Kevin Garnett says he was better player than Tim Duncan: "Thought I did more, all around a better player"

Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan were arguably the best power forwards during their time in the league. However, Timmy has always been regarded as better because he had a more successful NBA career and played on more championship teams.

But if you ask KG, he thinks that team success aside, he was the better ball player than TD because his game was more well-rounded.

"I would say so," said Duncan during a segment of Complex's 'I Got Time Today.' "I didn't play on probably better teams than Timmy played, but I thought I was a better player. Thought I did more, all around a better player, but shout to Timmy and his body of work and what he did too. Salute."

Duncan was drafted into a very good team

Garnett argues that Duncan played for better teams. When Timmy arrived in San Antonio, he joined a team with David Robinson and Sean Elliott. That's why it wasn't a surprise that the Spurs won the title in Duncan's second NBA season. Truth be told, his addition impacted the team massively as they had 36 more wins with him in the starting lineup.

Duncan won two more in 2003, 2005, and 2007 with Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili before Garnett finally won his first ring with the Celtics in 2008. While Timmy was drafted into a good team, KG joined an underachieving Timberwolves team led by Tom Gugliotta and JR Rider. After missing the playoffs in his rookie year, Garnett's Wolves lost seven first-round playoff series before making their only WCF appearance in 2004.

Head-to-head , Duncan had more rings 5-1, First Team All-NBA team selections 10-4, All-NBA teams 15-9, All-Defensive teams 15-12, and MVPs 2-1. But KG won the DPOY award in 2008 and had more All-Defensive first-team selections 9-8 than TD. Garnett also led the NBA in rebounding in four straight seasons from 2004-07.

Arenas gave his take on Duncan

Similarly, former Washington Wizards All-Star guard Gilbert Arenas thinks that Garnett was better than Duncan. Agent Zero said in an episode of his Gil's Arena podcast that TD was only good because he had a good team around him .

"Before Tim Duncan, 50 games, 50 games, 50 games. And then Tim Duncan's in the Draft, and they tank it like they did to get Wemby, and then you add Tim Duncan, the National Player of the Year, to a team that's winning 50 games in the NBA." Arenas said . "He was good because he has a good team around him."

If Garnett had been drafted into the Spurs team that picked Duncan in 1998, they would still have won five total championships. And Big Ticket would right now be considered as the best power forward ever. This is not to diminish Duncan's legacy, but KG might be the right one for this one.

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