add in the rebounding difference and yes, I’m taking Jokic. As far as Giannis the Tim Duncan defense was a bit of hyperbole-although no, Hakeem stands alone on that defensive mountain-Giannis is 100% the defender KG is. Sure KG is more versatile, but by how much? KD from 02-04 could guard the 4 and 3 at an elite level, and could switch on to a 2 guard or a 5 and do well. Not lost on a switch on a perimeter but also not bbq chicken against most centers. EXCELLENT versatility, and it’s virtually unmatched for a PF. But Giannis is literally right there with him. He guards Centers and Power forwards at an all time level, and he’s also a great defender at the 3 as well. He’s also good on a switch although not as good as KG but in a pick and roll situation he much like Anthony Davis can basically defend BOTH guys in the PnR because of his length. It’s quite literally a stalemate defensively. Look at his 2021 run as a whole. He kept Butler to 3-12 shooting in the 1st round, he kept KD to 5 of 15, and then against the Suns he was as good defensively as anything I’ve ever seen. He was an absolute horror on that end and to act like there’s some gap on that end is ludicrous. And then scoring while KG is a better shooter, he’s not a better scorer. Melo is a better shooter than LeBron he can’t score the ball better. Giannis is giving you scoring production and efficiency we’ve literally never seen from his position. Rebounding Kevin Garnett had better numbers but personally considering the dropoff after he left I consider that to be a result of Minnesota, because as soon as KG left Minny he averaged 4 less rebounds per game and never reached 10 again after consecutive 13 rpg seasons. Peak for peak I’ll call it a tie but if you wanna go KG fine. And as far as passing I think again they’re both great, but Giannis is clearly better. They’re both giving you 5 or 6 assists per game but I’m watching Giannis on occasion make passes behind his defenders back out to a shooter in the corner like he’s Magic Johnson or something, it’s close but I give him the edge. All in all between those two everything is close…except the scoring which isn’t. I think if you wanna call KG a slightly better rebounder in defender in that stretch sure, but Giannis is far and away the better offensive player and for this peak he has the DPOY to prove it, as well as back to back MVP and a Finals MVP on a run which shows that regardless of who you think is better in the regular season Giannis was the better playoff performer. 28/12/6 on 57% for Giannis. 23/13/5 on 49% for KG. So again, if you think either of these guys are better than Jokic and Giannis that’s fine, but it’s extremely close and in no way a slight to those ball of gamers to say these current guys have stretches where they were as good or better or are just better overall.

[@markyd02]

Really fantastic series. This channel stands out in a strong and competitive NBA KZbin landscape. A cut above!

[@hjtskyekty901]

I feel vindicated with the Duncan/KG and Magic/Bird arguments. I've spent too many hours arguing those things... I'd also love to see some purely defensive star videos for my man Mutombo, and Ben Wallace, Rodman, etc. Thanks for the series!

[@bruzzabruz287]

i would actually respect ESPN if their content was this good

[@reziboy100]

This type of content probably doesn’t sell. It’s not sensationalized. It’s based on actual facts.

[@koolkai4299]

@@reziboy100 and overreliance on advanceed analytics with a touch of Ben Taylors own personal bias towards players he likes.

[@crablord7934]

@@koolkai4299 You act like there's an analyst out there who doesn't have personal biases. Until you can provide something as well constructed as this, you can shut up about "oVerReLiAncE" and "PErSoNAl bIAs"

[@legamingchair6632]

@@crablord7934 thank you for letting this clown know his place

[@marquisdaniels8371]

@@crablord7934 Curry a solid man defender? In what universe ?

[@perryquijano6749]

This is going to be good

[@zamitlegoatis10-0inmybooks5]

NO IT WONT UNLESS LEGOAT IS 1

[@paungsu6778]

@@zamitlegoatis10-0inmybooks5 wtf is wrong with you 😑

[@keronel7570]

@@paungsu6778 maybe he's just a parody account or something like that

[@doublefieldli]

I have to say, this is the BEST basketball analysis series!!!! and it's so much more knowledgable than those from ESPN. this is real substance! THANK YOU

[@toxictoast6599]

Great series! I would love it if you went back and did some Stat dives on those earlier players you mentioned. Oscar R, West, Havlicek, and revisiting Russel and Wilt with their own videos. 👍

[@isocudi2257]

this will go down as one of the best basketball videos on youtube

[@wetlettuce8215]

Jordan's offball made him easier to pair to anybody who is willing to match his intensity. That offball movement got him a hair of an edge against lbj.

[@leultrainstinct406]

Honestly I thought Lebron’s superior facilitating abilities would give him the edge. they’re interchangeable though.

[@wetlettuce8215]

@@leultrainstinct406 slight edge on mj tbh, if lbj just have that off ball movement and mid range. Would have really dominated the league much more im talking 8 rings easy. Mj could facilitate at an elite level plus virtually no flaw on offense, lbj, just that J is the problem and shifty handles other than that he is a great player.

[@rafikz77]

@@wetlettuce8215 Great posts from both of you It’s nice to see a civilized debate on MJ vs Lebron tbh 🥂

[@mileshall9235]

LBJ: too much riod, not enough EPO. Therefore: can't run all game off ball.

[@nickpowell2524]

Thank you so much for making this. This series has been the greatest sports analysis content I've ever seen.