Who are the best 3 players since Jordan retired in 98?

[Havlicekstealsit]

In no order it's gotta be Joker, LeBron, maybe Giannis or Kobe, no? Shaq? Duncan? Lonzo?

[wailuaFC]

Lebron


Duncan

Curry
Jokic
Durant
But jokic could close that gap pretty quickly

[Titan18]

Curry, Kobe, Joakim Noah

[Uncontroversial]

kobe, curry, duncan

[lettherebehouse]

Kobe
Curry
Russell

[Sudanese Sensation]

Slava Medvedenko/Wang Zhi Zhi/Dexter Pittman.

[PhutureDynasty]

In order...

LeBron
Duncan
Curry
Kobe
Durant
Jokic
Giannis

[_Vcsgrizzfan_]

In order...

LeBron
Duncan
Curry
Kobe
Durant
Jokic
Giannis

I agree on the first 3. But Jokic with another dominating playoff run gets into that top tier. And can surpass all of them with a few more. What he's doing isn't appreciated enough, partly because he's doing it in the mountain time zone in a city nobody gives a shit about.

[PhutureDynasty]

In order...

LeBron
Duncan
Curry
Kobe
Durant
Jokic
Giannis

I agree on the first 3. But Jokic with another dominating playoff run gets into that top tier. And can surpass all of them with a few more. What he's doing isn't appreciated enough, partly because he's doing it in the mountain time zone in a city nobody gives a shit about.

Fair. Any disagreement seems like it's splitting hairs.

If I personally had to tier it...

LeBron

Duncan

Curry
Kobe

Durant
Jokic
Giannis

[Bush4Ever.]

The issue with Joker is that not being a needle-mover defensively hurts him against players that have been two-way dominant, at least for a short time period.

Shaq 2000-2002
Duncan 2002-2003
Lebron 2009-2013

Curry, 2015-2017
Joker, 2021-2024
Giannis, 2019-2022 (?)

Kobe, not a peak that matches the above (IMO), but long period of elite play (roughly 10-11 years).

I think it terms of pure, unadulterated skill and ability Joker is arguably the most skilled offensive center in NBA history. I don't know if it's enough to offset two-way dominance of Shaq/Duncan in terms of peak value. I think it probably is against Duncan but not Shaq, given Duncan didn't *precisely* have the highest offensive production even during his best years.

But Shaq of the above era is still the best player in terms of impact I've seen in my lifetime as an adult fan (or teenage+ fan anyway), at least in terms of peak value. Lebron is the best player I've seen in that period in terms of accumulative career value.

[PhutureDynasty]

Shaq completely slipped my mind when I made my list but since he was drafted in 1992 and already had 6 years under his belt I feel OK with the removal.

[Havlicekstealsit]

Shaq completely slipped my mind when I made my list but since he was drafted in 1992 and already had 6 years under his belt I feel OK with the removal.

True seems like most of his peak number years were when Mike was still active.

[wailuaFC]

Shaq completely slipped my mind when I made my list but since he was drafted in 1992 and already had 6 years under his belt I feel OK with the removal.

Same boat. And also I’m jaded because he played for the Celtics, Cavs, and suns. Seems like he went on a f the lakers tour after leaving

[elmouse03]

Lonzo is the wildcard.

[kobeunderbite]

Odom
Gasol
Bynum

[Robceltsfan]

Lebron

Duncan

Curry
Jokic (still rising)
Kobe
Durant

I'm not including Shaq with half his prime being pre-1998.

[Odogg]

Lebron
Duncan
Kobe

[Odogg]

Lebron


Duncan

Curry
Jokic
Durant
But jokic could close that gap pretty quickly

Durant with no Kobe? Smh.

[Shill Jackson]

LeBron
Kobe
probably Duncan, but could be Curry or Durant

Eventually it’ll probably be Joker, but we’ll give him a bit more time. The lack of defense matters.

[Da Stars.]

Kobe.
LeBron.
Duncan.