All Time 1v1

[PaulLee]

Who would be the greatest 1v1 player of all time? Whoever loses their family dies, so they going all out trying to bully and get as many easy buckets as possible.

Its refereed like a normal game (without the team calls etc). Points are scored like a normal game, 2 and 3's and ft's etc. Unlimited dribbles. Whoever starts with the ball has to win by 2.

Up to 21.

I just don't think players like Jordan/Kobe/KD will beat players like Shaq/Giannis. Especially someone like Giannis who can also defend the perimeter.

Thoughts?

[SNPA]

Lol. First vote for Kobe.

One on one is best for bigs that can dribble a bit. They just back it down and shoot super high percentage shots at the rim.

[Harry Garris]

Who are we kidding? I has to be Shaq. Size and athleticism are important in 5v5 basketball already but so much more so in 1v1.

Young Shaq in his prime was a freaky athlete too, he was athletic enough to close off the paint and prevent smaller guys from just getting to the basket. And if you miss once against Shaq the game is just over because he's going to score every time.

[ellobo]

One on one hugely favors bigs with agility and skill, especially if you're playing make it, take it. If making a basket gets you an additional possession, that multiplies the value of a high FG%. A smaller perimeter shoot against a big just has to miss once, and might not see the ball again.

I've always felt like the answer to this question is Hakeem.

He has a great combination of size, strength, quickness, footwork, ballhandling and shooting skill, rebounding, and versatile high-motor defense. I think Kareem would be very tough too. If free throw shooting is part of it (as per the OP), that's a big handicap for Wilt and Shaq.

[LakersLegacy]

It’s definitely Jordan or Kobe. Jordan said Kobe might win against him 1 on 1. Kobe challenged him many times. Including the first time they met

[Joshyjess]

Bird - with his trash talking he would have his oppenent doubting himself every time they got the ball, to the point where they would probably just walk off the court in dispair!

[SelfishPlayer]

NBA players play full court one on one...

[TheLand13]

Who would be the greatest 1v1 player of all time? Whoever loses their family dies, so they going all out trying to bully and get as many easy buckets as possible.

The ****?

[LAL1947]

If the game is to 21 points, then MJ wins... unless Kobe manages to steal it with a little luck. Anyway, I voted for MJ.

KD and T-Mac are probably next up after those two. I feel like none of the new gens will reach MJ-Kobe heights at 1v1 because the game doesn't require that level of iso play from them any longer, with the emphasis on spacing and all the PnR action + screens.

If it was to less points, like 10, then I'd give the big guys like Hakeem, Shaq, KG or even Giannis a shot. From these, I think Hakeem would be best at 1v1.

[sp6r=underrated]

Who would be the greatest 1v1 player of all time? Whoever loses their family dies, so they going all out trying to bully and get as many easy buckets as possible.

Its refereed like a normal game (without the team calls etc). Points are scored like a normal game, 2 and 3's and ft's etc. Unlimited dribbles. Whoever starts with the ball has to win by 2.

Up to 21.

I just don't think players like Jordan/Kobe/KD will beat players like Shaq/Giannis. Especially someone like Giannis who can also defend the perimeter.

Thoughts?

The free throw rule is important. I'd favor a strong big who is reliable at the stripe. KG isn't listed but deserves consideration.

[Pennebaker]

I'm voting for my guy LeBron. He could overpower you or beat you in any other way.

MJ was beaten by a corporate stiff.

Keeping it real through, Kyrie Irving could probably beat anybody 1 on 1. Allen Iverson too. Kobe too.

[Fencer reregistered]

Can you foul out, as in normal rules, or can you play infinite hack-a-Shaq.

I once watched a one-on-one tourney in NYC in the 1980s. It was all backing a guy down and scoring in the post -- i.e., the optimal scenario for Shaq. Actually, I didn't watch very long, because it was so boring ...

But if a guy can dribble away and get to the 3-pt line, w/ no dribbling limit except perhaps a 24-second clock, we have to wonder how one of the great perimeter players would do. Similarly, if we're back a big, we'd want one with foot speed to somewhat control the distance vs. a small.

Wilt -- who by the way was good at not fouling -- has to be in the conversation. KG, with his handle and shooting range and defensive range, has to be too. Embiid among current bigs.

