Jason Terry, Trevor Ariza Agree On Kobe Bryant As Best Player Of This Generation
Usatsi_9243477_153179170_lowres-e1460321469862
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

With the playing days of so many great athletes in sports having now come to a close, 2016 has officially become the year of the retired superstar. Now that list is perhaps even more solidified as Peyton Manning, Abby Wambach, and of course Kobe Bryant, welcome the newly-retired Tim Duncan to the club.

Now that the Big Fundamental has called it quits in the most Duncan-way possible, the debate between he and Kobe as this generation’s greatest player is now more heated than ever. Although it’s easy to make a case for either of the two given the criteria, it seems that several current NBA players would give the nod to Kobe.

According to Justine Termine of Sirius XM NBA, both Jason Terry and Trevor Ariza were in agreement over this generation’s best player:

Despite being just a small sample size, Terry and Ariza share the same mindset that is largely shared throughout the league. While Duncan is the staple for consistency having made the playoffs in all 19 years, Bryant’s constant struggle to rise to the top seemed to resonate more with basketball fans.

Duncan being the ultimate teammate, took a backseat to other players during his final years with the Spurs and his production ultimately dwindled. Meanwhile despite Kobe’s struggles with injury, remained as his teams top scorer and facilitator before capping off his career with an unforgettable 60-point performance.

Since it’s now unheard of to see a player finish his days with the team he started with, that makes Kobe and Duncan the last of a dying breed.

Although they share a similar body of work, the two took almost completely different paths to reach the pinnacle of greatness before eventually walking away from the game as legends.

You May Also Like

NBA Video: Tracy McGrady Officially Inducted Into Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame

This weekend marked the official induction of yet another class into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame…

Kyrie Irving, Kobe Bryant Collaborate On ‘Bruce Lee’ Nike Kyrie 3

Although Kobe Bryant retired after 20 seasons in the NBA, one means by which his impact is still seen is on the shoe…

Lakers News: Cade Cunningham Believes LeBron James Is The GOAT Over Michael Jordan

Even though he is entering Year 19, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James remains widely considered…

Kobe Bryant On 6K Assists: ‘It Means I Pass More Than People Say’

Ever since Kobe Bryant cracked the milestone of 32,000 points earlier this…