Luke Hanlon also provides his list of the best left-handed players, like Chris Frey, in the Ultimate Hoops League.

That might be an easy question to answer in light of recent assertions by Daryl Morey, the General Manager of the Rockets, claiming that Harden is a better scorer than Michael Jordan, widely considered the GOAT.

Talk about tugging on Superman’s cape.

With all due respect to Morey, the godfather of NBA analytics, he might want to take a closer look at the numbers. Jordan was a 10-time scoring champion with a career average of 30.1 ppg, compared to Harden who has two scoring titles (likely to be three after this year) and a career average of 24.3 ppg. And this might be a cheap shot, but Jordan never disappeared in the playoffs – he actually increased his scoring average to an amazing 33.4 ppg.

But I digress, back to the issue at hand, the left hand that is. Lefties are a rare breed, accounting for just 10% of the overall population and a like representation in the NBA. In addition to Harden, current notable southpaws in the league include D’Angelo Russell, Ben Simmons, Mike Conley, Joe Engles, De’Aaron Fox, Julius Randle, Isaiah Thomas and two of this year’s top draft picks, Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett. In basketball, lefties are often viewed as crafty, clever, and creative – certainly Harden fits this profile and he has been on an incredible run. But is he the best lefty of all time? Let’s take a look at where he ranks.

Honorable Mention – Larry Bird

While technically right handed, Bird recorded a triple-double with his left hand against Portland in 1986 (47 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists). Why did Bird decide to use his off, left hand for the majority of the game against the Blazers? “I’m saving my right hand for the Lakers.” The arch rival that the Celtics would defeat two nights later.

10. Manu Ginobli

Euro league star before joining the Spurs where he was a two-time All-Star and a four-time NBA champion. He also helped Argentina win a gold medal in the 2004 Olympics. And who will ever forget how he snatched a bat out of midair during a game – with his left hand, of course.

9. Willis Reed

Before Paul Pierce’s wheelchair theatrics – Reed had the most iconic return to the court following an injury when he limped on to the floor of Madison Square Garden to the roaring approval of Knicks fans for Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals against Wilt Chamberlain and the Lakers. He made the first two baskets of the game, his only points, but he provided the Knicks with the emotional lift they needed to win the title.

8. Artis Gilmore

The “A Train” is a Hall of Famer who was a dominating presence in the paint – he was an 11-time All-Star, ABA Rookie of the Year and MVP in 1971-72, and an ABA champion with the Kentucky Colonels.

7. Billy Cunningham

The “Kangaroo Kid” was an athletic small forward who averaged more than 21 ppg during his Hall of Fame career. He was one of the first NBA stars to bolt to the ABA and he was the league MVP with the Carolina Cougars in 1972-73.

6. Dave Cowens

All-time Celtics great who unquestionably holds the NBA record for floor burns. He made Larry Bird look like he was going through the motions. Seven-time All-Star, two-time NBA champion, and the MVP in1972-73.

5. Nate Archibald

“Tiny” was the classic New York City point guard who honed his skills on the playground. He is the only player to ever lead the NBA in scoring and assists in the same season (both Westbrook and Harden have come close in recent years).

4. Chris Mullin

Sweet-shooting swingman who was a member of the Dream Team and part of the dynamic RUN TMC version of the Warriors, where he, Mitch Richmond, and Tim Hardaway were the highest scoring trio in the league. He also was a collegiate star at St. John’s during the heyday of the Big East where he was a teammate of another crafty lefty and New York City playground legend, Walter Berry.

3. David Robinson

The best player ever out of the U. S. Naval Academy who appropriately was dubbed the “Admiral”… oh and by the way was also a member of the Dream Team and a 10-time NBA All-Star and two-time champion with the Spurs.

2. James Harden

It’s amazing how many lefties have great nicknames, and Harden is no different. “The Beard” is arguably the best player in today’s NBA who could easily be working on three straight MVP seasons, but he falls just short of being the greatest lefty of all time.

1. Bill Russell

11 rings…enough said.

Lefties have played a prominent role in UH history as well. Dating back to Origin Spencer, the diminutive, do-it-all, point guard, who helped lead the Woodticks to the inaugural UH championship at the Target Center in Minneapolis. Let’s take a look at the top 10 lefties in UH history (ranked and written by Luke Hanlon).

10. Frankie Ghouchani - Atlanta

Ghouchani is a quick, shifty and versatile guard, capable of scoring from anywhere on the floor. His biggest strength is his 3-points shooting, where he’s shot 47% for his career, helping him average 19.2 points per game. He may have just had his best individual season, as he averaged 27.2 points on 62% shooting from the field and 60% from deep in the fall in the Alpharetta Draft League. While he and Respect Your Elders didn’t win the championship, Ghocuhani has won six in his 217-game career.

9. Patrick Perkins - Austin

Perkins has the fewest games played out of anyone on this list with 68, but he’s accomplished so much in those 68 games that he had to be considered. He’s played in eight seasons and won five titles, and he’s been the centerpiece of most of those title-winning teams. The most consistent part of his game is his 3-point shot, as he’s shot 43% from deep in his career. That number was almost identical in the Las Vegas National Tournament last year, as he shot 42% in three games for Life Time Elite.

8. Bill Treece - Detroit

Treece is one of the most accomplished players in all of UH Detroit, a region that includes three Hall of Famers (one to be named later). He’s won 13 championships over the course of his 359-game career, and he’s done it while being extremely efficient. He’s scored 20.7 points per game with career shooting percentage splits of 55/47/80. Those are lethal numbers over the course of 10 years and 359 games.

