Whether it’s on the court or off the court, we all know Patrick Beverley isn’t afraid to open his mouth.
The former Chicago Bull and long-time NBA journeyman has shared his fair share of hot takes on the Pat Bev Podcast, and he supplied us with another this week. Beverley made the case that NBA superstars are far too common, and the real special players are those who fill roles similar to his.
“Me and a good friend, we have a conversation about stars and superstars,” Beverley said on the latest episode. “Steph Currys, LeBron James, Kobe Bryants, Michael Jordans, those guys come all the time. We might not understand it – ‘oh, those guys are a dime a dozen.” [But] look up [and] it’s the next. It’s the next Derrick Rose; it’s the next Russell Westbrook. Only one Draymond Green. Only one Pat Bev. Only one Dennis Rodman. I would put Marcus Smart up there. I would put Jrue Holiday yup there.”
On the one hand, I kinda sorta understand the point he’s trying to make. The NBA is a superstar league and it feels like almost every team has someone playing under a max contract. Conversely, not every team has valuable two-way contributors like Draymond Green or Jrue Holiday. They may not be lighting up the scoreboard or draining the biggest shot of the night, but they’re snatching key offensive rebounds or coming up with crucial defensive stops. Doing the dirty work is a special skill, and every winning team needs someone with that skill set.
On the other hand, there is a reason teams led primarily by Green or Holiday … or Patrick Beverley … don’t win NBA titles. And, no, players like freakin’ Michael Jordan and LeBron James don’t come around often! Even the two players he goes on to name – Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook – don’t help his case. Were both considered superstar players? Absolutely. But neither led their team to an NBA Championship. There are levels to this thing, and only a very few truly reach the highest level.
I also couldn’t help but chuckle as Beverley practically poked a hole in his own argument. If his whole case revolves around the fact that a player like himself is so rare, why is he able to go on and name several players that fill a similar role?
Again, none of this is to say players like Beverley aren’t important. They are, and we need to look no further than his decade-plus career to see just that. However, let’s also recognize that there are levels to this thing. Top 10 players of all time don’t come around every year. And that should go without saying.