Author Topic: Most unique players in history  (Read 1263 times)

Offline ziggy

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Most unique players in history
« on: July 02, 2004, 07:43:49 PM »
http://www.basketballreference.com/index.htm

Basketballreference.com has a method of comparing a players statistics to all other players to determine overall similarity.  The specific method is as follows
About the Similarity Scores

Similarity scores were developed by Bill James for baseball about 15 years ago in his book The Politics of Glory. The score is calculated by starting at 1000 and then subtracting off the statistical differences between the players.

One point for each difference of 8 games played
One point for each difference of 300 minutes
One point for each difference of .18 in ppg
One point for each difference of 140 fgm
One point for each difference of 320 fga
One point for each difference of 60 ftm
One point for each difference of 100 fta
One point for each difference of 20 3ptm
One point for each difference of 50 3pta
One point for each difference of 260 reb
One point for each difference of 80 asts
One point for each difference of 20 stl
One point for each difference of 10 blk
One point for each difference of 40 to
A position factor
 

I went through this and found who the most similar player is to a number of the greatest NBA players, and tried to determine who was the most unique player in NBA history.  The most unique player is the one who's career stats has the least amount of similarity to other players.

Elgin Baylor  -  most similar is Bob Pettit 915
Kevin Garnett  -  most similar is Chris Webber 911
Dennis Rodman  -  most similar is Larry Smith 910, and Olden Polynice 885
Kobe Bryant  -  most similar is Paul Pierce 895
Tim Duncan  -  most similar is Artis Gilmore 891
Julias Erving  -  most similar is Bob McAdoo  877
Oscar Robertson  -  most similar is Jerry West 871
Jerry West  -  most similar is Oscar Robertson 871
Magic Johnson  -  most similar is Isiah Thomas 867
Allen Iverson  -  most similar is Jerry Stackhouse 864
Bill Russell  -  most similar is Nate Thurmond 860
Scottie Pippen  -  most similar is Gary Payton  840
David Robinson  -  most similar is Patrick Ewing 837
Patrick Ewing  -  most similar is David Robinson 837
Larry Bird  -  most similar is Clyde Drexler 821
Clyde Drexler  -  most similar is Larry Bird  821
Charles Barkley  -  most similar is Dominique Wilkins  820
John Havlicek  -  most similar is Hal Greer 816
Shaquille O'Neal  -  most similar is Artis Gilmore 799
Hakeem Olajuwan  -  most similar is Patrick Ewing 792
Wilt Chamberlin  -  most similar is Elgin Baylor  760
Michael Jordan  -  most similar is Charles Barkley  759
Moses Malone  -  most similar is Elvin Hayes 730
Karl Malone  -  most similar is Moses Malone  628  
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar  -  most similar is Patrick Ewing 616

And the most unique player statistcally for his career is...................
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John Stockton  -  most similar is Isiah Thomas 605
A third-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the majority. A second-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the minority. A first-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking.

A quotation is a handy thing to have about, saving one the trouble of thinking for oneself.

AA Mil

Offline westkoast

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Most unique players in history
« Reply #1 on: July 02, 2004, 10:13:59 PM »
Weird how alot of the guys who are very similar played in the same era together.  I wonder how much of that has to do with style of play in the league at the time.
« Last Edit: July 02, 2004, 10:14:12 PM by westkoast »
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Offline Joe Vancil

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Most unique players in history
« Reply #2 on: July 04, 2004, 01:08:06 AM »
Can you compare Stockton against Maurice Cheeks?  I'd be curious as to how similar the two of them are.

 
Joe

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Offline ziggy

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Most unique players in history
« Reply #3 on: July 05, 2004, 10:52:33 AM »
Quote
Can you compare Stockton against Maurice Cheeks?  I'd be curious as to how similar the two of them are.
The similarity score between Stockton and Cheeks is 510.  The difference is caused by what makes Stockton so unique.  Cheeks played 15 seasons, but only 12 of them was he a significant contributor.  Stockton played 19 seasons, and only in his rookie year was he not a significant contributor.
Stockton scored more points per game (18% more) over a much longer period of time
made more FT per season 252-155 63% more
made a higher % of his FT
made more 3 pts per season 44-3
made a much higher % of his 3's
averaged many more assists per season 832-493 69% more
had more steals per season 172-154 12% more and did that for 19 seasons, compared to 13
Stockton also had many more turnovers per season 223-151 (48%) more

Using a method called the value approximation method, which uses a 1-20 scale
where a score of 20 indicates an exceptional MVP season
A score of sixteen indicates an MVP candidate
A score of 12 indicates a very fine season; an All-Star candidate
A score of 8 indicates a fair regular or an average sixth man

Stockton had a lifetime score of 12.17, with 11 seasons 12 or higher.
Cheeks had a lifetime score of 9.53, with only 1 season 12 or higher.

One interesting thing though is that at the age of 27, which was arguablely Stockton's best season, the player he was most similar to was .......
Mo Cheeks

The players Mo Cheeks was like (based upon stats) for his career were
Similar Players (Career)
Rod Strickland (829)
Alvin Robertson (799)
John Lucas (794)
Derek Harper (793)
Gus Williams (785)
Avery Johnson (785)
Doc Rivers (784)
Vern Fleming (781)
Kendall Gill (778)
Jeff Hornacek (776)

But on a season by season basis Cheeks was most similar to
Similar Players (By Age)
22.  Lafayette Lever
23.  Jay Humphries
24.  Johnny Moore
25.  Lafayette Lever
26.  Johnny Moore
27.  Lafayette Lever
28.  Lafayette Lever
29.  Lafayette Lever
30.  Lafayette Lever
31.  Alvin Robertson
32.  Alvin Robertson
33.  Alvin Robertson
34.  Rod Strickland
35.  Rod Strickland
36.  Charles Oakley
 
A third-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the majority. A second-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the minority. A first-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking.

A quotation is a handy thing to have about, saving one the trouble of thinking for oneself.

AA Mil