IS KOBE BRYANT...OVERRATED?

[sea manup]

this thread is still going.

Kobe Bryant isn't overrated...depending on where and what you are rating him by.

He's one of the greatest players of all time for sure. Top 10, 15 player ever. This will rustle some jimmies, but he's probably the greatest Laker ever.

He isn't the greatest ever. He isn't better than Michael Jordan. Hell, this will rustle some Jimmes as well, but he has never been better than Lebron James either.

Kobe was never far and away the greatest player in the game at anytime. Even at Kobe's peak, you had guys like Allen Iverson, Tmac, Vince Carter, Paul Pierce, whom many considered "better." I don't think they were, but it certainly can be argued. When Michael was at his peak, everyone in the NBA and around it, knew he was far and away the best player the league had to offer. In much similar fashion, nobody questions who's been the league's best player for the past 3 to 5 seasons.

What makes Kobe so great to me, is that he maximized his potential fully. He's awesome at what he does. He's had one of the finest careers in NBA history. But, he's never been the clear cut best player in the game when he was playing, and he's been extremely fortunate.

as long as you mean he has never been better than lebron in his prime and not lebron in any given year they were both in the NBA then agreed

 

[mister friendly]

I don't know if all those guys were ever considered better than Kobe. Maybe McGrady was considered an equal for a couple seasons.

And that last post............ Straight trolling. You gotta at least seem reasonable to get a reaction from people

 

[markangelo]

I know I'm gonna get flamed for this but next year: Harden>Wade>Kobe>>>

 

[shoeking2101]

as long as you mean he has never been better than lebron in his prime and not lebron in any given year they were both in the NBA then agreed

Since Lebron's second year in the L, he's been better than Kobe to be honest. For years he was an underrated defender and is just now over the last couple of seasons, getting his just due on that side of the ball. Besides that though, he's been better than Bean since his second year in the league from my vantage point.

But in regards to this thread, it's so vague. Is Kobe overrated? What kind of question is that? No way can a guy who has scored 30k points all in a laker uni with 5 rings and 2 scoring titles "Overrated." Where ever he's ranked at, (Top 3, top 5, top 10,) it's definitely a discussion at least. The resume warrants it.

Again, he as a basketball player isn't overrated. But when you use his fortune as a means of saying he's better than someone, that's when I have an issue. I can't go with saying he's better than so and so because of his 5 rings. Rings in general, are such a skewed thing to measure. What if Lebron plays with a prime shaq? What if T Mac is coached by PJ? What if Kobe's agent doesn't ***** about him being in Charlotte and he actually goes and plays there? Does he have 5 rings then? All things considered probably not.

He's a phenomenal talent who was blessed with fantastic fortune, and credit to him, he pushed that fortune to the limit. People fail to realize that he really could have just as easily been a 15ppg guy who was a role player on those championship teams.

Lock this thread up man I keep coming back to this

 

[markangelo]

^Repped 

Lebron is the epitome of the sport basketball..No disrespect to kobe or MJ but Lebron does everything so well.. He passes, rebounds, defends, scores , and dictates the game.. I think he can be a better scorer than kobe, he just doesn't care about scoring, he wants everyone to be involved and have fun, and that's what makes him special. It's quite a pleasure to watch Lebron 

 

[SneakerProSr.]

Dirk salty that Duncan won more.
Wade pop that clown in his nose. Actions speak louder than words.
Payton should thank Shaq for his one ring.
MJ takes kwame brown 1st overall. Yeah he knows talent.
Larry wants to play with ROBIN.
Magic worst analyst on TV.

Kobe won more than Duncan what the hell are you talking about?

 

[nermindee]

Dirk calls him best of this era.
Wade calls him best of this era.
Gary Payton calls him best of this era.
MJ says he takes Kobe.
Larry Bird says he would want to play with Kobe.
Magic says Kobe is best Laker of all time.

