Basketball On The Internet.

THERE’s nothing like a feisty “who’s better, MJ or LBJ?” argument to get the juices flowing but the only man in a real position to say died today, aged 93.

Harvey Pollack was the last original employee of the NBA's inaugural season in 1946 to still be working in the league.

He was still the Philadelphia 76ers’ director of statistical information and widely credited as the pioneer of modern-day basketball statistics.

Harvey saw them all, from George Mikan to Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Oscar Robertson, Pete Maravich, Julius Erving, Larry Bird, Earvin Johnson, Michael Jordan, Shaq, Kobe, LeBron.

And the rest.

It is so easy to dismiss the players of the bygone eras with the many and varied arguments – from less teams, to less talent, to less height etcetera.

The counter arguments, of course, run from more teams equalling thinner spread of talent to the various rule changes, keyway sizes – hell, it can go on forever.

Skills are better today - but then they should be with all the travels the officials allow unwhistled.

See what I mean?

The truth is, all you can do is be the best of your time – the rest is subjective.

Did we love the Johnson-Bird Lakers-Celtics era? You bet.

Did Jordan gives us thrills the like of which we’d never seen? Yup.

Is LeBron the greatest of his era? No question.

Many of us though cannot recall a season where a player averaged more than 50 points a game.

Harvey could.

He even was in attendance when Wilt went off in his famous 100-point NBA game.

It was Harvey who hastily scribbled the number 100 on a piece of paper to produce the iconic photo below – the only on-the-spot record of the achievement.

In those days, the NBA wasn’t on TV and League Pass wasn’t even a dream yet.

Oscar Robertson, the “Big O,” for decades was the player against whom all others labelled with “all-around” ability were judged.

In the 1961-62 season, just his second year in the league, Robertson averaged 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 11.4 assists per game.

Yes. He AVERAGED a triple-double for a complete season.

Do we even need to bring up Russell’s 11 Championships?

There have been greats. There are greats. There will be more greats.

Harvey saw them all. The rest he can admire from above.

But considering the following article, written for the 11th anniversary of Wilt Chamberlain’s passing, I think we can work out who he thought was the best.

It's an eye-opening read.

http://on.nba.com/1IcN80S