[valentine]

How close is he to MJ?

About 2 rings and 8,000 points…..scary.

Perception and images and the legacy of Micheal Jordan may not ever be touched but um…it’s becoming close to asking:

Can Kobe Bryant surpass Micheal Jordan as the best….ever?

I dunno, I think it is possible but I wanna see some opinions before I give you my look at it.

Thank you.

[llperez]

a couple things to take into consideration:

1-Jordan did it first. People will always compare everyone to him which is a up hill climb fro any body like kobe or lebron to ever gain Jordan’s status as the best.

2-A lot of people would never call anybody better then Jordan if it was anywhere close because they have already made up their mind.

I think Jordan deserves to be recognized as the best because of what he accomplished. As for skills, I think Kobe is just as good, but now he has to win some more titles to close the gap in accomplishments if he wants to be compared to jordan.

[llperez]

future, you are entitled of your opinion, but you are wrong if you thik kobe has spent most his career as just primarily a scorer. Kobe has always had one of the most well rounded games. He defends, facilitates, and mixes it up on the boards. it is not his fault he played with a prime Shaq. Tex Winter himself said that Jordan would have been second option if he played with a prime Shaq.

[McWinningParticipant]

you have to realize Kobe had Shaq one of the best centers of all time and now Odom, Bynom, and Artest, hes good but not as good as Jordan he never had anyone as good as Shaq if he did that would have easily been the best combination of all time.

[llperez]

mvp’s are important, but Jordan was hands down the best player in his era. Who was he competing for mvp’s with those years he won it? Malone, Olajuwon, Barkley, Drexler. It is widely believed that Shaq has had a better career then Olajuwon, Duncan has had a better career then malone or Barkley. Lebron and Wade are tougher competition then drexler or any wing players jordan played against. Besides, Kobe could easily have 1 or 2 more mvps by now, his team just didn’t win enough games those years nash and dirk were winning the award.

[Henry25Participant]

People just can’t except the fact that there will eventually be a better player than MJ, and if Kobe does get 6 rings or more than everyone will say that “Well Kobe didn’t win as many scoring titles or individual awards”, yet about 2 years ago everyone said that Kobe wont be better than Mike because he wont win as much. Make up ur mind people. If Mike is #1, then Kobe will be 1B. KObe is the best player of the last decade imo. Especially if he wins his 5th. As much as people say Shaq was resposible for those early championships, Shaq has never won without another great player next to him. Plus Kobe is gonna be great for atleast another 5 years.

[McWinningParticipant]

i might take Gasol, and Bynom and Odom over Wade because basically all Shaq had was Wade, and Shaq.

[RickyRubio9Participant]

llperez you are dishing it out man. Nice arguments!

[JNixonParticipant]

It’ll happen like this,Kobe will be better than Jordan if he wins more titles, and LeBron will overtake both of them.

[llperez]

After Shaq left, Kobe was still getting his teammates involved, they just weren’t very good. There were only 3 seasons in between Finals appearances for Kobe. He played in the 2004 finals and again in 2008. that’s just 3 season’s in between where he had a poor rebuilding team around him.

[RickyRubio9Participant]

I’m picking up what you putting down and def. agree. LBJ is going to be the G.O.A.T. LeBron is…24?
MJ won his first at 26. Kobe had a Prime Shaq. LBJ has to work with just Shaq which isn’t bad.
One thing I will say, Shaq should be in the Conversation for the Greatest Player since coming into the league.
He got Kobe his, Wade his, and now possibly LeBron. All 3 are the best in the league right now right? I think dude deserves some due.

[llperez]

I think Lebron should be the goat when it’s all said and done. i don’t expect he will get to the number of titles that Jordan or Kobe will have, but Lebron will need to win at least 2 titles to be considered the best imo. He should get there.

[JNixonParticipant]

I think Shaq should definitely be in consideration for the reasons you mentioned as well. But big men dont get the credit they deserve because they dont have the glamor of the perimeter guys.

[marcusfizer21Participant]

That’s why asking this question WHO IS THE GREATEST PLAYER EVER? would be hard to answer because you have so many arguments to state… All of which are facts that will consider them the greatest… This question is a sick cycle carousel that’ll never end…

[NYK2010Participant]

Just because he reaches him in those stats doesn’t mean he’s as good or better than him.
Kobe will have played more regular season games in 2 yrs & will surpass Jordan in postseason games by the 1st round this year. Take out Jordan’s 2nd year and 94-95 yr he returned & Kobe has already passed him in seasons played.

Lets say Kobe plays till he’s 40 w/4 more dominant years as a top player & wins 3 more rings.
Is he now considered better than Jordan with about 20 years in the league, 7 rings etc.

Its doubtful that happens but ppl have forgotten that Jordan left the Bulls both times as still the best player in the game.
I’d say the Bulls win at least 2 more rings if the team stays together.

Don’t forget MJ was First Team All Nba Defense from 87-88 on every year and won defensive player of the year also.

[llperez]

Shaq had a 3 or 4 year span where he was as dominant as any player to play this game imo. He was a complete nightmare for teams. but he did not have the work ethic of the true greats. He also had injuries and was not flashy as you mention iguodala. When people think greatness, they think about the skills and foot work that guys like Jordan and Kobe have. Being 330 pounds and bulling through people does not really come off as “greatness” to a lot of people no matter how dominant he was.

