Ron Artest was a better defender than Iggy.

Respect to iggy but their is so many players that I’m taking over him defensively

I guess he wants Iguodala

I’d take Tony Allen and Jrue over Iggy, let alone Moncrief or MJ or Bruce Bowen or Artest

No Gary Payton?

He probably just meant non bigs

Tony Allen over Igoudala without hesitation

He probably considers those 2 centers or I agree it doesn’t make sense they aren’t there, although if Draymond is there so should KG since they were both PF/sometimes C types. Even Rodman played some C at times against Shaq later in his career because the second half Bulls often went smaller with Rodman/Kukoc late in games. 

My other guess is he has some height restriction to determine what was a center or not. And he only chose players under 6’9” probably in his mind thinking those others were too tall. Otherwise I personally would have those 2 on there too. 

The Igoudala pick is because he got Finals MVP in 2015 for guarding LeBron. That’s it. He was an elite defender for sure but top five is going too far.

Where’s Moncrief, Payton, or Tony Allen?

Bill Simmons top 5 anything means about as much to me as any random r/nba users top 5 list.

I saw all these players in their primes. Kawhi scared me the most.

The recency bias piece

Meta World Peace.

Can’t believe a Celtic wasn’t on the list

Nah. MJ missing

Nonsense.

Dennis Johnson locked up guards over a couple of generations…as did Sidney Moncrief.

Moncrief or Gary Payton need to be on there

Considering Simmons  is a massive Celtics fan and old head. Surprised not to see DJ, Havlicek, A.Bradley, T.Allen or even KG who are better than Iggy.   GP as an honorable mention is kinda crazy, too.

Moncrief, Artest, and Bobby Jones being excluded is crazy.

Kirilenko was also better, but no one watches Utah. Probably include Stockton here.

Battier, Blaylock, Mad Max, Prince, G. Wallace, and  McMillan are not quite household names, but it could argued they were on par or better than Iggy.

Rodman was good enough that I forgot he wasn’t a Center.

Michael Jordan is absolutely on this list. NBA discourse is getting way out of hand.

As the guy who touts himself as the NBA historian, this is pretty awful. Not even accurate to the last 35 years, let alone all-time.

KG played center the last quarter of his career just like Duncan. Regardless their both elite rim protectors so functionally you would count them with the centers.

I don’t think people realize in here just how good Iggy was defensively

Andre igoudala was not fucking like that….. Y’all let one overrated ass series define his entire career and it’s sad. He was a great defender but I could easily name at least 15 guys that aren’t centers that are better defenders.

Edit: you guys are flaming me because everybody agrees with me that it’s ridiculous and 100%. I just saw red cuz the post was very stupid and I apologize you guys aren’t dumb. Unless you really believe that then you are dumb.

There were so many POA and wing defenders that were just as good, if not better than Iguodala on defense

I was so pissed Ben Wallace wasn’t on there and then I reread it and was like “I’m dumb.”

The Andre disrespect is insane. Andre was elite at not fouling, not letting you get to your spot and using his hands probably the best ever on swipes. Just elite at all 3 things. Andre had seasons of more steals than fouls. Thats just crazy. And he was also great at more than just steals obviously

I was very surprised that Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett were not mentioned

I can only assume he’s counting these guys as centers for the purposes of this list. Both of these guys are two of the greatest defenders ever.

I’d bump Iggy for Michael Jordan.

LeBron?

Tony Allen response incoming…

Give me Ron Artest.

Iguodala doesnt belong in that discussion.

There are a lot of people i would pick over iggy

No Gary Payton?

Bobby Jones erasure.

I don’t think any one will catch stockon in steals. But I think id take the glove a pg

This is bait

Any list that doesn’t have Moncrief it’s invalid

Michael Jordan tbh

Duncan was listed at C more times in his career than he was at PF. Garnett also got listed at C a fair bit. If you go onto basketball reference, each year it lists the players most played postition. KG had 3 years where he played mostly center. I’m not saying that that makes him a center, but I am saying that that might be why Bill left him off. 

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I’d take Micheal Cooper over Igoudala any day of the week.

in iggy’s defense (lol) hes probably the only guy whos ever gotten FMVP just for their defensive play

This begs the question: how many spots of the top 5 would be taken by centers for him if he didn’t exclude them?

Gary Payton and MJ both deserve it over Iguodala

Ben Wallace over Draymond

These top 5 lists are made exclusively to keep Reddit busy.

NBA fans and their eternal arguments over these types of subjective rankings has to be one of the dumbest things ever.

Decent list, surprised he didn’t put somebody like Bobby Jones, may be the Celtics bias/Sixers hate lol

I’m surprised it wasn’t a top 7 or some other completely random number like usual.

