That’s a terrific starting five, but Edwards then decided to make one change.
“I want to change my four,” Edwards stated. “My four gonna be Nikola Jokic. My four is Jokic. No disrespect to Tim Duncan… They gonna foul Shaq, so I need somebody who gonna make it so easy for Shaq.”
Before we get to the omissions, let’s take a look at the players Edwards went with.
LeBron James is the point guard for this team, and some consider him to be the greatest player of all time. James has won four titles, four Finals MVPs, four MVPs, a scoring title, and an assists title. He has made 21 All-Star and 20 All-NBA teams and is also the league’s all-time leading scorer.
James’ backcourt partner is the man who is widely regarded as the greatest ever, Michael Jordan. Jordan won six titles, six Finals MVPs, five MVPs, one DPOY, and 10 scoring titles in his storied career. He made 14 All-Star and 11 All-NBA teams.
Edwards’ idol, Kevin Durant, slots in at small forward. Durant might just be the most complete scorer the game has ever seen and has won two titles, two Finals MVPs, an MVP, and four scoring titles. He has made 15 All-Star and 11 All-NBA teams.
Nikola Jokic was the third and final active player to make Edwards’ lineup. Edwards had some very high praise for Jokic after their last meeting, and the Serbian has won a title, a Finals MVP, and three MVPs so far in his career. He has also made seven All-Star and six All-NBA teams.
Shaquille O’Neal got the nod from Edwards for the center spot, and he is the most dominant player in modern NBA history. O’Neal won four titles, three Finals MVPs, an MVP, and two scoring titles in his career. He made 15 All-Star and 14 All-NBA teams
All five players Edwards went with have won at least a title and an MVP. None of them look out of place when it comes to an all-time lineup.
As for the biggest names that Edwards left out, you’d think of the likes of Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, Magic Johnson, and Tim Duncan. Durant and Jokic would probably be the ones who’d have to make way for them.
What is rather interesting about this lineup from Edwards is how it has changed from a few years ago. Back in 2022, his all-time lineup included himself, James, Durant, O’Neal, and Allen Iverson. He has now removed himself and Iverson for Jordan and Jokic.
Edwards’ love and admiration for Durant are well-known, but he did seem to have a soft spot for Iverson, too. When asked to name his top five players of all time in 2023, Edwards included Iverson and left off James. The other four on his list were Durant, O’Neal, Jordan, and Bryant. Durant and O’Neal were the only players Edwards named on all three occasions, which speaks to how highly he thinks of them.
