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The best in the NBA -- at everything

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Randy Hill

Veteran columnist Randy Hill is a frequent contributor to FOXSports.com.
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Updated Sep 1, 2009 7:58 PM ET
     
 
With another month to burn before NBA players roll into training camp, it seems like a swell time to indulge in a little subjective enterprise. Well, statistics may be used in order to underscore an opinion or point of view, but we hope they won't sidetrack what could be some interesting debates.

The rest of the best

Steve Nash After reading Randy Hill's list of the NBA's best, check out John Galinsky's rankings of the NBA's top 10 shooters, 10 fastest players and 10 biggest stat stuffers.
Quite simply, we're digging into which NBA players rank as the very best at what they do. And what they do is shoot, dribble, pass, talk and defend ballhandlers. It should be noted that every player listed as the "best" in each category is considered by me (with assistance, now and then, from NBA scouts, personnel watchdogs or coaches) to be the best at that particular activity right now. The following categories are presented in the order they happened to dawn upon the writer:
  • Best Pure Shooter: Before using numbers to make the case for Phoenix Suns point guard Steve Nash, please understand that my weeding-out process includes the combined factors of field-goal shooting, free-throw shooting and 3-point shooting. So, how is Nash superior to Ray Allen, Dirk Nowitzki, Michael Redd, Jason Kapono and Kyle Korver? Well, a look at their career numbers indicates that none of the players listed in the previous sentence has a success-rate percentage that combines those three categories and adds up to more than 175. Nash's career total after adding field-goal, 3-point and free-throw percentages is 181. He checked in at 186 last season. It also should be be pointed out that unlike some of the other players he's compared with, Nash rarely is the beneficiary of a wide-open shot created through dribble penetration from someone else.
  • Best Athlete: Using the eye test, this one's easy. Before proceeding, I'll admit that defining what makes a great athlete is an extremely subjective exercise. Let's go back to Nash, who isn't considered to be among the league's best athletes unless manual dexterity, footwork and other specialized skills are included. And perhaps they should be. But if we're looking at strength, speed, quickness, leaping prowess and the ability to maintain these levels for extended periods, LeBron James not only is the NBA's best ... he's one of the best athletes in the history of mankind.
  • Best Trash-Talker: Since the retirement of Gary Payton, this has become a tough category to judge. The name Ron Artest springs to mind, but league insiders list him as the creepiest trash-talker, not necessarily the best. Kevin Garnett also seems to be an excellent candidate, but he may not even be the best trash-talker on the Boston Celtics. That honor goes to teammate Paul Pierce, who — after consultation with experts — registers as the best on-court woofer in the NBA.
  • Best Little-Guy Rebounder: I really wanted to go with Dallas Mavericks point guard Jason Kidd, who has dominated rebounding statistics at his position for years. But at about 6-foot-4, J-Kidd's 6.2 rebounds per game last season weren't as impressive as the 5.5 averaged by New Orleans Hornet Chris Paul, who may be about a whisker taller than 6 feet.
  • Best Big-Guy Shooter: If we just went by the numbers, the names Tim Thomas and Rashard Lewis would be really high on the list. But based on what he's accomplished despite having defenders draped all over him, I'm going with 7-foot Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki. Others may have slightly better shooting percentages, but I'd take Dirk over the other bigs in a game of H-O-R-S-E.
  • Best On-Ball Defender: Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant may be the choice if you want to pick one guy to make one stop at the end of the game. Other strong candidates are Houston's Shane Battier and former San Antonio Spurs stopper Bruce Bowen. But much of the work done by Battier and Bowen is done defending off the ball and I'm looking for one guy who makes it extremely risky every time his man puts the ball on the floor. And that guy is crusty veteran guard Lindsey Hunter, who (if he continues to play) is considered a one-man, full-court press.
  • Best Moving Without the Ball: Based on personal observation and consultations with several NBA insiders, nobody comes close to Detroit Pistons guard Rip Hamilton.
  • Best Little Guy Finisher: We're looking for point-guard-sized players here, with Paul and Allen Iverson certainly ranking high up on the list. But for his ability to get to the rim and score without rising up and throwing it down, let's go with Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs. I'd also go with Parker as the best at going from Point A to Point B while dribbling the ball.
  • Best Dribbler: New Jersey Nets guard Rafer Alston would earn the nod here if his And-I-style would be permitted to trump efficiency off the bounce. But since it isn't, the NBA's best dribbler — in my opinion — is Paul. Very high up on the not-exactly-slouches list are Iverson and Nash.
  • Best Passing-Lane Defender: Fresh off his disruption of the Denver Nuggets' sideline out-of-bounds plays, I'm going with brand-new Houston Rocket Trevor Ariza.
  • Best Big-Man Passer: Los Angeles Laker Pau Gasol certainly is a willing and clever passer, but his 3.5 dimes per game puts him in a dead heat with San Antonio Spurs superstar Tim Duncan. I'll go with Duncan because he's at least as good as Gasol right now and has been passing at this high level for a longer period of time.
  • Best Help Defender: Duncan is right there with Boston's Garnett, but I'm going with KG because in the event of a required switch, he has a far better chance of staying in front of a smaller ballhandler.
  • Best Dunker: For his ability to bang one down on another player's dome from seemingly anywhere, I'll go with LeBron.
  • Best Closer: With a game on the line, I'll go with Kobe, who can close several games in a row without worrying about a pitch count.
    • Tagged: Bucks, Jazz, Nets, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, Magic, 76ers, Suns, Pau Gasol, Shane Battier, Spurs, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Jason Kapono, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Gary Payton, Paul Pierce, Rashard Lewis, Lindsey Hunter, Bruce Bowen, Ray Allen, Kyle Korver, Kevin Garnett, Michael Redd, Metta World Peace, Celtics, Jason Kidd, Hornets, Bulls, Cavaliers, Mavericks, Pistons, Rockets, Lakers

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