Full article: http://espn.go.com/blog/playbook/fandom/post/_/id/17075/kobe-bryant-talks-mj-lebron-django Some of the questions asked by Chris Palmer: Why have you only won one MVP? Because I played with Shaq. It’s that simple. A lot of the time we cancelled each other out. I sacrificed a lot playing with him. I really did. I did it for the success of the team. If I never played with him, my numbers would have been ridiculous. When was the last time you watched Michael Jordan tapes? Wow, it’s been a while. Probably not since 1999. I used to watch a bunch, but that was a long time ago. What was it like dropping 33 on him as a 19-year-old in your second year? I wasn’t scared or nervous back then when I played Jordan. He looked at me like he was going to f--- me up but I had to let him know that I wasn’t that guy. I let him know that I’m not like all those other guys he played against. That’s not what I was there for. I was there to compete and I did. Did you let him know that verbally? More so by the way I played and competed. Early on you got tired of the MJ comparisons, but a part of you had to be flattered, right? I appreciated them, but after a while it just got old. They eventually faded away because I was putting together my own identity. But I’ll never forget how much I learned from MJ. I got so much from him. I knew what he did, I knew his moves and I used them. But for me the comparisons didn’t work because our situations were totally different. I came straight out of high school and played with a dominant big in Shaquille. Man, I was so young when I got to the NBA. What was I, like, 17? I mean, 17! The more you think about it, my situation was completely different than MJ’s, so the comparisons were just, you know, I stopped paying attention to them. Ironically, toward the end of your career those comparisons are starting to return. I don’t mind that now. It’s different now that I’m at the end of my career and I can look back. Fans will always want to know who’s better and like to compare players, and I love that. That’s what I used to do. That’s why people are into basketball, because it’s fun to debate those kinds of things. Are you a top-five player all-time? I don’t know. I hope so. I’ve still got a little time left, but honestly I haven’t thought a whole bunch about legacy and that kind of stuff. I just feel like there will be plenty of time for that. Who would you most like to play one-on-one, either active or retired? Jordan. No question. What would happen? I’m not sure, but he would win some and I would win some in a seven-game series. It would probably come down to the last few shots. You versus LeBron? Who wins? Me. No question. As far as one-on-one, I’m the best to ever do it. Damn. That’s pretty confident. LeBron is a terrific all-around, five-on-five basketball player who’s an all-time great. But I’d get him. Who could get you? Kevin Durant is the guy that would give me the most trouble. With his length and ability to use the dribble, he’d be tough. I always wanted to see you play Tracy McGrady. I played T-Mac. I cooked him. Roasted him. Wasn’t even close. Ask him, he’ll tell you. When I was about 20, we were in Germany doing some promotional stuff for that other sneaker company and we played basketball every day. We were in the gym all the time. We played three games of one-on-one to 11. I won all three games. One game I won 11-2. After the third game he said he had back spasms and couldn’t play anymore. His back bothered him for most of his career. Well, now you know. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ EDIT: McGrady apparently denies ever playing Kobe in Germany. lol http://www.lakersnation.com/nba-news-tracy-mcgrady-denies-kobes-1-on-1-beatdown-story/2013/01/17/
Kobe and Carmelo both with the hot latina wife thing I guess Kobe can show good memory on some petty stuff. Then he'll deny things like knowing who Jeremy Lin is during the Linsanity hype. (Though I can kinda believe that. When you get older, sometimes you don't care about the "hot trends", you just do you only) But its comes across as "smug for effect" cuz he can, kinda hard to know if he's REALLY sincere with his denials and matter of fact shrug-offs Still, not giving a flying f**k overall is mostly a commendable thing.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-in-reply-to="292035295954735105"><p>@<a href="https://twitter.com/jay11114">jay11114</a> Me and KB never even been to Germany together.. sounds good tho.. lol</p>— Tracy McGrady (@Real_T_Mac) <a href="https://twitter.com/Real_T_Mac/status/292074873105285121" data-datetime="2013-01-18T01:04:10+00:00">January 18, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Have to give respect to Kobe. I thought he was on the decline a few years back and Wade would take his place as the best SG. Look at the two of them now, Kobe is still at a high level and Wade has dropped way off.
LOL... definitely a compulsive liar Mcgrady didn't even go to Germany until 2003 for the first time here's a post from another site I don't even know why he'd bother with this, especially after he chickened out of a 1 on 1 game with Kyrie Irving.
" I love going one-on-one with someone. That’s what I do. I’ve never lost. It’s a whole different game, just to have them right in front of you and be able to do whatever you want." Rape!
Sacrificed personal accolades for 3 consecutive championships. If he'd rather have 'sick' numbers and 2 championships, then thats ridiculou. I remember those few years after Shaq was traded to Miami, it was sick indeed until you got a gift from the NBA named Gasol. He needs to thank Shaq for making him relevant in Championships with Jordan and Magic Magic wouldve won like 5 straight Chips with Diesel. Jordan would have wonlike 10 Chips Kobe makes no1 better, hes a gunner at the expense team chemistry, he wins because his teams are LOADED, but he failed with the hall of fame team in 2004 and hes failing with hall of fame team #2 Hes undeniably an incredible one on one scoring machine but hes simply not as much of a winner as hes praised to be, I like to be a realist about it. Put Kobe on Jordans first 3 peat teams and he couldntve done, Jordan= GOAT
Kobe we've found your doppelganger - it's not Jordan or LeBron... http://www.basketball-reference.com...m=1&p1=bryanko01&y1=2013&p2=wilkido01&y2=1999
The insecurity of getting old is all over his comments. He is going to be one of those players that grossly embellishes his career once he retires.