[Cresy06]

Back in the early 2000s I had this debate with some friends, and we agreed that it was Kevin Garnett. Even remember that he beat all his teammates in 1-on-1 when he played on Team USA.

I don't think any of the players that came after him have a good chance of beating KG 1-on-1. Maybe Lebron, Khawi? They are lowkey tall.

[TheBobster]

Keep in mind that when the NBA had a one-on-one competition in 1971 Bob Lanier won, defeating guards Pete Maravich, Mike Newlin and Jo Jo White along the way. In 1973, Geoff Petrie won, defeating two Hall of Famers (Bob Dandridge and Bob McAdoo along the way). So my guess would be that a dominating post player (like Shaq or Wilt) a pure shooter (Bird or Curry) would probably win.

If I had to come up with a group I think the winner would come from, I would say Wilt, Hakeem, Bird, Magic, Giannis, Jordan or Robertson. Defending the big guys would be a huge issue for players like Curry, Nash and Iverson, and chasing the guards would be a problem for Jokić, Shaq, Duncan, Kareem, Dirk or K. Malone, and I think not having a reliable enough outside shot would do in players like Erving, James, Kobe, Garnett and Barkley.

Personally, I think it would come down to Wilt, Bird or Jordan. Nobody had the combination of size and skill that Wilt did, Bird could outshoot anybody (except Curry who would have a hard time guarding a great forward or center), and Jordan was the most competitive great player ever.

But then it could always turn out to be someone like Chris Mullin or Rick Barry or Kevin Durrant getting hot and just shooting the lights out. We'll never know.

[LAL1947]

I'm voting for my guy LeBron. He could overpower you or beat you in any other way.

MJ was beaten by a corporate stiff.

You're really lucky that Lebron didn't enter the league when MJ did. If MJ had seen you saying some the stuff you do... I think your guy would have been toast... and today we'd be asking who was better between Karl Malone or Lebron James, as they'd have a similar number of points and titles, lol.

[coolbyme]

When you throw in the serious consequences of losing, I'm picturing more like an Afro Samurai type of battle. In which case, you choose the merciless brute force attack of Shaq, no question.

Notice there was no mention of fouling out. If Shaq starts on defence, he fouls hard, until the opponent misses or is incapacitated. Then he proceeds to back them down and make'em quit.

(question, are we talking old school 1v1 where you must rebound and clear the ball, or are we talking about this new weak stuff 1v1 where each player takes turns on offence?)

[JN61]

Some big.

[JN61]

Keep in mind that when the NBA had a one-on-one competition in 1971 Bob Lanier won, defeating guards Pete Maravich, Mike Newlin and Jo Jo White along the way. In 1973, Geoff Petrie won, defeating two Hall of Famers (Bob Dandridge and Bob McAdoo along the way). So my guess would be that a dominating post player (like Shaq or Wilt) a pure shooter (Bird or Curry) would probably win.

If I had to come up with a group I think the winner would come from, I would say Wilt, Hakeem, Bird, Magic, Giannis, Jordan or Robertson. Defending the big guys would be a huge issue for players like Curry, Nash and Iverson, and chasing the guards would be a problem for Jokić, Shaq, Duncan, Kareem, Dirk or K. Malone, and I think not having a reliable enough outside shot would do in players like Erving, James, Kobe, Garnett and Barkley.

Personally, I think it would come down to Wilt, Bird or Jordan. Nobody had the combination of size and skill that Wilt did, Bird could outshoot anybody (except Curry who would have a hard time guarding a great forward or center), and Jordan was the most competitive great player ever.

But then it could always turn out to be someone like Chris Mullin or Rick Barry or Kevin Durrant getting hot and just shooting the lights out. We'll never know.

Curry would be BBQ chicken. Bird has a chance since he was elite post defender.

[jasonxxx102]

How on earth is anyone stopping Wilt 1v1??? People don’t even think and just put Jordan it’s so funny.

Prime Wilt could absolutely slow down Jordan and there is absolutely no chance of Jordan stopping Wilt for even a single possession.

[LAL1947]

People don’t even think and just put Jordan it’s so funny.

Prime Wilt could absolutely slow down Jordan and there is absolutely no chance of Jordan stopping Wilt for even a single possession.

All he needs is to steal the ball one time as Wilt is backing down...

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