[McWinningParticipant]

also you have to add in Jordans play making and defense into it. 2.35 steals while Kobe had 1.5. 5.3 assists to 4.6. those are stats that real;ly help Jordans case.

[QHaynes20]

Here is my look at it…Don’t criticize me just hear me out

Kobe Bryant has done amazing things since he entered the NBA. He won a Dunk Contest and he was a rising star and even had a “passing of the torch” moment when he and MJ played in that ASG.

Micheal Jordan had Scottie Pippen (the most underrated player in NBA history) and Kobe also had Shaq who was a top 3 Center all time. Even with Shaq on the team, every finals series I saw with LA after 2000, Kobe was the man, Kobe was the guy. To be Honest, Kobe should have gotten at least the 2002 Finals MVP.

Kobe to me should have 2 more MVP’s. He lost one out due to the Colorado incident and another to the love fest of Steve Nash. He dominated and unlike MJ, went through a terrible set of seasons where he had no help and he had to pretty much score 40 a game to win after being on a championship team.

People forget- there are some Kobe moments, winning the ASG MVP in philly, 63 in 3 quarters on Dallas, etc.

I think if this Laker team can maintain it’s success and win a couple titles and Kobe can have 2 or 3 more seasons in his prime- (25-5-5)…I think he could be called the Best Ever.

[blackflash234Participant]

Even if Kobe does get more than 2 rings to surpass Jordan which is highly unlikely and pass Jordan on the all time scoring list which is possible, Kobe still won’t go down as the greatest ever or better than Jordan simply because Jordan was good from day one. Kobe had to work hard to reach where he is now. Also, Jordan was way better efficiently wise than Kobe. Sometimes, Kobe hurts his team because when he has an off day and his shot is off, he’ll still attempt to go for 20 shots per night.

[RickyRubio9Participant]

so its a crime to bust your butt off in order to get good? cmon now…Jordan..we all know the story, got cut from team in highschool. you dont think he worked hard? No Player is the Greatest of All-Time without busting his butt to get there

[JNixonParticipant]

Crucifying a player because he has a work ethic….tisk tisk. I honestly stopped reading after that.

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Ha ha… Wow about the work ethic comment.

Man… I hear all the arguments, but as great and magnificent as Kobe is… I just don’t think there’ll be another MJ. MJ was one of a kind. MJ is the standard… The blueprint. You can’t top the blueprint when his DNA is in your game.

[Maysek22Participant]

even though Jordan outshines Kobe in every statistical category with the exception of 3pt shooting, to me thats not what makes Jordan greater. Just name one aspect of the game kobe did BETTER than Jordan, and i’ll say there might be an argument for kobe.
Shooting – did kobe have a better mid range game than jordan? Both the stats and my memory say no.
Quickness – is kobe quicker than MJ? better first step? I’ve watched both players their whole career and no, kobe is NOT quicker nor does he have a better first step.
Athleticism/Jumping – Can Kobe jump higher, dunk over guys better? Well i’ll say kobes highlight reel of facials is ballpark with jordans, but in no way exceeds his.
Clutch – Kobe is the man right now for clutch play, no question – but is he a better clutch player than MJ? no way is there any kind of empirical video evidence that will work for kobe.
MVPs – someone said kobe had tougher competition for mvps – i dont think so. Jordan had bird, magic, dream, Drob, Charles, Malone and Shaq. Kobe had shaq, nowitzki, nash, Iverson, garnett, Duncan and LBJ. Jordan’s competition was tougher, straight up.
Defense- no argument, while kobe is a very good defender, he’s not the shut down defensive mvp steals machine jordan was. hell jordan even had 4 years of more than a block a game, to kobes 1.
Competitiveness – Jordan will punch your mother out to win a no money poker game. nuff said

I dont know, when i look at aspects of each guys game, i just cant justify saying Kobe is greater than jordan – he might be the second best ever though
Cheers

[sheltwon3Participant]

I like Kobe but honestly even if Kobe wins 8 rings he will never be better than Jordan. I am a Lakers fans saying this. Jordan’s greatness was not just about wining and stats. He has a presence about him. Kobe is just as skilled and can actually do more than Jordan but Jordan was just better and he as he got older he made almost all the right plays. Jordan came first and if he did not retire would have had more rings. Kobe is 30 now with a top Western team and could potentially play 6 more good to great year with this team and his team could easily win 4 of the 6 years which would give him 8. I will say i doubt they win nothing less than 2 more. That would put him at 6. He will be considered the closet things to Jordan. Lebron will get a least 2 rings and be compared to Magic.

[sameolGParticipant]

MICHAEL JORDAN WON A CHAMPIONSHIP IN EVERY FULL SEASON HE PLAYED IN A WHOLE DECADE… until Kobe does something like that I just dont see how its even an argument… and the MVP argument doesn’t matter cause they both deserved it for a lot of season in their careers and Kobe has to become a better playoff performer for me to have a strong argument.. i mean Michael was just a different player during playoff time.. a much better player!! lol

[QHaynes20]

He did win titles true but your forgetting….he never won a title without Scottie Pippen.

Don’t act like he never contribute…..

Kobe did have Shaq for 3…but he won a title without another superstar…. Gasol is kinda overrated and Odom is inconsistant.

[QHaynes20]

And another guy who gets no credit is Jerry Krause

[Author]

Posts