Kobe Bryant the most overrated player in NBA History?

If not now, you don't think he will be when Lebrons career is over? I think he already is but i'm pretty sure the majority believe he will be once his career is done. Lebron might be top 5 when it's said and done for me...

 

But we're talking about today. Kobe's been there and done time and time again. That's the key to his legacy, is his longevity and persistence.

Bryant wasn't drafted and treated as a franchise player right away, he had to earn that. By the time he won his 4th and 5th, guys that were considered his contemporaries had already faded away. Kobe's success outlasted that of so many players it's not even funny. Hardaway, VC, AI, Tmac, Dirk, Yao, Webber, Shaq...the list just goes on and on. KG, Pierce, and Allen, as well as Duncan, Parker, Ginnobli had to team up to not seem archaic next to Kobe. Hell, he might still be ballin his brains out by the time Wade goes.

That's not just talent + hard work. It's an obsession to a craft. That's greatness

 

Lebrons numbers alone put him ahead of Kobe for me. You act like it's an insult that Lebron is better than Kobe to me. I still got kobe top 15 all time

 

Yes, to me it's an insult to put James ahead of Kobe at this point in time. But respect your opinion, and LeBron may very well end up in the top five.

It's really a matter of opinion, and I guess different qualities (or in your and Bruce Blitz's case) quantities impress different people. Kobe's greatest accomplishment was surpassing his potential. LeBron has yet to reach his.

 

Or a sign of something.

 

The year Kobe won it, the Lakers were actually sitting atop the Western Conference even BEFORE the Gasol trade. It stemmed from him making a concerted effort to hasten the development of Bynum and incorporate Odom into the offense more. Of course, at that time he was still atop his game on the offensive end (for those who wish to see the beauty of getting buckets, watch Kobe's games from 05-08). Would they have gone to the Finals if they didn't get Pau? Probably not, but Nash has never gone to the Finals, and he has TWO MVP's.

Quite simply put, Kobe MADE his team improve in 08. That's what the MVP award was about.

 

Yes he are.


/thrad

 

So in 2007, an unincorporated Odom averaged 16 pts, 10 rbs, and 5 ast per game. But in 2008, when Kobe "incorporated" Odom into the offense more, Odom averaged 14 pts, 11 rbs, and 3.5 ast per game.

And it's ridiculous to say that Kobe "hastened" the development of Bynum.

If they didn't get Pau, there's a chance they may not have made the playoffs. The western conference was deep that year.

Quite simply put, Kobe's MVP award in 2008 was widely considered to be a lifetime achievement award.

 

Geez man. If the West was so deep that year, how come the Lakers dominated every team up till Boston? How did they end up with the top record halfway through the season?

Let me remind you that Kobe's only missed the playoffs ONCE in his entire career, and were knocking on the second round's door in 06 w/ Kwame, Smush, and Walton...literally one second away from eliminating the MVP's team out of the playoffs. By the same logic, you could have said that Nash's MVP's were "Best newcomer award". You don't simply qualify something like that by waving it off as some BS accolade. They had the best record in the conference, and improved by 15+ wins in a year and were considered an unstoppable team going into the playoffs- Which is almost exactly what Nash did for PHX, and he as TWO MVP's that no one ever questions.

Odom's play has always been inconsistent, and have you ever wondered that his stats dropping had something to do with Gasol, Bynum, Ariza all getting more touches?

But w/e, it's fact of neuroscience that feelings come before words, and your articulation of your argument stems from negative bias whereas mine stems from positive bias. But at the end of the day, Kobe DOES have ammunition in terms of numbers and facts that ONE CANNOT SIMPLY deny. Idiots at that point result to name calling (ie Kobetards, fanbois). Fine, I get it, Kobe isn't your cup of tea. But I drink it proudly

 

They were able to do that b/c Bynum was playing well. But after Bynum went down with his season ending injury, the Lakers would've been in big trouble had they not acquired Gasol.

And let me remind you that in 05-06, the Lakers had a 47-35 record, and in 06-07, the Lakers had a 42-40 record. Those records alone precluded Kobe from MVP consideration in those seasons.

Who cares about best record in the conference? The MVP is a league-wide award. The Lakers won 57 games in 08, which was the 3rd best record in the league. And I believe the favorites to win the championship were the Celtics. They had the best record in the league by a wide margin.

And the 15+ win Laker turnaround was attributed to both Kobe and Gasol.

When Nash won his MVP's, he was the sole reason for the Suns' turnaround.

That's fine. I was just pointing out your error when you said that in the 08 season, Kobe made a bigger effort to incorporate Odom into the offense.

It's not about denying his numbers and facts. It's about putting them in the proper context.

I think Kobe's a great player. I have him in my top 15 all-time.

 

That's fine. Taking the subjectiveness of sporting legacies into account, your putting him at, say number 14, is really not that different from me putting him at number 10.

Just gonna point to one thing though. You yourself said that the Western conference was deep (by which I assumed you meant competitive outside the Lakers), yet you imply that having the best record in such a conference was not as impressive as beating down crappy teams in the East. In the end, Boston was probably the better team. But again, MVP's are regular season awards. Boston was the first super-team, so you can't attribute their success to say, just KG.

Kobe + Bynum w/o Gasol = Best record in West
Kobe + Gasol w.o Bynum = Best record in West

My point is that he deserved it for that season. Not gonna argue for 05-07, which were still AMAZING basketball for anyone, but imo 08 is Kobe's all the way.

 

Chris Paul was robbed that year

 

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The Kobe Hater strikes AGAIN!!!!!!!

 

he's one of those nba fans that watches the games.i wouldn't all him a hater he's just pointing out the obvious.wtf, so your not a hater at all?

 

Lol. If Kobe is top 10 lebron sure as fruck isn't r u kidding me.

I think kobe is way overated too. I keep hearing him being mentioned as top 5 and there's no way in hell he's that.

 

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