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Draymond is a no-brainer top-5 as long as your criteria isnt just blindly looking at blks and stls and actually looking at defensive impact. Iguadala is a massive stretch. Kobe, MJ, Payton, Giannis. Jason Kidd.

lmfaooo iggy was not a better defender than prime LeBron it’s not even close

what’s iggys best defensive achievement?

“Holding” LeBron to a triple double in the finals? Such a gimmick

If Draymond isn’t a center, why isn’t Garnett here too?

lol Iguodala is purely just rage bait. I can’t take any of these modern sports people seriously anymore. It’s all about rage baiting now

Horrendous list

Payton or Jrue should be over Iggy but great list otherwise. Also Tony Allen did do fairly well on a young KD in a playoff series but Jrue shutting down prime Dame was one of the most impressive defensive masterclases I ever saw

Jason Kidd is the best defensive guard of all time

No Grindfather???

If you’re including 4s and Duncan isn’t on this list, it’s the dumbest shit I’ve ever seen.

Stockton missing is sad

Draymond Green is respected in this community it seems

It’s all forwards. Should do one all guards. Then do one with 2 guards 2 forwards and 1 center

Ever…starts list with guys who played late 80s to mid-90s. I guess nobody played defense before then.

While I hear the tony allen complaints, I also understand the Iggy piece. He was really good on the biggest stage in the world. He made plays when it mattered.

Now Bron still got his, but it was a little tougher.

This is probably the only list I’ve heard from Bill that doesn’t include a Boston player, so I’m proud of him for that.

Someone from that 2004 Pistons team needs to be on there. Every single one of the starters was a better defender than Iggy other than Rip Hamilton.

Honestly, kind of shocked he doesn’t have Hondo or West on here. I have no idea what iggy is doing on this list.

Not mentioning Duncan is interesting, but alright

two of these players won fmvp for their defense in the finals against lebron and definitely belong on the list partly for that reason

How come Moncrief never gets any love in these discussions? Guy won 2 DPOY awards as a 2 guard in the ‘80s.

No KG is blasphemous, especially for a celtics fan

Isn’t draymond a center a good percent of the time? Certainly was in the Death Lineup.

Ya know, that’s fine and all that KG might not want to be considered a center, but go ahead and try to name the centers he played alongside and tell me how many minutes those centers played with KG

Jordan has to be on that list. I love Rodman and Pippen on it though

“But isn’t Jordan the GOAT in every category?”

Igoudala? Really? Payton and Jordan aren’t on that list? How about Moncrief?

Was Pippen really that good? I feel like he was always glossed over because of MJ

I don’t take anything he says seriously . overrated whiny little punk

Bill Russell joined the conversation.

yea draymond plays center roughly as much as duncan did so it makes no sense. should have just done best non-big man D

Bruh Tayshaun Prince??? Lanky ass dude looked like he was developed in a lab to guard the perimeter

Bruce Bowen anyone? Bro struck fear into player’s as he breaks ankles and round house kick faces.

Iguodala over Michael Cooper? Why am I not surprieed.

Scottie, Gary Payton, Kobe, Dennis Rodman, LeBron

Thank god it’s not the standard crap like MJ or Payton. Feels like Bill is looking for elite versatility in this top 5. Can’t help but agree with him.

Jordan, Jrue Holiday, Artest. Probably would take all three of these ahead of Iggy. Obviously track record needs to be set, but Thompson twins might soon overtake Iggy in this convo too.

Pippen was the best defender I have ever seen. Can guard 1-5 in a time when the 5’s where real 7 footers.

Honorable mention: Shawn Marion. Another who could guard 1-5.

KG and Duncan for sure are C’s.

From 05-14 KG played approx 34% of his time at C.

Duncan from 01-16 was 71% at C.

Bill Simmons is an idiot. 

Given Simmons’ depth of knowledge and known hatred of the Sixers, I am shocked Bobby Jones, AKA the Secretary of Defense, 11-time All Defensive team member, missed the cut.

Good list. Gotta have Payton on there instead of Iggy.

Artest, Jordan, Montcrief, Robertson, Cooper, Tony Allen should all be there over Iggy, too.

Tony Allen always gets scammed in these things. 

lol I think people are just remembering Iggy’s last couple seasons.

He was elite defensively. Certainly in the convo.

Great length and speed to track anyone in the perimeter.

In 2015 finals , LeBron shot like 23% in isolation vs Iggy with high volume.

gary payton is a top five non-center

Wasn’t Duncan a power forward?

Payton was an elite defender.

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Nothing wrong with the list but HM: Gerald Wallace - Bo Outlaw - Jrue Holiday

A defensive list excluding centers and no Tony Allen?!?!

Why is there always like 4 bill Simmons posts up top now? Is there some way I can block them? He’s not interesting.

Bruce Bowen Tony Allen and Tasman Prince deserve some love……. But this is why LeBron is the goat. LeBron had to beat these guys and Jordan was teammates with these guys