Would John Stockton be a top 3 PG today? Huge debate going on

[Patrick Kane]

Stockton is the most disrespected player of all time, in any sport

nobody is catching him in assists or steals, he’s so far ahead of everyone else

he had a season where he averaged 14.5 assists per game

and he could knock down 3s

only PG better is Magic

I couldn’t put him above CP3 and Steph and it’s arguable with Nash (but I’d take Stockton)

But I’m failing to see how someone with the skill set of John who was able to get almost 16,000 assists, the next active player is CP3 with 10k and he on his last legs, about to retire in the next 2-3 years max and if lucky will sniff about 12000 assists. John was playing in the dead ball/hand check slow ass NBA era and still accumulated that many assists. He would legitimately be averaging 15-18 assists per game if he was playing today with this high paced/no defense era.

Not to mention guys like Gary, Mike, Pip, Kidd, Magic saying John was strong as fukk. He wouldn’t be no pushover if he was hangin with some of the greatest guards of all time playing today. You don’t get over 3,000 steals just sitting on passing lanes, John was a good defender for his size.

John had that mid range shot too and would easily expand that In this era. He’s easily a top 20 player in the league today if he’s playing.

Crazy that John gets disrespected like this by internet dweebs and casuals but at least he well respected among the GOATs he played against.

 

[Biscayne]

Yeah most of the arguments against Stockton seem to be centered around perceived lack of athleticism. But in reality, in this faster paced era, I don’t see why a guard who was good in the open court, would suffer today. And besides, with hand checking and other rules, it wasn’t like he was playing against weaker defenders. People in here are acting like 90’s guards were some other lesser life form. At the time of Stockton’s peak in the 90s, the big guard were already making their way in the league, and weight training and other forms of preparation were already en vogue. You guys gotta quit with the plumber shyt.

 

[JetFueledThoughts]

Boy couldn’t even dribble to his left and you wanna ask top 3?

 

[CHICAGO]

I don't see how you can't make a case for Stockton. Actual point guard on top of an efficient shooter. All time assists and steals leader by around 1K or more each category. Made the playoffs every year of his career too as far as I know.

You don't get all those accolades not being a Top 3 PG.

nikkaS BE ACTING LIKE
STOCKTON ACCUMULATED
HIS NUMBERS PLAYING IN THE
1960S INSTEAD OF
THE 80S, 90S, 2000S.

A 40 YR OLD STOCKTON
WAS STILL GIVING YOU
11, 8 & 2 STLS
ON 48%FG 36% 3P IN 2003.

​

 

[Juggalo Fred]

Yeah most of the arguments against Stockton seem to be centered around perceived lack of athleticism. But in reality, in this faster paced era, I don’t see why a guard who was good in the open court, would suffer today. And besides, with hand checking and other rules, it wasn’t like he was playing against weaker defenders. People in here are acting like 90’s guards were some other lesser life form. At the time of Stockton’s peak in the 90s, the big guard were already making their way in the league, and weight training and other forms of preparation were already en vogue. You guys gotta quit with the plumber shyt.

He never had to play in this super tough era where every move of his is criticized by GregT6589342_ on Twitter on a daily basis

Stockton had it easy back in the dinosaur era

 

[Remote]

U LITERALLY SAID NOTHING

STEVE NASH PLAYED IN AN ERA OF “ATHLETIC GUARDS” AND “BIG MEN” AND ATE

WHAT SKILL IS CP3 BETTER AT? SHOOTING? PASSING? EXPLAIN

IF TUBBY BOYS LIKE JOKIC AND DONCIC CAN DOMINATE THE LEAGUE AND WIN MVP, YES, THIS ERA IS SOFT

THIS IS WHY U DO BETTER WITH BASEBALL.

If you think what Nash did in 2004 is relevant in 2022 you don’t understand basketball.

 

[Guile]

He could shoot, pass, abd defend his position at an extremely high level. He would be fine in any era.

 

[Sccit]

If you think what Nash did in 2004 is relevant in 2022 you don’t understand basketball.

NASH WOULD AVERAGE 25 POINTS NOWADAYS

 

[Remote]

NASH WOULD AVERAGE 25 POINTS NOWADAYS

Points mostly depend on opportunity.

Averaging 25 points tells you nothing about a player’s effectiveness or value on its own.

You might average 25 points in today’s league. Of course it might take you 110 attempts to get there. But technically you could average it.

 

[Phantum]

Facundo Campazzo in short shorts

 

[Shadow King]

Contrary to most I don't think he'd be this big defensive liability, because even though the NBA is more athletic now, he still should've been a liability in the 90s with his physical traits and he wasn't, the same way Chris Paul wasn't/isn't.

His scoring would be the issue and he'd be a backup PG to game-manage while your starter gets a breather.

always room for the coach on the floor archetypes*

Not when they don't shoot to leverage the playmaking.

 

[Shadow King]

Easily he would.

His scoring went down drastically because he stopped taking shots. For example, his best scoring season, he averaged 17.2 while taking 11 shots.

Let him play in this fast paced era, and see his scoring jump to 22-24 pts a game easily while taking 15-16 shots a game.

Defensively, he definitely would not be a liability because he was only 6’1. Height didn’t hurt CP and it definitely wouldn’t hurt stockton

He had 6 years in the 80s which were just as fast, and y'all have to stop equating extra possessions to big scoring bumps for 1 player when today's speed over the 90s/00s is about ball movement/team opportunities.

 

[BigMoneyGrip]

Boy couldn’t even dribble to his left and you wanna ask top 3?

Now you lying

 

[YaThreadTrashB!]

Steph
Stockton



literally averaged 12-13 assists Pg in the slowest era of the nba


He would push 15-16 today

 

[CHICAGO]

Contrary to most I don't think he'd be this big defensive liability, because even though the NBA is more athletic now, he still should've been a liability in the 90s with his physical traits and he wasn't, the same way Chris Paul wasn't/isn't.

His scoring would be the issue and he'd be a backup PG to game-manage while your starter gets a breather.

Not when they don't shoot to leverage the playmaking.

He had 6 years in the 80s which were just as fast, and y'all have to stop equating extra possessions to big scoring bumps for 1 player when today's speed over the 90s/00s is about ball movement/team opportunities.

SCORING PGS DIDNT
BECOME THE STANDARD UNTIL
LAST DECADE.

STOCKTON DIDNT TAKE
A LOT OF SHOTS BECAUSE
THAT WASNT WHAT A PG
WAS SUPPOSED TO DO.

I REMEMBER GUYS LIKE
ROSE BEING MALIGNED
WHILE GUYS LIKE RONDO WERE PRAISED.

HOW QUICK WE FORGET...

ONCE UNDERSIZED SGs LIKE STEPH
GOT POPULAR AMONGST
THE MEDIA, PGS PLAYING
LIKE TRADITIONAL PGS
DIDNT MATTER ANYMORE.

PUT STOCKTON IN THIS ERA
AND HES TAKING MORE SHOTS.

SAME FOR NASH.

​