The Mt. Rushmore of post-Jordan NBA greats: The experts give their picks

And finally, Los Angeles Laker fanatic and Kobe idolizer, Josh Biers

Yao “The Great Wall of Yao” Ming

Without a doubt, Yao Ming was my favourite player growing up. Even if I wasn’t Chinese, I would have loved a 7’6 center who had a beautiful stroke and wonderful professional attitude. Yao could hit anything from inside 19 feet and had an absolutely unguardable fadeaway. Then again, how could anyone hope to contest the tallest player in the NBA fading away? It’s already impossible when the 6’6 Kobe does it. Yao struggled with injury problems and retired early, but he took the NBA to new heights and dazzled fans with his left/right hand hook shots and thundering dunks (example here and here) that defied his kind-hearted nature.

I lived in China when he was first drafted by the Rockets, and there was absolute Yao-fever as everyone worshipped him. I can’t say I didn’t catch it.

Not only was Yao a force to be reckoned with in all aspects of basketball, he was also a tremendous teammate and good Samaritan. Every story you hear about Yao from his former teammates are all of praise. No one has ever uttered a bad word about Yao, and why should they? He was a funny, laughable player with great rapport with his teammates. Check out this video of Yao teaching Dikembe Mutombo and T-Mac how to use chopsticks.

It saddened me when he retired, but I’m thankful for all the hours of entertaining basketball he provided me with.

Jason Kidd

I wonder how many people know that Jason Kidd is second all-time in assists. I wonder how many of those same people also know that Kidd has made the third most three-pointers all-time (after Ray Allen and Reggie Miller). Kidd may be one of the most underrated superstars to ever play in the NBA.

Growing up as a Lakers fan, the New Jersey Nets weren’t exactly my favourite team, but watching Kidd play was a thing of wonder. The way he commanded his team-mates on the court, his court vision, the confident way he carried himself – it was truly exciting. But not as exciting as his passes. While Steve Nash is often regarded as the greatest creative (behind-the-back, through-the-legs) passer, I beg to differ. There are some amazing passes in this highlight compilation dedicated to his time in New Jersey.

Rasheed Wallace

Oh, good ole ‘Sheed. Has there ever been a player who spoke his mind so freely? A player who didn’t give a damn what other players or officials said or thought? However, he certainly wasn’t shy about letting people know what he thought about them.

While Wallace was a talented big man (he was lights out from beyond the arc), I didn’t enjoy watching him because his basketball was aesthetically pleasing. I enjoyed watching him because you knew you were in for a good laugh when he took the court. With his hilarious pre-game dance rituals and ability to get thrown out of a game for simply staring at a ref, I doubt anyone will be able to fill the void left by one of the NBA’s most volatile players.

I remember watching Game 7 of the most recent Lakers-Celtics NBA Finals and while the entire Celtic team struggled to score during a rough start, ‘Sheed was the lone player on either team to execute perfect post moves and generate momentum for Boston. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried ‘Sheed was going to do the Lakers in. Thankfully, the better team prevailed, but I was still sad to hear it was Wallace’s last game.

When he came out of retirement for the New York Knicks, I watched every single game he played in until he injured himself and was unable to continue. Even at an older age and with over 15 seasons under his belt, ‘Sheed still got technicals for the same shenanigans he would pull as a rookie.

Kobe Bryant

I always leave the best for last. I have never enjoyed watching or loved a player more than I do the Black Mamba. I have three Kobe jerseys and only wear Kobes when I play basketball. In my mind, Kobe is the best player to ever play the game. His ability to create his own shot and his signature turnaround fadeaway will never be replicated. Never. His performance against the Toronto Raptors, when he dropped 81 points, will always be seared into my memory as the single greatest basketball performance in the history of the game. Screw Wilt’s 100.

Perhaps the greatest game I ever attended in my life was Lakers vs Heat a few years ago. This was back when the Heat had Beasley and Jermaine O’Neal. The Lakers trailed the entire game and when D-fish sunk three free throws and Wade only made one of two, leaving the Lakers down by two with a few seconds left on the clock, I was preparing myself for an inevitable Kobe buzzer beater. I wasn’t disappointed. Off of one foot, Kobe banked in a straightaway three with Udonis Haslem and Wade all over him. The crowd went crazy, and so did I.

He was the greatest basketball showman and no crowd ever buzzed as much for anyone else as they did for Kobe. Yes, there were times when Kobe could have and perhaps should have passed the ball, but the fans paid to see the Mamba and more often than not, he delivered. While I acknowledge that Kobe may never play the same because of his recurring injuries, I am thankful for the excitement and entertainment he has provided me my entire life and the passion for basketball he has fuelled in me.