NT folk Lebron Stans say he's overrated.

Opinions of guys that played with and against him >>>>>>> clowns watchin on their tv's with tears in their eyes.

 

[darthska]

So we're just going to pretend that there are no examples of people who have criticized Kobe and have more credibility them us.

Oh wait, they're haters.

More credit than us and you offer praise: opinion is LEGIT.

More credit than us and you offer criticism: JEALOUS HATER, and your opinion is NULL.

 

[nako xl]

as long as you mean he has never been better than lebron in his prime and not lebron in any given year they were both in the NBA then agreed

Since Lebron's second year in the L, he's been better than Kobe to be honest. For years he was an underrated defender and is just now over the last couple of seasons, getting his just due on that side of the ball. Besides that though, he's been better than Bean since his second year in the league from my vantage point.

But in regards to this thread, it's so vague. Is Kobe overrated? What kind of question is that? No way can a guy who has scored 30k points all in a laker uni with 5 rings and 2 scoring titles "Overrated." Where ever he's ranked at, (Top 3, top 5, top 10,) it's definitely a discussion at least. The resume warrants it.

Again, he as a basketball player isn't overrated. But when you use his fortune as a means of saying he's better than someone, that's when I have an issue. I can't go with saying he's better than so and so because of his 5 rings. Rings in general, are such a skewed thing to measure. What if Lebron plays with a prime shaq? What if T Mac is coached by PJ? What if Kobe's agent doesn't ***** about him being in Charlotte and he actually goes and plays there? Does he have 5 rings then? All things considered probably not.

He's a phenomenal talent who was blessed with fantastic fortune, and credit to him, he pushed that fortune to the limit. People fail to realize that he really could have just as easily been a 15ppg guy who was a role player on those championship teams.

Lock this thread up man I keep coming back to this

Since his 2nd year...?  As in his 2nd year when he couldn't shoot?  Or would disappear for stretches in important games because he would still get overwhelmed?  Was Bron even definitively better than Carmelo at that point?

You people need to stop.

 

[nako xl]

And the "what if's" are stupid.  Just plain stupid.  Michael Jordan wasn't the most physically talented player in his era.  He wasn't even the most physically gifted player on his own team.  Scottie and Toni were.

Michael seized opportunities and had a drive that set him apart.  The same is true in every profession and walk of life.

What if so and so had decided to stick with football instead of basketball?  What if Drake still acted and never rapped.  What if etc etc.  What if's are endless.  Saying Kobe was "lucky" means nothing.  He seized the opportunities granted him.

Lebron's been to the finals 3 times and has 1 ring.  He'll get more, but to say Kobe was fortunate?  Kobe was 3 for 3 on his first three visits.  Against GOOD teams.  Kobe was drafted and played behind Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones. great guards at the time and he forced them out of town.  Kobe seized his opportunities.

T-Mac might have been better?  What if T-Mac had stuck around Toronto and was a career back up?  T-Mac never got out of the first round with home court advantage in the East.  You can't say what if this and what if that, because things didn't play out that way.  Look at what was, and what happened.

Hypothetical arguments like "well he's a top 10 player, BUT he might not have been if this were another universe and variables x and y were different" are just a waste of time.  Why even make them?

 

[mmg]

Shaq was 3 for 3....

Kobe rode the coat tails...

 

[CP1708]

So we're just going to pretend that there are no examples of people who have criticized Kobe and have more credibility them us.

Oh wait, they're haters.

More credit than us and you offer praise: opinion is LEGIT.

More credit than us and you offer criticism: JEALOUS HATER, and your opinion is NULL.

Sorry man, you missin the point there.

You got a list of players that offer a criticism of Kobe, and call him overrated, or NOT a top 10 all time NBA Basketball player?

Having a critique is not the same thing as saying Kobe sucks, he's the 45th best player of all time, he's no better than Rip Hamilton.

