Melo: There’s an argument to rank Steph above Bron

[Tupac in a Business Suit]

Duncan and Steph are both ahead of Kobe. Media is already planting the seeds for Steph to be ranked ahead of Kobe when his career is over.

I personally would rank Duncan because his fundamentals have yet to be matched or mastered to this day. Kobe took a lot of Mikes game and played with a dominant Shaquille O’Neal. Steph has to be up there especially since his game was predicated on a single style of play (below the rim) When comparing to other goats. He brought you thirty feet away from the basket in no mans land and was putting bta.

 

[BucciMane]

Duncan got five in Kobe’s era too so does he deserve to be in the discuss as well?

It's the other way around. Duncan is objectively better than Kob.

 

[10bandz]

It's the other way around. Duncan is objectively better than Kob.

TD never defended any of his titles
He only defended the western conference once in five tries
His playoff record vs Kobe was terrible and only won in 99 cuz Shaq was a choker
The Lakers had a 3 peat and went back to back in between TD's 1st and 5th titles
Literally no player from that era says TD is above Kobe.

Even Tony Parker and Bruce Bowen have said Kobe is better than TD without question.

"it's the other way around, objectively"

 

[10bandz]

I won 4 NBA titles & played against the best - MJ is the GOAT & Kobe over LeBron

Rare is a player who can be found in the Hall of Fame and is considered underrated. Yet, that was the story of Tony Parker. Hall of Famer, four-time NBA champion, Finals MVP, six-time All-Star. Yet…

talksport.com

nikkas in 2026 still going on whole rants about "kobe stans" and "LA nikkas" when a million pro players from that era already said what it was

 

[lib123]

People discount Steph because of lack of athleticism. Same reason Jokic could never be GOAT.

No people discount Steph because he's a ceiling raiser, not a floor raiser and isn't good enough on defense. The 2020-21 season after KD left and when Klay was hurt was his chance to show his floor raising abilities but the Warriors lost in the play-in.

 

[lib123]

It's the other way around. Duncan is objectively better than Kob.

TD never defended any of his titles
He only defended the western conference once in five tries
His playoff record vs Kobe was terrible and only won in 99 cuz Shaq was a choker
The Lakers had a 3 peat and went back to back in between TD's 1st and 5th titles
Literally no player from that era says TD is above Kobe.

Even Tony Parker and Bruce Bowen have said Kobe is better than TD without question.

"it's the other way around, objectively"

Yeah and Duncan was never on consistently bad teams. Swap the teams Duncan was on and put him on KG's teams and there's no way Duncan has 5 rings.

The '04 Olympics exposed Duncan. If he was an all-time great individual player better than Kobe there's no way that team finishes with Bronze. Swap Duncan with Kobe or KG on that team and they get Silver or Gold.

 

[CHICAGO]

I wouldn't say there's an argument but I would argue that Steph had an opportunity but botched it. 2016 was the litmus test he never recovered from until 2022, at which point it was more about entering the top 10/surpassing KD.

Had he played better and won the 2016 title and Finals MVP, which would mean beating LeBron and KD in back-to-back series + winning unanimous MVP + beating the 72-10 Bulls' record... that would be the greatest individual season of all time. And would set him up for a chance to threepeat in 2017.

But once he botched it and recruited KD... the narrative switched from possibly being you're better than LeBron (if you'd won) to you needed KD to beat LeBron (and KD needed a stacked team to win anything)... LeBron won the war at that point.

WHY ISNT BRON
HELD TO THIS STANDARD
CONSIDERING HE BOTCHED
A SUPER TEAM IN MIAMI?

WARRIORS HAD A GREAT RECORD
IN 2016 BUT THAT WASNT A
SUPER TEAM

KYRIES CLEARS ALL OF
THOSE nikkaS STEPH HAD



​

 

[10bandz]

Yeah and Duncan was never on consistently bad teams. Swap the teams Duncan was on and put him on KG's teams and there's no way Duncan has 5 rings.

The '04 Olympics exposed Duncan. If he was an all-time great individual player better than Kobe there's no way that team finishes with Bronze. Swap Duncan with Kobe or KG on that team and they get Silver or Gold.

Oh yeah I forgot about the Olympics

Dont forget losing in the 1st round as the #1 seed
Getting swept as the #1 seed vs the Lakers in 2001
Played like ass in several big playoff games/series (especially against the Lakers), most notably the 2005 Finals including Game 7 but gets a total pass for it.

 

[Trojan 24]

Imagine posting a Bill Simmons and Nick Wright clip to support your argument

 

[Menna]

Melo talking spicy.

But let’s keep it funky, how can you be when Curry got four in your prime?

If Steph wins another chip over the next handful of years he still in the league then yea definitely as of now it’s a short conversation

 

[Osmosis]

Imagine posting a Bill Simmons and Nick Wright clip to support your argument

How's this instead holmes

All three take Bron over Kobe and Nash takes Steph over Kobe. The seeds are being planted.

 

[NYC Rebel]

Yeah and Duncan was never on consistently bad teams. Swap the teams Duncan was on and put him on KG's teams and there's no way Duncan has 5 rings.

The '04 Olympics exposed Duncan. If he was an all-time great individual player better than Kobe there's no way that team finishes with Bronze. Swap Duncan with Kobe or KG on that team and they get Silver or Gold.

No one ever talks about how poorly Tim played in the 04 Olympics. That befuddled disbelief look with his hands open after being called for foul after foul is all one should remember of his play there.

 

[Houston911]

If bron got to play with a draymond this wouldn’t even be a discussion


Bron better regardless, but give him a draymond and nobody would be willing to even speak on this

 

[Mister Terrific]

Stwph got 4 rings 3 off of LeBozo. Steph is better than LeDiva. Kobe got 5 rings, 5>4

Nobody cares about Kobe’s sidekick rings

Imagine counting a ring where you were putting up Cutino Mobley numbers.

 

[Mister Terrific]

Absolutely nobody, NOBODY called the 2000’s Kobe’s era