When it comes to the NBA, people do not play. When you ask who the best players in the NBA are, it’s understandable if people will come to clashes about who it truly is. It’s a passionate and opinionated disagreement. Old people would prefer to mention the greats who hail from their era. Meanwhile, younger generations have an agenda: to push forward the upcoming stars of tomorrow.
However, the criteria for what we consider as “iconic” behavior can only be as subjective as we want to. Some prefer to put more stock in the highest peaks, and others want to choose on the basis of consistency.
If you want to check out who the best are, we may have to fill out both boxes.
We’ve rounded up a list, and they are:
Kevin Garnett
If you are into NBA Odds Today Today, then maybe his name would, and has appeared many times there. In the eyes of many NBA enthusiasts, Kevin Garnett deserves much credit. He was a trailblazer and he had reopened the high school-to-NBA pipeline. Moreover, Garnett had opted to go pro instead of going through the university and college pipeline in 1995. During the same year, he had become the first person to go directly to the leagues, the pit stop in college forgotten. There were many expectations for him as a result.
Many thought he would have a fast and big impact on the NBA. Time was the ultimate truth-teller. However, he did not quite make the splash. A year after Garnett went to the Timberwolves, high schooler legends like Kobe Bryant and Jermaine O’Neal became regular fixtures in the draft. Then came the one-and-done rule in 2006 that the NBA established.
Another point for his iconic behavior is that Garnett had a historic contract with the Timberwolves. His record-breaking six-year, $126 million deal signed in 1997 surprised and shocked many.
Shaquille O’ Neal
Shaq remains one of the game’s biggest icons, physically and in many other ways. He is the walking personification of the peak vs. longevity debate in gauging how great NBA players are. He played at a high level that only a few could ever reach.
Furthermore, Shaq was noted for “playing into shape’ and did not exactly take single regular season game with the utmost seriousness. However, his track record speaks volumes about his caliber as a player. His accolades include four NBA titles, three Finals MVP awards, 15 All-Star appearances and 14 All-NBA selection. He remains one of the most decorated players in the NBA.
Wilt Chamberlain
At 7”1, Wilt Chamberlain has the kind of athleticism that professional sports had never seen before and struggled to comprehend. On entering the league, he had a huge edge due to his physique and was known as the cheat code of the NBA. The league has never been the same since his arrival because his power was a powerful and disruptive force.
He has greatly amassed an astounding number of records he still holds decades after he last played a game.
At aged 63, when he died in 1999, he was one of the most titled NBA record holders with over sixty-eight (68) at his disposal.
Kobe Bryant
Michael Jackson who? Known as the Black Mamba, Kobe Bryant remains as one of the greats in the NBA. He pioneered the Mamba Mentality. And in doing so, he influenced people to change their lives by adapting their mindsets.
The Mamba Mindset is similar to having the conviction to do whatever you have chosen to do. You have to commit energy to the single idea and strongly think failure is not an option. It makes a huge difference in the effect that you seek to create.
His tragic death in 2020 shockd everyone. Despite his imperfections as a human, and because of his crucial contributions to the game, By the time of his death, Kobe had had five (5) titles, eighteen (18) All-Star appearances and 12 all-Defensive team nods. These are just a few of some of Kobe’s greatest contributions and feats in basketball.
Wrapping Up
There are a lot more iconic basketball players in the United States. All of them have had made incredible achievements. There are strange gauges about the kind of strength and basketball skill they have – from consistency to accomplishments in peaks. However, time and time again, there are players who do not fit that mold, or go beyond it.
