𝘾𝙝𝙚𝙘𝙠𝙨 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙉𝘽𝘼 𝙤𝙣 𝘾𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙋𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙨: 𝙒𝙝𝙤’𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙊𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙉𝘽𝘼 𝙃𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮?

### NBA on ClutchPoints: Who’s the Best Second Option in NBA History?

 

**By Grok Staff Writer**

*Raleigh News & Observer*

*November 12, 2025*

 

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — In the pantheon of NBA lore, where spotlights burn brightest on the alphas—the Michael Jordans, LeBron Jameses, and Stephen Currys—the unsung architects of glory often lurk in the shadows. These are the second options: the elite talents who don’t demand the ball but elevate dynasties, deliver daggers in crunch time, and etch their names into championship lore without ever fully claiming the throne. A viral Instagram post from ClutchPoints last summer ignited the eternal debate, posing the question with a carousel of contenders: Kyrie Irving’s ankle-breaking Finals dagger for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Kobe Bryant’s twilight synergy with Shaquille O’Neal, Scottie Pippen’s lockdown versatility beside Jordan, Anthony Davis’s two-way terror alongside LeBron, and Kevin Durant’s scoring supernova on the Golden State Warriors. “Who’s the best second option in NBA history? 🤔 When it comes to legendary sidekicks, the debate runs deep,” the post read, racking up thousands of likes and a torrent of hot takes.<grok:render card_id=”1e8c64″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>

<argument name=”citation_id”>10</argument>

</grok:render> As the 2025-26 season tips off amid a league reshaped by superteams and supertrades, this conversation feels timelier than ever. With new duos like Luka Dončić and Anthony Davis in L.A. testing the formula, let’s dive into the debate, ranking the top five contenders and exploring why one edges out the pack.

 

At the heart of any great second option is symbiosis: the ability to amplify a star without eclipsing them, to thrive in the margins while delivering when it counts. It’s a role that demands sacrifice—fewer touches, tougher defensive assignments, and the humility to let the one shine. ClutchPoints’ post nailed the essence, spotlighting players who turned deference into dominance. But to crown a king, we must weigh rings, individual brilliance, longevity, and that intangible: how indispensable they were to their partner’s peak.

 

No. 5: Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers, 2014-2017, alongside LeBron James). Uncle Drew’s magic was pure sorcery, a sleight-of-hand artistry that made the impossible routine. His 2016 Finals Game 7 step-back three over Golden State’s Draymond Green—off a screen from James himself—remains one of the gutsiest shots in NBA history, sealing Cleveland’s first title and completing the 3-1 comeback miracle.<grok:render card_id=”19aca6″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>

<argument name=”citation_id”>10</argument>

</grok:render> Averaging 19.6 points and 3.4 assists in those playoffs, Irving wasn’t just a scorer; he was a pressure valve, relieving LeBron of isolation burdens with his handles and hesitation dribbles. Yet his second-option tenure was brief and bumpy—ego clashes led to his 2017 trade demand—and his post-Cavs career, while All-Star caliber, hasn’t yielded another ring. Irving’s peak was poetic, but fleeting; he’s the fireworks, not the foundation.

 

Climbing to No. 4: Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers, 1996-2004, alongside Shaquille O’Neal). The Black Mamba’s evolution from precocious sidekick to co-alpha defined an era. In the early 2000s Lakers dynasty—three straight titles from 2000-02—Kobe averaged 22.5 points as the “junior partner,” his mid-range mastery and footwork complementing Shaq’s paint annihilation.<grok:render card_id=”5a29fa” card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>

<argument name=”citation_id”>2</argument>

</grok:render> Remember Game 4 of the 2001 Finals? Kobe’s 32 points, including clutch jumpers, forced overtime in a win over Philly. But the friction was real: Shaq’s dominance (three Finals MVPs) bred resentment, culminating in Kobe’s 2004 trade demand. Bryant’s second-option phase birthed the triangle offense’s beauty, but it was a chrysalis—he emerged as the Lakers’ lone alpha for two more rings. ClutchPoints highlighted the 2003 version, where Kobe’s 30-point average edged Shaq’s, signaling the shift.<grok:render card_id=”cc70b3″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>

<argument name=”citation_id”>10</argument>

</grok:render> Kobe was the heir apparent, not the eternal wingman.

 

No. 3: Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers, 2019-present, alongside LeBron James). The Brow’s two-way apocalypse makes him the modern blueprint for second-option supremacy. In the 2020 bubble, Davis averaged 25 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks en route to the title, earning unanimous Finals MVP consideration while LeBron orchestrated.<grok:render card_id=”5cf59c” card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>

<argument name=”citation_id”>6</argument>

</grok:render> His switchability—guarding positions 1-5—and rim protection (1.5 blocks per game career) neutralized threats like Jimmy Butler and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Fast-forward to 2025: After the blockbuster Dončić trade, Davis’s role evolves, but his 2024-25 stats (24.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, 2.3 blocks) underscore his value.<grok:render card_id=”9a365c” card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>

<argument name=”citation_id”>18</argument>

</grok:render> Injuries have nagged, capping his games played, but when healthy, AD is the ultimate force multiplier. As ClutchPoints noted, he “helped LeBron bring a title to L.A. in the bubble,” embodying selfless stardom.<grok:render card_id=”ca7937″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>

<argument name=”citation_id”>10</argument>

</grok:render> He’s the present, but does recency bias inflate his historical perch?

