When Michael Jordan retired — hell, even before Michael Jordan retired — the NBA and its fans spent countless hours trying to identify and pledge allegiance to an heir. It has to be somebody’s league, the thought process went. When the dust settled, and candidates named Penny, and Grant, and Vinsanity, and A.I. faded into the background, we were essentially left with Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. Both were worthy. Both were deserving of the throne, so to speak.
Shaq won three titles with Kobe, one without him, was All-NBA 1st Team eight times, and was the most dominant presence in the game. Kobe, of course, won those three rings with Shaq, two without him, was All-NBA 1st Team 11 times, and was the best post-MJ wing in the game. Ultimately, the greater basketball universe just kind of collectively shrugged and agreed Kobe was the one, and the “best players of their era” cannon was then complete: Bird and Magic, then M.J., then Kobe (and now LeBron).
Alas, we were wrong. Kobe wasn’t the one. And neither was Shaq. It was Tim Duncan.
It was always Tim Duncan.
https://medium.com/the-cauldron/the-best-player-since-jordan-3da47f9ca3e1
Shaq won three titles with Kobe, one without him, was All-NBA 1st Team eight times, and was the most dominant presence in the game. Kobe, of course, won those three rings with Shaq, two without him, was All-NBA 1st Team 11 times, and was the best post-MJ wing in the game. Ultimately, the greater basketball universe just kind of collectively shrugged and agreed Kobe was the one, and the “best players of their era” cannon was then complete: Bird and Magic, then M.J., then Kobe (and now LeBron).
Alas, we were wrong. Kobe wasn’t the one. And neither was Shaq. It was Tim Duncan.
It was always Tim Duncan.
https://medium.com/the-cauldron/the-best-player-since-jordan-3da47f9ca3e1