Whenever I go to the Oracle to see the Warriors play, I often gaze up at the rafters and see the retired jerseys of former Warriors stars. Wilt Chamberlain, Rick Barry, and Chris Mullin. And I often wonder how those players would perform in today's NBA. Of course, monkeys writing Hamlet would scoff at this somewhat silly musing — I'm comparing apples to oranges. And I readily concede that point. Like so many other sports, the NBA has changed dramatically over the decades — the players are now faster, bigger, and stronger than their predecessors from decades ago. But still, I can't help but wonder, and I invite you to wonder (or wander) with me.

But first a quick digression to other major sports. In professional boxing, I think that Muhammed Ali would fare well in today's heavyweight boxing world. In golf, Jack Nacklaus in his prime would likely be competitive against the new and younger breed of PGA professionals. In baseball, I would say the same about Willie Mays and Ricky Henderson. But basketball is different and harder to do this apples to oranges comparison. And yet, I will try. I am a Samuel Beckett disciple — if at first you fail, then fail again, and then fail harder!

For this discussion, I have arbitrarily selected five former Warrior greats: Rick Barry, Wilt Chamberlain, Tim Hardaway, Chris Mullin, and Nate Thurmond. You may have others, and I would encourage to include them in the comments, if I'm lucky enough to get any comments. :)

Rick Barry was a prolific scorer in his day. And his free throw shooting technique is a lost art. However, I'm not sure that his skillset would hold up in today's NBA. Perhaps he is not strong enough, big enough, or fast enough to cope with the LeBrawn's of the world. Of course, only my friend Iggy can defend LeBrawn.

Wilt Chamberlain could probably compete in today's NBA. He seems to have the three attributes that I mentioned above. However, he may not score as much given the great defenders in the league. But his defense would be a major asset on any team. I sometimes think about him when I go for long walks at night and gaze at the stars — I always see the Big Dipper.

Tim Hardaway was great with Run TMC. However, I'm not sure that he could hang with today's other guards in the league. He is small and may not play the type of defense that is required today to succeed.

Chris Mullin is one of my favorite all-time Warriors greats. I had the pleasure of meeting him when he lived in my community of Alameda. However, it saddens to say that Mullin would likely not fare well in today's NBA. Again, he lacks the aforementioned attributes that I value. He may be a decent scorer, but his lack of size, strength, and speed could make him a liability today.

Lastly, Nate Thurmond. This is a difficult call for me. I would say that Nate's overall skillset would make him a decent center today, but probably not all-star caliber. I could see him being a great backup center, however.

Okay, I have strapped on my helmet and I'm ready for the boos, and the booze.