NBA / Dec 19, 2008 / 1:53 pm

MVP of the decade (1998-2008)

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Tim DuncanTim Duncan (photo. adidas)

After last night’s Magic/Spurs game, today’s Smack comments turned to a Tim Duncan vs. Dwight Howard debate. Reader “Three Stacks” chimed in with: “If you were to pick a model player over the past ten years, it’d have to be Duncan. I don’t think anyone else comes close.”

Agreed. I’ve written before that over the last decade — calendar year 1998 to calendar year 2008 — Tim Duncan has been the best basketball player in the world. And the only other players that do come close are Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. With the end of the year coming up, now’s as good a time as any to settle it. Here’s how they stack up:

DUNCAN (’98-present)
* Four NBA championships (’99, ’03, ’05, ’07)
* Three Finals MVP’s
* Two regular-season MVP’s (’01, ’02)
* 10 All-Star Games (one MVP)
* Rookie of the Year
* 11-time All-Defensive
* 11-time All-NBA
* Regular-season numbers: 21.6 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 3.1 apg, 2.4 bpg, 0.8 spg
* Playoff numbers: 23.4 ppg, 12.7 rpg, 3.5 apg, 2.6 bpg, 0.6 spg.

KobeKobe Bryant, Dime #39

BRYANT (’98-present)
* Three NBA championships (’00, ’01, ’02)
* Regular-season MVP (’08)
* 10 All-Star Games (two MVP’s)
* Two-time NBA leading scorer (’06, ’07)
* 10-time All-NBA
* Eight-time All-Defensive
* Regular-season numbers: 26.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 4.9 apg, 1.5 spg, 0.6 bpg.
* Playoff numbers: 25.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.8 apg, 1.4 spg, 0.6 bpg.

ShaqShaquille O’Neal, Dime #38

O’NEAL (’98-present)
* Four NBA championships (’00, ’01, ’02, ’06)
* Three Finals MVP’s
* Regular-season MVP (’00)
* Nine All-Star Games (two MVP’s)
* NBA scoring leader (’00)
* Nine-time All-NBA
* Three-time All-Defensive
* Regular-season numbers: 24.0 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 2.7 apg, 0.5 spg, 2.2 bpg.
* Playoff numbers: 25.1 ppg, 12.2 rpg, 2.5 apg, 0.5 spg, 2.3 bpg.

Who gets your vote?

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← Older Comments
  • Taj

    Robert Horry IS WITHOUT A DOUBT the MVP of the Decade!!!

  • Vinny

    @saul- sean elliot, avery johnson- hall of fame you couldnt argue them into the hall of fame -ever! Man Ginobili-you can argue-dont know if you win-but you could argue!
    During those 3peat years Shaq was the unquestioned mvp(why is kobe even in this discussion?) but if you take all 10 years into consideration Duncan was more consistent(probably because Shaq didnt always get his fat ass in shape!!!!) So i’ll take Duncan.

  • http://www.ballersnetwork.com qUeSt???

    Ian kes la k ay, jajaja este debe ser tu post favorito. @ Austin so that means if iverson wins 3 championship rings in a row( im praying for that to happen) he will be the mvp of the decade?

  • http://www.ballersnetwork.com qUeSt???

    oh, manu and pau will be in the HOF, if u look at the resume, they should get in, remember its the BASKETBALL HOF not the NBA Hof.

  • ed

    Tim Duncan all teh way. No question.

  • Celts Fan

    @everyone that said Kobe (or even said maybe Kobe) you CAN’T give it to Kobe. He wasn’t even the best player on those title teams so there’s no way he oculd be the best player of the decade. Top 10 player ever, just stuck behind 2 others in this debate.

    It’s Timmy and it’s not close. If you’d made it more like ’96-’06 though, it’d've been Shaq (obviously Tim wasn’t in til ’98, but Shaq is/was a MONSTER, just started slipping a few years ago while Timmy’s still yawning his way to All-NBA /All Defensive every year of his career…

  • Big pink pig

    TD,no question
    btw I noticed that Bryant is only guy whose playoff numbers are worse than regular seasons and that shows something

  • baron von faulk

    “and how the hell is Ginobili a future Hall of Famer? He’s done nothing so far in his career to warrant that consideration.”

    . . . . . . .

    hereyago dumbass Fakers fan:

    2008
    - Argentine Team – Bronze Medal @ Beijing 2008.

    » 2007
    - NBA Champion – San Antonio Spurs.

    » 2006
    - Argentine Team – Fourth place – World Cup @ Japan

    » 2005
    - NBA champion San Antonio Spurs (and he should have won Finals MVP)

    » 2004
    - Argentine Team – Olympic Gold Medal @ Athens 2004. TOURNAMENT MVP

    » 2003
    - NBA Champion – San Antonio Spurs.
    - Argentine Team – Silver Medal – Olympic qualifiers, Puerto Rico.

