Creating 10 Dream Duos With One Current Player And One NBA Legend

Less than 48 hours ago, Shaquille O’Neal appeared on NBA TV where he was asked to pair one modern-day NBA player with their historical counterpart. In turn, he created some amazing duos that NBA fans debated at length. This led us here at Fadeaway World to create 10 of our own dream duos consisting of one current player and one NBA legend. 

As always, we want to take it a step further and rank these duos 10-1 and dive deeper into exactly how they would work on the basketball court. With this being the closest we will ever get to these duos actually hitting the court together, we decided to take a look at their strengths, weaknesses, and championship potential altogether.

These are 10 dream duos featuring one current player and one NBA legend.

10. Joel Embiid And Allen Iverson

At first, you may think it is crazy for two MVPs of the league to rank tenth out of 10 teams on this list. However, the duo of Joel Embiid and Allen Iverson are the only duo consisting of two players who failed to win NBA championships in their careers. All nine other duos feature at least one player who has won one.

That doesn’t take away from the potential this duo has on the court. Allen Iverson at his peak was one of the most talented scorers in the NBA. Embiid’s presence and ability to space the floor will give Iverson clearer lanes and easier paths to the basket to work with. If defenses collapse on Iverson’s attack, Embiid will feast on the open opportunities.

Embiid’s ability to shoot well from the mid-range is going to work wonders for this duo as well. Also, expect numerous fastbreak opportunities with Embiid’s interior defense and Iverson’s speed in the open court making them a regular occurrence and essential to the Sixers’ attack. I would expect any team led by these two to be highly competitive but a championship is highly unlikely given their history.

9. Kawhi Leonard And Kevin Garnett

When breaking down these duos, it is important to remember that we are talking about the 2023-24 version of the current players and the peak versions of the NBA legends. With that being said, the dynamic that exists between Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Garnett is an interesting one.

First of all, this duo is stacked defensively. Kawhi Leonard is still an elite perimeter defender who can shut down most opponents’ first option. Garnett is a versatile defensive anchor who will pick up the slack and then some, where Leonard comes up short. Both of their abilities to adjust on the fly are a massive advantage to their defensive play.

I also believe that this duo would work well with each other offensively. Both are exceptional mid-range shooters and Leonard working with Garnett’s spacing is an even bigger advantage. As far as championships go, this duo is certainly capable of carrying a team to at least one, maybe more, in their time together.

8. Chris Paul And Tim Duncan

From here on out, we have created some of the most intriguing NBA duos ever imagined. The first of these duos features Chris Paul as he currently stands with the Golden State Warriors, and a prime Tim Duncan who was the anchor of a dynasty with the San Antonio Spurs. These versions of these players present an interesting outcome at eighth on our list.

The main concern is going to be the state of 38-year-old Chris Paul and how long he can maintain an acceptable level of play. Of course, he is not an elite scorer anymore but he is still pretty automatic from the mid-range and one of the best facilitators in the game. Paul has also shown he has lost a step or two defensively which would be the downfall of this duo.

As for prime Tim Duncan, you couldn’t ask for a better teammate for Paul. Historically, Paul has made every big man even better offensively than before, and a peak Duncan was already pretty good. Duncan will also anchor the interior defense where 15 All-Defensive Team selections say his chances are good of succeeding there. I expect this duo to be able to claim one championship minimum off the back of Duncan alone.

7. Anthony Davis And Magic Johnson

Any time that you can pair the greatest point guard in NBA history with an elite big man, it is going to be a recipe for success. That is precisely the potential of our next duo that features a 2023-24 Anthony Davis along with Magic Johnson, who was the leader of five championship teams with the Lakers during the 1980s.

Magic is going to want to work fast as he always does, pushing the pace for easy fastbreak buckets. This will bring out the best in Davis, providing him with easy opportunities rather than relying on him to create. Magic’s 6’9’’ frame is going to be vital as well, allowing him and Davis to get in rhythm faster in set offenses.

So far in 2023-24, Davis is playing like the leader for Defensive Player of the Year which spells great news for this tandem. Magic’s ability to cover more than one position will allow Davis to focus on holding down the paint, which is preferred with this duo. This duo would be able to win two championships at the very least if Davis can remain consistent and healthy. Otherwise, it all falls apart.

6. Luka Doncic And Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

The sixth-best duo that we could create features a current MVP candidate and a man who holds the record for the most MVPs won in NBA history. Luka Doncic and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a lineup of a superstar in his prime who is yet to reach his full potential and one of the greatest all-around players that the NBA has ever seen.

First, there is Doncic who continues to amaze and wow fans at every turn with his performances. As a playmaker, passer, scorer, and shooter, Doncic continues to get increasingly more impactful with every passing moment. With Kareem in the middle, Doncic can unlock an entirely new level of playmaking to dominate the opposition. Remember, this is the same Doncic who led the Mavericks to the Western Conference Finals with Dwight Powell at center.

