John Stockton is often labeled as the best basketball player ever. But does he deserve that title? Did he contribute more to his team than anyone else? Is he the oldest player in NBA history?
Some would argue that he deserves all he's ever earned and more. He is a 14-year veteran and holds the record for career points scored by a player at the age of 35 or older. He is also one of the few players in NBA history to have a career year, leading the league in scoring and rebounding while winning the scoring title in 2021-2021.
John Stockton is the oldest player in NBA history to have a three scoring titles. However, there is no record keeping for him, so we have to make do with what we know. He did, however, lead the NBA in scoring during his prime years, winning seven scoring titles. Many people consider him the best all-around player of all time and a top five player in the entire game. In fact, he is so good that when Michael Jordan is added to the All-NBA first team, many people still consider him the best player ever.
John Stockton is a two time NBA MVP and holds the record for the most consecutive games played. But does he deserve to be on the All-NBA first team? Many would argue that he should be, based on how much he has done as an individual. But is it enough to earn him a place in the top five all-time list? It will certainly have to be part of the criteria, especially since he is one of the oldest players in NBA history.
During his illustrious career in Los Angeles, John Stockton played for four different teams. All of his stops were successful, which makes him one of the most accomplished players in the history of the league. However, it can be argued that his Laker career was actually his finest stretch. The Lakers went to six straight playoff series, which is an NBA record. They also went to six straight Eastern Conference finals, something that few teams have been able to accomplish during a seven-year span.
During those years, he also set numerous records, which helped him earn a place in the hall of fame. When you take into account all of his playoff statistics, it becomes clear that he was one of the best players in the history of the game. While he may not be considered the best all-around player right now, there is no doubt that he belongs in the top five. That will probably always be the case, as no player has ever reached the top five for points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks in their career.
John Stockton ranks third in career assists behind Michael Jordan and Steve Francis. He is also tops among point guards in the NBA in total assists. The truth is, all of the players who are considered the best in the league today probably wouldn't make it to the Hall of Fame unless they achieved some sort of honors outside of basketball. Stockton is a great example of a player who played the game to the fullest, not just in his individual years in the NBA, but also in his time as an All Star and even All Time. It's amazing to think how much mileage John Stockton has logged during his 45 plus year career. Even though he is aged, he is still able to pass on his knowledge to younger players.
In fact, some of the current crop of players wouldn't even be near the level of John Stockton when he was first eligible to play. The youngest player to ever play in the NBA was Andre Miller, who was aged only 14 when he was drafted by the Detroit Pistons. There are several young players who are on the verge of making it big right now in this modern era of sports, who wouldn't have it any other way if they had started earlier. Stockton is a great example, as he is one of the oldest players to ever play the game. There isn't too many older players around anymore that can boast such longevity.
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