I started watching the NBA in the middle ’60s, back when the Celtics played the 76ers – meaning Bill Russell versus Wilt Chamberlain – on ABC every Sunday. I never saw George Mikan play, and I missed Bob Cousy except in cameo appearances as a player-coach for the Cincinnati Royals, but I’ve seen/covered everybody since.
I have no problem hailing Michael Jordan as the best ever, but I’ve been around long enough to offer the Veteran Scribe rebuttals when somebody anoints the latest as the greatest. (Here are two: “Wilt averaged 50.4 points a game,” and “Oscar Robertson averaged a triple double.