Kobe Bryant = PLAYER OF THE CENTURY???

[deuce king]

Interesting point that hasn't been made in this thread in regards to the MVP discussion...

The "rape" case totally destroyed KB's pr image at the time (in his athletic prime), stern wouldn't even dare pondering naming him MVP after that, it took so much for him to rebuild and make people forget, which almost impossibly, he did.

Some interesting food for thought, imagine if he never got hit with the "rape" case....

Ah............too bad so sad, poor Kobe Bryant . At the end of the day no matter how you slice it that rape charge was on Kobe Bryant, that's his fault so he gets no sympathy from me and the majority of the Kobe lovers in here shouldn't have sympathy for him either. He did it to himself. For all this work ethic talk you dudes are claiming Kobe has if he truly had "game" or was working on "his game" he wouldn't have gotten himself in that situation.

 

[SORIANOTRON]

Ah............too bad so sad, poor Kobe Bryant . At the end of the day no matter how you slice it that rape charge was on Kobe Bryant, that's his fault so he gets no sympathy from me and the majority of the Kobe lovers in here shouldn't have sympathy for him either. He did it to himself. For all this work ethic talk you dudes are claiming Kobe has if he truly had "game" or was working on "his game" he wouldn't have gotten himself in that situation.

no ones really asking for sympathy man, i dont even know kobe bryant...

for the sake of the discussion though boss....this is a valid point that's often overlooked in regards to the politics involved in his accolades

 

[deuce king]

no ones really asking for sympathy man, i dont even know kobe bryant...
for the sake of the discussion though boss....this is a valid point that's often overlooked in regards to the politics involved in his accolades

Again, Kobe Bryant did it to himself so be it sympathy or NOT there's nothing really do look at in regards to this situation. Kobe Bryant basically picked up a gun and shot himself, Cheddar Bob style. We call that self-inflicted wounds champ. So if Kobe Bryant was suppose to get the MVP award that year or deserved the award that year and didn't receive it because of his actions either way.........he did it to himself.

 

[do be doo]

Funny how Kobe haters completely ignored the fact that the teams the Lakers play in the West playoff were better than the team they play in the Finals
The Spurs, Kings, Portland etc would have made the Finals on the pathetic weak eastern conference.
Just look at what Kobe did to the Spurs, Kings and Blazer. Somehow all that work get sweep under the rug
The 2nd and 3rd Finals was a cakewalk. The West Playoff was where the real Finals happened during those years

kobe never showed up in the biggest of stages. the finals thats where the STARS are made. Duncan got 3, Shaq got 3 and kobe got 2. stats dont lie.

Plus yours and that other stan feelings gotta be hurt that kobrick went 6-24 for his last finals game. :x

 

[acbboyz84]

kobe never showed up in the biggest of stages. the finals thats where the STARS are made. Duncan got 3, Shaq got 3 and kobe got 2. stats dont lie.
Plus yours and that other stan feelings gotta be hurt that kobrick went 6-24 for his last finals game. :x

Kobe never showed up in Finals yet he won 2 MVP? lol Hmm

FYI No one feeling is hurt except for Spurs fans after all that beating Kobe did to them in the last 10 years lol

Stat don't lie? In that case centers are all great shooter lol because they shoot 50%+ lol

LOL Bruce Bowen made a career of getting torched by Kobe then SPurs decide to retire his jersey lol. Priceless

Here's a little reminder for Spurs fans lol

 

[acbboyz84]

Funny how Kobe lovers only talk about a few games Kobe actually stepped up and did something during CERTAIN playoff series but not about what he did or more so didn't do during the regular seasons or the rest of the playoffs including the Finals. With that being said some players get carried and some players do the carrying which leaves us with this......................

During a certain playoff only? LOL

This right here tell me that you either didn't watch any of the playoff series or just saying so due to the extreme jealousy lol

Please go back and watch all the series of Lakers vs Blazer, Kings, Spurs in those years. 2000-2002

It's so funny going back and forth with MJ stans. Insecurity got the best of them since 96 lol

MJ best opponent in the 90s was the Jazz lol. The team that couldnt win a damn ring for how many decades now? lol

MJ opponent during the 90s include the mediocre Knicks, Sonics and no rings Jazz while Kobe battle dynasty like Spurs, Celtics at the top of their game.

MJ last game at Staple was a firework show because Kobe lit his @% up for 55. Kobe had 40 by half time lol. MJ couldnt do nothing but tell Jerry Stackhouse to take all the beating for him. HHAHAH

 

[do be doo]

 

[CP1708]

The only series Pop could ever beat Phil in FIVE tries, and it came with LA playing into late June in back to back to back years. If LA didn't have an extra 60 playoff games, they win that series exactly the same as 01, 02, and 04.

Clowns gonna clown.

