Stockton is the all time assist and steals leaders. It is unlikely someone will break either of those records in the next 20 years.
The most amazing stat is he played 82 games 16 times during his career. Stockton was 2nd team All NBA six times.
Stockton lead the league in assists 9 times.
| Finals Record | Conference Finals Record | League MVP | Finals MVP | 1st team All-NBA |
John Stockton | 0-2 | 2-3 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Allen Iverson | 0-1 | 1-0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Isiah Thomas | 2-1 | 3-2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
Steve Nash | 0-0 | 0-4 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
Iverson did not have as many MVPs as Steve Nash but he did reach the NBA finals. Iverson was 2nd team All NBA three times.
Iverson lead the league in scoring 4 times.
| Finals Record | Conference Finals Record | League MVP | Finals MVP | 1st team All-NBA |
Allen Iverson | 0-1 | 1-0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Isiah Thomas | 2-1 | 3-2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
Steve Nash | 0-0 | 0-4 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
The first controversy, picking Thomas over Nash. Nash had the better overall career and probably a longer peak but Thomas does have those 2 championships and 1 finals MVP. Though the championships were part of a team effort for the Pistons.
Thomas was 2nd team All NBA twice.
Thomas lead the league in assists once.
| Finals Record | Conference Finals Record | League MVP | Finals MVP | 1st team All-NBA |
Isiah Thomas | 2-1 | 3-2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
Steve Nash | 0-0 | 0-4 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
Steve Nash is the only player on this list who did not appear in an NBA Finals. Nash was 2nd team All NBA twice.
Nash lead the league in assists 5 times.
Just Misses: David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, Scottie Pippen, Elvin Hayes, Jason Kidd, George Mikan, Kevin McHale
(I will fill up the chart as we go along
| Finals Record | Conference Finals Record | League MVP | Finals MVP | 1st team All-NBA |
Steve Nash | 0-0 | 0-4 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
I want to do a quick analysis of what players get short printed and specifically look at the "Star" players and Hot young or rookie players. I will be highlighting some player and the years they were short printed along with some numbers on the stars and semi-stars who were short printed.
The identification of stars and semi-stars (is an 1980s term and totally not scientific - it means good and great player)
Stars/semi star sport prints
2013 - 25 (includes Trout, Harper, Pujols, Cabrera)
2014 23 ( includes Jeter, Cabrera)
2015 28 (includes Trout, Harper, Pujols, Cabrera)
2016 29 (includes Trout, Harper, Pujols, Cabrera, Betts, ARod)
2017 36 (includes Trout, Harper, Pujols, Cabrera, Betts,)
2018 5
2019 30 (includes Harper, Acuna, Judge, Soto, Ohtani
2020 20 (Betts, Trout, Acuna, Harper, Ohtani, Soto)
2021 3
2022 2
2023 14 (Soto, Judge Harper)
There was a shift in 2018 (1969 design) to go with journeyman and unknowns for the SP/ high numbers.
Topps went back to the old ways in 2019 and 2020 and then reversed course in 2021 and 2022. 2023 is kind of a balance but with a caveat - there were a number of good players held out for the Update series which becomes a quasi Series 2.
If the Grim Reaper gave you a choice would you take it.
If you died tomorrow, you would not know who won the 2023 World Series.
Can you live with that. You follow the whole season to not know who will be the eventual champion because your dead.
I am assuming most fans would probably select early February, just after the Super Bowl and before having to to buy that Valentines Gift. But I don't think that would be the majority.
I think a lot fans would like to see at least the next World Series winner, Stanley Cup Champion (I can't die now with Las Vegas as the reining champ - where are the Canadians.), NBA Champ, the next Wimbledon Champ or next Master's champ.
At least for the 4 major sports - the last new champion has been the Denver Nuggets about 4 months ago. That is a long wait. Which is about the same time period between the Super Bowl and the next Stanley Cup Winner.
Or you could be waiting for some sort of life time statistical accomplishment. Lebron passed Kareem so that is done with. Maybe Djokovic well get to 25 grand slams or Ovechkin passes Gretzky for goals scoring. Nothing much else on the horizon.
Maybe you just want to live long enough to see one more coffin kick.
