2031 - Olden Polynice (ATL) (307 views)

[jhb]

Olden Polynice

Carolina Cougars (2017)
Los Angeles Lakers (2018-2019)
Chicago Bulls (2020-2021, 2030)
Atlanta Hawks (2022-2026)
Tri-Cities Blackhawks (2027-2028)
Harlem Globetrotters (2029)

At a Glance

- Pound for pound greatest rebounder in TMBSL history
- Holds 3 of the top 8, 4 of the top 16, and 5 of the top 40 single-season rebounding performances in TMBSL history
- His dominant 2025 season carried the Hawks to the Finals, averaging 23 points and 14 rebounds per game while contributing over 2.5 steals and blocks per game and shooting over 55% from the field
- While being known more for his rebounding and defensive prowess and being just a solid offensive contributor, he did record 5 seasons at 54% from the field or better
- Really blossomed as a player once he got out from underneath the care of two absentee GMs
- Retires 7th all-time in total rebounding (13,493) and one of only 12 players all time to eclipse 12,500 total career rebounds
- Former Bull, Former Hawk
- Won 4 times as many titles as LeBron James, for whom he was famously traded, was a key cog in the dominant Hawks run of 3 straight titles, 5 straight Finals appearances, and 4 straight years with the league's best record; his control of the boards was the missing piece that helped round out the dominant Hawks teams of the mid-2020s
- Finished his career slightly outside of the Top 50 all-time in win shares with 126.9 total win shares, good for .176 WS/48 for his career
- 50th all-time in career free throw makes (5,168) and 23rd in attempts (7,721)
- 40th all-time in career blocks (1,278)

Career Stats

Years played: 14
Games played: 1074
Points per game: 18.8
Rebounds per game: 12.6
Assists per game: 1.8
Steals per game: 0.9
Blocks per game: 1.2
Turnovers per game: 2.1
FG%: .509
FT%: .669
3P%: .400 (5 attempts)



Career Highs

Points: 46
Rebounds: 36
Assists: 8
Steals: 6
Blocks: 8
719 double-doubles

Achievements/Awards

Champion (4x)
All-Star
All-Defensive Second Team
Player of the Game (131x)
Player of the Month
Rookie Game Participant (2x)
All-Rookie Second Team

2017 - All-Star Rookie Game Participant
2017 - All-Rookie Second Team
2018 - All-Star Rookie Game Participant
2020 - All-Defensive Second Team
2025 - All-Star Game Participant

Biography

Height: 6'11"
Weight: 230
College: Virginia

Transactions

- Drafted 4th overall in the 2017 Rookie Draft by the Carolina Cougars and GM sirsativa
- Selected by new GM idhant to join the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2018 expansion draft
- Selected by GM TimPig to join the Bulls in the 2020 contraction draft of the Lakers
- Resigned with the Bulls in free agency to a deal for $120,312,500 over 7 years
- Was traded before the 2022 season to Atlanta for the 2027 1st round pick that would become LeBron James
- Was traded before the 2027 season to Tri-Cities in a 7 player, 3 pick megadeal between Atlanta, Tri-Cities, and Miami that also included several late 1sts, John Havlicek, Jerry Sloan, Isaiah Thomas, Allen Iverson, and Josh Smith
- Agreed to return to Tri-Cities for $14,000,000 over one year in 2028 Free Agency
- Signed an MLE deal with Harlem in 2029 that was extended by one season
- Was traded from Harlem to Chicago for a late first, Rodney Stuckey and cash before the 2030 season and retired when his contract expired

[jhb]

Bump above the Club Honors post

[TimPig]

Jan 21, 2020 16:50:09 GMT jhb said:

- Selected by GM TimPig to join the Bulls in the 2020 contraction draft of the Lakers

Wait are we just going to ignore every team that passed on him in this contraction draft?

[👨🏼‍⚕️delapandemic🚑]

Jan 21, 2020 18:08:54 GMT TimPig said:

Jan 21, 2020 16:50:09 GMT jhb said:

- Selected by GM TimPig to join the Bulls in the 2020 contraction draft of the Lakers

Wait are we just going to ignore every team that passed on him in this contraction draft?

I stupidly had Pippen over him (and over Jermaine O'Neal)... but he was next on my list.

[skrouse]

It's a no for me, he was a very solid big, but I think the bar for a HOF big is higher.

He was a great rebounder, no question, but that's really all he did great. He was on good teams. He was a good scorer, not great. A good shot blocker but again nothing extraordinary. I don't recall him ever being a key cog of from an offensive perspective but he still turned the ball over at a pretty high rate.

[TimPig]

That’s a hot take skrouse

[jhb]

Jan 21, 2020 19:25:38 GMT skrouse said:

It's a no for me, he was a very solid big, but I think the bar for a HOF big is higher.

He was a great rebounder, no question, but that's really all he did great. He was on good teams. He was a good scorer, not great. A good shot blocker but again nothing extraordinary. I don't recall him ever being a key cog of from an offensive perspective but he still turned the ball over at a pretty high rate.

[skrouse]

Jan 21, 2020 19:59:04 GMT jhb said:

Jan 21, 2020 19:25:38 GMT skrouse said:

It's a no for me, he was a very solid big, but I think the bar for a HOF big is higher.

He was a great rebounder, no question, but that's really all he did great. He was on good teams. He was a good scorer, not great. A good shot blocker but again nothing extraordinary. I don't recall him ever being a key cog of from an offensive perspective but he still turned the ball over at a pretty high rate.

Just calling it like I see it.  There are some other bigs that shouldn't be in there IMO, but some are creation dudes so there was no real bar back then. 

[jhb]

I think having an all-time elite skill and then being above average to good in other skills like scoring and defense would lend to plenty of HOF credibility

And if we're worried about turnovers should we expel Zion for creating a record no one will ever sniff

[skrouse]

Jan 21, 2020 20:27:10 GMT jhb said:

I think having an all-time elite skill and then being above average to good in other skills like scoring and defense would lend to plenty of HOF credibility

And if we're worried about turnovers should we expel Zion for creating a record no one will ever sniff

Disagree with this view point