Now you have a player who realizes he can't do it by himself, but he gets criticized for it. Kobe was criticized for trying to be the man, now the opposite is happening with lebron. If the rockets could trade their entire roster for the big three I am sure most fans would be ecstatic. Role players are a dime a dozen. Super stars are rare. Jordan had pippen + grant/rodman + Toni etc. James best team mate was mo williams.
if lebron can win the MVP with wade + bosh on his team, none of this matters. that might even elevate him even more (to win an MVP with a top 3 player + a top 2-3 PF on your side). we will see.
Good point OP, rep given. People hated on Kobe (me among them) for being such a diva that he wanted Shaq gone so he could "be the man." Now that Lebraaaahn is saying "look I don't care about being the man. I'm going to give up a ton of money so I can go play with my friends and win titles" people are hating.
I dont hate him for picking miami. He can go where ever he feels most comfortable, but I do have a problem with how he handled the whole situation.
<object width="640" height="505"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-JUmMaEezZ0&hl=en_US&fs=1?color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-JUmMaEezZ0&hl=en_US&fs=1?color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="505"></embed></object> This is the first video I watched right after Lebron made his "decision". I always hated Kobe, never rooted for him once. But after seeing Lebron take the easy way out by joining Wade and Bosh, it makes me appreciate Kobe a lot more.
Magic Johnson is considered by many to be the 2nd greatest player of all-time. He had the likes of Jabbar, Worthy, Scott, & quite some good role players like Green and Cooper.
Kobe and Shaq were going at it. They both had ego problems, not just Kobe. I can't believe I'm defending Kobe right now, but Shaq himself made inappropriate comments about Kobe during Kobe's adultery mess. It wasn't that Kobe didn't want to play with Shaq, they both didn't want to play with each other anymore, even though they tolerated each other before. The case here is completely different. 3 proven superstars collude to join the same team, which is different to Kobe becoming a superstar during Shaq's period in LA. Now the biggest issue isn't the fact that they decided to join the same team, it's the fact that Lebron thought it was a good idea to announce his new team on national television, horribly humiliating the Cleveland fans who have endeared him for so long. In the end, Lebron's fiesta made Kobe a thousand times more likable and his legacy a million times more important. From now on, whenever one decides to scrutinize Kobe or his legacy, there is always this Lebron incident to juxtapose to. Kobe raped a woman? Lebron raped a city. Kobe threatened to leave his team? Lebron left his team outright, and slapped the organization in the face.
Kobe wanted to win, but he wanted to win his way with him leading. As long as shaq was there, he wasn't going to get full credit until shaq declined. Iverson,tracy,pierce,allen,finley and those guys couoldn't understand why you would want the most dominant player in the league gone. When shaq was traded and kobe was recognized, they were average. What did he do next?Crying and complaining about the lack of help and threatning to leave every chance he got. They get gasol and now he can win,but he's the lead dog. James just wants to win. I don't think he cares how and with who because he's such a great player, it doesn't matter. People says cleveland has a good team, well, we're about to see. For scott, i hope they get to at least .500.
I'm willing to put money on Durant for next year's mvp, how can anyone really be the most valuable in that roster
Kobe didn't like to play a complementary role. It's not just Shaq. Had Phil had Ducan on that team as the focal point, Kobe probably would have bailed too. Kobe didn't talk his teammates much either then. Fisher said one time Kobe never hung out with them on the road. He has changed a lot these days as the team leader.
yeah, i can see what you are saying. kobe has always taken the tough way out. first, before he enters the league he spends 0 years not being surrounded by a championship caliber roster and then gets traded on draft night to a team with a top 5 all-time center in his prime, which surprisingly leads to championships. then, after he runs that center out of town and the team is bad for a few years, he starts whining and demanding trades until his team surrounds him with another championship roster after lucking into pau gasol. the guy has really had to suffer and yet has always perservered and stayed with his championship rosters. how brave of him. one thing i like about this whole thing is you have people questioning lebron's desire to win, saying people like bird and magic and kobe and jordan would do anything possible to get wins and get rings, then lebron chooses miami and winning and people start saying bird and magic and kobe and jordan would never join up with other star players (completely ignoring the fact they didn't have to because their teams got them a bunch of stars) because they wanted to be the man. so apparently those all-timers would always choose winning, unless it hurt their ego, but uhh...still they would always choose winning. or whatever lebron didn't do, that's what those guys would be all about.
To be fair, Buss picked Kobe over Shaq. There was only one year left on Shaq's contract, Buss didn't want to pay Shaq insane amount of money given his injury history, work ethics and most important his declining physical dominance. I think that was a right decision. At the time, none of us could understand what was the Lakers doing, but Shaq's performance after his Laker days showed he wasn't worth 20+ mil a year.
Agreed. There's a lot of revisionist history around here lately. Anyone think a rookie Kobe would have settled for OKC in KD's situation or Cleveland in LBJ's situation considering he refused to play for Charlotte? Anyone think he would have settled for anything less then the biggest markets and best teams as a 17 yr old unproven rookie?
He was MVP worthy the very next year and won another title. The Lakers could have won the title that year and let Shaq go then if they wanted to, but they didn't. Kobe was threatening to leave the Lakers. All insider reports were that Kobe basically said him or me.
I've figured something out in my 20 something years of living, "People are stupid." They are like lemming and sheep. I actually admire LeBron for what he did, I would rather see him go to Miami and win a couple of titles vs. staying with 2nd rate organization in Cleveland and never winning anything. Cleveland is somewhat like Minnesota, but somewhat more competent though especially with David Kahn doing decision making for the Wolves. I also think it is silly how people keep blaming him for being the main reason the Cavs have lost in playoffs in the last few seasons. When he in reality, has been the only reason they've been this good. The Cavs suck without LeBron, their pieces were adequate. People in Cleveland should get over, especially the owner. If the shoe was reversed, he would've had little to say about it. Hypocrite.
well kobe, mj, bird, and magics teams all had GOOD management...well actually GREAT management when it comes down to it. cleveland would be in luxury tax hell and wouldnt have any chance in upgrading there roster as they dont have the assets to better the team. (ala varejao, jamison, and williams) i dont blame lebron for leaving but i dont appreaciate what he did to the city of cleveland. i was never really fan of lebron but these past two years of this crap has made me despise the guy's attitude and all. with all of this b eing said, these past two years have led me to becoming a fan of kobe bryant and appreciating his hard work...except for when he plays against the rockets hes the most hated man alive :grin:
True. Conventional wisdom was to keep Shaq b/c a dominant center like that is irreplaceable, but Buss picked Kobe, who at the time nobody expect him to be this good. Reports in LA said Buss treated Kobe like his son. Not only Shaq, Phil was tossed out to keep Kobe too. That was extraordinary vision given what Kobe has turned out to be today.
I never thought I'd say this but if it's a Lakers vs. Heat finals I'm rooting for Kobe. I can't believe I'm saying that.