Kobe Bryant: The Most Overrated Athlete in Sports History?

[BRHornet45]

For someone whose name comes up in such discussions like "Who is the best player ever?" and "Who will be the next Michael Jordan?" Kobe Bryant still has a long way to go.

Sure, I'll admit Bryant has been a prolific scorer throughout his career, but he has shown me nothing that would have me compare him to Michael Jordan.

Let's take a look back to the year 2000, the year L.A. won its first championship with Bryant. During the regular season, Bryant averaged almost 29 points and five assists per game. How did these stats translate over to the NBA Finals? They lowered to 15 points and four assists per game.

Shaquille O'Neal, on the other hand, raised his scoring average, from 28 in the regular season to 38 in the finals.

In 2001, the Lakers once again won the NBA Finals. Any thanks to Kobe? Sure, but his scoring average dropped in the clutch once again, forcing O'Neal to step up and raise his scoring, from 27 per game in the regular season to 33 in the finals.

The Lakers achieved a "three-peat" in 2002, winning their third straight NBA championship. Let's look how Bryant deemed "The Next MJ" stepped up his game to lead his team to the title.

Oh wait, we can't. For the third straight time, Kobe's scoring and assists declined in the series. Bryant once again hopped on O'Neal's humongous shoulders and rode him through the finals. And O'Neal, not Bryant, won the NBA Finals MVP award.

Kobe Bryant has never shown any signs of being a team leader. Nor a team winner. When Jordan led his team to six NBA titles; he wasn't the second option. He took over the game and demanded the ball in clutch situations. Bryant simply passed the ball underneath to O'Neal and watched him manhandle anyone who got in his way.

Without O'Neal, Bryant would have no rings. Plenty of scoring titles, but no rings. He wouldn't be considered one of the best players ever. And people would laugh in your face if you said he might be the next Michael Jordan.

If Bryant couldn't even be the best player on his team during his championship runs, then how can anyone say he is the best ever?

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/92284-kobe-bryant-the-most-overrated-athlete-in-sports-history

[greyforest]

You're not supposed to look at statistics, you're supposed to believe that Kobe is the closest thing to MJ and you're supposed to buy what he endorses.

[BRHornet45]

son ESPN says he is best so it must be true! no stats or facts needed!

[LkrFan]

Bleacher Report? BR you are better than that son.

[xellos88330]

Old man Bryant, just declining like old men do.

Nothing to see here. It was just a matter of time until ol' bone on bone started farting dust.

[Andy25]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yaq6TBhogNc/Tb5kOGETt5I/AAAAAAAAAFU/ovWp2KdCZDA/s640/troll-face-meme.png

[davethedope]

I think he's overrated by analysts these days because the game needs a great one and he's on winning teams nowadays and he's marketable, as marketable as someone accused of rape can be. But I also think he's figured out his game about as much as anybody since MJ. Problem is that he lacks MJ's consistency.

To me the real Kobe Bryant is the guy we saw bitching and moaning after Phoenix beat
them in the first round. It's a cliche, but it's true sometimes that you get to see the real character of a person in times of adversity and not in times of triumph.

[LkrFan]

...and with the 13th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, the Charlotte Hornets select Kobe Bryant, from Lower Merion High School in Philadelphia.

Ahh, what could have been. Imagine a Kobe/CP3 back court. That would have been sick, huh BR? :lol

http://www.nba.com/media/lakers/09kobe_stern_draft.jpg

[Mal]

.

Ahh, what could have been. Imagine a Kobe/CP3 back court. That would have been sick, huh BR? :lol


They wouldnt have Paul with high draft pick, cause they would be gazilionpeating with Kobe :lol :lol :lol

[easy7]

If shit goes down and Lakers lose, they always blame, Odem, Gasol or Drew, but never kobe. If he is so clutch and the best player ever and does not need to be carried by anyone like some Laker fans say here...why is he not getting it done when his team is down? Just saying...

