Kareem Abdul-Jabbar thinks Tim Duncan had a better career than Kobe

[Malcolm Joseph]

shyt is very close, but I need to define some criteria here.

If we're talking about complete basketball career you could go purely NBA statistics and outcomes or look into the details of those factors:

For instance, I think Kobe's Olympic play, championship repeats, scoring barrages and overall impact on the game of basketball's exposure are great ways to show just how special his career was. Based on the sheer memories he has provided and his reign (about 06-10) as the apparent best player in the world, you could give the nod to Kobe.

If you're looking at the sheer consistency of 17-straight playoff appearances, always being an all-nba player and defender and having perhaps the greatest career "post" prime, I think you'd have to say Tim. He won a title only LAST year. fukking crazy to consider he was the most important player on the floor at times during that run.

At the end of the day, this is a crazy close debate, but like many people have said, I'd have to take Kobe by a hair. The way he impacted the game just won't let me put Tim ahead of him. I wish I had a better reason.

 

[malbaker86]

No I'm pointin out that its obvious the media hated Kobe most of his career which is why they refused to give him more than one MVP (OPINION), Duncan didn't lose to Malone based on blatant bias against him the way Kobe did.

You won't address Duncan never bein the best in the game cause you know its true, Shaq was the best and then Kobe became the best after that (OPINION). Duncan wasn't even in the league durin Kobe's first few years when he was comin off the bench, by the time Duncan got in the league Kobe started becomin a great player (DUNCAN WAS GREAT FROM DAY ONE, WAS KOBE?) and Duncan was playin wit the Admiral.

Now you need to stop wit the foolishness Pop and that front office is why SA was stable (OPINION, DID YOU EVEN KNOW WHO POP WAS BEFORE TD GOT TO SA? FIGURED AS MUCH...), only great coach Kobe had was Phil them other coaches were jokes and you know it. Thats right Kobe never lead LA to miss the playoffs it was the shytty front office who did that, if Duncan was playin wit Smush Parker instead of Tony Parker he'd be in the lottery too (OPINION) .

All YOU have to hang your hat on is media given regular season awards, at the time Duncan was playin wit Parker Ginobili and Robinson Kobe was playin wit Kwame Brown Smush Parker and Luke Walton. Durin this late career stretch when Duncan has been the 2nd 3rd and 4th best player on his own team Kobe was the best player on his team, Facts (OPINION. AND ALSO...WHEN'S THE LAST TIME KOBE MADE ALL NBA AND BEEN ON THE ALL DEFENSIVE TEAM? TD WAS ON BOTH LAST YEAR ).

 

[sfgiants]

While I agree that Tim has had the better career, these two statements are pretty incongruent.

Plus Kobe rode Shaq for 3 of his rings.

But someone on here told me Kobe lead the lakers to 5 rings
Shaq winning 3 straight finals Mvps is proof of this right

 

[Da King]

:spurs: @Malta


It was written


the GOAT Laker just confirmed the Spurs are the GOAT franchise :banderas1:

 

[Bilz]

Aesop predicted this outcome.

 

[UpAndComing]

I'd say so. Timmy is far and away the best player ever at his position and had more sustained greatness as a player than Kobe. Never shot his team out of games. Still giving the heat that work in the 13/14 finals.

He's not a power forward, he's a center. He played that position cause he knew he'd have an advantage over all the PFs, and that he wouldnt have NEAR the advantage if he decided to play his natural position at center. Also, he knew he wouldn't even be in the discussion as a Top 10 center cause he knew his career would fall short comparing himself to Bill Russell, Wilt, Kareem, Olajuwan, Shaq, etc

 

[Sccit]

Only thing Kobe has done better than Duncan in is career is shoot the ball A LOT more.

MORE NBA FIRST TEAMS, MORE NBA ALL-DEFENSE TEAMS, MORE ALL-STAR GAMES, MORE ASG MVPS, WENT BACK-TO-BACK, MUCH HIGHER ON THE ALL-TIME SCORING LIST, 81 POINT GAME, MOST CONSECUTIVE 50 POINT GAMES IN NBA HISTORY .. DUNCAN IS GREAT, BUT ALSO A PRODUCT OF HIS CIRCUMSTANCES. U CAN REPLACE HIM WIT SOME1 LIKE KG N GET THE SAME RESULTS.. WHAT KOBE HAS DONE IN NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM IS REPLACEABLE.

 

[Fani Willis fan]

You cant put down Duncan having a consistent team around him

it was built around second rounders

 

[malbaker86]

You cant put down Duncan having a consistent team around him

it was built around second rounders

Never had the luxury of a lottery pick or a pick that wasn't in the 20's either

 

[malbaker86]

MORE NBA FIRST TEAMS, MORE NBA ALL-DEFENSE TEAMS, MORE ALL-STAR GAMES, MORE ASG MVPS, WENT BACK-TO-BACK, MUCH HIGHER ON THE ALL-TIME SCORING LIST, 81 POINT GAME, MOST CONSECUTIVE 50 POINT GAMES IN NBA HISTORY .. DUNCAN IS GREAT, BUT ALSO A PRODUCT OF HIS CIRCUMSTANCES. U CAN REPLACE HIM WIT SOME1 LIKE KG N GET THE SAME RESULTS.. WHAT KOBE HAS DONE IN NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM IS REPLACEABLE.

You just made my point

Lol at Duncan and circumstances. You mean the circumstances of never having to draft in the lottery and always having to draft in the late 20's because he was always leading them to 50 plus wins? Those circumstances?

