Isiah Thomas Reacts On Kevin Garnett's All-Time Starting Lineup: 'Awful'

His statement echoed the sentiments of many fans, who found Garnett’s choices both surprising and debatable.

Appearing on the MILLION DOLLAZ WORTH OF GAME podcast, Kevin Garnett unveiled his hypothetical all-time starting five, which immediately sparked debates. 

"Damn, my starting five? Magic at one, just because he's 6'9", he can see everybody."

"Now I got to go MJ. Matter of fact, I'm going to put Kobe on my two. Kobe going to be my two. I got Kobe at my two. I know you're gonna say MJ, I'm supposed to that shot the MJ cuz he the guard and we copied him and s---, but I got Kobe at my two." 

"I really want to put AI in here somewhere, but I got all the team cuz I'm gonna switch everything. You know I'm saying, I'm put KD at my three, KD's he's like a real fade. You know I'm saying and then I'm going with Wilt. I'm playing the four." 

"Threes, fours, and fives, switching everything. That's how I'm coming." 

"My backup point guard going to be Pete Maravich. All right, then I'm going to go A.I. coming off the bench, because he's buckets all day. All right? Big Dog at the three. Sheed at four. Then I'm going Shaq at five. Coming off the bench. And then if I need two more to come off, I'm gonna go get VC because he was a bucket in Georgia."

His lineup included Magic Johnson as the point guard, Kobe Bryant as the shooting guard, Kevin Durant as small forward, Garnett himself as power forward, and Wilt Chamberlain anchoring the center position.

This decision alone raised eyebrows, as leaving out Jordan—the widely regarded GOAT—seemed almost sacrilegious to basketball purists.

To round out his bench, Garnett picked Pete Maravich as his backup point guard, Allen Iverson as the sixth man, and Shaquille O’Neal as the backup center. He also included Rasheed Wallace at the four, Vince Carter as a scoring option, and Michael Jordan at the three. While Thomas didn’t elaborate further, his reaction underscored the general disbelief surrounding Garnett’s picks.

Leaving out Michael Jordan from the starting lineup, as well as omitting LeBron James—one of the greatest and most versatile players of all time—drew significant backlash. Fans also questioned Garnett’s selection of Pete Maravich as a backup over other legendary point guards like John Stockton or Oscar Robertson. The inclusion of Rasheed Wallace and Glenn Robinson was equally perplexing, given the depth of talent available for an all-time roster.

Garnett’s lineup does include some undeniable legends. Magic Johnson is often considered the greatest point guard in history, while Kobe Bryant is widely regarded as the best shooting guard after Jordan. Kevin Durant is a generational scorer, and Wilt Chamberlain’s dominance in his era speaks for itself. Garnett's decision to include himself highlights his confidence in his own abilities as one of the premier forwards in NBA history.

However, his lineup also features some glaring omissions. Michael Jordan’s exclusion is the most shocking, given his six championships, five MVPs, and status as the NBA’s all-time playoff scorer. LeBron James, another clear candidate for an all-time lineup, was also left out despite his unparalleled versatility and longevity. Fans also questioned the bench picks, particularly the inclusion of Maravich and Carter over players like Dwyane Wade, Tim Duncan, or Larry Bird.

Garnett’s choices reflect personal preferences and a desire to craft a lineup built on his own experiences and biases. By including players like Kobe and Durant, he emphasized scoring versatility and athleticism. His choice to play himself at power forward also speaks to his belief in his own defensive and offensive capabilities.

Thomas’s sharp critique, however, reminds us of the subjective nature of such hypothetical lists. Everyone has their own criteria for greatness, but the exclusion of players like Jordan and LeBron naturally invites criticism, given their undeniable impact on the game.

Kevin Garnett’s all-time lineup may be polarizing, but it has succeeded in sparking debate about basketball greatness. Isiah Thomas’s blunt dismissal of the lineup as “awful” reflects the passionate discussions that all-time rankings often ignite. While Garnett’s choices might not align with popular opinion, his perspective adds another layer to the endless conversation about who deserves a spot among the NBA’s all-time elite.

Isiah Thomas Selected His All-Time Lineup In 2018

In an April 2020 interview with Bill Reiter of CBS Sports, Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas named his all-time lineup, comprising Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and Julius Erving. Known for his fierce competitive nature and pivotal role in the "Bad Boys" era, Thomas’s selections sparked both admiration and controversy among fans and analysts alike.

Thomas, a two-time NBA champion and one of the best point guards in league history, faced off against several all-time greats during his illustrious career. His acknowledgment of Michael Jordan on the list, despite their heated rivalry, garnered some praise. However, Thomas controversially ranked Jordan at #4, behind Bird, Magic, and Abdul-Jabbar, which many viewed as a slight toward the six-time NBA champion and widely recognized GOAT.

Fadeaway World added an interesting twist to the conversation by hypothetically pitting Thomas’s all-time team against another star-studded lineup. The debate underscored the subjective nature of such rankings and highlighted the depth of talent Thomas faced in his prime. 

While Thomas’s choices reflected his personal experiences and era, his lineup reignited conversations about the legacy and impact of the NBA’s greatest players across generations.