[Bito Corleone]

Does "BR" in your name stand for Bleacher Report?

son even if that article is mostly true
:lol @ posting anything from that piece of shit fan website

[Giuseppe]

Kobe: 5

tired old shit bag Duncan: 4

[LkrFan]

Does "BR" in your name stand for Bleacher Report?

son even if that article is mostly true
:lol @ posting anything from that piece of shit fan website

:lol

[LkrFan]

Kobe: 5

tired old shit bag Duncan: 4

:lmao

[Greg Oden]

...and with the 13th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, the Charlotte Hornets select Kobe Bryant, from Lower Merion High School in Philadelphia.

Ahh, what could have been. Imagine a Kobe/CP3 back court. That would have been sick, huh BR? :lol

http://www.nba.com/media/lakers/09kobe_stern_draft.jpg

Kobe would've demanded out long before Paul ever got there like the little bitch he is. Does it hurt to be stupid?

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

You're not supposed to look at statistics, you're supposed to believe that Kobe is the closest thing to MJ and you're supposed to buy what he endorses.


Kobe would've demanded out long before Paul ever got there like the little bitch he is. Does it hurt to be stupid?

:rollin

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Kobe: 5

tired old shit bag Duncan: 4

I doubt BR cares about this statistic.

[Ashy Larry]

Let's take a look back to the year 2000, the year L.A. won its first championship with Bryant. During the regular season, Bryant averaged almost 29 points and five assists per game. How did these stats translate over to the NBA Finals? They lowered to 15 points and four assists per game. Shaquille O'Neal, on the other hand, raised his scoring average, from 28 in the regular season to 38 in the finals. anyone who knows anything about math knows that Bean had an ankle injury early in game 2. Missed game 3 and limped around in Game 4. Just do the math. You score like 4 points after playing 6 minutes, of course you average is gonna take a huge hit. And he avg'd 19.9 points in 2000. Bleacher is really full of shit.

Shaquille was beasting that series ......







In 2001, the Lakers once again won the NBA Finals. Any thanks to Kobe? Sure, but his scoring average dropped in the clutch once again, forcing O'Neal to step up and raise his scoring, from 27 per game in the regular season to 33 in the finals.Bean avg'd 24.6 in this series. He had a 31 point game in game 2, a 32 point game in Game 3, was one assist short of a triple double in game 4 (19/10/9assists), and scored 26 in the close out game in game 5. The scoring went down because Fisher's average went up. Dude couldn't miss. Ask San Antonio about Fisher that year. Fox and Horry scored more - so once against BR tells half truths.

And in 2001, we know who was the best player on the floor when the two best teams went head-to-head: Spurs vs Lakers Western Conference Finals (The real NBA Finals). Dude avg'd 33 in that series.




The Lakers achieved a "three-peat" in 2002, winning their third straight NBA championship. Let's look how Bryant deemed "The Next MJ" stepped up his game to lead his team to the title.

Oh wait, we can't. For the third straight time, Kobe's scoring and assists declined in the series. Bryant once again hopped on O'Neal's humongous shoulders and rode him through the finals. And O'Neal, not Bryant, won the NBA Finals MVP award. Look at the match up in that series. The Nets best players were on the perimeter. All the Lakers did was feed Shaquille which they should have every time down the court. At center for the Nets: legendary Todd MacCullough, Jason Collins and Aaron Williams :lmao. Feed the Daddy and that's what they did.

What did Bean avg. that series? 26.75 points :rollin, while force feeding the Diesel.

And since that article was in 2008, where is his updated one?? I don't kiss Kobe's ass or hug his balls like most Laker fans but you gotta give credit where credit is due. Without Bean, Laker don't pull out Game 7 against Portland, since Kobe was the leading scorer. Shaquille wouldn't be in the finals.

