Larry Bird: I'd pick Kobe as a teammate over Lebron

[ChrisRichards]

If he could choose any current player that he'd like to play a season with, who would it be, Bird was asked.

"Well, probably Kobe, because of the fact that ... well, of course he wouldn't have been shooting as much as he does now ... but his desire to win, his dedication, to always get better, uh, and he's just, he's just tough," Bird said. "He's just a tough cat.

"But, if you want to have fun, like I did with Bill Walton, play with LeBron. It would have probably been more fun to play with LeBron, but if you want to win and win and win, it's Kobe. Not that LeBron's not a winner, just that [Kobe's] mindset is to go into every practice, every game, to get better."



http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/stor ... obe-bryant (http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/7551496/larry-bird-love-play-los-angeles-lakers-kobe-bryant)

[ChrisRichards]

Game recognize game.

[cheguevara]

and both would still need a few elite bigmen to carry them far.

[lefty]

So Bird sucked Lebron's dick a few years ago

And now he's cheating on him with Kobe? :lol



Bipolar white men

[stretch]

I think he put it well.

It's not that Lebron doesn't care about winning (because he clearly does), its just that Kobe despises losing so much.

Having a mindset of hating to lose >>> a mindset of loving to win.

[ChrisRichards]

Almost every legendary player needed a big man to win with the exception of Mike.



Larry, Magic, Kobe. 13 championships. Lets not discredit these guys only because they won with an All Star cailber big man on their side.

[Frenzy]

Fun to play with Lebron cause I guess Lebron would actually pass the ball to you....and you would actually play instead of watching.

[mavs>spurs]

:lol I read that as sort of a diss against both players if anything. Bird is saying that if Kobe played with him, then he wouldn't be able to shoot so much then he'd be ok. As if playing with Bird would push kobe to 2nd option and cover up his biggest weakness (tendency to chuck)

[jjktkk]

A no brainer decision, tbh. Lebron hasn't shown the will to win a ring yet. Barring injuries, what will be the excuse if the Heat don't ring this year?

[mavs>spurs]

"I pick Kobe because if he was playing with me he wouldn't chuck up so many damn shots!"

:lol

[baseline bum]

I'm not really sure Bird is thinking this through tbh. For instance, Kobe would surely snitch when the police come around looking to take Larry in for missed child support.

[lefty]

"I pick Kobe because if he was playing with me he wouldn't chuck up so many damn shots!"

:lol
:lol

Larry shitting on Kobme

[manufan10]

:lol I read that as sort of a diss against both players if anything. Bird is saying that if Kobe played with him, then he wouldn't be able to shoot so much then he'd be ok. As if playing with Bird would push kobe to 2nd option and cover up his biggest weakness (tendency to chuck)

:lol That's exactly how I read it.

[Reck]

Not being able to come through in the end and NOT wanting to win are two different things.

Lebron wants to win just as much as the next guy, maybe even more. But the fact he cant close is hindering him.

If you dont want to win at whatever it is you do then what's the point on competing for something?

Bird not seeing the picture here.

[mavs>spurs]

:lol larry bird has always been a cocky bastard. who can ever forget the quote they always bring up that when he walked into the lockerroom before the 3 point shootout he says to everyone else "so, who's getting 2nd tonight?" lol. Dude was also probably one of the best if not the best trash talkers of all time.

[ChrisRichards]

Having a mindset of hating to lose >>> a mindset of loving to win.

Agree with stretch. Kobe doesn't care if he fails. To me that's the biggest difference between Lebron and Kobe at this point. Lebron though being the better player on all aspects of the game (yes even shooting) just doesn't understand the basic principles of winning. When the pressure mounts, Lebron would start deferring. Kobe would shoot horribly( 6/24 )but he will keep on attacking that defense until he gets his FT's. Its an unorthodox way to win a game but you have to respect him for trying it his way. He may not be always successful but 2 championships won his way is definitely is remarkable.

[Giuseppe]

I read it:::

Kobe: 5

Bird: 3

[BlackSwordsMan]

I read it:::

Kobe: 5

Bird: 3

Finals MVP's?

[Giuseppe]

Kobe would shoot horribly( 6/24 )but he will keep on attacking that defense until he gets his FT's.

He's talking the two suicide drives to the front of the rim, 4th quarter on June 17, 2010.

[Giuseppe]

Finals MVP's?

I don't do doorstops & dust collectors.

It's my religion.

[baseline bum]

:lol larry bird has always been a cocky bastard. who can ever forget the quote they always bring up that when he walked into the lockerroom before the 3 point shootout he says to everyone else "so, who's getting 2nd tonight?" lol. Dude was also probably one of the best if not the best trash talkers of all time.

Cockiest moment of his career was when he was down one in Seattle with about 5 seconds left. Boston ball, coming out of a timeout, he walks up to Xavier McDaniel, points at a spot on the floor, and tell him he's gonna stick the gamewinner in his face from right there. Ball inbounded to Bird, he dribbles to the spot, and then sticks the gamewinner in McDaniel's face.

Second cockiest moment was when he played an entire game left-handed and dropped like 40+.

[mavs>spurs]

I don't do doorstops & dust collectors.

It's my religion.

So then why do expensive paperweights? (rings)

[Giuseppe]

So then why do expensive paperweights? (rings)

I don't.

[mavs>spurs]

you just cited kobe's 5 rings as if that made him a better player than bird. that's a terrible argument and quite frankly you're better than that.

[ChrisRichards]

Bird not seeing the picture here.
Yes, I'm sure you and your 6 NBA championship rings sees it a whole lot better.:rolleyes

[Giuseppe]

you just cited kobe's 5 rings as if that made him a better player than bird. that's a terrible argument and quite frankly you're better than that.

No. I cited Kobe's 5 NBA World Titles.

[Killakobe81]

:lol I read that as sort of a diss against both players if anything. Bird is saying that if Kobe played with him, then he wouldn't be able to shoot so much then he'd be ok. As if playing with Bird would push kobe to 2nd option and cover up his biggest weakness (tendency to chuck)

I wouldnt say it was a diss. It was honest. Kobe is great volume shooter, Bird is a legendary one. It's not that Bird never had poor shooting games, he had a few even in the Finals. But his shooting is better than Kobe's.

I think it's just that Bird admires Kobe's work ethic because it is one of the few that rivals his own.

He says that playing with Lebron would be more "fun" ...that is not a diss. Lebron treats ball a little like Magic were joy is expressed while playing. As someone already stated ...Bird and Kobe and Mj played like they hated losing more than they enjoyed winning ...which made them both assholes, but great all time players.

[Leetonidas]

>nba
>>world
>>>only in north america
>>>>lol

[Giuseppe]

I still can't decide who was madder the night of June 19, 2000, Peter Vecsey, or Larry Bird.

tee, hee.

[Cry Havoc]

So then why do expensive paperweights? (rings)

Why respond to him at all? The day he actually contributes to basketball discussion, he'll be worth responding to.

[pass1st]

Wonder how a Bird & KB8 team would workout. KB8 being 2000-2001 Kobe.