As promised, here’s part 2 of my top 20 NBA Pound for Pound best players list. I will also recap the top boxer and mma fighter from the previous list as well as #20 down to #11 from the top NBA P4P list. If this is the first time you’ve read this article and are wondering what a pound for pound list is, let me break it down for you briefly.
The pound-for-pound list, is the fight game’s way of mythically ranking their fighters disregarding weight class and is primarily based on a fighter’s record, opposition level, accomplishments and skill among others. I have adapted that list to try and rank the best players in the NBA right now.
The basis for my NBA list would be individual stats, the player’s impact on his team, winning history and overall value outside the court as well.
So here we go, the first ever D Source NBA Top 20 Pound-For-Pound Best List together with the top boxing and MMA fighters from my previous column.
#1 Pound for Pound Boxer
#1 Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao 48-3-2 (37 KOs) – A freak of nature that can blind you with his speed and knock you out with his power. Relentless and overwhelming in the ring, Pacquiao has jumped and succeeded in multiple weight divisions and is compared to one of the all-time boxing greats Henry Armstrong. His most recent conquest was the destruction of boxing legend Oscar De la Hoya who was 20 pounds and about 5 inches naturally bigger than him. Pacquiao will be fighting Ricky Hatton on May 2.
#1 Pound for Pound Mixed Martial Arts Fighter
#1 Anderson “Spider” Silva (23-4-0) – The Spider is universally considered as the best pound-for-pound fighter in mixed martial arts. He is both dynamic, versatile and powerful. His striking, Muay Thai and kicks are the best in the business, coupled by his athleticism that enables him to pull off any kind of submission in the book. Silva is simply the best.
Recap: #20-11
Honorable mention: Yao Ming, Ron Artest, Carmelo Anthony, Nate Robinson, (can you imagine if this dude was at least 6’6″?) Joe Johnson, Jason Kidd.
* #20 Pau Gasol (18.3 points 9.5 rebounds) * #19 Danny Granger (25 points 5 rebounds 1.5 blocks 1 steal) * #18 Chris Bosh (22.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists 1 block) * #17 Brandon Roy (22.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.1 assists) * #16 Allen Iverson (18.3 points, 5.2 assists, 1.6 steals) * #15 Paul Pierce (19.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.1 steals, ring/ finals MVP) * #14 Dirk Nowitzki (25.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 90% FT) * #13 Deron Williams (19.2 points, 10.2 assists) * #12 Steve Nash (13.8 points, 9.8 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 2 MVPs) * #11 Tony Parker (20 points, 6.5 assists, 3 rings)
#10 Shaquille O’Neal (18 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.5 blocks)
A lot of you might be scratching your heads right now wondering how I can put “The Big Cactus” in my top 10 list. Granted this is a mythical list, I can understand why there would be any objections out there. Let me state my case though. Shaq has been arguably the most dominant player in the game. Lately, wear and tear have slowed his game down and his production has decreased especially playing in a Phoenix Suns system that is designed to run and gun. The past two games though with injuries to Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire, Shaq dropped 45 points going 20-25 from the field, grabbed 11 rebounds on top of 3 steals and 2 assists against the Raptors. Against the league leading Lakers on Sunday, Shaq scored 33 points and grabbed 7 boards while going 13-18 from the field. Most importantly, both games were wins. Shaq is still a dominant force. He is unstoppable down low one on one and has the most experience in the league in terms of winning. As good as Kobe Bryant is, he has not won a title without Shaq. On the other hand, Shaq won one in Miami. Pair Shaq with LeBron and you got yourself the favorite to win it all .
#9 Amare Stoudemire (21.4 points 8.1 rebounds 1.1 blocks)
Stoudemire is probably out for the season with a detatched retina. Prior to being sidelined though, Stoudemire was back to his old dominant ways scoring 42 points and grabbing 11 boards in his last game before the injury. Amare is a unique talent. He is a legitimate power forward with the quickness and versatility of a small forward. Before Dwight Howard came along, Amare was in a class of his own. He was slowed down by micro-fracture surgery on his knee a couple of years ago but has proven that he is back to 100%.
#8 Dwight Howard (20.7 points 14.1 rebounds 3.0 blocks)
Howard like Stoudemire is an unbelievable physical specimen. His shoulders look as if they have football pads underneath them. Coincidentally the first 3 from this list starting from #10 share the same characteristics of being big and uncharacteristically quick and agile for their size. Howard is a walking mismatch every single game and as he’s proven in the all-star dunk contests he’s participated in, he is super athletic and agile as well. On top of all that, Dwight is only 23 years old. Scary!