Players can say Magic couldn't shoot, or Bird wasn't elite defensively, but they don't follow up with those guys are the 36th best basketball player of all time neither.

So if you want to list the players that have something negative to say about Kobe, fine, just make sure to list the slot those players place Kobe in as well.

 

[nako xl]

Shaq was 3 for 3....

Kobe rode the coat tails...

Really?

Kobe didn't contribute at all to that three-peat?  Not ven in game 7 of the WCF against the Blazers in 2000?  Or game (4?) of the finals that year when Shaq didn't play the end of the game and Kobe won it for them in OT? (people forget how close that series was)

Or what about the 2001 playoffs: 29.4 ppg, 7.3 rbg, and 6.1 apg?  Or how about the 2002 playoffs where Kobe just blacked out, especially in the finals.

Right.  But Shaq was 3 for 3.  People never actually watch those teams play, then ten years later they listen to stories about how things were and hold them up as fact.

If we're gonna play the what if's game, then the Lakers probably win 1 of those rings without Kobe.  Definitely wouldn't have made it to three straight finals.

 

[rashad8869]

People act like Kobe just sat on the bench and watched Shaq win the championship by himself or something.  Just a question if Kobe rode the tails of Shaq to the Championship.  Did Lebron ride the coat tails of Wade to the championship?  Did Mchale just ride on the coat tails of Bird?  Did Kevin Garnett just ride on the coat tails of Paul Pierce? How crazy does that sound?

 

[deuce king]

Nobody is saying that Kobe rode the bench during the first 3 championships but alot of you dudes certainly over-exaggerate his play during that timeframe.  You same dudes mention maybe 1 or 2 games during those 3 seasons, with the highlight being Game 4 of the finals against the Pacers in overtime as if there were NO other games that season at all.  Nevermind the 82 games during the regular season, or the other playoff games.  As if any and everything was decided in that infamous Game 4 in overtime......

. 

Kobe did his thing, and did it quite well during the 3-peat, but at the end of the day he was Robin as Shaq was Batman.  Kobe was the little brother and Shaq was the big brother.  Shaq was Michael Jackson, and Kobe was Tito Jackson. 

 

[rashad8869]

Nobody is saying that Kobe rode the bench during the first 3 championships but alot of you dudes certainly over-exaggerate his play during that timeframe.  You same dudes mention maybe 1 or 2 games during those 3 seasons, with the highlight being Game 4 of the finals against the Pacers in overtime as if there were NO other games that season at all.  Nevermind the 82 games during the regular season, or the other playoff games.  As if any and everything was decided in that infamous Game 4 in overtime......

. 

Kobe did his thing, and did it quite well during the 3-peat, but at the end of the day he was Robin as Shaq was Batman.  Kobe was the little brother and Shaq was the big brother.  Shaq was Michael Jackson, and Kobe was Tito Jackson. 

Im not over-exaggerating his play during that, I don't have any problem admitting that Shaq was the dominant main focus during the 3 peat but you can't say "Oh he's overrated because Shaq was there".  Shaq needed Kobe as well just like every ogreat player needs another great player to succeed.  I do recall he won two more without Shaq so he couldn't be all that overrated.  

 

[clyde the glide]

But no matter how analogies u can use to belittle Kobe he is probably the best robin ever on one of the best teams ever. Although he damn sure wasn't robin in crunch time.

 

[CP1708]

Nobody is saying that Kobe rode the bench during the first 3 championships but alot of you dudes certainly over-exaggerate his play during that timeframe.  You same dudes mention maybe 1 or 2 games during those 3 seasons, with the highlight being Game 4 of the finals against the Pacers in overtime as if there were NO other games that season at all.  Nevermind the 82 games during the regular season, or the other playoff games.  As if any and everything was decided in that infamous Game 4 in overtime...... . 

Kobe did his thing, and did it quite well during the 3-peat, but at the end of the day he was Robin as Shaq was Batman.  Kobe was the little brother and Shaq was the big brother.  Shaq was Michael Jackson, and Kobe was Tito Jackson. 

