The Big Fundamental

The latest from The Sports Guy on how one of the ten best players in NBA history is underrated.

It's funny, because I've always considered Duncan to be underrated in terms of the hype machine even though I knew in my gut -- in my bones -- back when I was watching him at Wake Forest that he'd be winning championships and dominating in the NBA. And sure enough, he's a perrenial MVP-contender (twice recipient) on a perrenial title-contender who is eternally 1st-Team All NBA. So from an accolades perspective and in terms of expecations conceived immediately upon his being drafted #1, he's very much "rated." But Simmons (I am his choir, in this instance, and he is definitely bullying that pulpit) crystalizes his argument perfectly by comparing TD to KG. That really says everything.

I've always been a big Duncan fan. Honest to God, he's the last player who upon being drafted was a "can't miss." Everyone since has had serious doubters. LeBron, Wade, Yao, none of them were a lock for anything. TD was a lock to be a legend from day one.