Offensively, Kareem is used to running and getting set up by elite talent just as he did in all those years with Magic Johnson by his side. He will feat on the pick and roll as well as if he wants to camp out in the post. Defensively, his shot-blocking and altering are going to lead to some beautiful transition opportunities as well. I see no reason why this duo could not win three championships or more.

5. Nikola Jokic And Larry Bird

If you wanted to be funny, you could call this next duo, “The most unathletic dream duo ever created”. It would be all fun and laughs before you turn around and realize they have combined for a display of precise passing, scoring, and defending that resulted in a 20-2 run and an insurmountable lead.

This duo combined five MVP awards, four NBA titles, and three Finals MVP awards between Nikola Jokic and Larry Bird. Jokic is the engine that operates the entire system in this scenario, as he rightfully should be. Jokic’s ability to see the floor at his size and the ability to drop a dime to any spot on the court makes Larry Bird an off-ball threat of unstoppable proportions. Even if the defense clues in on Jokic, the firepower from Bird will be too strong as a shooter or cutter.

Bird is no stranger to elite playmaking and scoring either. He can shoot from anywhere on the floor and make pretty much any pass you ask of him. This duo would appear to bore you on paper but on the hardwood, it would rip any opponent to shreds. I would expect three or more NBA championships at any point in time from these two.

4. Kevin Durant And Hakeem Olajuwon

The next four duos combine perfect duos that would leave NBA fans seething over the synergy taking place before them. The first of these four duos is Kevin Durant and Hakeem Olajuwon who complement each other perfectly when using a current-day Durant and a prime Olajuwon.

Durant has been one of the most efficient shooters and scorers in NBA history over the last two seasons all while averaging over 29.0 points per game. As one of the best mid-range shooters ever and a near-7-footer who handles the ball like a guard, having him as an offensive weapon is already a giant advantage.

Then, there is Hakeem Olajuwon who dominated the glass and defensive end of the floor like nobody else in NBA history. The NBA’s all-time leader in blocks will shut down any frontcourt duo from today’s game, not to mention that Durant has been an underrated defender his entire career. Given the space Durant’s offense provides, Olajuwon will be free to put his impeccable footwork and interior scoring skills to work, making for an unstoppable offensive attack.

3. Giannis Antetokounmpo And Kobe Bryant

To kick off the top three of our dream duos, we have the most dominant player today and one of the greatest players in the history of the game. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kobe Bryant present the first duo with a perfect blend of offense, defense, and mentality that would lead to five championships or more without question.

Giannis is nearly as dominant as a modern-day Shaq in the sense that 30.0 points per game is almost effortless to him at this point. With improved handles and shot-creation, Giannis has been finding different ways to carve up even the most elite defenses in the game and if you wish to double-team him, you are making a big mistake.

This mistake would be magnified with Kobe Bryant opposite Giannis on the court. With Kobe, you are getting one of the best tough shot makers in NBA history as well as a shark in the water that smells blood who will attack a weakness until his opponent is lifeless. There is almost no solution to a duo of Giannis and Kobe on either end of the floor or off the court and their desire to win.

2. Stephen Curry And Shaquille O’Neal

The next duo has a serious argument to be considered the greatest dream duo on this list strictly based on what each player brings to the table. The greatest three-point shooter in the history of the game joins the most unstoppable player at his peak in what could only be topped by one other dream duo.

The inside-out game between Stephen Curry and Shaquille O’Neal would be like nothing we have ever seen before. O’Neal was so dominant in the post that no modern-day center would be able to handle the sheer size and power he used to bully his way into the paint. There would be no choice but to double him but leaving Stephen Curry in isolation to work off the ball is an invitation to be torn apart by his efficient shooting.

Now, if you double Curry, you are allowing O’Neal too easy of a time in the post in a 1-on-1 situation. What is there left to do? Therein lies the issue defenses will have to figure out which is why I believe wholeheartedly that this duo would win anywhere from five to seven championships if they came together at any point.

1. LeBron James And Michael Jordan

Of course, the only duo that could top Curry and Shaq is a duo that consists of the two greatest players in NBA history. Put aside the debate and the “rivalry” for one minute and just envision Michael Jordan and LeBron James leading a team together on the NBA hardwood. It would be the single most electrifying moment in sports history and I would even venture to say more electric than if they faced off as opponents.

The clear first advantage for them is the scoring ability of the GOAT, Michael Jordan. With Jordan’s ability to score from every angle and any way he wants to, LeBron James can focus on his elite playmaking to set him up and pick apart the opposition. When defenses begin to inevitably collapse on Jordan, James can feast on his exhausted opponents by using his downhill attack that has been proven to be unstoppable.

While James has been criticized for lackadaisical defense in his later years, a prime Michael Jordan was the best perimeter defender in the NBA and would be a lightning rod for a duo looking to run fast and often. There is no telling the level of success this duo would reach with their combined intelligence, will to win, and overall ability to adjust to and crush any situation. Anything less than eight championships for these two would be a disrespectful assumption.