Fifteen seasons in the NBA. One thousand and sixty-one games played. Thirteen playoff appearances, including seven in the NBA Finals. Twelve all-star appearances. You can go one and one with the resume of Kobe Bryant before you stop to realize that he's done all of this before the age of 33. Even more amazing is that he is still arguably one of the best players in the NBA. Per this story seen over at the OC Register, Kobe comments on his age and physical ability:
"In my prime, I couldn't do the things Dominique could do," Bryant said.
"I should be nowhere near playing at the level I'm playing at right now, 15 years into the league, the draft class that I came in," Bryant said. "I'm still running with these young pups."
Basically what he is saying that he may not be as quick or be able to jump as high as he could in his younger days but Bryant is still more than capable of dominating a game, as he displayed while scoring 30 points in the final 19 minutes of a victory against the Warriors Wednesday night. There is a big difference between physical prime and mental prime, as Kobe pointed out after the Warriors game;
"It doesn't matter who's on me. Go time is go time. ... You've got a responsibility to your team to try to come through in those situations and make the right play. Tonight, I did that."
That kind of mentality is exactly why as long as the Lakers have Kobe Bryant on the floor they are a title contender. You can stack your squad with all-stars (Miami, anyone?) but if those players don't have that competitive fire it may not be enough. I think we really take for granted how great of a player Kobe truly is.
Oh and for everyone that thinks Kobe is washed up; how does 25 ppg, 5 rpg and 5 assists with 9 fingers and a bum knee in your 15th season sound? Sounds like greatness to me.
-ALR
man......kobe is seriously on his own planet but stays grounded to the rest on the nba including his team.....even with the finger and knee issues hes is still lightning fast...in the cleveland game the other night defenders were practically breaking their own ankles trying to guess wich way kobe was going to go....its been great to have him in los angeles...
ReplyDeleteEverything you said is 100% TRUE! Kobe is still the best player in the NBA now(my opinion). When Kobe playing days are over he will be either the best of all time or 2nd best! The Black Mamaba will live in NBA history. Micheal Jordan?? Whos that???
ReplyDeleteTo all you clueless young fans who started watching the NBA in the Jordan era . . .
ReplyDeleteKobe will not be the greatest Laker when he retires, let alone the greatest player. Magic is so far beyond him its not close.
For that matter Jordan should not even be considered the GOAT. Kareem had a better career. His dominant play in the late 70's was as good as it gets. A finals MVP at 38.
I think even though i hate to admit, LeBron is the best in the game. But Kobe is second and still the best finisher in the game. Jordan will still be the GOAT be Kobe is in the top 5 be the end of his career i think.
ReplyDeleteIt still takes a team to win those titles- look at the three years without Shaq or Pau- it was pretty brutal at times. That being said he's one of the all time greats- I just wish NBA history was as well known as MLB history. Wilt,Russell, Oscar, Jerry and Elgin were out of this world. Kobe is certainly an incredible talent with a lot of Magic and Bird and Jordan in him-which to me is the willingness to play this game competively for nothing- no money or stardom or anything other than the competitive desire to be the best- that sums up why he's great!
ReplyDeleteThey should trade Kobe to San Antonio
ReplyDeleteAs was said above, Magic was/is the greatest Laker of all time. I've witnessed Lakers from West and Baylor thru today and They were all great, but Magic was the greatest. haq was MVP in all three (3) championship years that he and Kobe played together> Enough said.
ReplyDeleteHay, Tell me if your kobeeee went to Clipers and how many RING he could have? It happen to KING.
ReplyDeleteWhat an idiot if they trade Kobe to SA. It would be Kobe all by himself. The Spurs would be absorbed into the Lakers. There is no one on the Spurs that even come close to Kobe's talent and tenacity. The original Mr. Clutch (Jerry West) who by the way is the NBA's logo, spotted Kobe long before they acquired him. It takes talent to spot talent. Sacramento's announcer uses that term very loosely, I might ad for some of their players that don't even know what a clutch situation is. As far as Kobe's accomplishments, Kobe is Kobe Bryant, compare him against himself, why does everyone have to compare him to another all-star. All of the other Hall of Famers are stars in their own accomplishments. To reach that elite group and pass them is extra-ordinary to say the least. Let's just wait until Kobe retires to see where he lands and enjoy his perfomances. I personally, would like to see him pick up a sixth and seventh ring to tie and pass MJ. I would also like to see LA pick up their 17th and 18th championships to tie and pass Boston. And PJ would just add to his collection of rings. But to win 4 in a row would definitely be unprecendented. As for Bynum if he can stay healthy and at age 23 he has a good shot at catching Bill Russell with 11 rings, it is a long shot but if LA starts scouting for another superstar now who knows as Kobe in another few years starts to cut back on minutes. He ONLY needs 9 more... I don't know of any other centers that young with already 2 championships under their belt even though he played with a bad wheel.
ReplyDeleteKB is the most overated, ever. KB could have won anything without Shaq or Gasol. I am long time diehard Lakers fan since 1981, but have never dislike any Lakers player like KB. The game is so much more exciting when he's on the bench because that is when we have team- basketball. And Lakers should trade his ass for anybody. By the way, did he give himself that nickname- "BLack mamba"? Ohh Please!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteA little food for thought...
ReplyDelete1.MJ was once called a ballhog, cause he scored 36 pt and his teams would lose. Same was said of Wilt. both as to be cause otherwise their teams wouldn't win.
2.MJ did not win championships without the right supporting cast.
3.Shaq won three championships with Kobe one with Wade, none with Lebron, and he won't win with KJ. Had KB not been on the team dont think they would have won two much less three
4.You can't please everybody clearly, there will always be Kobe haters but that still can't take away from his acomplishments. Great players get the ball A LOT whether its MJ/Shaq/Wade/Wilt/West or Kobe, they are the best they should get the ball.
5.When it comes to dedication/working/the sacafice and effort put into their game no one comes close to KB not even MJ (whos 2nd). If Shaq fat ass put in half the work KB has, he would have rewritten the record books. "Those who understand marvel at his (KB) greatness those that dont have a clue just Hate"