Kobe Bryant Isn't Michael Jordan, but He's At Least Clyde Drexler

Clyde Drexler was my childhood hero and all time favorite player and the reason why I became a Rockets fan. With that said Kobe is the far superior player.

 

In what way?

 

Can we stop comparing Kobe to other people? He's Kobe, great player, HOF lock and all that jazz, there is no need to keep trying to link him to some other past player.

Did they do this for MJ, Hakeem, I know Tim Duncan might have gotten a few comparisons early on but he has shed them, why the heck is Kobe still getting them when he has been in the league 12+ years or so?

 

A much more explosive scorer. A better defender.

 

What reflects that? His 5 ppg gain or his 2 rpg loss?

Kobe is Clyde.

 

There is no way Kobe is a better defender. Kobe is a better scorer and that is it. Kobe ability to dribble, stop on a dime and make a mid range jump shot is as good as anyone that has ever played the game.

Clyde was a better at

Defending
Rebounding
stealing
passing
posting up
in the open court

 

if Kobe is Clyde, then who does Carl Landry become?

 

Clyde was a one-man fast break and a much better finisher (at least a more exciting finisher anyway) than Kobe. In the current group of players, LeBron is the only guy with a similar skillset (meaning pts, rebs, asts), and LeBron is even better.

Kobe's definitely a better defender, but Clyde was a better thief. Kobe's jumpshot is WAY better than Clyde's was.

I'd agree that Clyde is definitely underrated, but I think saying Kobe is no better than him is a bit of a stretch.

 

Sorry but Clyde was at best an adequate one-on-one defender. He just wasn't very quick laterally, but he had very quick hands (hence finishing in the top 5 in steals when he retired).

 

Otis T.

 

is sasha vujajic Pete Chilcutt then?

Nice read, good comparisons...i think it is pretty trrue actually.

Chilcutt

 

So you're saying we can trade Landry for Kobe?

 

Sorry, hate to be police here, but is this the wrong forum for the OP? I don't like reading about Kobe in the GARM unless it's about a proposed trade. And even then I don't want to hear about it.

 

Well, its a comparison between Kobe and Drexler. Its Drexler's inclusion that brings it to the GARM.

 

I still have no idea why people look at career stats...they are near useless. Kobe was basically a child in his first NBA season and Clyde wasn't the same at age 35. I tend to look at their prime years. Scrap the first 3 or 4 years and go about 8 years out or until a guy starts having injuries.

I agree, Clyde gets overlooked too often but I would have to say Kobe has surpassed him. To say Kobe is just a better scorer is a little misleading. He's one of the top few scorers the league has ever seen.

 

Kobe has the killer instinct and he has a knack for taking over games in the 4th quarter and hitting the clutch shots down the stretch. I know Drexler had some game winning shots but when the games on the line or my team has the last possession I'm taking Kobe 10 out of 10 times.

Also, Drexler played in an era where besides Michael Jordan and himself the 3rd best shooting guard was Reggie Miller or Mitch Richmond.

Also the 5 ppg difference is a pretty big difference. From 20ppg to 25 ppg it may not seem that big to you but 15 to 20 ppg may seem much larger.

Once again, I'd proudly proclaim myself as a DOF but Kobe has more than got his number.

 

Clyde was a great Rockets player and I suppose that is a solid argument. Still, I don't think it pertains to game action and roster moves. Oh well, it got moved anyway.

 

Just imagine with todays rules (no hand checking, easier perimter defenses to beat, more open court rules) how dominating drexler would be.