It's uncommon to see two players in the top five of their position on the same team, let alone two All-Time players who share positions.
That's exactly what the late great Kobe Bryant attempted to get the Los Angeles Lakers to cook up. Kobe wanted to team up with his fellow shooting guard, Dwyane Wade, during the final seasons of his career.
The battles between Wade and Kobe were legendary, ranging from Kobe's iconic game-winner over Flash to Wade dropping a 40-bomb on Kobe's head in a Christmas Day exhibition. After these intense matchups, could you picture these two on the same team?
We got a small glimpse of their potential chemistry during the 2008 Olympics. Wade and Kobe were arguably the two best players on the team. Wade led Team USA in scoring with 16 PPG, while Kobe was the acknowledged leader and closer of the star-studded bunch. This Redeem-Team chemistry was beautiful in real time but doesn't tell us much about a late-stage Kobe and Wade linking up in Hollywood.
By 2014, Kobe was a shell of himself. His body betrayed him in 2013 when he heard that Achilles pop on a rim drive against the Golden State Warriors. He hit both free throws after the injury like the warrior he is, but Kobe was never the same after that play. He was about 35 years old, and Father Time is undefeated.
Conversely, Wade proved he was more than his athleticism in 2015. Knee injuries had shortened Wade's greatness—his knees were one of the reasons the Spurs destroyed the Heat in the 2014 Finals. Wade was skilled, not just a blur; the world would find out soon.
After those rough Finals, Wade responded by averaging over 20 points a game in a three-year stretch at ages 33, 34, and 35. He rounded out his post-game, which became a key part of the D-Wade experience. Wade was still good enough to ball out in the playoffs during this run. Just go ask the purple-shirt man from Charlotte how good an older Wade was.
While Wade found ways to flourish after 2014, Kobe was barely hanging on. That Mamba Mentality kept pushing -- pushed so far that he was trying to get Wade, LaMarcus Aldridge, and DeMarcus Cousins after it seemed like he didn't have much left in the tank. Kobe would've had to revert to his younger days and conform to a secondary role if he wanted a star to join him in the twilight of his career.
Wade and Kobe at their peaks together would've be disgusting. Two dogs are coming to slice your throat every possession. Their grandpa stage fit would've been interesting, as Wade was better than the Lakers legend at the end. Seeing Kobe relinquish the reigns as the man would've been intriguing to see, even if Kobe was 35 at the time. They could've been a legendary duo, but we must settle for their Redeem-Team memories.