Kyrie Irving was asked to pick between NBA legends by Pedro Silva for a video. He started out by picking Tim Duncan over Charles Barkley, but then picked Kobe Bryant over Duncan, followed by Shaquille O’Neal, Michael Jordan, and Larry Bird. But in the final choice, he picked Wilt Chamberlain over Kobe Bryant.
"Kobe Bryant or [Shaq]?"
Kyrie Irving: "[Kobe]."
"Kobe Bryant or [Michael Jordan]?"
Kyrie: "[Kobe]."
"Kobe or Wilt Chamberlain?"
Kyrie: "Wilt." 👀
(via @pedritosilva)pic.twitter.com/MGysvYwszi
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 3, 2024
Kyrie Irving has long made his affection and respect for Kobe Bryant clear, as he looked up to the five-time NBA champion a lot. The two got well acquainted with each other during the 2012 Olympics, when Kobe was one of the leaders of Team USA, and Irving was selected to represent the country as well.
So for him to choose Kobe over Tim Duncan, Shaquille O’Neal, Michael Jordan, and Larry Bird is far from surprising. However, his choosing Wilt Chamberlain over Kobe Bryant was a bit surprising, as he hasn’t spoken a lot about his fondness for Wilt Chamberlain in the past.
Of course, there is no denying how big of a legend Wilt Chamberlain is, with many considering him to be one of the greatest scorers of all time.
But not a lot of modern players cite Chamberlain as an inspiration, simply because Chamberlain played at a time when footage of games was not easy to come by. And as a result, people have not been able to watch Chamberlain play during his prime.
Of course, all of the players mentioned in the clip above are some of the greatest players of all time and have left an indelible mark on the sport of basketball. At the end of the day, it comes down to preferences when choosing between these players, and Irving chose based on his tastes and preferences.
Kyrie Irving’s Place In History
Kyrie Irving has often been considered one of the greatest point guards of all time, with many believing that he is the most skilled player in NBA history, along with the likes of Allen Iverson and Michael Jordan. But Irving’s controversial conduct has often left him uncredited when it comes to critical acclaim from the NBA.
In 2022, the NBA released a list of the 75 greatest players in the history of the league. Conspicuous by his absence on the list was Kyrie Irving, despite being a multiple-time All-Star and All-NBA player, a former NBA champion, and someone credited with making one of the most clutch shots in NBA Finals history in 2016.
Many have speculated that Irving was left off the list due to his controversial choice to not get vaccinated in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, something that cost him a lot of money, and kept him on the sidelines as the city of New York wouldn’t allow him to play for the Nets unless he was vaccinated against the disease.
Recently, it was revealed that the advisor to the mayor of New York bragged about his influence on the decision to ban Kyrie Irving. Irving reacted to this, gaining a bit of vindication, as he had claimed that he was being targeted by New York officials for his decision.
Perhaps when the NBA’s 100th anniversary comes around in the 2046-47 season, Irving will be selected for the 100th anniversary team. But there is no doubt that he deserved a place on the 75th anniversary team.
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