The Best Player To Start An NBA Team With: Kobe, LeBron, Or Duncan

Dwight's outlook benefits from a complete lack of competition. Mike Tyson looked like a good heavyweight when he was knocking out Tony Tubbs and Tyrell Biggs.

I don't know how this is even a debate. In all fairness, Wade should be on this list ahead of Kobe and Lebron since he's from the same class as Lebron and actually won a title with a lesser Shaq than Kobe had. All of those guys are an order of magnitude below Duncan, and only a fool would take someone over him.

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Originally Posted by stretch

it would depend on how you wish to construct your team, but i would probably choose duncan. In fact, the only player in NBA history that I would start a team with over Duncan is Michael Jordan.

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I agree with you 100%.

Duncan's Spurs have been the winningest team in ANY sport over the past 10 years, so you'd have to be a complete MORON to even consider Lebron or Kobe over Duncan.

Jordan might very well be the only other player I'd choose over Duncan. And maybe Kareem. Kinda have to consider Shaq as well. 4 Championships. 5 Finals appearances.

But I'd go with Duncan or Jordan.

(In best Stan Kelley voice) Tim Duncan! Timmm Duncannn!!!

This is one of my favorite topics/questions because to me this should be how an MVP is judge.

In other words, if you lined up every player on one side and every GM on the other and start picking......Who would be the first, second, third etc. player taken. To me that's the value.

and In my opinion, if you poled every GM in the league as to who they would pick if their choice was only between Lebron and Duncan, I would say that 90% would pick LeBron. This is no knock on Duncan because LeBron would get chosen above just about anybody in the leagaue right now. If we were talking Duncan 5 years ago the numbers might be slightly different.

I myself would pick LeBron over probably any player in the league for the following reasons:

He is young and still developing his game.
His size and skills are terrific.
He can average 25-30 pionts per game
He can average 7-10 rebounds per game
He can average 5-7 assist per game
He can average 1-2 blocks per game.
He can play above average defense.
He could play every position on the floor if needed.
And he is damn fun to watch.

He needs to shoot free throws way better because he gets fouled A LOT. If he shot 80% from the line he would be almost unstoppable becaue you could not afford to foul him when defending him.

And for those people who are still wondering how the hell the sorry ass Cavs made it to the Finals last year.............well you already know the answer. LeBron.

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Originally Posted by 41times

This is one of my favorite topics/questions because to me this should be how an MVP is judge.

In other words, if you lined up every player on one side and every GM on the other and start picking......Who would be the first, second, third etc. player taken. To me that's the value.

and In my opinion, if you poled every GM in the league as to who they would pick if their choice was only between Lebron and Duncan, I would say that 90% would pick LeBron. This is no knock on Duncan because LeBron would get chosen above just about anybody in the leagaue right now. If we were talking Duncan 5 years ago the numbers might be slightly different.

I myself would pick LeBron over probably any player in the league for the following reasons:

He is young and still developing his game.
His size and skills are terrific.
He can average 25-30 pionts per game
He can average 7-10 rebounds per game
He can average 5-7 assist per game
He can average 1-2 blocks per game.
He can play above average defense.
He could play every position on the floor if needed.
And he is damn fun to watch.

He needs to shoot free throws way better because he gets fouled A LOT. If he shot 80% from the line he would be almost unstoppable becaue you could not afford to foul him when defending him.

And for those people who are still wondering how the hell the sorry ass Cavs made it to the Finals last year.............well you already know the answer. LeBron.

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well, of course everyone would choose lebron if you factor in their current age. if they were all youngsters, who would you choose?

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Originally Posted by peskypesky

I agree with you 100%.

Duncan's Spurs have been the winningest team in ANY sport over the past 10 years, so you'd have to be a complete MORON to even consider Lebron or Kobe over Duncan.
Jordan might very well be the only other player I'd choose over Duncan. And maybe Kareem. Kinda have to consider Shaq as well. 4 Championships. 5 Finals appearances.

But I'd go with Duncan or Jordan.

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487-199 regular season wins and 3 championships since winning the 1999 finals against the knicks which, coincidentally, is visiting san antonio tonight. :toast

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Originally Posted by m33p0

well, of course everyone would choose lebron if you factor in their current age. if they were all youngsters, who would you choose?

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If both players were 22 i would probably still choose LeBron because at 22 Lebron was pretty advanced but it would be a much closer vote.

Now if you are saying the same age say at 22 again, who would more people take, Duncan vs. Shaq?

The problem with the arguments for Duncan like...."Because he is a winner" "4 rings" "80% wins" etc etc.......Consider this, if you swapped Lebron James for Tim Duncan straight up the day the LeBron came into the League. Lebron would have at least 2 rings by now if not more and Duncan would have Zero.
Lebrons team would have won 80% of their games and the Cavs 55% and everyone would be calling Lebron "a Winner"

Duncan is a Champion/Winner in part because he is a product of his surroundings. Remember the Spurs were good the year David Robinson got hurt and the Spurs tanked the remainder of the season to get the number 1 pick. So Timmy came to a really good team. LeBrons team was SHIT and still is for the most part.

So you can not compare careers because it is apples to oranges. You can only compare talent.