The Bullets Forever Top 20: Narrowing it Down

by Mike Prada on Jul 26, 2007 2:50 PM EDT in Site News

Editor's Note: Anyone who's here from SLAM Online, here's where you really want to go.

While we continue to wait for an impending JCN trade and Blatche re-signing (this news should probably take Dallas out of the running, leaving nobody to take him away), let's narrow down the Bullets Forever Top 20 brainstorming list we came up with here.

Nobody objected to my definites, so we can assume that the following 10 people are going to be there somewhere.

Walt Bellamy
Gus Johnson
Earl Monroe
Wes Unseld
Elvin Hayes
Phil Chenier
Bobby Dandridge
Jeff Malone
Chris Webber
Gilbert Arenas

That leaves 10 spots to fill, and since this is a group effort, I'm asking you guys to decide which of the following deserve to fill those slots. Here's everyone remaining, and if you feel there's someone that hasn't been mentioned that deserves to make the top 20, say so in the comments. Notice that I eliminated some of the suggestions just so there's less clutter.

Moses Malone
Gus Williams
Bernard King
Michael Adams
Pervis Ellison
Tom Gugliotta
Rod Strickland
Michael Jordan
Antawn Jamison
Caron Butler
Kevin Loughery
Jack Marin
Mitch Kupchek
Kevin Grevey
Jeff Ruland
Juwan Howard
Gheorghe Muresan
John ~~"Hot Rod"~~ Williams

Ten of those guys should make the list. If it's easier, feel free to eliminate names that shouldn't make it rather than name people that should make it.

The comments section is your forum.

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Comments

Nobody yet?

In that case, I'll say who I think should remain on the list.

I'd retain King, Jordan, Loughtery, Marin, Kupchek, Rutland, Howard, Muresan, Strickland, and either Jamison or Adams.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Jul 26, 2007 6:13 PM EDT reply actions

A couple corrections

Its Jeff Ruland, not Rutland. He just got fired this year as coach of his alma mater Iona. Glad you included him.

John "Hot Rod" Williams played his college ball at Tulane while the other John Williams led LSU to the final 4 in 1986. He was involved in a point shaving scandal at Tulane. He played many years for Cleveland and Arizona.
The other John Williams had a couple of very promising years for the Bullets, but tore his ACL early in the '89-90 season. While he was out, he gained so much weight that the press (in a reference to John "Hot Rod" Williams) began referring to him as John "Hotplate" Williams. Unfortunately, he never could get back into shape. Larry Brown loved his game though and traded Don Mclean and William Bedford for him while he was coaching the Clippers. He then also played for Brown in Indiana.

by hotplate on Jul 26, 2007 8:31 PM EDT reply actions

Good calls

Thanks for the corrections...total oversights on my part.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Jul 26, 2007 10:59 PM EDT up reply actions

My list

I agree with 9 of your top 10 but I think I might replace Webber with Antawn. My second 10 would be:

Webber
Howard
Ruland
Bernard King
Loughery
Marin
Adams
Kevin Porter

last 3 are tough but I'll go with
Strickland (all star level point guard for about 2 above .500 years)
Gugliotta (best player on team for 2 and a half years)
and very reluctantly
Jordan (because I never liked him and felt like he hijacked the team for his ego driven comeback). But he did take a 20 win team and led them to consecutive 37 win seasons. I will put Caron on here after 2 more solid playoff seasons.

by hotplate on Jul 26, 2007 8:50 PM EDT reply actions

Kevin Porter

His best years weren't here, and his numbers weren't spectacular. Did he have a greater impact on fans back then? If not, I think Kupcheck is more significant, because he was there for the title run.

Just my 2 cents.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Jul 26, 2007 11:03 PM EDT up reply actions

top 20

Archie Clark deserves a place in top 20.

by swish on Jul 26, 2007 10:15 PM EDT reply actions

Possibly

He played three years here. One was spectacular, one was very good, one wasn't so good.

We should put him under consideration.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Jul 26, 2007 11:01 PM EDT up reply actions

My Ten

1.    Moses Malone - was on downside of career but still effective
2.    Bernard King - Solid Bullet career
3.    Michael Jordan - Just because he is Jordan and he help clear Bullets cap situation with Howard trade.
4.    Kevin Loughery - Solid Bullet career
5.    Jack Marin - Solid Bullet career
6.    Kevin Grevey - Solid Bullet career
7.    Jeff Ruland - Solid Bullet career
8.    Mike Riordan - Solid Bullet
9.    Kevin Porter - Solid Bullet
10.    Greg Ballard -Solid Bullet

by LoneWiz54 on Jul 27, 2007 7:44 AM EDT reply actions

See, I didn't have Malone on there

Because he didn't really make much of a dent here. He was good, but when you think Moses Malone, do you think "Washington Bullets?" At least with King, he had that one comeback year where he made the all-star team and was a really nice story.

Jordan's sort of the same way, but he did make a significant dent here in helping to revitalize interest in Wizards basketball, no matter how badly it ended.

Mike Riordan is a good call...forgot about him.

No Juwan Howard or Antawn?

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Jul 27, 2007 1:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Gotta have Rex Chapman on the list

He was here for a long time and was arguably the best player on the team for some of those seasons. I remember being so excited to see his combination of great 3 point shooting and excellent hops. People forget he was in the slam dunk contest his rookie year with the Hornets. I also have vivid memories of Rex hitting a game winner on opening night against the Shaq-led Magic and people going crazy at Landover arena. He even earned a nickname from Tony Kornheiser: "the Incandescent Rex Chapman.

by LoDawg31 on Jul 29, 2007 5:00 PM EDT reply actions

Welcome to the site!

But I have to say, I'm not feeling Rex Chapman on this list. He was decent for a few years, but there were far too many similar players from the more successful 70s-era teams that deserve spots on this list.

I loved Chapman too, he was a favorite of mine, but I don't see how he's one of the top 20 Bullets/Wizards of all time.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Jul 29, 2007 11:46 PM EDT up reply actions