How difficult is it to be from a substitute to a super giant? Only 5 players in the NBA have done it, and they deserve it as the top spot.

In the NBA, no player is willing to take the initiative to play as a substitute. After all, playing as a substitute means that playing time is not guaranteed, and if you cannot perform well, it will be difficult to sign a big contract in the future. So many players on the bench really want to prove themselves and use good data to help them become the starter. There are many such examples in the NBA, but there are not many players who can become super giants from substitutes. There are only 5 people in NBA history. Let’s take a look at who they are!

5: McGrady

When McGrady entered the league, he was actually a high school player. At that time, the team was cautious about the high school player. Therefore, McGrady did not get much chance at the beginning, but McGrady, who started as a substitute, quickly proved himself. Not long after, he showed his top personal ability. In the third season, he had already averaged 15.4 points per game, but the team still wanted to take Carter as the core, so McGrady later went to the Magic.

McDy in the Magic period can be said to have achieved the peak performance of his career. His average score soared to 26.8 points in the 2000-01 season. Since then, McGrady averaged 32.1 points per game. In that season when players generally scored no more than 25 points per game, McGrady won the scoring champion with 32.1 points per game, which can be said to be very valuable. Moreover, in the 2003-04 season, McGrady once again won the points, and the two consecutive scoring champions made him one of the four major points guards. Later, McGrady was able to play a feat of 35.13 seconds and lead the team to reverse, and from that point on, McGrady became a well-deserved superstar.

4: Nash

Nash started his career with the Suns, but at the beginning, his status in the team was not very high. He averaged about 15 minutes of playing time in the first two seasons of his career. Later, he was sent to the Mavericks. After the Mavericks and Nowitzki partnered for a while, Nash's talent could not be hidden. It is common for him to get seven or eight assists in each game, after all, his passing ability is very outstanding. Later, after returning to the Suns in the 2004-05 season, Nash became the team's number one core. That year, he averaged 15.5 points and 11.5 assists per game. The Suns also ranked first in the league in the record, so he also won the honor of MVP. Later, in the 2005-06 season, the Suns still ranked among the top in the league, and he averaged 18.8 points and 10.5 assists per game, so he won the MVP for the second time.

At that time, Nash could be said to have reached the peak of his career, and the Suns' running and playing style was also very popular. As a player who entered the All-Star 8 times in his career, won the MVP twice, and won the assist king 5 times, he can also be regarded as a point guard at the historical level of the NBA.

3: Harden

Harden debuted as a substitute when he first entered the league. The Thunder positioned him as the sixth player in a team like Ginobili, so even if Harden was the third pick in the 2009 draft, he still had to start from the substitute. However, in the 11-12 season, Harden was in a substitute position. While winning the best sixth man, he also helped the Thunder reach the finals, which was also the only finals experience in Harden's career. Later, in order to save money, the Thunder sent Harden to the Rockets. It didn't matter if this gift was given. Harden went faster and faster on the road of super giants.

In the 17-18 season, Harden led the Rockets to the league's first record, and won the MVP trophy while winning the scoring champion. Later, in the 18-19 season, Harden played the most peak scoring performance in his career, averaging 36.1 points per game, second only to Chamberlain and Jordan. In the subsequent 19-20 season, Harden won the scoring champion for the third time in a row with averaging 34.3 points per game. Harden at his peak was worthy of the title of superstar. Even at the age of 35, he is still the top defender in the league.

2: Antetokounmpo

Antetokounmpo was actually very rough when he first joined the Bucks, and his body was thin, so he had to start from a substitute. But Antetokounmpo is a player who likes training very much. After continuous efforts, he gradually became the team's starter. Later, under the training of Kidd, Antetokounmpo developed the skills of holding the ball and attacking. Then he came to a booming period of career honors. He first won the fastest-progress player award, and then won the MVP twice in a row. He even had the highlight of winning the two honors of MVP and DPOY in a single season. In 21, he also led the Bucks to reverse the Suns while falling 0-2 behind in the finals and successfully won the championship. Antetokounmpo has also entered the All-Squad for five consecutive times in the past five seasons, and is a true superstar.

1: Kobe

Kobe can be said to be the highest-achieving player who debuted as a substitute. At the beginning of his career, he mainly played as a substitute for the Lakers, but Kobe could not tolerate these, so he often practiced more after the game. Since then, his physical fitness has improved a lot, and the position of the Lakers starting guard has become his favorite. It was at that time that the Lakers truly had both internal and external cores, so they won three consecutive championships.

Later, after O'Neal left the team, Kobe led the Lakers to the finals three times in a row. In 2009 and 2010, he led the Lakers to win two consecutive championships, and he also won the FMVP trophy twice in a row. At that time, Kobe was the top super giant in the league, and his influence was unique. I have to say that he was indeed the super giant among the super giants.