Allen Iverson’s All-Time Starting Five Features Multiple Lakers Legends

Over the past few years, one of the most popular debates in the NBA has been current and former players picking their all-time starting five or their Mount Rushmore of legends.

Plenty of players have chimed in with who would be on their all-time starting five, and most of the time, there are a few Los Angeles Lakers legends on those lists.

Allen Iverson Adds Lakers Legends to All-Time Starting Five

The latest to give their all-time starting five is Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson, who took to his Instagram account, simply saying:

“With all due respect to YOURS, this is MY top 5. #AintNobodyWrong! #ToEachhisown”

The Hall of Famer has always been incredibly respectful to Lakers legends, especially Kobe Bryant, whom he admired and had several battles with during their playing careers.

Bryant made Iverson’s all-time starting five, along with Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal and Stephen Curry.

That’s about as solid a starting five ever put together, but Iverson will likely get some pushback for going with Curry over Lakers legend Magic Johnson at point guard.

However, Iverson played against every player that he named, missing Johnson by one season, when the five-time NBA champion came out of retirement to play 32 games for the Lakers before retiring once again.

Magic Johnson-Stephen Curry Debate Continues to Heat Up

Before Stephen Curry changed the game with the Golden State Warriors, revolutionizing three-point shooting in the NBA, many considered Magic Johnson to be the greatest point guard of all time.

Johnson was the leader of the Showtime Lakers alongside fellow legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who dominated the 80s, with Pat Riley calling the shots on the sideline, and the bitter rivalry with the Boston Celtics being taken to another level entirely.

The Lakers legend changed the way the point guard position was played at 6’9”, bringing size and a different style, with a run-and-gun offense that dominated opponents who simply couldn’t keep up with Showtime.

As for Curry, while playing alongside Klay Thompson, he showed that the three-point shot can be the focal point of an offense, leading to one of the best teams in league history, which finished with an NBA-best record of 73-9 in 2016.

Curry’s Warriors went on to have a run similar to Johnson’s Showtime Lakers, winning four titles under head coach Steve Kerr and forcing the rest of the league to adjust to the three-point shooting era.

Although Curry’s impact on the game is undeniable, I still believe Johnson is the best point guard we’ve ever seen in the NBA, with a style and pace of play that we might not ever see again.

The debate will rage on, especially if Curry wins another title before calling it a career, which might be a stretch at this point, but anything can happen in today’s NBA.

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