THE GOAT
One question. Decades of greatness. The definitive search for basketball's greatest of all time.
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Illinois All-Decade Teams
From the 1950s through the 2010s — the greatest high school basketball talent Illinois has ever produced, all in one place.
View All-Decade Teams →The Most Successful Illinois High School
Basketball Programs of the Last Seven Decades
1950s – 2010s · And the Coaches That Made Them
Jack Sutter turns his attention from the best players to the best teams — and the Hall of Fame coaches who built them. Seven decades of wins, championships, and legacies from across the state of Illinois.
Arthur Trout
Centralia
811–330
3 State Titles
Stan Changnon
Mt. Vernon
230–59
2 State Titles
Harry Combs
Champaign HS
254–46
1 State Title
Dolph Stanley
Taylorville
217–49
'44 Team: 45-0
The Climb to Greatness
Greatness is easy to recognize but often hard to define. That is a phrase I have used several times in my book The GOAT: The Quest to Find the Best. As they say, greatness, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. I suppose that can be the case sometimes but "true" greatness is not based on an opinion or a person's likes and dislikes.
But what sets Jack's book apart from so many others that have written about the best basketball players of all time is he has seen all of them play. It may be true that some talent, like bounty, is unmistakable; it still begs for an answer to why. "Before Jack even got into his list of the greatest basketball players of all time, he developed a methodology to explain in detail why he ranked the players the way he did," wrote BookRib in their review.
I have played, coached, and been a fan of this great game for over 73 years. I began paying attention to basketball when I was 9 years old. I have seen, in real time, every player who has risen to the level of the NBA. In writing the book, The GOAT, it was difficult sometimes to stick with my criteria and not let feelings interfere. My basketball hero as I was growing up did not make my top 10. The player I thought was the greatest player for years before I began my research and wrote the book, finished 4th. There is a big difference between who you like, and think is the greatest and who checks the boxes that define greatness.
It has almost been 5 years since I wrote my book. I have been asked if there has been any player since I published my book that deserves a place in the top 10? I believe, at this time, there are only three potential candidates. Steph, KD, and Giannis. They are the best candidates, other than the one who is already in my top 10. But every time I talk with anyone or seriously contemplate changing my top 10, I come back to this one question. Who do I remove?
When I ask my very knowledgeable basketball friends, they always say take the "ole" guys out. I often hear this among NBA pundits as well. But when I start going over the research and looking back on my criteria, I think these three would be better now than when they played. Oscar Robertson is the architect of the "triple double" and it was nothing back then. Wilt Chamberlain still holds over 50 NBA records, and even Bill Russell said he was the best athlete to ever play in the NBA. In my book I talk about "The Yardstick" by which all other players are measured. Tim Duncan is the power forward that sets the bar.
So, after a lot of thinking and "soul searching", I have decided to leave my top 10 and even my top 20 the same for the near future. Sorry Steph, you are still the third best point guard of all time, for now. KD, you are the best "scorer" in the NBA, a match-up nightmare, but I'm not ready to replace Bird, Kareem or Duncan, right now. Giannis has had a brilliant 13-year career, but I'm not ready to elevate him into the top 10 or even place him above my second ten. Beauty and greatness may be in the "eye of the beholder", but I prefer a more "scientific" approach based on research, evaluation, statistics, and achievements.
See the graphics on this page to see my #20 thru #11. Sorry, you must purchase the book to see my top 10.
What Makes a Great Basketball Player
I spent over 10 months doing research and writing my book. I was a high school and college basketball coach for 22 years. I have been involved with basketball for over 70 years. During these years I have developed a philosophy and some principles that have become the basis for my thoughts and ideas about the game I love. My criteria are based on my experiences as a player, coach, and fan. I used these 10 criteria to define greatness on the basketball court.
Dominance
The best player on the floor. Every athlete rises to a level that is their maximum level of success. At every level of competition, even in the NBA, there is one player that rises above the rest.
Physicality
As it is defined by Webster "intensely physical orientation". Size, quickness, speed, jumping ability are all components but equally as important is the development of those God given attributes. *In my book I have this third but since I wrote my book in 2022, I have moved it up to number two.
Longevity
Simply stated, for how long a period of time was the player elite? I reward consistency whether that is for a game, season, or career. I believe it takes perseverance, discipline, hard work, and often just good fortune to stay healthy and compete at the highest level year after year. I believe it is harder to stay on top than to get there.
Offense vs. Defense
Offense requires more skill to master than defense. Defense may travel or be more consistent or whatever other cliché you want to use but it takes more athletic ability to score than to keep someone from scoring.
Statistics
There is a reason why I list stats fifth and not first or second. They can be misleading and influenced by circumstances. There are no other criteria that has been influenced more by the rules, court, and era than statistics. Numbers can deceive.
Awards and Honors
This criteria is very relevant to the era. There were several awards that were not given until 1956-57 such as the MVP. Other awards like All-Defensive was first given in 1968-69. I give more "weight" to modern day recipients because of the number of teams and players. (It is harder to win an award with 450 players in the league than 90 and it is harder to win a title with 30 teams rather than 8 or 9.)
Winning
This may be the most controversial criteria, not because it is a criteria but because I have it #7. I understand the object of the game is to win AND the most important thing is to win. BUT basketball is a TEAM sport, and ONE player does not win a championship. I go into detail explaining my philosophy about roles, contributions, chemistry, etc. in my book.
Yardstick
I recently did a post about the "yardstick". The yardstick is the measuring device (player) that is the best in a particular fundamental or aspect of the game by which all other players are measured. i.e. shooting Curry or Bird, rebounding Wilt or Russell.
Clutch
The player who performs at the highest level in the greatest of pressure situations. Who thrives in the playoffs and when the lights are brightest?
Plays Both Ends of the Court
I have offense as my fourth most important criteria but I do not believe that a player can be considered great without being a good defensive player. There are no players in my Top 75 just because they scored a lot of points.
*I go into much more detail defining and explaining my criteria in my book.
These are the 10 criteria that I believe are the best indicators of greatness. I think it is easy to recognize greatness but difficult to define it. These criteria help me to not only recognize it but to use it to differentiate levels of greatness.
Jack Sutter
Jack Sutter's basketball journey began in the small farming and coal mining town of Galatia, Illinois, where he learned the game on a dirt court. What started as a childhood passion evolved into a lifetime of dedication to basketball at every level — as a player, coach, historian, and author.
As an All-State player in Illinois, Jack developed the skills and basketball IQ that would define his career. He went on to play Division 1 basketball at Middle Tennessee State, where he gained firsthand experience competing against and observing some of the game's greatest players.
Jack's coaching career spanned 22 years at the collegiate level, where he made two NIT appearances and achieved a Top 10 ranking during his four years at Oral Roberts University. He coached three All-Americans and helped develop seven NBA draft picks, leaving an indelible mark on the lives of his players both on and off the court.
One of Jack's most meaningful accomplishments came when a former player from 50 years ago recently texted him about the Illinois All-Decade voting project, saying he was amazed that Jack was still innovating and connecting with the basketball community at 81 years old. That message captures the essence of Jack's legacy: a basketball lifer who continues to contribute to the game he loves.
Career Highlights
70+ Years in Basketball
Seven decades of playing, coaching, and analyzing the game at the highest levels.
22 Years Coaching
College coaching career with 2 NIT appearances and Top 10 ranking at ORU.
3 All-Americans
Coached three All-American players during his collegiate coaching tenure.
7 NBA Draftees
Helped develop and prepare seven players who went on to the NBA.