#7 Chauncey Billups (18.2 points 2.6 rebounds 6.2 assists ring/ finals mvp)
Billups has single-handedly changed the Denver Nuggets from being a team hoping to get in the playoffs in to a team thinking of winning it all. Billups was a big reason why the Detroit Pistons were always considered the favorites in the east the past several years but since he left, the Pistons have looked like a team who won’t even make it past the first round of the playoffs. Billups brings leadership and is a true point guard. He is also one of the best clutch shooters the league has ever seen earning him the nick name “Mr. Big Shot”. Billups to me is the embodiment of what a pound for pound player is. He gives any team he plays for the most value in terms of his overall contribution which leads to overall success.
#6 Tim Duncan (20.7 points 10.7 rebounds 3.8 assists 1.9 blocks 4 rings)
The Big Fundamentals as Shaquille O’Neal calls him. Duncan is probably one of the most underrated and underappreciated players of all time. That’s a big statement considering the fact that Duncan does get accolades and praise. He is just that good. He will not stand out and give you a lot of highlight plays, that’s probably why he’s not as visible as the LeBrons and the Wades on ESPN’s Sportcenter highlights. His demeanor and personality also diverts attention away from him but what he does best is win. Just like Bill Russell before him, Duncan has been a winner throughout his career. His footwork and fundamentals are best in the business. Just watch him bank shots from more than 10-feet with pinpoint accuracy. Bigs like Duncan only come once in a blue moon.
#5 Dwyane Wade (28.8 points 5 rebounds 7.3 assists 2.1 steals ring/ finals mvp)
The Heat would be nowhere near where they are right now in the standings if not for Wade. Since the Beijing Olympics, Wade has shown that he’s back into being “The Flash” after fighting through injuries the year before. Wade has been spectacualr all year and has carried his team on his shoulders similar to how Michael Jordan used to back in the day. Wade at a young age is already a proven winner too with an NBA Finals ring, Finals MVP and Olympic gold under his belt.
#4 Kevin Garnett (16.3 points 8.8 rebounds 1.2 blocks MVP, ring)
“The Big Ticket” does it all. He is the main reason Boston Celtics basketball is alive and kicking once again. Garnett’s wingspan make him appear and play much bigger than he already is. His tenacity and intensity on the court rubs off on his teammates as well. The past few years also, Garnett has evolved in to a clutch player and is capable of knocking down the medium range jump shot on any given moment. He finally won a ring last season with the Celtics to go along with the NBA MVP trophy he won a few years back while playing for the TWolves. The best trait about Garnett that I have always appreciated through the years is his stand-up guy mentality. He never threw the Wolves, management or his teammates under the bus even during his most trying years playing in Minnesotta. Just like on the court, Garnett does what needs to be done to help his team win. He has made Paul Pierce and Ray Allen a lot better by complimenting their games and doing a lot of the dirty work.
#3 Chris Paul (21.7 10.7 assists 2.7 steals 5.3 rebounds)
The highest ranked player on my list without a ring, Paul definitely deserves to be called the best point guard in the game today. CP3 is a leader and a winner. He reminds most old-school basketball fans and analysts of how Isiah Thomas was during his salad days. Outside the court, Paul is a model citizen and has that Magic Johnson smile that helps sell tickets. His teammates look up to him and have nothing but high praise for the kind of person he is. Inside the court however, Paul transforms into one of the fiercest competitors in the game. He will not give an inch and would cold-bloodedly stick a dagger on any team to get the win. He can do it al too. His court awareness and leadership makes the game a lot easier for his team. He also has the skill set to score a ton of points from inside and out and plays tenacious defense. For a guy his size, he averages a lot of rebounds and goes toe-to-toe with whoever is put in front of him. If you look at the Hornets line-up, you can make a case that on paper, without Paul, the team won’t even win 30 games. If the Hornets management could only somehow get a legitimate star (David West is a good player, no disrespect, but Paul is responsible for half his success) to play with him, the Hornets will be a favorite to win it all.
So who’s number 1?
Honestly I am still debating it. I have gone back and forth and I still can’t really decide. Leave comments and state your case on who should be number 1. Is it LeBron James or Kobe Bryant? Watch out this week in the conclusion of this piece as I unveil who my number 1 pound for pound best is. Plus I will also go deeper on the other pound for pound bests in fight sports, Manny Pacquiao and Anderson Silva. Watch out for that one!
