The "The Last Dance" Thread

I have come to think the game of basketball and the culture surrounding it facilitates the Jordan and Kobe types in the kind of behavior we're talking about to a greater degree than other sports. Because of the nature of the game - only five guys play on a team at a time, one-on-one confrontations are more common and more obvious than in other sports, and someone has to be "the man" and take the last shot - alpha dominance is even more encouraged, and tolerated, than in other sports. And now, it perpetuates itself. Younger guys who've heard the stories think they're not trying their hardest to win if they don't take on all aspects of that personality, including the worst ones.

 

Funny stuff

 

It seems like nine different colleges disagree and agree.

 

Basketball examples of stars who were not pricks to their teammates, who were/are generally well-liked by same. Bill Russell, Willis Reed, Kareem, Magic, Nate Thurmond, Steph Curry (AFAIK), Dr. J.

 

Jackson, Kidd and Mashburn?

 

A more modern example would be Tim Duncan - what was Kerr's quote, that it felt like you played with Duncan but for Jordan?

 

Did Laettner leave Duke early? I thought he played four years.

 

Bad idea how from what perspective? Did they win by too much?

 

I just meant by random chance if he'd been a year younger or older.

 

“Pretty Boy” Laettner should have been removed from the “Dream” team after viciously kicking Aminu Timberlake in the Elite 8.

 

A guy named Shaq would've been just fine.

 

Wait.
He was arguably the most accomplished college player since Walton, when he came out.
His pro career, as they say, "was what it was". He made one all star team, IIRC. Spending the summer with the greatest team of all time wasn't going to damage him.