If Bean didn't avg. 33 on the Spurs in 2001, Lakers don't face the Sixers and Duncan more than likely slaps another ring on his finger. The road getting to the finals was a helluva harder than the actual finals. You wanted stats, there you go. :toast

[cheguevara]

Kobe is pretty much a bag of shit nowadays

[Giuseppe]

Kobe is pretty much a bag of shit nowadays

Get your own shit, Che. I invented tired old shit bag for your Duncan.

[ambchang]

If I was the Lakers and I am facing Philly, Indiana and Nets, wouldn't I feed the ball to Shaq non stop? I mean, Todd Macoulloch? Rik Smiths? Jason Collins? Other than Mutombo, there wasn't one guy who could come close to slowing down Shaq. I would feed the ball to Shaq every single time, and let Shaq dominant, of course Kobe's stats are going to take a hit.

That said, Kobe is overrated for sure. Most overrated is stretching it, by quite a bit. But this is no surprise, because he plays in LA. Look at Shaq, he was compared to the next Wilt Chamberlain back in the day, he was ranked as one of the top 4 centers ever (Over Hakeem, and sometimes over Russell). Look at him now, he is widely considered to be at the same level, or slightly less than Duncan, who never went any higher than Hakeem in big man rankings.

Same for Magic. Magic was the greatest back in the day. But now people look at his teammates, and thought that any good point guard on that team would have at least won a championship, and is starting to discount Magic's accomplishments.

The same will happen to Kobe. People will look back, and realized that with those 5 rings, Kobe had some immense help along the way. People will realize that in place of Kobe, Shaq would have won at least 2 rings with a T-Mac or a Carter, they would have realized that the 08 to 11 team would have at least won 2 championships with a Wade or Lebron instead of Kobe. They would have realized that in no way in hell could Kobe have won a championship in place of Wade in that 06 Heat team, or gone to the finals with that awful 07 Cavs team in place of Lebrong. Not to discount Kobe's accomplishments, because we are stacking him up against all time greats. But to say he is one of the top 10, even top 8 players of all time is really stretching it.

He is one of the top 15 though, I would say.

In no particular order:

Jordan
Magic
Bird
Kareem
Wilt
Russell
Hakeem
Shaq
Duncan
Moses Malone (seriously, I don't think people remember how ridiculously dominant he was back in the day)
Big O

The next tier:
Havlicek (again, one of the most underrated players in league history because the 70's sucked)
Kobe
Baylor
Cousy

Note, I am not saying Kobe and Cousy 1-1 would be a competitive game, or that Cousy could have led the 09 Lakers to the championship, because that would be silly. Kobe would have destroyed Cousy and the whole 55 Celtics team by himself. I am saying in terms of career accomplishments, they are in the same tier given what they have. Advancements in training, sports medicine, etc ... have created these super athletes that just weren't possible back in the day.

[cheguevara]

Get your own shit, Che. I invented tired old shit bag for your Duncan.

I'm gonna go with bag of shit for Kobe.

[Giuseppe]

I'm gonna go with bag of shit for Kobe.

I invented it though.

***& furthermore, (Iron Mex don't look here), but, if we get beat flat I don't want anyone trying to use The Skunker. That's mine.

Just checkin' assholes.

[BlackSwordsMan]

imincontrolnao

[cheguevara]

I invented it though.

***& furthermore, (Iron Mex don't look here), but, if we get beat flat I don't want anyone trying to use The Skunker. That's mine.

Just checkin' assholes.

you invented shitbag I improved it to bag of shit. Like when Microsoft improved Xerox's Windows System.

[Giuseppe]

imincontrolnao

Morning, Swords. Are we going to bury the perverbials, or what?

[DMC]

...and with the 13th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, the Charlotte Hornets select Kobe Bryant, from Lower Merion High School in Philadelphia.

Ahh, what could have been. Imagine a Kobe/CP3 back court. That would have been sick, huh BR? :lol

http://www.nba.com/media/lakers/09kobe_stern_draft.jpg
And CP3 would have never been heard from again. Anyone who plays on a team with that ball hog is shooting their career in the foot.

