ESPN主持Stephen A. Smith大膽比較：「Duncan比Kobe有更好的職業生涯。」

在宣布了2020名人堂成員之後，ESPN的Stephen A. Smith將Duncan和Kobe進行了比較。

引用

Smith認為Tim Duncan的職業生涯比Kobe Bryant更全面：「首先的向Kobe Bryant表示敬意，但我必須說Tim Duncan（有更好的職業生涯）。當考慮到Tim Duncan能夠提出的一致性模版時，David Robinson都是因為Tim Duncan而有一個頭銜。 正如該圖所示，Tim Duncan五次奪冠，與科Kobe Bryant一樣多，但更多的NBA總決賽MVP次數。你必須考慮到這樣一個事實，他被公認為是有史以來最偉大的大前鋒，他是10次入選最佳防守陣容第一隊的球員。」

“I have to say Tim Duncan, with all due respect to my man Kobe Bryant,” said Smith. “When you consider the model of consistency that Tim Duncan was able to put forth — David Robinson has a title because of Tim Duncan. Tim Duncan is a five-time champion, as that chart just showed, just as many titles as Kobe Bryant, more NBA Finals MVPs. You’ve got to take that into consideration the fact that he is universally recognized as the greatest power forward to have ever played the game, a 10-time All-Defensive First Team player.”

Stephen A. Smith明顯是以獎項和個人榮譽來比較兩個球員。儘管Kobe有一個更豐富的旅程，由黃蜂隊第13位選秀到交易至洛杉磯湖人隊，有沒有Shaquille O'Neal在旁等等。

引用Max Kellerman聽到A. Smith的言論後反駁：

「我會選擇Kobe Bryant，正如Charles Barkley的選擇。Kobe Bryant是我們見過的最接近Michael Jordan的人。湖人能以自己方式運行的主要原因就是Kobe Bryant被認為是隊中最好的球員。順便說一句，Tim Duncan當時也正處於巔峰狀態。」

Smith’s counterpart Max Kellerman played devil’s advocate, as usual:

“I have to go Kobe Bryant. Charles Barkley’s right. Kobe Bryant is the closest thing we’ve ever seen to Michael Jordan,” said Kellerman. “…One of the reasons (the Lakers) were perceived the way they were, the primary reason, is Kobe was perceived as the best player in the game. And by the way, Tim Duncan was in the game back then, and in his prime.”

大家可以為他們兩位球員爭論不休，但無可爭議的是，這兩位球員是在名人堂中佔據自己的位置的。

來源：https://clutchpoints.com/nba-video-stephen-a-smith-claims-tim-duncan-had-a-better-career-than-kobe-bryant/