I have always said that Tim Duncan is SUPER-Underrated. He should be in the same breath with Kobe, but never gets mentioned in the conversation as the greatest in this era. Kobe is always called the ultimate champion and the greatest winner of his era, yet he has 5 titles and Tim has 4. Tim has made the playoffs in every season that he has played (In 2000 he lead his team to the playoffs but got injured before the 1st playoff game). They should be in the same sentence.
I went as far as to call Tim Duncan the most underrated star in any sport. See it below.
LWC Wrote:For me it has to be Tim Duncan.
Played 13 seasons, his teams went to the playoffs 12 of those seasons
4 Rings.
2 MVP awards
3 Finals MVP's.
13 Time All-Star
9 Time 1st Team
3 Time 2nd Team
Rookie of the Year
8 Time 1st Team Defense
5 Time 2nd Team Defense
Career Averages:
21 points 12 rebounds 3 assists 2 blocks
--------------------
I posted this in this thread:
http://www.bluegrassrivals.com/forum/sho...p?t=111864
I said that the MOST underrated player in the NBA was Danny Granger. My #2 and #3 are all-star quality players now.
The below post was the one referenced above:
LWC Wrote:.........
Here is how I would rate them right now, in under-rated-ness:
1 - Danny Granger (Maybe THE most underrated)
2 - David Lee
3- LaMarcus Aldridge.....
This thread is to brag and to bring up discussion both.
Hard to argue with you on that.
Kobe to me is just a good basketball player in the NBA.
I dont know why so many people actually believe he's just as good as Jordan or that he is the best ever.
Put him somewhere besides the Lakers and he may have been just an average player. A lot is handed to him.
Im with ya LWC, Tim Duncan is greatly underrated.
Maybe one of the best ever. I believe he falls into that Kobe category.
Kobe and Tim Duncan are both Top 10 all-time players...
Tim Duncan is my fav all-time player tho. Kobe's scoring ability gets him into the top 10, because he is one of the greatest scorers of all-time.
As for Tim Duncan, I'm the biggest Tim Duncan fan in the world, but as for him being underrated no way....
Tim Duncan isn't underrated everyone knows his greatness. He's already been labeled the "GREATEST PF of all-time" and is already a top 10 player all-time on any list.
But the reason people think Duncan is underrated is because he's maybe the least talked about superstar ever because he is a true pro.. No off-court problems, no media problems, and is a true team captain.
But believe me Tim Duncan is not underrated.... Everyone knows his greatness and Tim Duncan may be the most respected player in the league from the players.
^That is the key. The players, coaches, referees, association executives, ALL know his greatness.
I determine underrated/overrated based on fan/media appeal.
I argue that Tim Duncan is the 2nd greatest player of the late 1990's-2000's era behind only Shaq. We heard more about Rip Hamilton and Jason Kidd than Tim Duncan.
Great post LWC. I'm not a Spurs fan but I respect the hell out of Tim Duncan and that organization. Duncan does things the right way. He doesn't focus on making big, flashy moves but instead concentrates on being a master of the fundamentals of the game. He has also won the Sportsman of the year award and doesn't call out his teammates to media or blame others for the team's losses. Because he keeps his mouth shut, he is not going to get the same media attention that other players would get.
I would take Duncan over Kobe any day. As RIUTG stated, I don't know why so many people compare him to Jordan. Michael Jordan would not have made some of the simple mistakes Kobe has made in this OKC series, and he also would have been more of a team player in the end instead of hogging the ball until the end of the shot clock and shooting a crazy shot. Kobe takes a lot of complicated shots when he plays. Jordan is known for hitting the complicated shots, but he was always so good at passing the ball around and getting open for an easy 15 foot jump shot. A majority of Jordan's shots were simple, smart shots.
LWC Wrote:^That is the key. The players, coaches, referees, association executives, ALL know his greatness.
I determine underrated/overrated based on fan/media appeal.
I argue that Tim Duncan is the 2nd greatest player of the late 1990's-2000's era behind only Shaq. We heard more about Rip Hamilton and Jason Kidd than Tim Duncan.
Yeah I understand where your coming from, but I've never looked at it from Duncan being underrated because I've always thought he's one of the greatest ever.
^You don't have to think he is, Duncan IS one of the best of all-time
LWC Wrote:^You don't have to think he is, Duncan IS one of the best of all-time
Oh yes I know...
Last year I did my own top 50 greatest players of all-time and I had Duncan at #8... But I think he is moving up to #5 or #6 because of the way he is ending his career. Still on top.
I'm on the Tim Duncan being underrated wagon.