Talking about TD is replaceable. You put AI, Vince, T-Mac, Wade, etc on a team next to a prime Shaq and they win 3 or more titles too. Don't do this bruh, do not do that. Kobe is 2nd behind TD and you're not changing my opinion and i'm not changing yours

 

[Sccit]

You just made my point

Lol at Duncan and circumstances. You mean the circumstances of never having to draft in the lottery and always having to draft in the late 20's because he was always leading them to 50 plus wins? Those circumstances?

Talking about TD is replaceable. You put AI, Vince, T-Mac, Wade, etc on a team next to a prime Shaq and they win 3 or more titles too. Don't do this bruh, do not do that. Kobe is 2nd behind TD and you're not changing my opinion and i'm not changing yours

LMFAO .. SO TMAC, VINCE, WADE AND AI ARE SHUTTING DOWN THE OPPOSING TEAMS BEST PERIMETER PLAYER ALA KOBE IN THE THREEPEAT ERA? SO THEM PLAYERS TAKIN OVER 4TH QUARTERS IN CLUTCH MOMENTS ALA KOBE IN THE THREEPEAT ERA? SO THEY DEALIN WIT SHAQS EGO ENOUGH TO CO-EXIST FOR THREE STRAIGHT? FUCC OUTA HERE WIT THAT DUMBASS NARRATIVE.. U REPLACE KOBE WIT ANY OF THEM AND THEYD BE LUCKY TO WIN ONE. HOWEVER, REPLACE SHAQ WIT EWING, D-ROB, MOURNING ETC AND THATS STILL THREE STRAIGHT FOR KOBE, IF NOT MORE, CONSIDERING THEYD BE MATURE ENOUGH TO TAKE A BACKSEAT WHEN ITS TIME.

KOBE PLAYED ON TERRIBLY ORCHESTRATED TEAMS FOR A GOOD PORTION OF HIS PRIME .. NOT BECAUSE HE LED THEM TO LOTTERY. BUT BECAUSE MANAGEMENT HAD TO TRADE PLAYERS AND DIDNT LAND ANOTHER ALL-STAR FOR HIM TO PLAY WITH UNTIL 2008.. SO HE WENT FROM 2004-2008 BEIN THE ONLY ALL-STAR ON HIS TEAM, 4 OF HIS PRIME SEASONS .. IMAGINE IF DUNCAN HAD TO FACE THE SAME FATE. HE'D BE KG OR MOURNING STATUS RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS STILL GREAT, BUT CMON NOW.

 

[DrexlersFade]

Lol at discrediting MVP's only when you're trying to use it in your favor. Us Spurs fans can do the same about the MVP because Duncan def should have won it the year it was given to Malone in 98-99 season but that's something we don't gripe about

And stop it with the foolishness that TD was never the best in the game, i'm not even going to address that because that's an OPINION.

The fact remains, since day one Kobe wasn't even starting while TD was LEADING his team to 50 win seasons and titles. Facts

Tim Duncan was the stabilizing force in SA while Kobe has ran through HOW many coaches in his career?

How many times has a Kobe led LA team miss the playoffs and how many times has a TD led Spurs missed the post season or even been in the lottery? Never.

All y'all have to hang your hat on is 5 titles.

By the time Kobe ever made 1st team All NBA, TD was winning league MVP's. Facts

You can't argue facts with these cats bruh and this so called narrative nikkas was carried is hilarious all they remember was the Finals go check the stats Playoff stats. It's not even a fukking contest.

 

[Da King]

He arguably has, but at this point who gives a fukk what Kareem has to say?

right, your loser ass opinion got more weight then Kareem, the ether must be burning your Spurs hating ass soul slow

 

[DrexlersFade]

No I'm pointin out that its obvious the media hated Kobe most of his career which is why they refused to give him more than one MVP, Duncan didn't lose to Malone based on blatant bias against him the way Kobe did.

You won't address Duncan never bein the best in the game cause you know its true, Shaq was the best and then Kobe became the best after that. Duncan wasn't even in the league durin Kobe's first few years when he was comin off the bench, by the time Duncan got in the league Kobe started becomin a great player and Duncan was playin wit the Admiral.

Now you need to stop wit the foolishness Pop and that front office is why SA was stable, only great coach Kobe had was Phil them other coaches were jokes and you know it. Thats right Kobe never lead LA to miss the playoffs it was the shytty front office who did that, if Duncan was playin wit Smush Parker instead of Tony Parker he'd be in the lottery too.

All YOU have to hang your hat on is media given regular season awards, at the time Duncan was playin wit Parker Ginobili and Robinson Kobe was playin wit Kwame Brown Smush Parker and Luke Walton. Durin this late career stretch when Duncan has been the 2nd 3rd and 4th best player on his own team Kobe was the best player on his team, Facts.

So Kobe wasn't playing with a prime Shaq and Dave was never the same player after the achilles.

Who are these four players that was better than Tim late in his career? Look at the playoff stats you dumb ass nikkas. fukking rumps Duncan was drafted number 1 one year after Kobe how the fukk wasn't he in the league until Kobe became great ,man you dudes are idiots

 

[Hey_zeus]

He's not a power forward, he's a center. He played that position cause he knew he'd have an advantage over all the PFs, and that he wouldnt have NEAR the advantage if he decided to play his natural position at center. Also, he knew he wouldn't even be in the discussion as a Top 10 center cause he knew his career would fall short comparing himself to Bill Russell, Wilt, Kareem, Olajuwan, Shaq, etc

Nobody with any credibility or in their right mind considers him center. He also played with David Robinson for 6 years who we would undoubtedly consider a center right? Then he also played alongside other centers rasho nesterovic and nazr Mohammed who are also widely considered centers as well right? Tim didn't start playing center until late in his career. Look at the rosters.