Shaq would have 9 rings had he played in SA, where he went to HS. Instead he gets a measly 3 from LA and gets ushered out by the black sancha.

[Giuseppe]

Anyone who plays on a team with that ball hog is shooting their career in the foot.

Though Gasol couldn't win a single playoff game until Kobe took him in.
Though Artest couldn't win a single ring until Kobe took him.

[DMC]

Though Gasol couldn't win a single playoff game until Kobe took him in.
Though Artest couldn't win a single ring until Kobe took him.
Gasol was already an All Star by then.

Artest's career is sealed in shit. It just is.

I am surprised you didn't mention Shaq.

Who have the Lakers developed since Kobe started? They acquire all stars. They don't develop anything.

[Giuseppe]

Gasol was already an All Star by then.

Artest's career is sealed in shit. It just is.

I am surprised you didn't mention Shaq.

I don't do All Star, DMC. It's my religion.

Without Artest we don't ring at 16.

Kobe: 2

Daddy: 1

[davethedope]

In terms of athleticism Tiger Woods is the most overrated athlete of all-time.
For B-Ball, I think it's Charles Barkley, people are still kissing his ass like he
lead the league in scoring and rebounds for 20 yrs.

[NBAfan83]

I think the main difference between Kobe and MJ is that MJ was arguably one of the best athlete during his time and had the mental determination and work ethic to make him one of the best ever.

Kobe on the other hand cannot be considered the best athlete in his time, in fact there are probably easily 5-7 people more athletic than him at his position. But he is probably the only player after the MJ period to try to emulate MJ to the T, thus trying to follow MJ's work ethic and trying to have that mental determination.

That is why it's hard to see Kobe as better than MJ, when during his time period, he wasn't even the best athletically.

Lebron James on the other hand is way more athletic and powerful than both Kobe and MJ, but didn't emulate MJ or Kobe, thus he ends up being mentally weak and lazy.

[djohn2oo8]

I don't do All Star, DMC. It's my religion.

Without Artest we don't ring at 16.

Kobe: 2

Daddy: 1

Without Bynum, you don't ring at 15 or 16 cubster

[Giuseppe]

Without Bynum, you don't ring at 15 or 16 cubster

Agreed.

[davethedope]

Agreed.

Totally agreed. It's a damn shame his legs are so weak, but I like him,
think he can be great, and he does not get the credit he deserves for
the past two titles. Magic probably could've won like the Celtics
the year before had Bynum been injured.

Bynum knows too, Lakers need to trust him and stop fucking around
and stop giving Kobe all the credit. No fucking way they win shit without
him.

[DMC]

I don't do All Star, DMC. It's my religion.

Without Artest we don't ring at 16.

Kobe: 2

Daddy: 1
Too bad the Lakers don't follow your religion.

[Giuseppe]

Too bad the Lakers don't follow your religion.

:rolleyes

[DMC]

I think the main difference between Kobe and MJ is that MJ was arguably one of the best athlete during his time and had the mental determination and work ethic to make him one of the best ever.

Kobe on the other hand cannot be considered the best athlete in his time, in fact there are probably easily 5-7 people more athletic than him at his position. But he is probably the only player after the MJ period to try to emulate MJ to the T, thus trying to follow MJ's work ethic and trying to have that mental determination.

That is why it's hard to see Kobe as better than MJ, when during his time period, he wasn't even the best athletically.

Lebron James on the other hand is way more athletic and powerful than both Kobe and MJ, but didn't emulate MJ or Kobe, thus he ends up being mentally weak and lazy.
You really have to find a reason to not consider Kobe better than MJ?

[pad300]

And in 2001, we know who was the best player on the floor when the two best teams went head-to-head: Spurs vs Lakers Western Conference Finals (The real NBA Finals). Dude avg'd 33 in that series.



