# @undrafted.sports on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DZ3lEI6s-R3
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/66995691-undraftedsports-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/8e7f428354.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-06-22T00:44:01.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Undrafted Sports (@undrafted.sports) — https://gondola.cc/undrafted.sports

## Caption

One of the biggest debates in sports is the difference between a franchise’s best player and its greatest player. The two aren’t always the same. An NBA team’s best basketball player is about talent and peak performance. It’s the player who reached the highest level while wearing that team’s jersey. For the Toronto Raptors, that’s Kawhi Leonard. During his lone season, he delivered Toronto Raptors fans one of the greatest NBA Championship runs that basketball fans have ever seen, averaging nearly 31 points per game throughout the playoffs and leading the franchise to its first NBA title. When the lights were brightest, Kawhi played like the best player on the planet.

But a basketball team’s greatest NBA player is about more than peak talent. It’s about longevity, leadership, loyalty, franchise of NBA records, impact, and who helped define the franchise.

That’s why so many Raptors fans consider Kyle Lowry the greatest player in team history. Lowry spent nine seasons playing basketball in Toronto, helped transform the Raptors from a solid playoff team into a perennial contender, made multiple NBA All-Star appearances, went to an NBA Finals, and left as the franchise’s all-time leader in assists and steals. He wasn’t just part of the Raptors’ culture, he created it.

Kawhi gave Toronto the highest peak. Lowry gave Toronto the greatest journey. One delivered the greatest season in franchise history. The other delivered the greatest career in franchise history.

Now let’s look at some other NBA teams. For the Miami Heat, LeBron James was the NBA franchise best basketball player, but Dwayne Wade is the greatest Miami Heat NBA player of all time. Larry Bird was the best player for the Boston Celtics, but Bill Russell is the GOAT. Magic Johnson is the best basketball player to ever play for the Los Angeles Lakers, but the best LA Lakers basketball player of all time is Kobe Bryant. Kevin Durant is the best player the Oklahoma City Thunder has ever seen, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the best OKC Thunder player of all time since SGA brought them an NBA Championship.
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#nbamemes #nbahistory #basketballdebate #lebronjames #kobebryant

## Stats

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- **Likes:** 16,764
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- **Comments:** 511

## Tags

kobebryant, nbahistory, lebronjames, basketballdebate, nbamemes

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