Playing your entire NBA career with just one team has its perks. Tim Duncan’s 19 years with the San Antonio Spurs certainly made him a beloved figure. During this golden era, Duncan amassed five NBA championships, solidifying his legacy as arguably the greatest Power Forward of all time. Yet, on the latest episode of the Gil’s Arena podcast, former NBA star Nick Young stirred the pot by suggesting that Kevin Garnett might actually be a superior player to Duncan.

“Do you think KG was a better player than Tim Duncan?” Josiah Johnson asked Nick Young on the podcast. Swaggy P didn’t hesitate, responding with a firm “yes.” His rationale was straightforward. “Tim was great but I feel like just cause you got accomplishments and championships don’t always mean you better than that person… If you put KG on that team, he’d have the same amount of rings.”

Kenyon Martin also chimed in, stating, “If you put KG on that team (Spurs), they don’t miss a beat. But I think if you put Tim with the Minnesota team, he’d get them out of the first round and sh*t like that.” To understand his statement, let’s compare Garnett and Duncan before KG left for Boston in 2007.

From 1995 to 2007, the time Garnett spent in Minnesota, the Wolves had 7 first-round exits and reached the Conference Finals just once. On the other hand, Duncan joined the Spurs two years after KG, and in the same time span, San Antonio won 4 titles. That says enough about team success.

Gilbert Arenas added fuel to the fire, saying that Garnett could have been considered the greatest power forward of all time if he had played with the Spurs. NBA champ Rasheed Wallace, who also supports Young’s claim, echoes this sentiment.

https://twitter.com/GilsArenaShow/status/1831824575564575170

Wallace, during his appearance on the Sheed & Tyler show, emphasized Garnett’s challenge of carrying the Timberwolves, stating, “KG because KG carried that team. He carried Minnesota. Tim Duncan had help in his prime.” But what does Garnett himself think of it?

What does Kevin Garnett think?

It’s very simple. He is the best. Earlier this year in a segment on Complex’s I Got Time Today, Garnett laid it out plainly. “I would say so,” he said about being the better player. “I didn’t play on probably better teams than Timmy played, but I thought I was a better player. Thought I did more, all around a better player, but shout to Timmy and his body of work and what he did too. Salute.”

Garnett believes Duncan had the advantage of playing with a stronger supporting cast. When Duncan joined the Spurs, he stepped into a roster that already featured stars like David Robinson and Sean Elliott. This setup made the Spurs’ early success, including their title in Duncan’s second season, a bit less surprising.

While Tim Duncan boasts a superior championship count—five rings to Kevin Garnett’s one—plus more All-NBA and All-Defensive Team selections, Garnett has his own bragging rights. He won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2008, secured more All-Defensive First Team selections (9-8), and led the league in rebounding for four consecutive seasons from 2004 to 07. There are numbers to support both of them. But who do you think was better?

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.