Hoops Habit
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NBA History: 25 best sidekicks of all time

By Hans Themistode

LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES: Kobe Bryant (L), Shaquille O'Neal (C) and Brian Shaw (R) of the Los Angeles Lakers joke on the bench during the final minutes in game four of the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs 27 May 2001 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. The Lakers beat the Spurs 111-82 to sweep the best-of-seven series 4-0. AFP PHOTO/Mike NELSON (Photo credit should read MIKE NELSON/AFP via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES: Kobe Bryant (L), Shaquille O'Neal (C) and Brian Shaw (R) of the Los Angeles Lakers joke on the bench during the final minutes in game four of the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs 27 May 2001 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. The Lakers beat the Spurs 111-82 to sweep the best-of-seven series 4-0. AFP PHOTO/Mike NELSON (Photo credit should read MIKE NELSON/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Tim Duncan & Tony Parker
Tim Duncan & Tony Parker (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

NBA superstars are usually called to the front of the congregation. From there, fans and media pundits heap enormous amounts of praise on their shoulders.

Most of it is warranted. When teams win big, the best player is given the lion’s share of the credit. When they fall short, they receive the lion’s share of the blame. It may not seem fair but that’s just how it goes.

The big shots, game-winning passes, and defensive stops are all important but it isn’t solely up to a team’s best player to get the job done. More times than not, the teams second best player, or in this case, the sidekick is just as important to winning as anyone else on the team. The only problem is, they oftentimes fall deep into the shadows and are forgotten.

Well, not anymore. With secondary players receiving little to no love, we’ve decided to place the spotlight squarely on them as we dive into the 25 best sidekicks in NBA history. To qualify a player must have been in a sidekick role for at least three seasons.

Admittedly, there are a ton of them but we believe we have narrowed them down to the best of the best. And while you may think you know who checks in at number one on our list, you might be in for a surprise.