"Industry insiders expect Bryant's endorsement deal with Nike to be worth about $40 million over five years. It will be announced in mid-June Laker assistant Jim Cleamons is expected to draw some interest from the NBA's many coaching vacancies." LA Times now, i know kobe strives to be the best. and is very hard working. his deal is worth less than half of what Lebrons is. now thats gotta make him wanna do better? How much will kobe score next season? 40 a game? sheesh....
Lebron is stud. But its a joke that a 3-time world champion and many consider the best player in the game or atleast your top 5 cant get the deal that a high school kid got. Well atleast he signed with Nike his addias shoes were awful. And your right as if the man needed anymore motivation.
fo real.. he looked good on those jordans too, but if he tryna outdo jordan, he shouldnt wear those shoes. im glad he switched to nike coz nike has some great kicks!!! adidas aint that really good..
Kobe is no better than KG, Duncan, Shaq, Tmac. Kobe still has to show he can lead a team. He had every opportunity to showcase his skills this year considering Shaq was never really playing 100 percent. This tells me that yes, Kobe is hard working and a great baller but he can't win as the first option. Not yet at least. As for Lebron: KG, Duncan, Shaq, Tmac and maybe even Kobe will be better than Lebron. I watched Lebron so many times now, and from what I have seen he is not the next MJ. Next year, Tmac will be a serious contender for MVP but Duncan will win it again. Also, Lebron is going to get schooled... Anyone else think Lebron is not next?
Kobe is 24. TWENTY-FOUR. OF COURSE his game has flaws in it -- he needs to develop better leadership skills, become more of a team player, etc. But dude is 24, has three rings and is considered by many to be the best all-around player in the NBA. And, considering that ballers traditionally peak from 27-32, Kobe's best years are probably three years away. He's a straight-up freak.
What can you honestly expect Kobe to do with this starting 5 PG Fisher SG Kobe himself SF Fox Pf Horry C Medvedenko note- I dont know exactly what the starting 5 was when Shaq was hurt but its no better than this With the exception of fisher thats a pathetic supporting cast to give a franchise player. Sub in a TD KG T-Mac etc...are you really that confident that they would fair any better? Maybe the big men would but they defintely wouldnt win anything of great signifcance. T-mac no way he has better players in Orlando today Basically the ruling is still out on whether or not kobe would be sucessful in leading a team. He dosent have to have Shaq but give a decent supporting cast like a Orlando team, SA, or Minny and Im confident he would have alot better results. Personaly I cant wait to see what Kobe can do once Shaq goes.
It's pretty strange that KB's deal is that low compared to LeBron's, but I think that is because the hype that are created around LeBron. He is worldknown and he's 18 years old! For Kobe, I like him, but I think the shoecompanies don't want him that much because of the strange hate around Kobe. I really don't understand why people hate on him so much, I guess it's jealousy... I know he's a bit cocky, but come on, which superstar isn't?
I still expect Kobe & LA to win more games than they won at the beginning of the season. They lost to some pretty bad teams early on as well (as in non-talented teams). Other superstars have played on squads with no help (Dream for example) and fared MUCH better, so please save me the his squad sucked excuse. Yes, Kobe has 3 rings. Yes, he is young, a freak and still has room to grow. However, what does that have to do with his ability to make a kid want to buy his shoe? For every person that likes Kobe, there is another who hates his whiny, wanna be Jordan ass.
im no lakers fan, but i have no doubt with all factors included, the lakers are going to be amazing next year. after they re-tool, theyll be the best team in the league easily.
youre saying that shaq and kobe with the 93-94 rockets supporting cast WOULDNT have won it all???? thats insane! cassell, horry, thorpe, brown, maxwell, bullard, smith ARE LIGHTYEARS a better support than fisher, horry, walker, fox, george, madsen, shaw! heck, even shaq couldve won with that supporting cast. dream was incredible but he did not do it alone. i doubt dream could have won with the lakers support.
No, I’m saying if Dream (just using him as an example….superstar to superstar) can lead his team to the playoff’s with some of the rosters that he had from say….87/88 – 91/92, then the “heir apparent” can lead his team to a winning percentage higher than 40%. That’s why I tire of hearing the excuse of no help. Most stars don’t have help for the majority of their careers, but their teams at least play 50% ball.
I guess I appreciate your logic, but, "easy"?? The Spurs will probably be the returning champs. Much of their core is brand new & young this year (Parker, Jackson, Ginobilli, Claxton) and will only improve; they are freeing up cap space losing D. Rob (minor contributor this post-season) and S. Smith (non-contributor); to the tune of $15-16 million dollars. Spurs are younger with more upside than LA; Duncan is going to be at least as good next season (he's just entering the historical "peak" of NBA players), while Shaq seems to get a step slower each season, and the Spurs have 3 times the $$$$ to spend than LA; AND THE SPURS JUST WHIPPED THE LAKERS!!! How do you figure the Lakers make up the ground they need to, AND the additional ground which the Spurs are going to improve?
PG. Stevie SG. Cat SF. Williams PF. MoTay C. Cato its not like this team is a obvious 45 win team...but they did it. Im sure if you put TMac, TD, KG ect...with that lakers likeup and they wouldve done better than 3-9. anyways. I think shaqs really going to take a back seat next year....not the 10 games this year when kobe scored 40+. Kobe avg gonna be 35+ this season. if stevie moves to the 2 guard i see him avg 27-29. should be pretty interesting next year
im very serious. the rockets had 1 superstar to the lakers 2. the rockets won it. the lakers didnt. now logically, who had better support? EDIT: in fact, lets see what everyone else thinks, all rockets bias aside. who had better support? 93 rockets or 2003 lakers? well see about the idiot comment...
dont you think theyll get some help next year? theres plenty of guys whod play for the lakers cheap for a title. malone, payton, pippen, pj brown, etc....thats how i expect theyd win next year. however if they keep the same team, the spurs are much better and have already proven it. btw i hate the lakers
which reject? elie (won 4 titles), horry (5 and counting), thorpe, cassell, brown was awesome, bullard? hmm the sure all did suck after houston ok now i know whats going on. go away you annoying joined in march of 03 lakers troll
lakers troll? youre the one sitting here puttin dreams contribution down. thinking he had an awesome supporting cast, and that poor shaq AND kobe needed an "awesome supporting cast too"
