Duncan is on the cusp of the top 10.
You can argue for Duncan over Shaq, West or Kobe.
Shaq never had the sense for the game that Duncan did, the poetry. That would be the argument.
West was never the centerpiece of a dynasty like Duncan. (The logo cudo was simply fortuitous.) But if suffering and heartbreak is the criteria, then West beats Duncan.
Kobe Bryant is the flavor de jure. A disfunctional icon. He never rallied the troops behind the scenes like (I'm sure) Duncan has done. He never led by example (sulking is not an example). If it's Kobe v. Duncan, I gotta give it to Tim.