That’s A Rap #157: Debating the NBA’s 75 Greatest

If you jumble all of last week’s news into one sentence, here’s what you’d get:

The NBA messed up their 75 greatest players list by excluding Scottie Barnes!

The 2021-2022 season jumped out to its usual newsworthy start. Surprisingly, a lot of the headlines were not about what was on the court — before you ask, YES, we finally managed to get through an episode without mentioning Ben Simmons. A celebration of the 75th NBA season would feel empty if there wasn’t a Top 75 list for everyone to dissect/discuss their disgust/displeasure.

For Toronto Raptors fans, the kick-off to the Barnes-for-ROY was a glorious as you’d imagine. Sure, it’s only been three games, but there’s a reason for optimism in Toronto with the team returning to Scotiabank Arena and a young star ready to showcase his talent.

In This Episode:

2:15 — Raps so far

If the first three games are any indication, Raptors fans should buckle up for a roller-coaster of a season. The uninspiring effort against Washington was immediately followed by an exhilarating beatdown in Boston. The Mavericks proved that Toronto can compete with the best but need a little more seasoning.

8:30 — The Raptor, a Hall of Famer?

Returning to Scotiabank Arena also meant a return for The Raptor, who is was a finalist for induction into the Mascot Hall of Fame (voting closed after we recorded). He’s got some stiff competition but he was on all of our lists of favourite mascots. Who’s on your list?

13:15 — Top 75 surprises

Lists and rankings will always cause debate and always ruffle some feathers. I honestly try not to get worked up about them because, at the end of the day, they’re usually subjective. However, when the list is not from Bleacher Report or @BasketballFanForLife32493593 but from the National Basketball Association, I’ll pay attention. I regret that decision.

24:25 — All the snubs

While the surprises will usually bring out the negativity of specific players, discussing snubs allows us to highlight some truly remarkable folks. As mentioned already, these are subjective picks and everyone’s got their own opinions. I will say that six players in NBA history have ever had a 50-point, 25-rebound game. Five of those made the Top 75 list. I’d put the sixth person ahead of a couple of players who made the list!

Who should be added/removed from the list? Let us know below!