Dumbest quote, ever.

Unbelievable.

 

[CP1708]

Nobody is saying that Kobe rode the bench during the first 3 championships but alot of you dudes certainly over-exaggerate his play during that timeframe.  You same dudes mention maybe 1 or 2 games during those 3 seasons, with the highlight being Game 4 of the finals against the Pacers in overtime as if there were NO other games that season at all.  Nevermind the 82 games during the regular season, or the other playoff games.  As if any and everything was decided in that infamous Game 4 in overtime...... . 

Kobe did his thing, and did it quite well during the 3-peat, but at the end of the day he was Robin as Shaq was Batman.  Kobe was the little brother and Shaq was the big brother.  Shaq was Michael Jackson, and Kobe was Tito Jackson. 

Dumbest quote, ever.

Unbelievable.

19/19/9 in game 4 of the Finals
26/12/6 in game 5 of the Finals
31/8/6 in game 2

24/11 dimes to close out the Spurs
After giving them 45 and 10 boards to open the series

After closing out the Kings with 48 and 16
Or the 27/9/5 vs Sac

Opening the playoffs with a 28/6/7

Had the 25/10/10 in the regular season
Couple of 40's over a weekend
26/11/11 in a win.
Another couple of 40's 4 days apart in December
51/8/7 on the road.
38/10/6

These are just some of the highlights..........of ONE season Deuce.

You need more tho.

34/7/3/2/3 to open the playoffs in 02.
31/6/6 vs the Spurs
Then in the next game, he hit the game winner against the Spurs. He only went 28/7/3 in that one tho
31/11/5 in a must win game 6 vs Sac.
30/10/7 in a close out win game 7, on the road.

25/6/8 close out game in the Finals, 36 the game before......

Regular season?

Had 56 in 3 quarters of play
Followed that up with 29/8/7
24/13/7 early in the year.
23/11/15 vs old MJ
Followed by a 23/7/10


He had a bunch in 2000 too, but you can look those up yourself Champ.

You same dudes mention maybe 1 or 2 games during those 3 seasons, with the highlight being Game 4 of the finals against the Pacers in overtime as if there were NO other games that season at all. Nevermind the 82 games during the regular season, or the other playoff games

But yeah......

 

[hypebeast21]

overrated....

no way

he is the top best 5 players that ever played in the league

 

[dakidlo3]

Kobe some uttt

 

[nako xl]

Like I said.  Anyone in this thread saying Kobe was overrated, ESPECIALLY during that threepeat or that T-Mac was as good as Kobe or that Lebron was better than Kobe in 04-05, wasn't watching basketball that decade.  They just heard other people talk about it.

 

[SneakerProSr.]

Like I said.  Anyone in this thread saying Kobe was overrated, ESPECIALLY during that threepeat or that T-Mac was as good as Kobe or that Lebron was better than Kobe in 04-05, wasn't watching basketball that decade.  They just heard other people talk about it.

Like I said the only people that make statements like this are Kobe fans or Laker fans.

 

[nako xl]

^ Knicks fan and was equally a Kobe, AI, and T-Mac fan.  So no.

I can just objectively look at a person's career.  Does Kobe make mistakes and hog the ball sometimes? Yes.  Is he overrated?  No.

He's the 2nd best shooting guard of all time.  Where that places him amongst the top 50 players is debatable.  But how does that make him overrated?  He's not the 2nd best Shooting guard?  He's not a top 3 Lakers great?  Or are you all just Kobe "haters"?

 

[deuce king]

Dumbest quote, ever.

Unbelievable.

Well we all know how much you love the Lakers/Kobe but other than you, any and every Kobe fan mentions Game 4 against the Pacers in overtime and that's about it. 

he is the top best 5 players that ever played in the league

This statement above is the reason this thread exists and was created in the first place.