What top tier talent in the modern NBA has chosen to play for a shitty team? I think Dirk is the only loyal dude – he took paycuts so many times, even he tried to recruit players to Dallas, and he won a Championship.
Since 2001, here are the MVP winners:
Tim Duncan – surrounded by Pop, Manu, and Tony Parker organically. There's no better, more talented team and consistent organization in the NBA
Kevin Garnett – quit on Minnesota to join Paul Pierce and Ray Allen
Steve Nash – recruited Shaq to Phoenix, loved Stoudimire, and then left to join the Super Lakers with Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, and Pau
Dirk – he did recruit some dudes, but stuck with Mark Cuban through everything. Team always tried to do right by him, both sides acted in good faith 10/10
Kobe – famously pouted and demanded a trade away from the Lakers when the team didn't surround him with talent. Played with/recruited some super talented guys like Shaq, Pau, Bynum, Dwight Howard, and fellow former MVP Steve Nash
Derrick Rose – his career was too short for anyone to judge. RIP his knees, dude was amazing
LeBron – he's recruited some dudes for sure and has left franchises when they sucked/didn't suit him
Kevin Durant – quit on future MVP winner Russell Westbrook, joined a 73-win team that featured two-time MVP Steph Curry
Steph – recruited LeBron stopper Igoudala, then recruited former MVP Kevin Durant after the core of his team, entering their primes, won an NBA record 73 games and a championship
Russ – dude recruited Paul George and Melo to OKC. Dude's career has been short, unfair to judge him completely just yet
LeBron isn't perfect, but this is how has worked for a long time now. These double standards are ridiculous. The biggest stars in the NBA do have a say in who they play with. Players have leverage. LeBron might have more leverage than all of them. Yes, he wields it to his advantage.
Dirk deserves more hype. Dude sacrificed a lot for the Mavericks over the years. No one else in today's NBA has shown that propensity.