Lionel Messi is one of one, but he does remind Bill Simmons of a certain NBA Finals MVP for one reason.
It was heartbreak for Messi at Sunday's World Cup final, falling short of retaining the trophy against a dominant Spain side. The game itself was a non-contest, with Messi unable to put his stamp on the tie.
Despite the loss, it was a campaign to remember for the Argentinian. At 39, he was arguably the best player at the tournament, and a Brunsonesque feature of his game leads Simmons to believe he could be playing at the next edition in 2030.
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Brunson announced himself as a true superstar during the post-season, leading the New York Knicks to a first NBA championship in 53 years.
Despite having a height disadvantage in almost every matchup he faces, Brunson gets to the hoop at will and is one of the toughest defensive tasks in the entire league.
Simmons puts that down, in part, to his stocky build and ability to play low to the ground. And it's a trait he says Messi shares.
Speaking on The Bill Simmons Podcast after the final, he said: "It seems conceivable to me that he could play at 43 in the 2030 World Cup, cause one thing watching him, for some reason it reminds me of Jalen Brunson, these guys that are low to the ground but strong.
"There was a couple plays where sometimes Messi will just get low to the ground and he'll carry somebody on his back and he's able to keep the ball and the guy will go flying off his back and he's just so low to the ground. There's been running backs like that too.
"I don't know, I just think he can keep going."
Simmons and his co-hosts used the example of Messi running through the England midfield, shaking off challenges from Harry Kane and Djed Spence before winning a well-earned foul in the opposition half. He shouldn't be doing that at 39.
But for anyone who has watched Messi over the years, it's no longer a surprise. Despite being one of the smaller players on the pitch in any given match, the GOAT is as strong as they come on the ball.
It's the same reason Brunson has become one of the NBA's premier offensive players despite his modest stature.
After what we witnessed in North America this summer, you'd be a fool to assume Messi is coming towards the end. He carried that Argentina side to the final, registering eight goals and four assists along the way.
Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images
He's a genius, and would no doubt figure out how to impact games even with four more years in his legs.
But just because he could play at the 2030 tournament, doesn't mean he should. Even with the final loss against Spain, this will go down as a legendary World Cup run.
As a fan, you want to see the greats finish on a high. If Messi plays until he can't, it will end his legacy on a down note. Better to go out at the top.
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