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

[HOoopCityJones]

LOL at Kobe never being the best player in the league. Ask his peers and contemporaries if he never was.

Some dumbass kids in this thread. Or worse grown ass idiots.

[mattvNJ]

Oscar Roberstone, Malone(arguable has been on the cusp of the best), also I think Prime Tmac has to be up in the conversation. Popping of 30~ ppg and still couldnt get it done.

[T_L_P]

LOL at Kobe never being the best player in the league. Ask his peers and contemporaries if he never was.

Some dumbass kids in this thread. Or worse grown ass idiots.

One thing I will say: unlike the other greats since MJ (Shaq, Duncan, LeBron), Kobe doesn't have that one season where was the best individual player and he had team success.

Shaq has 00
Duncan has 03
LeBron has 12.

Kobe's closest case is 01, but the regular season does still count, and Shaq was definitely ahead of him there. Then in 09 LeBron had a much, much better statistical season. You can make a case for him being the best player in either of those seasons, but there's not a real gap like there is for the other three mentioned above.

[Genaro]

Let the hate from Kobe aside. He was the best player in the league from 05-06 until 09-10.

And answering OP, I think it's probably Barkley, West or David Robinson.

[9512]

I would say Pistol Pete Maravich (dark horse).

His career was during the 1970s which was an era mostly forgotten compared to the 1960s, 80s, 90s, etc....

Pistol Pete was not known as a team player and accumulated points and flashy plays but never won the title. He has had other players who had gotten MVPs over him.

I guess not too different from a 70s version of Tracy McGrady. Both are great scorers and were popular with fans for their flashy plays. Both never experienced playoff success let alone winning it all.

Eerie similarities: Both became role players their last stint in the NBA (Pistol with the Celts and Tmac with the Spurs). they both were coat tail riding as bench warmers but their teams fell short in 1980 (Pistol) and 2013 (Tmac). But the next season the Celts and the Spurs won it all (1981 and 2014) after Pistol and Tmac retired from the NBA for good.

[T_L_P]

But the next season the Celts and the Spurs won it all (1981 and 2014) after Pistol and Tmac retired from the NBA for good.

Damn...

[HOoopCityJones]

One thing I will say: unlike the other greats since MJ (Shaq, Duncan, LeBron), Kobe doesn't have that one season where was the best individual player and he had team success.

Shaq has 00
Duncan has 03
LeBron has 12.

Kobe's closest case is 01, but the regular season does still count, and Shaq was definitely ahead of him there. Then in 09 LeBron had a much, much better statistical season. You can make a case for him being the best player in either of those seasons, but there's not a real gap like there is for the other three mentioned above.

Love how you completely dismiss 09. Kobe played some of the best basketball of his entire career with his third option being Lamar (not half as good as Manu) and his fourth being Ariza. (no bynum) The same Lebron who lost to the exact Team Kobe torched? oh ok.

Keep trolling clown.

[IncarceratedBob]

Kobe 08 09 10

Played the best ball of his career and led his team to 3 straight Finals and won twice, winning FMVP both times.

Not sure anyone else was really close, maybe Wade in 09 but his impact on his team was zilch

[T_L_P]

Love how you completely dismiss 09. Kobe played some of the best basketball of his entire career with his third option being Lamar (not half as good as Manu) and his fourth being Ariza. (no bynum) The same Lebron who lost to the exact Team Kobe torched? oh ok.

Keep trolling clown.

LeBron against Orlando: 39/8/8/1/1/.591 TS%

Gamescore of 29.3

Next best teammate (Mo Williams): Gamescore of 10.8

Kobe against Orlando: 32/6/7/1/1/.525 TS%

Gamescore of 22.8

Next best teammate (Pau): Gamescore of 17.6
Next best teammate (Odom): Gamescore of 10.3

LeBron had more Win Shares in the regular season than Kobe had in the regular season and Playoffs combined. Had more Playoff Win Shares in 9 less games.

Also, what does Manu have to do with this? Manu in 03 (the only year I mentioned Duncan) averaged 8/3/3. Odom in 09 averaged 12/9/2.

I said Kobe has a good/great case in 09. But he was not clearly the league's best player like Shaq was in 00, Duncan in 03, or LeBron in 2012. LeBron averaged more points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, FG%, better defense etc in the regular season and the Playoffs.

[HOoopCityJones]

LeBron against Orlando: 39/8/8/1/1/.591 TS%

Gamescore of 29.3

Next best teammate (Mo Williams): Gamescore of 10.8

Kobe against Orlando: 32/6/7/1/1/.525 TS%

Gamescore of 22.8

Next best teammate (Pau): Gamescore of 17.6
Next best teammate (Odom): Gamescore of 10.3

LeBron had more Win Shares in the regular season than Kobe had in the regular season and Playoffs combined. Had more Playoff Win Shares in 9 less games.

Also, what does Manu have to do with this? Manu in 03 (the only year I mentioned Duncan) averaged 8/3/3. Odom in 09 averaged 12/9/2.

I said Kobe has a good/great case in 09. But he was not clearly the league's best player like Shaq was in 00, Duncan in 03, or LeBron in 2012.

Who lead his Team to a victory though?

[Trollsmasher]

Kobe

[raiderfan19]

Who lead his Team to a victory though?

Phil jackson

[HOoopCityJones]

Phil jackson

Yup and I guess Eric Spo lead all his championship Teams to theirs.

Stop being an idiot , I'm talking about on the hardwood man.

[T_L_P]

Who lead his Team to a victory though?

Then why do you preach Kobe as being the best player in 06, 07 or 08 (or probably even 03, not sure if that was you or not)?

[SugarHill]

LeBron against Orlando: 39/8/8/1/1/.591 TS%

Gamescore of 29.3

Next best teammate (Mo Williams): Gamescore of 10.8

Kobe against Orlando: 32/6/7/1/1/.525 TS%

Gamescore of 22.8

Next best teammate (Pau): Gamescore of 17.6
Next best teammate (Odom): Gamescore of 10.3

LeBron had more Win Shares in the regular season than Kobe had in the regular season and Playoffs combined. Had more Playoff Win Shares in 9 less games.

Also, what does Manu have to do with this? Manu in 03 (the only year I mentioned Duncan) averaged 8/3/3. Odom in 09 averaged 12/9/2.

I said Kobe has a good/great case in 09. But he was not clearly the league's best player like Shaq was in 00, Duncan in 03, or LeBron in 2012. LeBron averaged more points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, FG%, better defense etc in the regular season and the Playoffs.

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