Lack of news coverage doesn't sideline great players

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June 8, 2012

Lack of news coverage doesn't sideline great players

By MATT CHRISTIAN Princeton Times The Zope Gazette Fri Jun 08, 2012, 05:00 AM EDT

PRINCETON — I’ve gone back and looked at the NBA drafts from 1995 to 2000 to find the best players in that specific generation of players. I thought that maybe looking through the players selected would convince me that Tim Duncan wasn’t the greatest player in that generation of players.

That just seemed so, I don’t know, wrong. In 20 years, I’ll probably think of Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, Allen Iverson, and Ray Allen before I’ll remember Duncan.

Let me explain: Kobe Bryant has had a fascinating career. He’s been a rookie sensation, battled with Shaq, won titles as the second best player on the Lakers, battled with Shaq, gone through a rape allegation, possibly had O’Neal traded, been the best player on a mediocre team, demanded to be traded, won two titles as the best player, and watched his team collapse this year.

That’s a career.

I’ll think of Iverson because during my sophomore year of college, The Sporting News put one of my comments in its magazine to describe him. I’ll think of McGrady because of his shoe commercials, big stats and his inability to win a series as the best player on a team.

In college, we had a player who sat on the end of the bench and played about as much as I did as a manager. Because he could get hot and shoot anyone out of the gym, we called him “Ray-Ray” like Allen.

Garnett is a tougher chore. He’s probably a better individual talent than Duncan is but Garnett’s only won one title compared to Duncan’s four. Garnett’s quite possibly the only person to rival the intensity of Michael Jordan. I’ll also think of the And 1 and Anta commercials that I saw featuring “The Big Ticket.”

Maybe, that’s the best way to describe Duncan’s NBA career. You’ll think of other guys first, and you’ll forget about Duncan. Honestly, I can’t remember one game or specific moment of Duncan’s career.

He’s never demanded to be traded. There’s never been a newspaper headline with Duncan’s mugshot sitting below. Duncan’s never had a coach fired, or complained to the media.

He’s never pulled a Ron Artest.

For 13 years, Duncan put up roughly 19 points and 11 rebounds, great passing, defense, shot selection and leadership as the best player for a team that’s won 4 titles since he came into the league.

As I watch the Oklahoma City Thunder battle the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals, I can’t help but think that maybe the series explains Duncan’s career better than anything else. Ray Allen’s looked more washed up than someone who just got sprayed by a fire-hose.

Bryant’s sitting at home because he tried too hard and Mike Brown wasn’t powerful enough to tell Bryant to chill out in January.

Allen Iverson’s broke, out of the league and in the middle of a divorce and mulling a comeback to get more money.

But, number 21, still stands on the court ready to do battle for the Spurs. This year might be Duncan’s last impact moment before he retires and we’re ignoring that in favor of Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Dwayne Wade.

Once again, we’ve forgotten one of the greatest players of all-time, in favor of someone else. That’s okay with Duncan because the only thing he seems to care about is winning and that’s what he’s done for the last 15 years.

Hopefully, he’ll get one more chance to hoist the trophy before he goes. Of course, everyone will be talking about Tony Parker or Manu Ginobili but no one will be greater than number 21 on that night.

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Lack of news coverage doesn't sideline great players

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