Hey Ashy, if you're going to look into details of match up analysis and such, you might want remember that in 2001, Juwan Howard effectively ended Derek Anderson's season in the playoffs, http://espn.go.com/magazine/bucher_20010507.html . It's a lot easier to put up 33 a game against the 2nd and 3ed string, rather than the 1st...

[davethedope]

You really have to find a reason to not consider Kobe better than MJ?

I think so, because as time goes on, the hype surrounding Kobe, as good
a player as he is and was, it's gassing up younger fans who never saw
MJ, and even from clips will not understand the strangle hold he had
over the association. You had to live that Jordan shit to understand.

I think it's like people don't understand Kareem and Russell and the elder
ones. Kobe was good, but he's really not close Jordan.

Frankly, I don't like hearing commentators comparing him to Magic either.

Kobe is at best the 5th or 6th greatest Laker of all-time, and in terms
of impact on the game itself, all-time, he might be in the top 10, but
we'd really have to think long and hard about that.

[Giuseppe]

The shadow of Pippen will continue to haunt MJ. And it should. Those of us who lived it like Dave alludes to above remember the spot MJ was in before Pippen saved him. It was terrible for MJ. This was before the NBA partnered with Media like they have now. When you got hung out to dry, you were out there, and Media had hung MJ out there. Opponents were after him like the last pork chop on the plate. He was this||close to going out when Pippen showed up and helped carry MJ's end of the log.

[cheguevara]

:lmao comparing the value of the most dominant bigman in the history of the game to Scottie Pippen

Jordan 6
Kobe 1

[Giuseppe]

:lmao comparing the value of the most dominant bigman in the history of the game to Scottie Pippen

Jordan 6
Kobe 1

Kobe: 5

tired old shit bag Duncan: 4

[cheguevara]

without the help of a 1st ballot HOF:

Duncan 4

bag of shit Kobe 1

[Giuseppe]

without the help of a 1st ballot HOF:

Duncan 4

bag of shit Kobe 1

Still & all:::

Kobe: 5

tired old shit bag Duncan: 4

[cheguevara]

correct

[DMC]

The shadow of Pippen will continue to haunt MJ. And it should. Those of us who lived it like Dave alludes to above remember the spot MJ was in before Pippen saved him. It was terrible for MJ. This was before the NBA partnered with Media like they have now. When you got hung out to dry, you were out there, and Media had hung MJ out there. Opponents were after him like the last pork chop on the plate. He was this||close to going out when Pippen showed up and helped carry MJ's end of the log.

In a nutshell, you are saying that having a team tainted MJs legacy. That's the Kobe way of thinking I am sure.

Replace Kobe with Prime MJ in 1999 and the Lakers win 8 straight.

[dbreiden83080]

You're not supposed to look at statistics, you're supposed to believe that Kobe is the closest thing to MJ and you're supposed to buy what he endorses.

ESPN says Kobe is the best since MJ

It's gotta be true..

[DMC]

:rolleyes
You failed to make your point. Your belief has no bearing on how the Lakers acquire players. They do not go after young talent and develop it. They go after championship pieces, already tempered by the fires of trial and error and already honed by real coaches and trainers.

[DMC]

ESPN says Kobe is the best since MJ

It's gotta be true..

Best since =/= best ever.

[Giuseppe]

In a nutshell, you are saying that having a team tainted MJs legacy. That's the Kobe way of thinking I am sure.

Replace Kobe with Prime MJ in 1999 and the Lakers win 8 straight.

No. I'm not calling taint.

I'm just setting Pippen down in the middle of it. Where Pippen belongs.

MJ couldn't ring without Pippen.

Kobe rang without Daddy.

[dbreiden83080]

Best since =/= best ever.

Kobe is the best since Wade...

[Killakobe81]

For someone whose name comes up in such discussions like "Who is the best player ever?" and "Who will be the next Michael Jordan?" Kobe Bryant still has a long way to go.

