Who is the greatest player alltime that has never been the best player in the league?

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

Who is it? Out of all the years theyve played theyve never been considered the best player in any year.

[#number6ix#]

Barkley
Malone
Robinson

[iamgine]

Kobe

[Sarcastic]

Tim Duncan.

1999 to ~2005 - Shaq
~2005 to 2008 - Kobe
2008 to current - Lebron

[T_L_P]

Tim Duncan.

1999 to ~2005 - Shaq
~2005 to 2008 - Kobe
2008 to current - Lebron

Kobe the best in 05. Missed half the year and clearly wasn't the best player when he was on the court, missed the Playoffs and was only All-NBA Third team, didn't make the Defensive Team, didn't receive an MVP vote.

Anyone else but Duncan in 03.

[kurple]

i'd say Kobe

[StephHamann]

CONTROVERSY!!!

Magic Johnson

79-83 Moses Malone

83-86 Larry Bird

86-91 MJ

[L.A. Jazz]

choosing out of West, Big O, Havlicek, Malone, Barkley, David Robinson, Iverson...
i would say Barkley. he was great in the early 90s but never better than Jordan and not good enough in the years MJ was on sebatical.
Kobe is debatable, but for me he was the best player 2006 to 2009, so he doesnt qualify.

[Unbiased_one]

Kobe obviously

[JohnnySic]

CONTROVERSY!!!

Magic Johnson

79-83 Moses Malone

83-86 Larry Bird

86-91 MJ

Ding Ding Ding!

[RidonKs]

wouldn't we all have to agree on who the best players in the league were at any given time before entering into this conversation?

i think its probably kobe... who i don't think was ever the best in the league. not while duncan was still in his prime in the middle of last decade and not once lebron entered his shortly thereafter. that crazy 35ppg year he has an argument but even then, duncan and kg and dirk just brought a different sklllset to the table.

the more i think on this the more i can't help but think kobe was the best in the league at some point during that span; especially considering all those player/coach polls that constantly had him right at the top of "worst player to go up against" or "who had the best season" lists.


thoughts? who else was perhaps controversially NEVER the best player in the league over the course of their whole tenure.

[pudman13]

How about Elgin Baylor? Early in his career it was Wilt, then probably Oscar, then at the end of his career probably Kareem.

[Aussie Dunker]

Durant could potentially be the correct answer (considering if you thought Lebron was still the best in the league last year)

Coming off injury I doubt he catches Lebron this season, and then Lebron will still be hard to catch for the next few seasons,

Then enter Anthony Davis in 2 or 3 years time...

Could be bad timing for KD historically

[ralph_i_el]

KD has to be mentioned, although there are a few guys that are greater than him (since he's only played less than half a career) that were never the best.

[HOoopCityJones]

D Wade.