In terms of career yes Larry Bird is the best white player. 3 rings, 3 MVPs, 2 FMVPs, great scorer, great shooter, great rebounder, great passer, solid defender, high basketball IQ, clutch etc it’s hard to think of an aspect of the game Bird didn’t do well in.
However, I do have a friend who’s very deep into basketball and in terms of peak ability he offered an interesting choice: Bill Walton
“Really? Bill Walton over Larry Bird and Nikola Jokic and Jerry West?” I said incredulously.
“Yes, because Walton at his peak during that 1977 run was the perfect basketball player” he said.
And I guess if you’re looking for a single season from a white player, 1977 Walton has an argument. That season he did it all for the Blazers.. scoring, rebounding, passing, defense, IQ etc he was the heart of that Blazers team and beat Gilmore’s Bulls, Issel’s Nuggets, swept Kareem’s Lakers, and came from 0–2 down to beat Dr J’s 76ers in the Finals. He was the perfect basketball player for that one season. Larry Bird for all his greatness with the Celtics did not carry a team like Walton did in that season.
(Just for reference, Walton averaged 19/19/5/1/4 in the 1977 Finals.. pretty much did it all)
And yes there’s other great white players to consider.. Jokic in terms of offense at least would be up there. Jerry West would be my next pick after Bird in terms of overall career. John Havlicek, Luka Doncic, Rick Barry, Dirk Nowitzki all are in the conversation. But Larry Bird and peak Walton I think are the right picks.
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