Will Kobe be considered the greatest Laker of all time?

I like the question. It's legitimate and possible. But I say no.

If nothing else, his personality will hold him back from Magic. I think he can overtake Shaq soon if he hasn't already by leading his team to a title w/out Shaq..

And he can overtake Kareem if he stays a Laker for life and continues with a great career.

 

Maybe I never saw Magic enough in his prime, but I'd take Kobe if I was picking one to start a team. Even with today's rules discouraging dominant big men, I'd take Kareem over either. Gotta go large.

Wait, isn't Magic bigger than Kobe? Dammit!

 

Magic Johnson, Kareem, Elgin Baylor!!!!! IDK its real tough they are all the greatest of all time

 

Kobe will never be the greatest Laker of all time.

...To be fair to him though, retiring as the greatest Laker of all time is a hell of alot harder then retiring as the greatest Raptor or Cav.

 

Magic won 5 championships and was one of the most versatile players in NBA history. The story isn't over but it will be tough for Kobe to catch him. It's hard for people to remember just how much Magic and Bird meant to the NBA when they came into the league.

 

No chance IMO.

 

go look up elgin baylor's numbers. they're off the charts

 

when did I miss the new forum they added to the bbs?

This new Kobe Bryant Forum really has them talking!

 

I say you start 10 more polls............But thats just my opinion on is Kobe the best laker.

 

Magic.

Topic over.

 

Exactly . . . I think the argument can be made. . .somewhat convincingly
that Magic was better than Jordan

Rocket River

 

Seriously, WTF is up with all this Kobe sh:t?

I'm a bigtime Kobe fan but this crap is ridiculous. These are some of the dumbest questions and threads i've ever come across.

 

I can see how you would not like the sheer amount of Bryant threads, but this question is at least debateable.

Alot of the younger fans probably dont realize just how good Baylor, Kareem and Magic really were.

Its nice to see a thread where they can learn that no matter how awesome they think Bryant is, he still hasnt touched the true greats from that team.

 

he has surpassed Shaq.

with coupled of more rings, he may pass Kareem. but, he well never surpass Magic as the greatest LA Lakers of all times.

The greatest Minn Lakers was Mikan.

 

Uh, no.

Shaq has 3 playoff MVPs in route to leading the Lakers to titles. Kobe needs a couple to have an argument.

 

A more legitimate question is how does Kobe stack up with Jerry West and Elgin Baylor as Lakers. These are all quite debatable.

The distance between Kareem and Magic from Kobe is almost as great as the difference between Jordan and Kobe as players. Give Bryant maybe a 1% chance to surpass Jordan as a player. The only way you might compare Bryant to Kareem as "Lakers" is because Kareem had great accomplishments as a Buck before he became a Laker. I guess you can say a similar thing with Shaq (by defining it just in terms of greatest "Laker" instead of what most people would do, terms of "greatest player") because that ignores the Orl and Mia accomplishments.

 

It should be kareem:

* 1969 Naismith Award
* 1970 NBA Rookie of the Year
* 2x USBWA College Player of the Year
* 3x NCAA Basketball Tournament MOP
* 3x NCAA Champion
* 6x NBA MVP
* 6x Sporting News NBA MVP
* 6x NBA Champion
* 2x Finals MVP
* NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team
* #33 retired by UCLA, Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers

 

as if that's the only measuring stick

DWade has a Finals MVP, while Kobe has none. DWade can't even hold Kobe's jock strap. !

Both Jerry West and Wes Unseld won Finals MVP; they're both a notch below Kobe as a NBAer.

 

don't mix up UCLA and Milwaukee with the LA Lakers.