 

[dmbrhs]

MJ best opponent in the 90s was the Jazz lol. The team that couldnt win a damn ring for how many decades now? lol
MJ opponent during the 90s include the mediocre Knicks, Sonics and no rings Jazz while Kobe battle dynasty like Spurs, Celtics at the top of their game.
MJ last game at Staple was a firework show because Kobe lit his @% up for 55. Kobe had 40 by half time lol. MJ couldnt do nothing but tell Jerry Stackhouse to take all the beating for him. HHAHAH

I even agree with you on certain points (MJ's East competition being weak in the '90s, diluted league because of expansion, etc.), but this is a pretty dumb argument against MJ in order to prop up Kobe. And I'm not even an MJ fan (or Kobe really, for that matter). And you're going to use a game where Kobe outplayed Old Man Wizards MJ as a crux of your argument? Stop it.

 

[deuce king]

During a certain playoff only? LOL
This right here tell me that you either didn't watch any of the playoff series or just saying so due to the extreme jealousy lol
Please go back and watch all the series of Lakers vs Blazer, Kings, Spurs in those years. 2000-2002
It's so funny going back and forth with MJ stans. Insecurity got the best of them since 96 lol
MJ best opponent in the 90s was the Jazz lol. The team that couldnt win a damn ring for how many decades now? lol
MJ opponent during the 90s include the mediocre Knicks, Sonics and no rings Jazz while Kobe battle dynasty like Spurs, Celtics at the top of their game.
MJ last game at Staple was a firework show because Kobe lit his @% up for 55. Kobe had 40 by half time lol. MJ couldnt do nothing but tell Jerry Stackhouse to take all the beating for him. HHAHAH

First off I didn't even mention MJ so I'm not sure why you brought his name into this conversation between me and you. That justs lets me know that you just like the rest of these Kobe lovers have an inferiority complex that resembles your hero Kobe, but that's nothing new. Besides Kobe didnt beat any of those teams between 2000-2002, that was all Shaq, Kobe was just along for the ride as he was just a #2 in comparison. Kobe lovers always tring to rewrite history by the facts remain. During that timeframe no league MVP trophies and no Finals MVP trophies, again Kobe was just along for the ride and happy to be where Shaq carried him.

 

[Trillmatic90]

First off I didn't even mention MJ so I'm not sure why you brought his name into this conversation between me and you. That justs lets me know that you just like the rest of these Kobe lovers have an inferiority complex that resembles your hero Kobe, but that's nothing new. Besides Kobe didnt beat any of those teams between 2000-2002, that was all Shaq, Kobe was just along for the ride as he was just a #2 in comparison. Kobe lovers always tring to rewrite history by the facts remain. During that timeframe no league MVP trophies and no Finals MVP trophies, again Kobe was just along for the ride and happy to be where Shaq carried him.

Why you so mad though?

First of all, no wing player (including MJ) in NBA history would get a finals mvp playing alongside prime Shaq on those Lakers teams if you were to replace Kobe. The most crucial piece to building a good basketball team is a dominant big man. We're talking about a PRIME Shaq here, arguably the most dominant big man ever. When your team has a big man like that, your top priority will always be to feed it in the paint. A smart coach will rely more heavily on that method, as opposed to feeding it to a wing player, even if it were MJ. And yet you're knocking a developing 21-23 year old Kobe (Who in the first 3 rounds of those three peats, averaged 27 ppg to Shaq's 2 for not getting finals mvps during that three peat while playing with one of the most unstoppable forces in the paint in their prime? Kobe went on to prove that he can win as the first option in the finals, twice. So you might as well stop your "but he didn't get any finals mvps" rant.

As for regular season mvps, yea he has "only" one. Part of that is because mvps are based on team success and for most of Kobe's athletic prime, he had horrible teams consisting of Smush Parker, Kwame Brown, Luke Walton, etc, which he amazingly led to the playoffs in one of the most competitive conferences in NBA history.

But hey, if you wanna deny greatness for whatever reason you have, go ahead. Your missing out on a one in a billion type of player.

 

[mr j 858]

As for regular season mvps, yea he has "only" one. Part of that is because mvps are based on team success and for most of Kobe's athletic prime, he had horrible teams consisting of Smush Parker, Kwame Brown, Luke Walton, etc, which he amazingly led to the playoffs in one of the most competitive conferences in NBA history.
But hey, if you wanna deny greatness for whatever reason you have, go ahead. Your missing out on a one in a billion type of player.

Regular season MVP award is seriously a JOKE nowadays.

It's a popularity contest where the media and sports writers vote on the award.

 

[SneakerProSr.]

As for regular season mvps, yea he has "only" one. Part of that is because mvps are based on team success and for most of Kobe's athletic prime, he had horrible teams consisting of Smush Parker, Kwame Brown, Luke Walton, etc, which he amazingly led to the playoffs in one of the most competitive conferences in NBA history.
But hey, if you wanna deny greatness for whatever reason you have, go ahead. Your missing out on a one in a billion type of player.

Regular season MVP award is seriously a JOKE nowadays.

It's a popularity contest where the media and sports writers vote on the award.

