The Athletic NBA Daily Does Scottie Pippen belong in the top 40? - Episode 4 Basketball 100
Aug 21, 2025
Hunter Patterson and Law Murray, both writers for The Athletic covering the NBA, dive deep into the rankings of legendary players from 20 to 39. They reflect on the joy iconic athletes like Dwyane Wade and Elgin Baylor have brought to fans. The duo engages in debates about Scottie Pippen's placement, contrasting his legacy with those of contemporaries like Isiah Thomas and modern greats like James Harden. They explore how the evolution of player roles influences these rankings and which athletes are overlooked in the basketball pantheon.
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Meeting Dwyane Wade Live
- Hunter Patterson shares meeting Dwyane Wade in Oracle and getting a signed jersey after Wade's championship run.
- He calls Wade his all-time favorite and formative basketball memory.
Mikan Shaped Modern Rules
- Eric Nehm frames George Mikan as a foundational figure who forced rule changes like goaltending calls and widening the foul lane.
- Nehm argues Mikan's dominance created modern basketball's early structural rules.
Elgin Baylor: Revolutionary Wing
- Law Murray tells Elgin Baylor's story as a revolutionary, athletic wing who dunked and 'euroed' long before that language existed.
- Murray also recounts Baylor's difficult post-career role with the Clippers under Donald Sterling.