The NBA Wiki-Legacy

How does Wikipedia sum up your favorite NBA player's career?

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"Now hold up there, Wales. I've done more than just sell shoes!"

How can one quantify an NBA player's legacy? Look no further than the first line of his Wikipedia entry. The whole article may yammer on for pages, but that initial sentence—the one whose unapologetic use of the "to be" verb aims to cut down to the very core of the subject—tells the true tale. Some opening clauses are rather unremarkable. Take LeBron James' for example:

"LeBron Raymone James (born December 30, 1984 in Akron, Ohio) is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA)."

But many others tell a complete story unto themselves—you just have to read between the lines. Observe:

What it says: George Lawrence Mikan, Jr. (June 18, 1924 – June 1, 2005), nicknamed Mr. Basketball, was an American professional basketball player for the Chicago American Gears of the National Basketball League (NBL) and the Minneapolis Lakers of the NBL, the Basketball Association of America (BAA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA).
What it means: George Lawrence Mikan Jr. (June 18, 1924 – June 1, 2005) was an American professional basketball player whose career chronicles the evolution of professional basketball in the United States.

What it says: Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963) is a retired American professional basketball player and active businessman.
What it means: Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963) is a retired American professional basketball player who has sold A LOT of shoes.

What it says: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr.; April 16, 1947) is an American athlete and retired professional basketball player, widely considered one of the greatest NBA players of all time.
What it means: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr.; April 16, 1947) is more than just a legendary basketball player, but an athlete. (Come on, he once fought Bruce Lee!)

What it says: Nathaniel "Nate" Thurmond (born July 25, 1941, in Akron, Ohio) is a retired American basketball player, feared and praised by legends including Bob Pettit, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Wilt Chamberlain.
What it means: Nathaniel "Nate" Thurmond (born July 25, 1941, in Akron, Ohio) is a retired American basketball player whose career can only be understood through the prism of more notable basketball legends.

What it says: Darko Milicic (born June 20, 1985, in Novi Sad, Serbia, Yugoslavia) is a Serbian professional basketball player who is a member of the Memphis Grizzlies, the third NBA team for which he has played in his career.
What it means: Darko Milicic (born June 20, 1985, in Novi Sad, Serbia, Yugoslavia) is a Serbian professional basketball player who is a member of the Memphis Grizzlies and whose career reeks of disappointment.

What it says: Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal (born March 6, 1972), frequently referred to simply as "Shaq," is an American professional basketball player, rapper, and actor.
What it means: Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal (born March 6, 1972), frequently referred to simply as "Shaq," is an American professional basketball player, rapper and actor, not just a basketball player who might rap or act.

What it says: Gregory Wayne Oden, Jr. (born January 22, 1988) is an American basketball player at the center position.
What it means: Gregory Wayne Oden, Jr. (born January 22, 1988) is an American basketball player and savior of the center position which has been dying a slow, agonizing death in recent years.

What it says: Charles Wade Barkley (born February 20, 1963) is an American retired professional basketball player and aspiring politician.
What it means: Charles Wade Barkley (born February 20, 1963) is an American retired professional basketball player and the 45th president of the United States.

What it says: Julius Winfield Erving II (born February 22, 1950 and raised in Roosevelt, New York), commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is a retired American basketball player who helped launch a modern style of play that emphasizes leaping and play above the rim.
What it means: Julius Winfield Erving II (born February 22, 1950 and raised in Roosevelt, New York) commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is a retired American basketball player who can be blamed for the death of sound, fundamental basketball.

What it says: John Houston Stockton (born March 26, 1962) is a retired American professional basketball player (NBA) who spent his entire career (1984–2003) as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA.
What it means: John Houston Stockton (born March 26, 1962) is a retired American professional basketball player (NBA) who is roughly as important to the state of Utah as Joseph Smith.

What it says: Kevin Wayne Durant (born September 29, 1988 in Washington, D.C.) is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder (formerly the Seattle SuperSonics) of the NBA.
What it means: Kevin Wayne Durant (born September 29, 1988 in Washington, D.C.) is a former member of the Seattle SuperSonics who was untimely ripped from the tender womb of Seattle and banished to the abyss that is Oklahoma City.

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