Kobe Bryant

[DMC]

That "analysis" is really the hype I'm talking about. Kobe was never better outside shooter than LeBron, was never better in the clutch, nor it was ever that unstoppable. If what they spoke were the true Kobe would have won the MVP that season but it was just impossible to deny LeBron was better. And no one would think about Shaq and Gasol/Bynum/Odom carrying Kobe to the championships if there weren't some true in there.

LeBron had all the pressure on him, he and Kobe competed for the MVP, his rival scored 60. No one wanted LeBron to have a better game few days later, it was about selling Kobe as MJ 2.0. The media picked which Kobe's game to hype - after he scored 60. LeBron had no options but to better that, 3 days later in the same place.

Kobe with two of the best big men in the game in Bynum and Gasol, a 6motY in Odom, and Phil Jackson as a coach cannot win a game in the 2nd round against Dirk and 40 year old Jason Kidd.

However, in his day, Kobe was a force to be reckoned with, mainly because of the inside options so you couldn't double him without giving up points in the paint, and the triangle was right up his alley.

[LA24]

It's easier to have a desire to win when you land on the Lakers with Phil Jackson and prime Shaq.

Try having that same desire with a broken footed Yao, Amare or Caron Butler as your stars.

What does injuries have to do with it ? I'm talking about at ude.
Even when Yao was healthy, he was as soft as they come.
Amare just doesn't have "it," never will.
And Shaq could have been 10 times more the player he was if he
wasn't so lazy. You don't see Kobe making comments like
"healing on company's time" do you ? You don't see Kobe getting
complacent after one or a few championships or after a fat paycheck. If you want to talk about
injuries, Kobe plays with injuries that would cause most players to sit.

An injured Manu would still have more desire and will to win
than a healthy caron butler, wouldn't you agree ?

[Koolaid_Man]

What does injuries have to do with it ? I'm talking about at ude.
Even when Yao was healthy, he was as soft as they come.
Amare just doesn't have "it," never will.
And Shaq could have been 10 times more the player he was if he
wasn't so lazy. You don't see Kobe making comments like
"healing on company's time" do you ? You don't see Kobe getting
complacent after one or a few championships or after a fat paycheck. If you want to talk about
injuries, Kobe plays with injuries that would cause most players to sit.

An injured Manu would still have more desire and will to win
than a healthy caron butler, wouldn't you agree ?

Here's a partial list (that needs updating) of some of the Emperor's injuries...he succeeded despite them:

[Clipper Nation]

Nobody cares, tbh.... so what if he cared about his precious stats too much to miss games....

[Koolaid_Man]

Nobody cares, tbh.... so what if he cared about his precious stats too much to miss games....

Look at Manu's face in this one:

[LA24]

TBH, most nba players get those types of injuries throughout their
careers. But Kobe plays through them better than most.

[Koolaid_Man]

TBH, most nba players get those types of injuries throughout their
careers. But Kobe plays through them better than most.

It's why he's still the gold standard...

[Juggity]

lol Kool posting Dunk pics in a desperate attempt to pad Kobe's increasingly unimpressive resumé.

[Clipper Nation]

It's why he's still the gold standard...

Damn, B... we don't need to see your spank bank material, tbh....

[Koolaid_Man]

lol Kool posting Dunk pics in a desperate attempt to pad Kobe's increasingly unimpressive resumé.

Actually his resume is one to envy...very impressive..Check it out:

word is he banged most of the Ho's below...not bad but I boast some prettier than some he's ing with...

[VBM]

The one on the right mad as

[ElNono]

Jerry ting on monkeys par the course, tbh

[mavs>spurs]

why do yall still entertain that face i have him on ignore

[weebo]

Kobe's desire to win, skill set, and his work ethics alone separates him from "Tmac, VC, Joe Johnson, Arenas." Some of those guys have loser mentalities.

But you're right about him being a ball hogging chucker sometimes.

What I meant to say was Kobe is a great scorer much like those guys but because he refuses to involve his teammates he's not that much better.

I know faker fans will defend their boy to the bloody end but just think how many more ships he could have had had he just trusted his teammates a little more.

I know for a fact that his selfishness(desire to win, skill set, and whatever) cost the fakers at least two games these playoffs against the thunder.

[LkrFan]

Fact: Wade was a big part of the championship run and was the only reason LeBron ended up in Miami. At this point, Wade is more efficient, a better defender and basically half the price of Kobe. Regardless of all that, the Heat are LeBron's team now and he's miles better than Kobe and his salary doesn't kill the team. Lakers are because of Kobe. Come on Lkr , you're building a team right now. Who do you take LeBron or Kobe? 17 Or 27?

With hindsight being 20/20 - and both in their pre-prime years? I'd take Kobe believe it or not. The Killer Instinct LeBron is developing at age 27 was being displayed by Kobe at age 18. Remember the 3 airballs against Utah in the playoffs? Nobody - not Eddie Jones, not NVE, not Fisher - nobody was willing to take those shots. Kobe had the balls to take 'em. Sure, he missed them - but the fact that he was willing to take them speaks volumes of his character as a player. LeBron, from his rookie year until even now won't take those shots (more often than not). Kobe? He'll take them everytime - despite what a miss would do to his shooting percentages. Call me a homer all you want, but Kobe is still good, even going into his 17th year. He was truly amazing in his prime. He is still relevant. I got proof too.