7. Chris Frey - New York

Frey has been a consummate champion over the course of his UH career. He has won 11 championships in 221 career games, meaning he’s averaged a championship every 20.1 games. He’s done that while averaging 18.3 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting 51% from the field in his career. He’s also been the team captain/GM on all of his championship teams, including the pinnacle of his career up to this point, helping lead the Thundercats to the inaugural New York National Tournament championship in 2017.

6. Kurt Koenig - Minnesota

Put Koenig in any gym, in any league and against any team and he’ll be able to score. He’s averaged 22.2 points on 53% shooting from the field and 39% from deep in his career, and his numbers remain impressive in any type of league he’s played in. He averaged 18.8 points per game in his three Dream League seasons (ranking in the top eight in points in all three seasons) while shooting 50% from the field and 35% from deep. His numbers barely dip in national tournaments too, as he’s averaged 16.7 points on 59% shooting from the field and 37% from deep. That has led him to four championships: two in open leagues, one in the Dream League, and one in his first rec-plus season, coming last fall with FOB Five.

5. Jodan Cannon - Las Vegas

Cannon has been arguably the best player in UH Vegas over the last couple years, and one of the best players in all of UH Nation. He’s averaged 28.9/7.8/7.4 with shooting splits of 60/43/82, which is great for any player, but it’s even more impressive for a point guard. Those numbers have been a key reason for BTE’s dominant run in the Summerlin Open League over the past two years, as Cannon has helped them win five championships in the past six seasons. He’s also been lethal in eight national tournament games, averaging 18.6/5.3/4.9 with shooting splits of 57/40/67.

4. Warren Rosegreen - Las Vegas

You could argue between Cannon and Rosegreen for the best lefty in UH Vegas, and there really isn’t a wrong answer. The two reasons why I favor Rosegreen is he has won eight championships, three more than Cannon, in only 18 more career games. Rosegreen also has more national tournament experience, playing in 26 games over the course of six tournaments. He’s made it to at least the semifinals in three of those tournaments, which is further than Cannon has ever gotten. Just like Cannon, Rosegreen has put up impressive stats in his career, and they don’t dip much on the national stage.

Career: 25.3 points, 10.2 rebounds with shooting splits of 59/35/63

National Tournament: 18.4 points, 6.7 rebounds with shooting splits of 61/25/58

Another reason why Rosegreen ranks so high is because he has one of the most unstoppable shots in all of UH, his signature jump hook, which he can execute with either hand.

3. Ryan Jansen - Minnesota

Jansen’s 890 games played are almost 100 more than Sonny Young-Graves’ 799, who’s in second. In his almost 11-year career, Jansen has racked up 663 wins (178 more than L.C. Comine in second), giving him a winning percentage of .744. He’s won 20 championships, the second-most all time, and that includes the inaugural National Tournament held in Chicago in 2011, where Jansen’s Saints+ defeated the heavily-favored Ballin 68-52. His career stats of 11.1/5/3.4 on 45% shooting don’t stand out, but any one who’s seen him play (and especially if you’ve played against him) knows how great of a player he is. He defends like a bull, is capable of taking over a game offensively, has incredible court vision and has a basketball IQ of over 200. All of this earned Jansen a first-ballot induction into the Hall of Fame in 2018. If Jansen is on your team, you’ve got a good chance of winning.

2. Mckinsey Golfin - Detroit

Golfin has scored more points than anyone in UH (15,528), is 10th in rebounds (4,304), third in assists (3,339), fifth in steals (1,125) and he’s won 20 titles, the second-most all time. This all added up to Golfin coasting into the Hall of Fame as a first-ballot inductee in 2018. He’s a walking bucket, averaging 20.7 points on 55% shooting from the field and 45% from deep. His scoring average in 24 national tournament games only drops to 14.3, while his shooting percentages are just as good: 52% from the field and 46% from deep. So with this kind of resume over the course of 749 games and 10-plus years, who could be number one?

1. Dermaine Crockrell - Arizona

While Crockrell has no where near the longevity of Golfin - he’s played in 671 fewer games - his resume is untouchable, and if I had to win one UH game, Crockrell is always going to be my first pick. He’s played in eight Tempe Open seasons and five national tournaments, and he’s won 10 championships in that span. That includes the four straight national titles he won with Ball So Hard, earning tournament MVP honors three years in a row from 2016-18. You could make the argument that the titles don’t mean as much because he’s always been on stacked teams when he’s won, but both the Tempe Open League and the Las Vegas National Tournament boast extreme talent and competitiveness, with former Division I and a few former NBA players riddled in both competitions. Those teams are also stacked because Crockrell is on them. He’s consistently the engine of the Ball So Hard offense, which is a team that routinely fields Mike Bibby, Alex Scales, Curtis Millage and many other offensive destroyers. Here are Crockrell’s numbers in the two divisions he’s played in.

Open: 19.2/4.6/5 with shooting splits of 62/36/77

National Tournament: 17.2/3.9/3.4 with shooting splits of 55/41/71

If you choose to give the nod to Golfin for his illustrious career, I wouldn’t argue with you, but I chose to celebrate the best pure player that is left handed, and there’s no doubt that’s Crockrell.

Is James Harden the best lefty in NBA history?