Rank the following in terms of skills/ability/individual dominance

[Wade's Rings]

I was only playin. I'd actually put him right in third place there, below '14 Durant and above '09 Wade.

I don't see how anyone could not have '12 bran first in this one though. He's the only guy listed that won a championship that year, and his run included one of the most timely, dominant playoff performances in history (@ Boston, gm6).

Why are you taking '06 Kobe or '14 Durant over '09 Wade?

[Prometheus]

Why are you taking '06 Kobe or '14 Durant over '09 Wade?

'06 Kobe was a significantly better scorer. '14 Durant was a better offensive weapon as well.

Why would you take '09 Wade ahead of them?

[Rocketswin2013]

'06 Kobe was a significantly better scorer. '14 Durant was a better offensive weapon as well.

Why would you take '09 Wade ahead of them?

Wade got 7.5 APG with trash cans as teammates. Gotta give credit.

[Wade's Rings]

'06 Kobe was a significantly better scorer. '14 Durant was a better offensive weapon as well.

Why would you take '09 Wade ahead of them?

I agree they were better Scorers.

I take Wade because his Defense & Passing was significantly better while playing with worse teammates.

[Prometheus]

Wade got 7.5 APG with trash cans as teammates. Gotta give credit.

Agreed, which is why I said:

I almost don't want to do this, because all five are so great that they don't belong at the bottom of any sort of list.

But it's worth pointing out that APG doesn't really tend to follow the quality of one's teammates. This idea is counter-intuitive, but hear me out.

Why do you think it is that LeBron didn't average significantly more assists in Miami than he did in his first stint in Cleveland? You would think that his assist numbers would skyrocket, since he was playing with better offensive players... right?

But LeBron averaged 8.6 APG in '10... and then in Miami, by season (over his peak no less), he averaged 7.0, 6.2, 7.3, and 6.3 APG. Why? He dominated the ball less. Those better offensive teammates (the ones whose presence one would expect to boost APG) actually often reduce APG because they can make their own plays.

Just look at LeBron's numbers in these Finals. He's had multiple 10+ assist games, and it's not because his teammates are good. It's actually because they suck. They can't make plays for themselves, so he has to make all the plays. Kudos to him, because his assist/turnover ratio is almost 3.0, and he's really getting the most out of the crumbs he's left to work with... but if Kyrie and Love were still in there, his APG would probably be lower.

So yeah, Wade was amazing in 2009. But despite his all-around brilliance, his primary function on the court was to be a dominant scorer. The same is true of '06 Kobe and '14 Durant, and they were better at it. So I'm giving it to them.

[Wade's Rings]

Agreed, which is why I said:



But it's worth pointing out that APG doesn't really tend to follow the quality of one's teammates. This idea is counter-intuitive, but hear me out.

Why do you think it is that LeBron didn't average significantly more assists in Miami than he did in his first stint in Cleveland? You would think that his assist numbers would skyrocket, since he was playing with better offensive players... right?

But LeBron averaged 8.6 APG in '10... and then in Miami, by season (over his peak no less), he averaged 7.0, 6.2, 7.3, and 6.3 APG. Why? He dominated the ball less. Those better offensive teammates (the ones whose presence one would expect to boost APG) actually often reduce APG because they can make their own plays.

Just look at LeBron's numbers in these Finals. He's had multiple 10+ assist games, and it's not because his teammates are good. It's actually because they suck. They can't make plays for themselves, so he has to make all the plays. Kudos to him, because his assist/turnover ratio is almost 3.0, and he's really getting the most out of the crumbs he's left to work with... but if Kyrie and Love were still in there, his APG would probably be lower.

So yeah, Wade was amazing in 2009. But despite his all-around brilliance, his primary function on the court was to be a dominant scorer. The same is true of '06 Kobe and '14 Durant, and they were better at it. So I'm giving it to them.

What about Defense?

[Prometheus]

What about Defense?

So yeah, Wade was amazing in 2009. But despite his all-around brilliance, his primary function on the court was to be a dominant scorer. The same is true of '06 Kobe and '14 Durant, and they were better at it. So I'm giving it to them.

He's definitely the best defender of the three - but as a perimeter player, I don't think it is enough to compensate for what I already said. Wade had to do more of everything else, but they were better at the #1 job, which is to be the #1 option and put the ball in the hole.

Defense is enough to swing the argument for me when you're talking about Kobe vs. Duncan or Kobe vs. Olajuwon... not Kobe vs. Wade.

[Wade's Rings]

He's definitely the best defender of the three - but as a perimeter player, I don't think it is enough to compensate for what I already said. Wade had to do more of everything else, but they were better at the #1 job, which is to be the #1 option and put the ball in the hole.

Defense is enough to swing the argument for me when you're talking about Kobe vs. Duncan or Kobe vs. Olajuwon... not Kobe vs. Wade.

We can agree to disagree

[KiiiiNG]

12 Bron
14 Durant
09 Wade(upgraded version of kobe, better playmaker, better defender)
03 T-Mac
06 Kobe (didnt win shit)

[sd3035]

Durant and Kobe are tied for first, then Wade. The other two are far below

[SexSymbol]

WITHOUT taking into account team record. Just looking at the players in a bubble based off individual level of play:

2006 Kobe
2003 Tmac
2014 Durant
2012 Lebron
2009 Wade

Or, if you want to suggest an alternative year for a particular player thats fine too.2003 Tmac, Wade 2009, Durant 2014 were clearly the best versions of said players but some may prefer 2003 or 2008 Kobe, or 2010 Lebron.

06 Kobe
14 Durant
12 LeBron
09 Wade
03 Tmac.

Tmac doesn't belong in the conversation, he was putting empty stats on a shitty team

[VengefulAngel]

Lebron 12
Kobe 06
Durant 14/ Wade 09 ( I'll take Wade, but what Durant did is seriously underrated)
Tmac 03.

[KiiiiNG]

06 Kobe
14 Durant
12 LeBron
09 Wade
03 Tmac.

Tmac doesn't belong in the conversation, he was putting empty stats on a shitty team

[SexSymbol]

Kobe actually put up a fight against the suns and took them to 7 games.
And led a shitty team to wins, 45 of them actually.
There was nobody worth mentioning even as a role player outside of Odom on that team, literally the worst supporting cast you can think of

[KiiiiNG]

Kobe actually put up a fight against the suns and took them to 7 games.
And led a shitty team to wins, 45 of them actually.
There was nobody worth mentioning even as a role player outside of Odom on that team, literally the worst supporting cast you can think of

the magic were worse, and t-mac had better overall numbers.

but hey, they're both last on this list.

everyone but lebron 2012 had a shitty supporting cast. eye test, numbers, win column. kobe is in last for me.