The All My Kind of Guy Team- NBA Edition

Not much going on in the world of UMBC athletics but I’m posting my all kind of guy team for the NBA much like I did for college basketball

Jason Kidd, Point Guard, Dallas Mavericks

I always have liked Jason Kidd. The guy can do it all but is one of the most unselfish players in the game. The 20 assists games against Phoenix towards the end of the end of the season in a do or die game just shows that he trust his team mates.

Kobe Bryant, Shooting Guard, Los Angeles Lakers

Say what you want about him but the guy just doesn’t want to lose. Those are the players I like. He’s disgusted by the thought of losing and will do what ever if takes to win. But as much as people think it, he’s not selfish. He knows when to make his shot and take it but he loves his teammates and understands that without them he can’t win. He credited Trevor Ariza for getting them to the finals, Derek Fisher for winning game two and Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom for containing Dwight Howard and he said without them he couldn’t have won.

Shane Battier, Small Forward, Houston Rockets

I hate the fact that I like him because he’s a Duke boy and I hate everything about Duke, but there is just something about him that I like. He rarely gets the credit he deserves but in my opinion he was the best player on the rockets this year. He was overshadowed by Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming, and Ron Artest but without Battier they wouldn’t have done that well, which showed when he stepped up when those guys were out. He’s without a doubt on of the best defenders, if not the best defender, in the NBA and can hit those clutch shots when the team needs. For a Duke boy he’s not so bad.

Lamar Odom, Power Forward, Los Angeles Lakers

There is little doubt that right now Lamar Odom is one of the best forwards in the game. He doesn’t get the recognition he deserves as a great forward but there aren’t many better than him. He’s so athletic and so strong that he just pushed his way around and he always seems to make a play when the team needs it most, whether it be a block, layup, pass, or key defensive stop.

Shaquile O’Neil, Center, Phoenix Suns

He’s the best player of my generation (I’m counting Michael Jordon a little before my time because I was only nine when he retired from the Bulls). Shaq is just the great charismatic big man that backs everything up on the court and a guy every team wants. four time champions, 15 time all-star, and KAZAAM!!! what’s not to love.

***I’m going to give an honorary spot on the team to Courtney Lee, Shooting Guard, Orlando Magic. It’s hard to top Kobe, who’s my favorite player, but Courtney Lee is going to be a star very soon. He’s a solid defender and though he wasn’t asked to score much on the team he very well could have scored 15.0+ ppg. I loved him in college when he carried that Western Kentucky team to the sweet 16 and I love him now, he and Dwight Howard are going to be a great 1-2 punch.