Sure, I'll admit Bryant has been a prolific scorer throughout his career, but he has shown me nothing that would have me compare him to Michael Jordan.

Let's take a look back to the year 2000, the year L.A. won its first championship with Bryant. During the regular season, Bryant averaged almost 29 points and five assists per game. How did these stats translate over to the NBA Finals? They lowered to 15 points and four assists per game.

Shaquille O'Neal, on the other hand, raised his scoring average, from 28 in the regular season to 38 in the finals.


In 2001, the Lakers once again won the NBA Finals. Any thanks to Kobe? Sure, but his scoring average dropped in the clutch once again, forcing O'Neal to step up and raise his scoring, from 27 per game in the regular season to 33 in the finals.

The Lakers achieved a "three-peat" in 2002, winning their third straight NBA championship. Let's look how Bryant deemed "The Next MJ" stepped up his game to lead his team to the title.

Oh wait, we can't. For the third straight time, Kobe's scoring and assists declined in the series. Bryant once again hopped on O'Neal's humongous shoulders and rode him through the finals. And O'Neal, not Bryant, won the NBA Finals MVP award.

Kobe Bryant has never shown any signs of being a team leader. Nor a team winner. When Jordan led his team to six NBA titles; he wasn't the second option. He took over the game and demanded the ball in clutch situations. Bryant simply passed the ball underneath to O'Neal and watched him manhandle anyone who got in his way.

Without O'Neal, Bryant would have no rings. Plenty of scoring titles, but no rings. He wouldn't be considered one of the best players ever. And people would laugh in your face if you said he might be the next Michael Jordan.

If Bryant couldn't even be the best player on his team during his championship runs, then how can anyone say he is the best ever?

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/92284-kobe-bryant-the-most-overrated-athlete-in-sports-history

Br, the most overrated poster in spurstalk history ...

I kid. but just stop. his overrated, non leadeship having ass just finished off your welfare case squad ...so you have no grounds here BR ...none.

Mavs fans on the other hand ...:wow

[BRHornet45]

I think he's overrated by analysts these days because the game needs a great one and he's on winning teams nowadays and he's marketable, as marketable as someone accused of rape can be.


this

[BRHornet45]

If shit goes down and Lakers lose, they always blame, Odem, Gasol or Drew, but never kobe. If he is so clutch and the best player ever and does not need to be carried by anyone like some Laker fans say here...why is he not getting it done when his team is down? Just saying...

exactly. son why do you think the media has been riding this "ankle injury" crap for a couple of weeks now? they know damn well that Kobe is perfectly fine and healthy, but Gasol and other Lakers aren't playing their best right now and Kobe is playing like shit as well so the media knows that he has no ones coattails to ride so they need an excuse for his suckassness. If Gasol or other Laker players were balling their asses off right now and Kobe was putting up 15 points per game, guess who they would give ALL of the credit to? yep ... Kobe and only Kobe

the NBA is desperate for cash flow right now and over the last 10-15 years have also felt the need to create superstars and overrated certain players simply for financial reasons and financial reasons only and Kobe is the best example of this.

[Tinystarz]

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w58/oliverr0/OPIS.gif

[Giuseppe]

exactly. son why do you think the media has been riding this "ankle injury" crap for a couple of weeks now? they know damn well that Kobe is perfectly fine and healthy, but Gasol and other Lakers aren't playing their best right now and Kobe is playing like shit as well so the media knows that he has no ones coattails to ride so they need an excuse for his suckassness. If Gasol or other Laker players were balling their asses off right now and Kobe was putting up 15 points per game, guess who they would give ALL of the credit to? yep ... Kobe and only Kobe

the NBA is desperate for cash flow right now and over the last 10-15 years have also felt the need to create superstars and overrated certain players simply for financial reasons and financial reasons only and Kobe is the best example of this.

He left you where he found ya. Only the one charter back to CA..

