Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncanwere uniquely linked on the court, as their respective five-title careers intersected and often ran through each other's. Duncan's retirement announcement on Monday means both icons will be gone next year, a generation's two biggest stars concurrently saying farewell.
Consider how they ruled from separate kingdoms: From 1999 to 2014, either Bryant or Duncan played in the NBA Finals in all but three years. (Dwyane Wade played in each of the other three.)
Both are staples in the modern-era NBA Mount Rushmore. Along with John Stockton, they played the longest for a single team.But comparing them head-to-head wholly and objectively is tricky. Kobe is one of the game's most polarizing players ever. He never had Duncan's organizational stability. Duncan, the humble craftsman, was never reliably marketable, nor overwhelmingly popular.
So you tell us: Whose legacy is better? Below the poll is a little more info to help you make your decision.
A complete breakdown of their career statistics can be found here.
[Credit: All photos Getty]