Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo sent NBA Twitter into a frenzy Saturday night after casually sharing his all-time starting five—a bold, modern lineup that left fans debating not just who made the cut, but where they were placed.
The two-time MVP isn’t known for frequent social media posts, but when he speaks, the basketball world listens. His now-viral tweet listed the following all-time lineup:
“1. Steph 2. MJ 3. Kobe 4. KD 5. Bron”
Short, sharp, and instantly polarizing. The tweet amassed over 91,000 likes and 6.5 million impressions within the first 24 hours, proof that this conversation is far from over.
LeBron at Center? Fans Are Split
The biggest shock wasn’t who made Giannis’ list—it was how he arranged them. Placing LeBron James at the center position lit up timelines with everything from admiration to confusion. While James has proven capable of playing all five positions throughout his career, locking him in at the five over names like Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan, or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sparked heated debate.
“Bron at center??? I mean he can play any position but still,” one fan joked.
“Too many ball-dominant players. Kobe, Bron, and KD? Someone’s gotta take a backseat,” another wrote.
The discussion highlighted one of the most consistent challenges in all-time lineups: fit vs. talent. While each player Giannis selected is individually elite, questions remain about how they’d function as a unit—particularly in terms of shot distribution, rebounding, and interior defense.
Kobe Gets His Flowers
If there’s one element of Giannis’ list that sparked universal applause, it was the inclusion of Kobe Bryant. While some fans argued that pairing Kobe and Michael Jordan was stylistically redundant, many saw it as a deserved nod to the late Lakers legend.
“Funny how the greatest players always include Kobe,” one user commented, pointing out how NBA stars consistently acknowledge Bryant’s greatness, even when media and fans sometimes leave him out of similar lists.
Giannis’ pick reinforces Kobe’s continued relevance in these debates, and the deep respect he still commands among the game’s elite.
A Player’s Perspective
While most all-time lists are fan-made hypotheticals, Giannis’ version hits differently. As a current player and former MVP entering his 13th NBA season, his opinion carries weight. His lineup leans heavily into modern dominance and offensive firepower, featuring five players known not just for scoring, but for changing the game in their own era.
It’s also worth noting that Giannis left off traditional big men entirely—perhaps a reflection of how much the game has evolved since the days of dominant post play.
The Debate Rolls On
There’s no definitive answer to the all-time starting five question—that’s the beauty of it. Every fan, analyst, and player has their own lens. What Giannis has done is reignite the conversation, and in doing so, reminded us why we love the game: because the legends never stop competing, even in theory.
Whether you agree with Steph, MJ, Kobe, KD, and Bron, or think there’s a glaring omission (hello, Shaq, Kareem, Magic, Bird), one thing is clear: Giannis Antetokounmpo knows the game and when he speaks, the league pays attention.