1.

[DPG21920]

^ Reporting to Kori for violation of the rules.

[Giuseppe]

^ Reporting to Kori for violation of the rules.

lmcontrollinao!

[NewcastleKEG]

He is one of the top 15 though, I would say.

In no particular order:

Jordan
Magic
Bird
Kareem
Wilt
Russell
Hakeem
Shaq
Duncan
Moses Malone (seriously, I don't think people remember how ridiculously dominant he was back in the day)
Big O

The next tier:
Havlicek (again, one of the most underrated players in league history because the 70's sucked)
Kobe
Baylor
Cousy
.
I love your list. IMO

Top6: Jordan, Magic, Bird, Wilt, Kareem, Russell
7. Duncan
8. Big O
9. Shaq
10. Kobe
11. Hakeem
12. West
13. Havlicek

LeBron moving UP

[NewcastleKEG]

By the way, I posted this article on REALgm Lakers board. I'll post the responses

[SpurOutofTownFan]

For someone whose name comes up in such discussions like "Who is the best player ever?" and "Who will be the next Michael Jordan?" Kobe Bryant still has a long way to go.

Sure, I'll admit Bryant has been a prolific scorer throughout his career, but he has shown me nothing that would have me compare him to Michael Jordan.

Let's take a look back to the year 2000, the year L.A. won its first championship with Bryant. During the regular season, Bryant averaged almost 29 points and five assists per game. How did these stats translate over to the NBA Finals? They lowered to 15 points and four assists per game.

Shaquille O'Neal, on the other hand, raised his scoring average, from 28 in the regular season to 38 in the finals.

In 2001, the Lakers once again won the NBA Finals. Any thanks to Kobe? Sure, but his scoring average dropped in the clutch once again, forcing O'Neal to step up and raise his scoring, from 27 per game in the regular season to 33 in the finals.

The Lakers achieved a "three-peat" in 2002, winning their third straight NBA championship. Let's look how Bryant deemed "The Next MJ" stepped up his game to lead his team to the title.

Oh wait, we can't. For the third straight time, Kobe's scoring and assists declined in the series. Bryant once again hopped on O'Neal's humongous shoulders and rode him through the finals. And O'Neal, not Bryant, won the NBA Finals MVP award.

Kobe Bryant has never shown any signs of being a team leader. Nor a team winner. When Jordan led his team to six NBA titles; he wasn't the second option. He took over the game and demanded the ball in clutch situations. Bryant simply passed the ball underneath to O'Neal and watched him manhandle anyone who got in his way.

Without O'Neal, Bryant would have no rings. Plenty of scoring titles, but no rings. He wouldn't be considered one of the best players ever. And people would laugh in your face if you said he might be the next Michael Jordan.

If Bryant couldn't even be the best player on his team during his championship runs, then how can anyone say he is the best ever?

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/92284-kobe-bryant-the-most-overrated-athlete-in-sports-history

good stuff son

[jeebus]

Kobe might be good enough to be a top 100 player in the NBA today. He's definitely one of the top 20,000 greatest players to play the game.

[NewcastleKEG]

Kobe might be good enough to be a top 100 player in the NBA today. He's definitely one of the top 20,000 greatest players to play the game.
Link?

[Giuseppe]

Link?

:lol

[DMC]

Lakers with more than half of the top 10 best ever and they have the audacity to brag about rings when they don't even lead the league.

[cobbler]

Lakers with more than half of the top 10 best ever and they have the audacity to brag about rings when they don't even lead the league.

When your 60's team loses 8 you are in a big hole. They lost twice as many as your team has won. And here we are decades later and climbing out of that hole and about to tie it. It's our mission and we never give up.

LOL @ spurfan mocking 16 rings and multiple back to backs. CLASSIC!

[Red Hawk #21]

Has Kobe even drove the ball to the rim even once in this series? I'm dead serious too, apart from his missed fastbreak layup I don't think he's gone to the rim at all.

