When groups carry collectively a pair of superstars, each basketball skilled can not help however take into consideration its championship promise. However whereas some duos will be anticipated, that is not at all times the case. Here’s a have a look at the ten most sudden famous person pairings in NBA historical past.
To say Luka Doncic’s commerce to the Los Angeles Lakers caught all people unexpectedly is a large understatement. The Dallas Mavericks have been coming off their greatest season in years, and Doncic was the younger star main the cost. The Mavs gave no indication they weren’t keen to provide Doncic a supermax contract, which is what led to some of the stunning NBA trades ever on the 2025 NBA Commerce Deadline.
2. LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal
When the Cleveland Cavaliers wished to get a second star to play alongside LeBron James in his first stint with the Cavs, the group managed to choose up Shaquille O’Neal. The one drawback was that Shaq was not in his prime. Nonetheless, the Huge Diesel was nonetheless an imposing presence within the paint. Sadly, the duo wasn’t sufficient to get previous a well-seasoned Boston Celtics group within the Japanese Convention within the 2010 NBA Playoffs.
3. Michael Jordan and Robert Parish
Robert Parish was one of many driving forces of the Celtics dynasty within the ’80s that led to a few NBA championships. Nonetheless, nobody would’ve thought that the Celtics legend would finish his profession in Chicago. Round this time, the Bulls have been campaigning for a back-to-back championship run that turned out to be a three-peat. Parish ended his profession enjoying alongside Michael Jordan, successful a title in 1997.
4. Hakeem Olajuwon and Vince Carter
Everybody anticipated that Hakeem Olajuwon would finish his profession in Houston with the Rockets. However in a stunning flip of occasions, Olajuwon was despatched to Toronto in August 2001. Whereas it was an uneventful stint, the transfer did permit Olajuwon to group up with a younger and athletic Vince Carter. It wasn’t precisely a dream matchup. Nonetheless, it was an odd pairing of kinds that did not precisely elevate the Raptors into NBA contenders .
5. Kobe Bryant and Dennis Rodman
From making his mark in Chicago with Michael Jordan, nobody anticipated that Dennis Rodman would really take his act to Los Angeles the place he really teamed up with one other nice, Kobe Bryant. However round that point, Bryant was nonetheless a creating rising star. Rodman’s stint in 1998-99 with the Purple and Gold wasn’t precisely memorable. The Lakers needed to transfer on from Rodman earlier than they launched into a three-peat run of their very own.
6. Tim Duncan and Tracy McGrady
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Over the past stretch of his profession, Tracy McGrady had a strong probability of successful a championship ring. After taking his act to China, T-Mac joined the Spurs in time for the postseason. This paved the way in which for an sudden team-up between T-Mac and Tim Duncan. Beforehand rivals, T-Mac performed sparingly for the San Antonio Spurs. Nonetheless, this duo was really fairly near successful a title collectively till Ray Allen spoiled the occasion within the 2013 NBA Finals.
When Kevin Garnett was almost hanging up his sneakers, he returned to the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2015 the place he began his profession. This paved the way in which for an uncommon pairing of the previous and the current elite huge males. Garnett was the face of the franchise for the Timberwolves within the 2000s, whereas Cities was establishing himself within the league.
8. Luka Doncic and Dirk Nowitzki
In comparable style, one other pairing of the previous and the current emerged in Dallas. Dirk Nowitzki was on his approach out, as Doncic had simply been acquired by the Mavs on a draft-day commerce. Each elite gamers have been a part of all the franchise’s NBA Finals appearances. Whereas the pairing did not quantity to any success, it was a sight to witness two of the franchise greats enjoying aspect by aspect for Doncic’s rookie season.
9. Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony
Provided that Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony are each ball-heavy isolation scorers, it is arduous to assume as to why any basic supervisor would wish to carry them collectively in a group. Surprisingly, that is simply what the Denver Nuggets did for 2 seasons from 2006-2008. Though the Nuggets seemed aggressive on some events, it was Melo’s and Iverson’s want to place factors to their names that additionally prevented the group’s success.
After one other uneventful hunt for a championship in Los Angeles, Paul George took his skills to Philadelphia within the current offseason. George determined to group up with former NBA MVP Joel Embiid. It was an unlikely partnership of kinds, however George did declare that Embiid was “secretly” certainly one of his shut associates, as per experiences. However provided that the Sixers are close to the underside of the Japanese Convention, issues aren’t wanting nice for the injury-riddled duo.