Debates about the all-time greats and comparisons between the best of every era are a favorite pastime of NBA fans. Often, these debates will rage around who the greatest player of all time is or who the Top 5 players of all time are. The greatest scorers and offensive players usually get the most attention in these conversations.
However, the all-time defensive team is also a conversation that seems to be drawing interest. Fans on Twitter got into a heated debate on Sunday trying to determine which players would start in the best defensive lineup in the history of the NBA.
It all began with a tweet from an account called The Mind, who shared his starting 5 on the all-defense team in the following order: PG: Gary Payton, SG: Michael Jordan, SF: Kawhi Leonard, PF: Kevin Garnett, C: Hakeem Olajuwon.
Best Defensive Lineup Of All Time:
PG: Gary Payton
SG: Michael Jordan 🐐
SF: Kawhi Leonard
PF: Kevin Garnett
C: Hakeem Olajuwon
Honorable mentions: SG Michael Cooper, C Ben Wallace.
— Game 6 / June 14, 1998 𝕏 (@HimuraShintaX) January 3, 2022
While this seems like a pretty solid 5 on paper, others didn’t agree, replying with suggestions of their own.
Walter Hopkins: “Kawhi is overrated. He hasn’t played good defense in years.”
Sean: “Rodman should be there as the backup PF but Kawhi absolutely deserves to be there as the SF.”
LoveMe2Xs: “Scottie Pippen over Kawhi and it’s not even close.”
Anthony: “Defended Pippen through all this shit, but not this. Understand Pippen guarded a lot of the great players, but Kawhi has guarded the likes of players like Bron & Giannis. Him next to Jordan is a nightmare. Don’t even need everyone else.”
Larry Bird Burner: “SF: Pippen PF: Tim Duncan C: Russell.”
Andy: “Yeah for center I’d take Wilt just cause I know he can do both sides AND not foul out for a full game.”
iggy: “Pippen over Kawhi, Rodman over Garnett.”
Kevin O’Neal: “Rodman is waaaay more versatile. I’d rather take the guy that can legit guard 1-5..”
TheTechXtremist: “Replace Kawhi with Kobe. 9x first team all defense. Only 4 players in NBA history have that. Kobe, KG, MJ and GP.”
Dax: “And they all could score too. This is one team no one is beating.”
Fahi84: “How can y’all not include Rodman and Bill Russell?”
Knowledge Bone: “Sidney Moncrief needs to be somewhere on that list.”
Rogi: “Best Defensive Lineup Of All Time: PG: Payton, SG: Jordan, SF: Pippen, PF: Rodman, C: Russell.”
The shouts for Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman and Bill Russell are all valid, with these players having dominated defensively during their careers as well. The only undisputed pick here though, seems to be Michael Jordan, which is just another example of why he is still the GOAT for a number of NBA fans.
