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Kobe Bryant: Who had a better career — Kobe Bryant or Tim Duncan?

By Ronald Agers

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - FEBRUARY 14: Head coach Stephen A. Smith of Team Stephen A. looks on before the 2020 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game Presented By Ruffles at Wintrust Arena on February 14, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - FEBRUARY 14: Head coach Stephen A. Smith of Team Stephen A. looks on before the 2020 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game Presented By Ruffles at Wintrust Arena on February 14, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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Kobe Bryant
(Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) – Kobe Bryant /

Tim Duncan was a can’t miss prospect and No. 1 pick

The conspiracy theory of the lottery system goes back as far as 1985 when the New York Knicks won the draft rights to get Patrick Ewing from Georgetown. The biggest that theory always surrounds the once in a lifetime talent that can turn around a franchise almost instantly. The historical list includes.

  • The Houston Rockets selecting Akeem Olajuwon back in 1984 in a tank job that so bad that the ping-pong ball system was started in the first place. With Ralph Sampson, the Rockets rode the “Twin Towers” to the 1986 Finals.
  • The Orlando Magic magically win the lottery with one ping-pong ball after a 41-41 record to obtain Penny Hardaway in a draft-night trade with Golden State. With Shaquille O’Neal, the Magic found themselves in the 1995 Finals.

The similarities of these two combinations were the talented and skilled big men that are in the duos (Olajuwon, Sampson and O’Neal) that were Hall of Fame talent.

The San Antonio Spurs often gets overlooked with the luck of the lottery and basketball gods when they got their own can’t miss prospect in Tim Duncan. Many forget that the year before, their superstar center David Robinson had back issues and was lost for the season.

With “The Admiral” out the Spurs was so bad, they didn’t even need to tank for the best odds for the number one pick which was Tim Duncan out of Wake Forest.

Two things happened that aligned the stars for the Spurs turnaround.

  • David Robinson was back from his injuries to mentor Tim Duncan in the offseason. The chemistry built was a spark plug for two NBA titles.
  • The NBA was in a lockout that shortened the season that might have affected some championship contenders in the playoffs. In the Eastern Conference, maybe it did. 

Thanks to Allan Houston going absolutely nuts down the stretch scoring 12 points in a series-clinching affair, the 8th seed New York Knicks shocked the 1st seed Miami Heat to make an unlikely run to the NBA Finals.

During their playoff run, Patrick Ewing severely injured his right wrist and was lost for the season. Despite Latrell Sprewell putting on a performance that Knicks fans will remember forever, the roster was too small to stop the Spurs front line without Ewing.

Bottom line, Tim Duncan destroyed the New York front line and what problems he brought to the table, David Robinson added to the equation on the weak side.

With no one being able to guard Duncan down low, the Knicks were forced to double team which opened up opportunities for his teammates. An Avery Johnson jump shot from the baseline sealed the deal for the Spurs as they won the NBA title.

Duncan’s first.

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