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When MVP and perennial All-Star Kevin Durant signed on with the Golden State Warriors in 2016, not only did he join a super team that had just won 73 games in the regular season, he also joined a team that already featured a two-time NBA MVP in Stephen Curry.
Two years later, along with two more championships for the Golden State Warriors the dynamic duo are quickly gaining speed to become two of the greatest players to ever end up on the same team. But they are just the most recent pairing on a long list of stars who have teamed up to win championships, so lets take a look back at the best combos ever to play in the NBA.
#5. LeBron James and Dwayne Wade
It shook the world when LeBron James took his talents to South Beach to team up with best mate Dwayne Wade following the 2010 NBA season.
Very much the first self made "big three" along with Chris Bosh, and although James was infamously quoted saying "not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, not 5, not 6, not 7" the duo was still very much dominate in the NBA for the four years they were together, making the NBA finals in all 4 years and winning two championships. During this time the heat also rattled off a 27-game winning streak, the second of all time in a singular season.
#4. Karl Malone and John Stockton
Both players regarded as one of the greatest of all time to never win a championship. Although they never reached an NBA title, this duo made the playoffs in each of their 18 years together in Utah, a truly incredible feat for the pair.
Stockton, the NBA's all time assists leader, and Malone, the second highest all time points scorer, dominated on the court for season after season amassing an NBA record 1,142 games as teammates.
The duo both have their numbers retired by the Utah Jazz, #12 for Stockton and #32 for Malone.
#3. Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal
Two of the most unguardable players the NBA has ever seen, on the same team. Kobe and Shaq were an unstoppable force of nature when paired together on the Los Angeles Lakers, immortalising their team in becoming only the fourth ever franchise to complete a three-peat between the years 2000-2002
While they stay at #3 on this list of greatest combos ever, it is still unknown just how much success these two NBA legends could have had if they had stuck together. Eight years together was enough for the pair as they constantly feuded throughout their career as teammates. For many years the inability for one to take the limelight off the other caused havoc in the dressing room, and even though they managed to figure out how to win on the court, the off court issues grew larger and larger after every season.
A day of the Lakers traded away Shaq to the Miami Heat in 2004, Kobe signed a seven year deal for the Lakers ending the locker room feud and potentially the greatest on court partnership we have ever seen.
#2. Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
On many fans lists of top five players of all time, Kareem and Magic formed an incredible on court duo. They two superstars made eight trips to the Finals during their 10 year stint as teammates while bringing home five NBA titles back to Los Angeles.
Potentially the flashiest duo ever they were the spearhead of the famous Showtime Lakers, with Magic Johnson being one of the best passers in history and Kareem one of the most unstoppable scorers, it was hard for any team to match up.
Winning the 1987 and 1988 titles together the two paved the way for the Lakers to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since the Bill Russel Celtic era.
#1. Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen
It shouldn't be a surprise to many that these two are the top of this list and many others. Jordan and Pippen were the key part of the greatest team of all time in the '90s, going 6-0 in NBA Finals winning two three-peats.
Although Michael Jordan is to many people the greatest player to ever set foot on a basketball court, he was unable to win a singular playoff series in the early stages of his career, that was until Scottie Pippen arrived at the Chicago Bulls.
Breaking record after record together, this two cemented there place as true basketball legends time and time again. A season winning 72 games, six championships, countless All-Star appearances between them, and seemingly a perfect fit to each others strengths and weakness, we will assumable not see any pairing that can top these two in quite some time.
