6 Players That Will Have Better Legacies Than Kobe Bryant and LeBron James

Kobe Bryant and LeBron James are going down as two of the best basketball players ever. Still, there are lots of mixed feelings about the two players. No one questions their talent, but people still love to hate them. 

There are not many people in the history of basketball that are better than Kobe and LeBron, but other players may be remembered more fondly when NBA fans look back.

Let's take a look at six players whose legacies will be even better than Kobe's or LeBron's.

Derrick Rose

Derrick Rose is all business on the court and has developed into one of the elite players in the league. With lightning quickness and one of the most unguardable shots in the league with his floater, Rose has evolved into arguably the best point guard in the league. 

With one MVP already under his belt and a shot to be on a competitive Bulls team for the foreseeable future, Rose could one day be seen as an all-time great. 

Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard has already established himself as both the best center and best defensive player in the league. 

Dwight really needs to make a longer run in the playoffs, however, if he wants to be considered an all-time great player. Whether he goes to a different team or stays in Orlando, Dwight needs to be a more complete player.

He's started to refine his offensive game in the past few seasons, but for Dwight to truly become great, he needs to establish himself as a late-game scorer, not someone who can be hacked and sent to the free-throw line every time he gets a touch.

Kevin Durant

The Durantula is one of the most gifted scorers of this generation and has shown he can be a go-to scorer. Now that the Thunder are a dominant team, Durant has the chance to be an MVP and an NBA champion. 

Always a fan favorite, Durant has an advantage over Kobe and LeBron in that category. People will always be more popular than LeBron, but so far James has shown that he has a more complete game, too.

If Durant could take the next step as NBA champion, he could pass LeBron in championships.

Tim Duncan

The four-time NBA champion, Duncan has been called the best power forward in the history of the game. Always a professional, Duncan has become a bit underrated because of how humble he is. 

While he might not be remembered as the greatest player ever, he may be remembered as the best teammate ever. 

As a three-time NBA Finals MVP, Duncan has proven that he was the best player on a Spurs team that has consistently shown itself to be one of the best teams in the league. 

Duncan will always be remembered for being a smart player and will go down as one of the top players of all time. 

Steve Nash

When you think of Nash, passing obviously comes to mind, but he brings so much more than that to the table. When the Mavericks forced him to shoot during the playoffs, he dropped 48 on them.

Nash already has two MVP awards, and this summer he may be switching to a contending team. If he can finally reach the promised land and win the NBA championship, there will be no doubt about Nash's legacy. 

While Kobe and LeBron will always be thought of as scorers, Nash is a great team player. People will always remember Nash as unselfish, but if he can join a contender and get a title or two, Nash will have a great career. 

Kyrie Irving

I know it's early, but Kyrie Irving has already shown his killer instinct this season by hitting some big shots down the stretch of games. 

Kobe Bryant averaged about 15 points his second year in the league. In only his first year, Irving is averaging 18.8 points and 5.7 assists. 

His scoring ability is evident, but his vision as a point guard has made him stand out as the best rookie this year. While he's young, Irving has the best chance out of any rookie to become a player on the level of Kobe and LeBron.