Basket Reference
Basket Reference
Bill Russell passed away on July 31, 2022. The NBA lost a part of itself on that day. When the GOAT debate comes up in the NBA, you will have absolute Michael Jordan supporters. The younger ones will prefer LeBron James for his incredible longevity at the highest level in the NBA. Older fans will talk about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for all he has contributed on and off the court. True NBA fans know how Bill Russell deserves to be included in the short list of players who can claim the unofficial title of GOAT. The greatest winner in NBA history is not Michael Jordan, but Bill Russell.
At 37 years old, while he is in his 19th season in the league, LeBron James performs feats. No player had seemed so strong at this age in the NBA. However, it seems obvious that LeBron is no longer capable of leading a team to the title by himself by filling in all the gaps. Nothing to be ashamed of, as I explain in this article. It's up to the Lakers to surround him better next year.
Two years after the tragic death of Kobe Bryant, NBA fans still haven't recovered from the loss of the Black Mamba. Kobe Bryant will have forever marked a whole generation of fans and NBA players. If a legend of the sport leaves us on January 26, 2020, I would like to evoke with you a happier memory of Kobe Bryant's career. It is his 81-point game on January 22, 2006. A game that allowed Kobe Bryant to write his name forever in the history of the NBA by becoming a true living legend.
Did you doubt that Bill Walton was one of the 75 best players in the history of the NBA? After this, you won't doubt it anymore! It was during the 1977 NBA Finals that Bill Walton wrote the most beautiful page of his history in the NBA. A mammoth performance against Julius Erving's Sixers that allowed the Portland Blazers to win the NBA title unexpectedly. Repeated injuries then spoiled the career of the one who should have dominated the league for several years.
While Klay Thompson's return to the floor in an official NBA game has never been so close, I was reminded of that night on January 23, 2015, when Klay literally caught fire and entered the NBA legend. Even more than his entry into NBA legend, it was that night that Klay Thompson really changed dimensions for the general public. Warriors fans knew his importance, but many observers doubted what a player he was. By scoring 37 points in a single quarter, Klay Thompson definitely showed that he was next to Stephen Curry the best 3-point shooter in the NBA. A few months later, the Warriors won their first NBA title after 48 years of waiting.
Passionate about the NBA, I follow every year with attention the different prospects who will be the stars of tomorrow in the big league. Like any fan of the NBA draft, it is always a pleasure to discover all the physical data related to prospects. Given the difficulty I have had in finding this information freely for some time, I have decided to create Basket Reference in order to offer the most complete database possible of players who will be able to join the NBA in the coming years.