    » 2002
    - Champion Coppa Italia – Kinder Bologna.
    - Sub Campeón – Euroleague – Kinder Bologna.
    - Argentine Team / Sub Champion – World Cup (Indianapolis 2002).

    » 2001
    - ChampionItalian League – Kinder Bologna.
    - Champion Coppa Italia – Kinder Bologna.
    - Champion Euroleague – Kinder Bologna.

    Individual distinctions

    » 2006
    - All-Tournament Team – World Cup (Japan 2006)

    » 2005
    - NBA All-Star.

    » 2004
    - All Olympics Team
    - Summer Olympic Games MVP
    - Sophomores on AllStar Weekend (Los Angeles)

    » 2003
    - All-Tournament Team Pre-Olympic – Puerto Rico.
    - Best Rookie of March.
    - Rookie team AllStar Weekend NBA.

    » 2002
    - All-Tournament Team – World Cup (Indianapolis).
    - Italian Cup MVP.
    - Italian League MVP.

    » 2001
    - Cup of Americas MVP.
    - Euroleague finals MVP.
    - Italian League, regular season MVP.

    . . . . . . .

    Dude has more MVPs throughout the world than Kobe will ever have, and Bryant also said Ginobili is his favorite player to watch in the NBA, so as a Laker fan you prolly shouldn’t discredit your boy’s opinion like that!

    hehe get some fool

  • Three Stacks

    @ baron,

    Why compare Ginobili to Kobe? Like Kobe wouldn’t have won those MVPs playing in those leagues?

    I could care less if Kobe enjoys watching Manu play. I enjoy watching Manu play, too. But that doesn’t mean he belongs in the Hall of Fame.

    The Hall of Fame is a looooong way away for Manu. He’s a good player, no doubt. But I don’t think padding his resume against lesser competition should allow him to enter into the Hall of Fame, when there are plenty of other legendary players who aren’t in/won’t get in.

    If he played his whole career in the NBA, he would never warrant HOF consideration. And it’s not like he was a better player back then compared to now.

    By the way, cool your tone. It’s just my opinion versus yours, no need to be a bitch about it.

  • http://www.myspace.com/beenobrown BROGDEN

    TIM DUNCAN is MVP in the NBA, 1998 – 2008

    I think the argument truly comes down to either Duncan or Shaq with Kobe demanding considerable consideration. Kobe has always been valuable but always needed an auxiliary component, such as a big time post presence to attain the championship. Same could be said for Shaquille, except it seems his championship requirement is a dynamic perimeter player. He’s paired with a big man too. He had a formidable 4 in Karl Malone but it didn’t work out.

    Duncan, has paired with a legendary big man and won and with a dynamic perimeter player and won. In addition, and I think this is where we get separation, he’s also won as the focal point when he beat the Nets and when the Spurs beat the might Pistons. His value is judged by his championship consistency. Whereas Shaq and Kobe possess considerable more marketing potential, probably more unique of a talent, Duncan has proven to be the most valuable in the last 10 years. Things are sure to change.

    Brief Snapshot Below:
    1998 - 99 Duncan wins MVP in his 2nd season, lockout season, SPURS WIN.
    99 – - 00 Shaq and Kobe. A formidable center and formidable scorer. LAKERS WIN.
    00 – - 01 Shaq and Kobe. See above. LAKERS WIN
    01 – - 02 Shaq and Kobe. See above. LAKERS WIN
    02 – - 03 Duncan wins 2nd MVP. SPURS WIN
    03 – - 04 Team ball wins over star ball.
    (Lakers beat Spurs though) DETROIT WINS
    04 – - 05 Duncan is MVP again, beating the
    embodiment of a good team. SPURS WIN
    05 – - 06 Shaq and another formidable scorer. MIAMI WINS
    06 – - 07 Duncan is an integral part of a
    good team vs NBA rising star*. SPURS WIIN
    07 – - 08 Kobe vs defensive juggernaut full
    of star-quality role players. BOSTON WINS
    08 – - 09 To Be Determined – see UPDATES

    UPDATE: Duncan’s still great, being asked to do
    more and delivers on a consistent basis.
    UPDATE: Kobe is one of the 2 best players in
    the league, simultaneously a
    a smooth ‘facilitator’ and the NBA’s version
    of a closer.
    UPDATE: Shaq’s a very good role player.

    SIDEBAR:
    Shaq in playoffs every year 1998-2008.
    Duncan in playoffs every year 1998-2008
    Kobe missed playoffs in 2004-2005

  • Bron42 AkA Your Moms Best Friend

    three stacks, they also ignore when u play euro ball, ur officially a pro at what, 16? so manu has had plenty of time to pad his stats against bums.

  • Punisher

    Allen Iverson

    Hands down!

  • joel blades

    hate to say it but duncan gets it

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