But if we were talking strictly on age right now, I'd be foolish to take a player in his 17th year over someone in their prime. That would be the only reason for me to choose LeBron over Kobe. LeBron has had a team built around him for several years and couldn't get it done. When Shaq/Kobe split, most of the championship vets left the Lakers as well. We were left with Smush, Mihm, Kwame, Vlade Rad, LO, Luke, and other scrubs. Once the Laker FO put a competent team around Kobe he repeated as a champion. LeBron has finally won, but it took 55-year old Battier playing out of his mind, Chalmers shooting lights out, and a top 5 SG and PF to get it done. Kobe won back-to-back with less overall talent.

[LA24]

What I meant to say was Kobe is a great scorer much like those guys but because he refuses to involve his teammates he's not that much better.

No, he is still much better than they are. He didn't win 5 les by being a complete ball hog during those le runs. He involved his teammates before and other aspects as well. In the earlier runs, he was also playing both ends of the floor. To put him in the likes of Tmac, VC, and Arenas only reflects your hate.

But this year, I agree that he was playing too much hero ball.

[Ace]

With hindsight being 20/20 - and both in their pre-prime years? I'd take Kobe believe it or not. The Killer Instinct LeBron is developing at age 27 was being displayed by Kobe at age 18. Remember the 3 airballs against Utah in the playoffs? Nobody - not Eddie Jones, not NVE, not Fisher - nobody was willing to take those shots. Kobe had the balls to take 'em. Sure, he missed them - but the fact that he was willing to take them speaks volumes of his character as a player. LeBron, from his rookie year until even now won't take those shots (more often than not). Kobe? He'll take them everytime - despite what a miss would do to his shooting percentages. Call me a homer all you want, but Kobe is still good, even going into his 17th year. He was truly amazing in his prime. He is still relevant. I got proof too.

But if we were talking strictly on age right now, I'd be foolish to take a player in his 17th year over someone in their prime. That would be the only reason for me to choose LeBron over Kobe. LeBron has had a team built around him for several years and couldn't get it done. When Shaq/Kobe split, most of the championship vets left the Lakers as well. We were left with Smush, Mihm, Kwame, Vlade Rad, LO, Luke, and other scrubs. Once the Laker FO put a competent team around Kobe he repeated as a champion. LeBron has finally won, but it took 55-year old Battier playing out of his mind, Chalmers shooting lights out, and a top 5 SG and PF to get it done. Kobe won back-to-back with less overall talent.

You took so much time typing all that but I only read the first sentence. Fact is Kobe is past his prime and LeBron is not. Lakers are paying a 35yr old Kobe 30mil and nothing you say changes how ed they are...

[Koolaid_Man]

What I meant to say was Kobe is a great scorer much like those guys but because he refuses to involve his teammates he's not that much better.

I know faker fans will defend their boy to the bloody end but just think how many more ships he could have had had he just trusted his teammates a little more.

I know for a fact that his selfishness(desire to win, skill set, and whatever) cost the fakers at least two games these playoffs against the thunder.

your gonna love this..this is how Kobe feels and it's how Kool feels as well...

“I don’t give a " " what you say,” Bryant told Yahoo! Sports late Friday. “If I go out there and miss game winners, and people say, ‘Kobe choked, or Kobe is seven for whatever in pressure situations.’ Well, " " you.

“Because I don’t play for your " ing" approval. I play for my own love and enjoyment of the game. And to win. That’s what I play for. Most of the time, when guys feel the pressure, they’re worried about what people might say about them. I don’t have that fear, and it enables me to forget bad plays and to take shots and play my game.” - Kobe Bryant

http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba...tive-approval/

“Don’t know, don’t care. People that criticize can kiss my ass. I don’t give a . I really don’t. I keep the train moving, we’re going to keep on moving." - Kobe Bryant

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.c...to-kiss-his-a/

“It’s interesting to me to hear people talk after a game like that, that I’m done and all that stuff,” he said. “The amount of idiots that live out here, after 16 years, is baffling to me. I guess people just get dumber over the years.”

“We’re all surrounded by idiots. All of us,” he said. “We’re all surrounded by idiots.” - Kobe Bryant

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/apr...akers-20120402


My

[Koolaid_Man]

Now this one is really funny:

Kobe, To Pau Gasol: “I Don’t Give A , Pass The ing Ball” (Video)


http://www.sportsgrid.com/nba/kobe-pau-pass-ball/

Kobe has some nerve doesn't he

[ambchang]

We all know Kobe is done because Laker fans are using 3 airballs to illustrate his greatness.

[Clipper Nation]

Nobody - not Eddie Jones, not NVE, not Fisher - nobody was willing to take those shots. Kobe had the balls to take 'em.

And AIRBALLED them, B... you don't get points for missing but having the balls to shoot it in the first place, tbh... just more wild Kobrick chucking and glory-hogging in the clutch, tbh...

[VBM]

Eddie Jones wide- ing-open on the third shot. Looked to me like he wanted that shot.

[Kidd K]

Here's a partial list (that needs updating) of some of the Emperor's injuries...he succeeded despite them:

That's it? Not much for a 16 year career. Almost none of it was major either besides the right knee. What, do you think everyone else is always 100% and never sprains an ankle or wrist or gets anything other kind of injury? lol. You even listed he missed one game over with an upset stomach.

[LkrFan]

You took so much time typing all that but I only read the first sentence. Fact is Kobe is past his prime and LeBron is not. Lakers are paying a 35yr old Kobe 30mil and nothing you say changes how ed they are...