Kobe was a 18 year old rookie when the 50th anniversary team was named. Of those you mentioned, I think that Kobe, Duncan, and Kidd are the only ones who deserve any kind of consideration AT THIS POINT IN TIME. I think that Garnett and T-Mac need to win some championships or at least get deep into the playoffs for several more years before getting considered. The jury is still out on Carter.

Does anyone have the list of the 50 players? It's been a long time since I saw it and kind of foget some of the players on the list.

I know Maravich was on it. The man was scoring 44 points a game at LSU. Can you imagine what he would have if they had the 3 point shot back then? The top of the key was an inside shot for him. Of course, assists were a dirty word to him.

Here's a link to the top 50 players:
http://www.nba.com/history/players/50greatest.html

Maravich probably would have scored an extra 10 points per game if there was a 3 pointer back then. He was a great passer, but at LSU his job was to shoot, so that's what he did. But some of the most dazzling assists in NBA history were by the Pistol.

Don Corpuzzi, Carter isn't out for the year is he? I know he re-injuried the same injury that put him out last year, but I couldn't find anywhere on ESPN a timetable (although I haven't really "researched" it). Also, anybody know why Scottie Pippen is only playing 12 minutes a game this season in Portland? I saw that & I couldn't believe it! Who's starting in his place!?

Carter will be out for one to two weeks . As for Pippen, I think that he has stepped aside so that Bonzi Wells will have more playing time. First MJ takes a bench role, then Pippen does the same thing in Portland. It's like the guy can't make a decision for himself.

Grazie Don Corpuzzi for telling me how long Carter will be out (and showing me). Did you see this on ESPN? Kobe an Olympian? I think it'd be cool to see him play, but why couldn't he play this past summer in the World Games? Only gonna play when there's the possibility of a gold medal involved?

Also if you're interested, go here: Dream Team . You can pick who you want on the next dream team. I picked Kidd at point guard, Kobe at shooting guard, Vince at small foward, Kevin Garnett at power foward, and Shaq at center!

I picked the same players with the exception of Brand instead of Garnett. I prefer more strength at the inside positions and with Shaq and Brand, it would be a lot of strength! The current voting has McGrady at small forward instead of Carter. I would prefer Vince.

Yeah, I like strength too, but Garnett is very fast so that's why I picked him. Plus if a guy like Garnett weighs less, he can get up for a rebound quicker, score quicker, etc. As for Cater & McGrady, I picked Carter just because I've liked Carter longer & he went to North Carolina. Call it being bias or whatever, but I could easily live with having McGrady out there. They're both awesome players. Just think of how good the Raptors would be if they hung onto T-Mac & could find a way to fit both him & Carter into the offense. WOW!

Anyone know who Portland got for trading Jermaine O'Neal to Indiana? I saw his statistics so far this year, and man, Jermaine is a bad motherlover! He's got 20.2 PPG, 11.2 RPG, and 2.5 blocks a game! The guy can do it all & is excititing to watch! I'm just wondering who Portland got for this MVP type player?

I'm not sure, but off the top of my head I would have to guess that one of the players involved was Dale Davis, who at one point was a Pacer and then became a Blazer.

O'Neal is a star in the NBA, but he really got his ass handed to him at the World Championships. He really wasn't doing much in Portland, especially with Rasheed Wallace in front of him at the 4, so they needed to unload his salary.

Kobe wasn't in the World Championships because his wife had gotten pregnant and he wanted to be with her for all of the doctor's appointments and stuff.

Totally understandable then if his wife was pregnant. Was it a boy or girl? Also, would you go with Wallace or O'Neal? What I would do is keep Wallace at the 4, and move O'Neal to either the 3 or 5.

Vanessa Bryant is still pregnant, but it's going to be a girl. If I had both 'sheed and Jermaine, I would put them both at forward, but make no distinction between the 3 and the 4.

So you would have Wallace start and Jermaine backup? Why wouldn't you move him to either 3 or 5 & start the both of them? I think they would be more effective if they were used at the same time, kinda like a 1-2 punch!

I'd start them both at forward, but make no designation between who is the 3 and who is the 4.

Oh ok, I get it! Yeah, I definately think Portland should have kept him & started him with Wallace. Think of how good they'd be with him! They'd almost be as loaded as Dallas.

Sorry guys, I was on post number 666 & wanted to get off of it!

Hahahahaha! I did the exact same thing when I hit 666. I just posted a random message saying that I was creeped out about being at that number so I was just getting one more. Great minds think alike!

I know, I remember when you did it! So I wanted to also. I wasn't comfortable driving back home from college knowing that I was still on post #666!

They'd need two balls

No, seriously. Think of how good they'd be if they used ONE ball & fit them both into the offense! They'd be probably the 2nd best 1-2 punch, behind Shaq & Kobe. Speaking of Shaq, Don Corpuzzi, you should start to turn that frown upside down buddy. I hear Shaq's suppose to be back in about a week or 2. Not only that, but the Queen ain't doing so good!

Anybody catch the Lakers-Wizards game last night. They must have expected MJ to get the last shot because Stackhouse was WIDE open. MJ almost cost them the game but he still had 25 points. At least Kobe didn't shoot 47 times. They desperatly need the "Big Aristotle."

With all of the troubles that the Lakers are having, I hope that this gets Shaq some more recognition as MVP. He's had MVP-type years every year for the past 4 or 5 years, but voters seem to take the guy for granted. Apparently Kobe isn't enough to keep the Lakers afloat. Without Shaq they're a middle-of-the-pack team, and with him they're title favorites.

I'm not as big a fan as some people on this board are, I follow Football & Hockey more than Basketball. But my fav team is and always has been the Dallas mavericks.

Hey the Mavs are 6-0 at this point the only undefeated team left in the NBA. I know it won't last but it would be nice if it did.

If you were making your all-time Mavericks team, who would you put on it? Three that I think of right away are Mark Aguirre at SF, Derek Harper at PG, and Rolando Blackman at SG.

Alright, Dallas won again tonight and is not 7-0! 2 full games above those Spurs! Go MAVS! Mark Cuban for President!

Roy Tarpley, the "Triple J's" who fought over Toni Braxton, and didn't Fat Lever play for the Mavs?

Tarpley was more of a cancer than a contributor. He had one good year where he won the 6th man of the year award. None of the 3 J's (Jason Kidd, Jimmy Jackson, and Jamal Mashburn) really played in Dallas long enough, and Fat Lever's best years were as a Nugget.

I was just kidding about Roy Tarpley. You're right, I forgot Fat Lever on Nuggets. I think players on the current Mavs teams have to be named to all-Mavs team.

Did any of you read that Manute Bol is going to be playing professional hockey? That's gonna be great.