A Young Kobe Tells Jordan: "I Can Take You One On One"

What a tough guy that young Kobe was. Coming fresh off a championship, he thought he could take a 38 year old who hadn't played pro ball in three years.

 

1v1 is the most meaningless test of skill in Basketball.

 

Dickey Simpkins beat Michael Jordan in one-on-one game before.

 

Umm what? No it's not. One on one is a great way to evaluate a players skills individually. When I coached youth basketball, I ran plenty of one on one drills. In fact, I believe learning how to play one on one at a young age is very necessary. The majority of the time, the kids most comfortable playing one on one, are the ones ahead of the pack when it comes to skill level. It also stresses man to man defense. Hell, whenever our bigs get a play date with Hakeem, those are done ONE ON ONE. So to say one on one is the most meaningless test of skill in basketball is down right ridiculous. I'd say its one of the most meaningful test of skill in basketball. There is a reason why one on one coaching works really well.

 

being an elite 1v1 player by no means makes you a great basketball player.

 

LOL @ Kobe trying his homosexual advances on the GOAT. I'm sure MJ kindly declined.

 

It's not , unless you're a big fat guy playing someone who is obviously not as strong as you. If anything 1 on 1 taught me how to play defense against someone. I had friends in high school who could shoot the ball like Ray Allen (exaggerating) but they couldn't play 1 on 1 lol and they weren't on the team.

 

If Aaron Brooks played Steve Nash, who do you think would win? In fact, who do you think would demonstrate their skills better?

Sure, 1 v 1 will allow you to demonstrate some individual talents, such as man on man defense. But in the game of basketball, there are always 5 players on the court. A good man to man defender does not translate to a good help defender. You can't demonstrate your ability to run pick and rolls, nor your court vision or even your basketball I.Q.

The results you get from a player beating another player in 1v1 should be taken for a grain of salt.

And remember, Michael Jordan always lost to his brother when they played.

 

So was Kobe saying Jordan's reason to make his comeback with the Wizards?

 

When I first read the thread title, I thought it was going to be a story about Kobe running into Jordan when he was just a kid, or maybe in high school. That would have been pretty funny.

 

Yes it does. Superstars are good 1v1 players. Coincidence? I think not.

 

If Nash and Brooks played 1 on 1 for ten games, Nash would win 7 out of 10.`

 

I highly doubt so.

 

Kobe has a rep of doing that though. I read a story about Kobe in high school telling some then current NBA player during a pickup game that he could beat him one on one. I can't remember who it was now - maybe a young Brian Shaw or someone like that. Someone you would know but not necessarily a star.

 

There are so many more dimensions when you're comparing 2 players in a sport such as basketball versus, say, track. In track, you race the 2 players. Whoever is fastest is best. That doesn't fly in basketball for obvious reasons.

But LOL @ Kobe thinking he can take Jordan one on one.

Prime Jordan > Prime Kobe

 

I heard Lebron was supposed to meet with Jordan also but he had to go to the bathroom and missed the meeting.

 

Why not?

 

Youth can make one do or say some foolish things sometimes. Unfortunately, Kobe has not grown up very much.

 

if you are going to be an elite player, then you need to be a good one on one player to draw the other team's defense to you. if you can destroy your man 1 on 1, then it forces the defense to collapse and you get open shots. similarly if you can't guard your man 1 on 1 it forces your teammates to help and they get open shots.

there are, of course, lots of other factors. you need to beat the man quickly and unlike in an actually 1 on 1 you don't have the entire court. but to ignore 1 on 1 skills is absurd. what is posting up other than a small game of 1 on 1?

there are of course lots of players that wouldnt be great at 1 on 1 that are still elite players because of other skills, but certainly 1 on 1 skills are a huge part of evaluating a player.