[Giuseppe]

Has Kobe even drove the ball to the rim even once in this series? I'm dead serious too, apart from his missed fastbreak layup I don't think he's gone to the rim at all.

I think he was planning on saving that to The Finals like last June.

[DMC]

When your 60's team loses 8 you are in a big hole. They lost twice as many as your team has won. And here we are decades later and climbing out of that hole and about to tie it. It's our mission and we never give up.

LOL @ spurfan mocking 16 rings and multiple back to backs. CLASSIC!

The Spurs have only a few of the greatest players ever, yet we have won only one fewer than you have in the past 11 years. We didn't even collude to get there. We also didn't buy other teams' franchise players.

[LkrFan]

Gasol was already an All Star by then.

Artest's career is sealed in shit. It just is.

I am surprised you didn't mention Shaq.

Who have the Lakers developed since Kobe started? They acquire all stars. They don't develop anything.

Uhh, they developed Bynum. Remember him? :lol

[Giuseppe]

The Spurs have only a few of the greatest players ever, yet we have won only one fewer than you have in the past 11 years.

Ipso facto:::

Kobe: 5

tired old shit bag Duncan: 4

[LkrFan]

Ipso facto:::

Kobe: 5

tired old shit bag Duncan: 4

:lmao

[Giuseppe]

:lmao

:lmao

[DMC]

:lmao

Wow... talk about mileage.

[LkrFan]

Wow... talk about mileage.

Did the Lakers develop Bynum or what? :lol

[DMC]

Did the Lakers develop Bynum or what? :lol
Lefty actually crossed over. Amazing.

[cobbler]

The Spurs have only a few of the greatest players ever, yet we have won only one fewer than you have in the past 11 years. We didn't even collude to get there. We also didn't buy other teams' franchise players.

Tank

[cobbler]

Has Kobe even drove the ball to the rim even once in this series? I'm dead serious too, apart from his missed fastbreak layup I don't think he's gone to the rim at all.

He hasn't.

He will tonight or we will go down 3.

[Cessation]

BR with another quality thread.

[redzero]

^ Reporting to Kori for violation of the rules.

http://i54.tinypic.com/fvvi4n.png

[NewcastleKEG]

Okay got a couple Laker beavis' to respond

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac255/kegstermd/KOBESUCKSyoyo.png

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac255/kegstermd/KOBESUCKSyoyo2.png

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac255/kegstermd/KOBESUCKSyoyo3.png

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac255/kegstermd/KOBESUCKSyoyo4.png

[Giuseppe]

Tank

Classic Cobby.

[DMC]

Tank
Weak

The Lakers got Worthy 1st overall 3 years after getting Magic 1st overall.

As Culby would say, you've got no room.

[DMC]

Classic Cobby.
You've got him to one word responses. Soon you will have him posting single digit numbers over and over. He will have reached the 9th plateau at that point.

[Giuseppe]

Weak

The Lakers got Worthy 1st overall 3 years after getting Magic 1st overall.

As Culby would say, you've got no room.

Boston pulled the same thing with Bias. It just ended up slabbed & tagged.

[Venti Quattro]

Chris Paul is more overrated than Kobe, that's for sure.

[DMC]

Boston pulled the same thing with Bias. It just ended up slabbed & tagged.
They almost got Duncan as well.

[Jt.ONE]

If shit goes down and Lakers lose, they always blame, Odem, Gasol or Drew, but never kobe. If he is so clutch and the best player ever and does not need to be carried by anyone like some Laker fans say here...why is he not getting it done when his team is down? Just saying...


blame kobe for losses
credit kobe for wins


just saying..

[BRHornet45]

lol Kobe chucking up bullshit in the 4th instead of passing to wide open teammates and failing miserably as usual

[Cry Havoc]

Kobe's idea of a good shot: 21 foot fadeaway with no time on the shot clock. :lmao