Former NBA player Tony Snell recently sat down for a Q&A session with HoopsHype, where he shared his opinions on a wide range of topics. Among them was his pick for the GOAT, and Snell revealed it is Michael Jordan.
"That's my GOAT forever," Snell said. "I don't care what anybody says; that's my opinion."
Jordan remains the most common pick for that title. He won six titles, six Finals MVPs, five MVPs, one DPOY, and 10 scoring titles in his career. Jordan was a perfect 6-0 in the NBA Finals, leading the Chicago Bulls to three-peats from 1991 to 1993 and 1996 to 1998. He and they dominated that decade.
Snell elaborated on his love for Jordan when asked to name his favorite city among the ones he played in during his time in the NBA.
"I've had different experiences," Snell stated. "I obviously have the Chicago Bulls in my heart because Michael Jordan is my favorite player forever. He's my role model, and he's the reason I picked up a basketball and gave me the motivation to do what I do. Chicago will always have my heart."
With this being the case, Snell would have been the happiest man alive when the Bulls selected him with the 20th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. He unfortunately wouldn't be with them for too long, as he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in 2016. Snell would spend three seasons with the Bucks and named Milwaukee as another city he loves.
"I also love Milwaukee," Snell stated. "I think that's where I branched out a little more in my career. I loved the experience I had playing with Giannis [Antetokounmpo], Khris Middleton, and Matthew Dellavedova, one of the nicest guys ever."
Snell enjoyed his time with the Atlanta Hawks as well and made it clear there wasn't any city he played in that he disliked. The 33-year-old suited up for six teams in total in nine seasons.
Playing for so many different teams meant Snell got to share a locker room with a lot of NBA players. He was asked to name his favorite one and again went back to his time with the Bulls.
"I'm going to go with Jimmy Butler," Snell stated. "He took me under his wing. In the summer, he brought me to L.A. to train with his trainer at the time, Chris Johnson. He took me in, showed me his way, helped me get my confidence, and pushed me to be better. He's such a great role model.
"That guy is amazing, and I thank him for putting me under his wing and showing me the way," Snell added. "So, yeah, I would say he's one of my favorite teammates."
That was a great gesture on Jimmy Butler's part to take Snell under his wing. Butler, who was with the Bulls from 2011 to 2017, has rubbed some people the wrong way over the course of his career, but stories like this show what kind of character he really is.
Butler is still going strong in the NBA, but Snell's days in the league appear to be behind him. He last played in the league back in 2022 for the New Orleans Pelicans.
With no opportunities coming his way after his stint with the Pelicans, Snell played two seasons in the G League in the hopes of impressing a team. He wanted to get just one more opportunity in the NBA, as that would mean he'd have played 10 seasons.
Once a player has been in the NBA for seven seasons, they qualify for premium healthcare benefits post-retirement as part of the Players Association's retiree benefits program. While that is great, playing for another three seasons makes their family eligible to get those benefits as well.
Snell was very keen on that, as his children, Karter and Kenzo, have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. He himself has been diagnosed with it and understandably would like to see his sons get the same benefits he does.
Unfortunately, no NBA team came calling for Snell, and he has now decided to head overseas. He signed with Boulazac Basket Dordogne in France in August and is liking the experience so far.
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