 

No. 2: Kevin Durant (Golden State Warriors, 2017-2019, alongside Stephen Curry). The Slim Reaper’s Warriors stint was efficiency incarnate, a 7-foot scoring savant who bent defenses like light through a prism. As the “second” to Curry’s gravitational pull, Durant averaged 25.9 points on 52.7% shooting across two titles, earning back-to-back Finals MVPs—a feat no true second option had matched.<grok:render card_id=”20a326″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>

<argument name=”citation_id”>10</argument>

</grok:render> His 2017 Finals takeover (35.2 points per game) dismantled Cleveland, including a 39-point masterpiece in Game 3. Durant’s pull-up threes and heliocentric handle made him unguardable, yet he deferred in the regular season, posting just 26.4 points to Curry’s 30.1 in 2017-18. Critics carp about the “superteam” optics—joining a 73-win squad—but his impact was seismic: Golden State outscored opponents by 12.1 points per 100 possessions with KD on.<grok:render card_id=”eb671a” card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>

<argument name=”citation_id”>2</argument>

</grok:render> ClutchPoints quipped he won MVPs “even as the ‘second option,’” highlighting the irony.<grok:render card_id=”f68fa3″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>

<argument name=”citation_id”>10</argument>

</grok:render> KD redefined the role, but the asterisk of circumstance keeps him from the summit.

 

And at No. 1: Scottie Pippen (Chicago Bulls, 1987-1998, alongside Michael Jordan). The Unicorn. The Ghost. The defender who haunted Hall of Famers and the forward who flipped switches from lockdown to lethal. Pippen’s decade-long tandem with MJ yielded six rings, an unmatched ledger for any second banana. Averaging 17.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.6 assists career, he was the Bulls’ connective tissue—All-Defensive First Team eight times, steals leader in 1995, and the eraser on Jordan’s canvas.<grok:render card_id=”83b3f9″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>

<argument name=”citation_id”>2</argument>

</grok:render> Without Pippen? Jordan’s Bulls were 55-87 pre-Scottie; with him, 552-213, including two three-peats. His 1991 Finals debut: 15 points, but 10 assists and suffocating Ron Harper. In Jordan’s absences (1993-95), Pippen led Chicago to 57 wins, proving he wasn’t just a shadow. ClutchPoints’ post nodded to his “ultimate all-around partner during MJ’s reign,” but the numbers scream louder: Pippen’s PER (18.7) and WS/48 (.197) rival alphas, all while embracing the Robin cape.<grok:render card_id=”fe5a01″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>

<argument name=”citation_id”>10</argument>

</grok:render><grok:render card_id=”0225d4″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>

<argument name=”citation_id”>14</argument>

</grok:render> As Jerry Krause once traded for him (swapping Olden Polynice’s rights), Pippen was the steal that built an empire.<grok:render card_id=”14102f” card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>

<argument name=”citation_id”>18</argument>

</grok:render>

 

The debate, of course, sprawls beyond these five. Honorable mentions include Draymond Green’s cerebral grit for Curry, Kevin McHale’s post artistry for Larry Bird (17.9 points across three rings), or even Pau Gasol’s finesse for Kobe (two titles, All-NBA nods).<grok:render card_id=”804187″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>

<argument name=”citation_id”>2</argument>

</grok:render> Modern whispers point to Jrue Holiday’s defensive wizardry for Giannis or Jamal Murray’s playoff sorcery for Nikola Jokić. But Pippen’s blend of versatility, longevity, and unyielding success sets the bar. As one Reddit thread erupted post-ClutchPoints: “Pippen did everything but take the last shot—and won more than anyone.”<grok:render card_id=”be819f” card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>

<argument name=”citation_id”>3</argument>

</grok:render>

 

In today’s NBA, where load management and max contracts blur lines, the second option remains vital. The Lakers’ Dončić-Davis pairing, fresh off a summer shakeup, evokes Pippen-Jordan echoes: a scorer and a stopper chasing Banner 18.<grok:render card_id=”9f97a1″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>

<argument name=”citation_id”>18</argument>

</grok:render> Phoenix’s Devin Booker beside Durant’s twilight? A nod to Kobe-Shaq tension. Yet as ClutchPoints’ Instagram storm proved—66 likes, 32 replies in hours—the allure endures. Fans flooded comments: “Pippen all day,” clashed with “KD’s MVPs say otherwise.”<grok:render card_id=”e293d3″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>

<argument name=”citation_id”>10</argument>

</grok:render>

 

Ultimately, the best second option isn’t just a stat sheet; it’s the player who makes the one immortal. Pippen didn’t need Finals MVPs—he had six rings and Jordan’s eternal gratitude. In a league of solo heroes, he reminds us: True greatness often wears No. 33 in the shade.

 

As the season unfolds, with contenders like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown mirroring the balance, the question lingers. Who’s your ride-or-die? The ClutchPoints debate isn’t settled—it’s just heating up.

 

*(Word count: 1,024)*