Over the years, the NBA has been blessed to have some truly special players grace their courts. From the likes of George Mikan, Bill Russell, and Wilt Chamberlain in its early years to modern-day greats like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant, the league has always been in very good hands.
Considering all the greatness that fans have gotten to witness over time, there are always comparisons between great players, even if it is very difficult to accurately compare them across different eras. It is a fascination that just doesn’t go away among fans, who will always hype up their favorites.
NBA Fans Debate Which Two Players Would Come Off The Bench In Their Prime
Hoop Central recently posed a question on Twitter, asking who would go to the bench among Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Larry Bird, and Shaquille O’Neal if they were all in their primes. As you might expect, NBA fans had a lot to say on the matter.
Which two players are coming off the bench?
(via @zgvisualz1) pic.twitter.com/zi9DPV9Glz
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) September 2, 2022
“Anytime a graphic that includes them together, Steph and Shaq are locks. The gravity those two create would create together is literally the best combo I can think of”
“Honestly…. Larry and Lebron Larry becuz Steph & KD can both do wat he does at a higher clip Lebron becuz ion want a player who can’t play off ball in my starting lineup”
“Kobe and Larry are getting benched Durant is better than Larry in his prime.”
“There is no place for Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant here.”
“Shaq is the most dominate player to EVER play and MJ is the greatest to ever play… I’ll NEVER bench Kobe… STEPH the greatest shooter… and LBJ is the second greatest… so KD and Bird got to go…”
“Bird don’t give me anything KD can’t give me. Kobe don’t give anything Jordan can’t give me. Kobe and Bird to the bench”
“Stephen curry he’s too short and we already have Larry bird as a dominant shooter”
“It’s easily Kobe and Larry that sit on the bench,and they were both really good players at their peak but it makes the most sense position wise. Curry is my only PG, So you start him. Jordan at the 2 bc he’s a better version of KB. Bron and KD at the 3 & 4. And Shaq as my Center”
“Definitely Larry and Steph. Athletic defenders are easily taking away their entire game. And their lack of athleticism is going to have them very overwhelmed.”
“Steph and either Kobe or Bird. The 4 must starts are Shaq, Lebron, KD and MJ.”
“Lebron at the one, bean at the two, mike at the 3, kd at the 4, shaq”
“KD and Curry. MJ and Kobe are better guards. LeBron and Bird are better forwards.”
“Lebron and Durant….Because of the fact that Mike, Kobe, Bird, and Shaq are straight killers on the court with a win at all costs mentality. Put that with the greatest shooter in the history of the game in Steph……”
“Bye Curry and MJ… focus on golf”
“If your running a lineup you have to have Steph for his shooting, have to have MJ and Bron out there for being the goats, then you have to Shaq for the 5. I’d say Kobe can play the 3 while Lebron plays the 4. Bird and Durant off the bench. I could see it being Durant and Kobe too”
“The left two. Love KD but Larry is a more physical KD people forget he was a walking bucket and feared non. Curry would get bodied by any all-time defender just have lebron run point guard. You don’t need his 3pt shooting when u have 4 great 3 point shooters and shaq in the paint”
“You bench KD and Kobe. Kobe is just a Jordan clone but not as good. Bird is a better passer than KD which is what this team would need. Steph, MJ, Bird, Bron and Shaq is pretty much a perfect lineup”
“If they play like today I’d say Shaq and bird..if they play like the 80-90’s I’d say Steph And Durant”
They were quite divided, with Michael Jordan probably being the only one who was a lock for nearly every team. That shouldn’t be too surprising, of course, as he is widely regarded as the greatest player of all time. He dominated his competition in spectacular fashion in the 1990s and there will never be another one like him.
All of what we just stated makes Jason Williams’ claim that Jordan would struggle to score in today’s NBA even more bizarre. Considering how the rules of the game nowadays make it easier to score, it was really a weird thing to say and Chris Broussard called him out for it, as did many others.