But its not a joke when all defensive teams get announced

 

[japanair21]

As for regular season mvps, yea he has "only" one. Part of that is because mvps are based on team success and for most of Kobe's athletic prime, he had horrible teams consisting of Smush Parker, Kwame Brown, Luke Walton, etc, which he amazingly led to the playoffs in one of the most competitive conferences in NBA history.

That's not really saying much though, because Dirk did the same thing in 07. And if Kobe is the player of the century, he would have the MVPs and not Shaq, right?

 

[Trillmatic90]

That's not really saying much though, because Dirk did the same thing in 07. And if Kobe is the player of the century, he would have the MVPs and not Shaq, right?

Dallas had a record of 67-15, the best record in the league. He was playing alongside a prime Josh Howard, prime Jason Terry, an efficient Jerry Stackhouse, and a young Devin Harris. Without solid role players like that, Dallas wouldn't have that record and Dirk probably wouldn't have that mvp.

From 2004-2008, which was Kobe's prime, he had no solid role players, and thus had little team success, which is what mvps are all about. Regardless of averaging 40 ppg for a month, scoring more than 50 for four straight games, etc, one man can only do so much.

In the past dozen years, find one player that won mvp playing alongside players like the ones Kobe had from 2004-2008.

As for Shaq getting the finals mvps, Kobe was not in his prime at that time. He was 21, 22, and 23 years old for those three championships, which is just a kid playing alongside prime Shaq, so it's understandable that Shaq would outplay him. When Kobe developed into his prime, he proved that he can also win as the man and not have to play as a second option.

 

[tricky nicky]

From 2004-2008, which was Kobe's prime, he had no solid role players, and thus had little team success, which is what mvps are all about. Regardless of averaging 40 ppg for a month, scoring more than 50 for four straight games, etc, one man can only do so much.
In the past dozen years, find one player that won mvp playing alongside players like the ones Kobe had from 2004-2008.

Lebron won MVP playing with Mo Williams.  Kobe had Lamar Odom and Caron Butler.  

 

[steveakabeazy]

During a certain playoff only? LOL
This right here tell me that you either didn't watch any of the playoff series or just saying so due to the extreme jealousy lol
Please go back and watch all the series of Lakers vs Blazer, Kings, Spurs in those years. 2000-2002
It's so funny going back and forth with MJ stans. Insecurity got the best of them since 96 lol
MJ best opponent in the 90s was the Jazz lol. The team that couldnt win a damn ring for how many decades now? lol
MJ opponent during the 90s include the mediocre Knicks, Sonics and no rings Jazz while Kobe battle dynasty like Spurs, Celtics at the top of their game.
MJ last game at Staple was a firework show because Kobe lit his @% up for 55. Kobe had 40 by half time lol. MJ couldnt do nothing but tell Jerry Stackhouse to take all the beating for him. HHAHAH

we talkin wiz mj at 42 r u serious prime mj torches prime kobe 9/10 times lets leave it at that sonics were not mediocre they were an elite team. in the finals he played a solid blazers team & the suns were stacked when too...

 

[steveakabeazy]

From 2004-2008, which was Kobe's prime, he had no solid role players, and thus had little team success, which is what mvps are all about. Regardless of averaging 40 ppg for a month, scoring more than 50 for four straight games, etc, one man can only do so much.
In the past dozen years, find one player that won mvp playing alongside players like the ones Kobe had from 2004-2008.
 

iversons 76ers team the year he won mvp was much worst than any of the post shaq laker teams kobe had to deal with and thats the truth

 

[presequel]

iversons 76ers team the year he won mvp was much worst than any of the post shaq laker teams kobe had to deal with and thats the truth

The Sixers also posted a 56–26 record, the best in the Eastern Conference that season. People all the time try to put down the team to make Iverson greater. Thats not reality.

Yes, the East was weak, but don't act like they were trash. Defensive player, sixth man, great coach, #cmonson

Smush Parker, Kobe, Devean George, Odom, Kwame were the Lakers starting lineup one year as the 7th or 8th seed. Don't tell me the Sixers team wasn't better than that.

 

[presequel]

Ah............too bad so sad, poor Kobe Bryant . At the end of the day no matter how you slice it that rape charge was on Kobe Bryant, that's his fault so he gets no sympathy from me and the majority of the Kobe lovers in here shouldn't have sympathy for him either. He did it to himself. For all this work ethic talk you dudes are claiming Kobe has if he truly had "game" or was working on "his game" he wouldn't have gotten himself in that situation.

Being in a situation of cheating, yes thats on him.

Being in a situation where consensual sex turned into a false rape accusation, no, thats not on him and that can happen to anyone. It's happen to athletes, there was just a yahoo article about a football player who spent years in jail only for the girl to admit it was a false accusation. I guess if a girl you were having relations with decided to unjustly accuse you of rape, you just did that to yourself.

 

[japanair21]

Dallas had a record of 67-15, the best record in the league. He was playing alongside a prime Josh Howard, prime Jason Terry, an efficient Jerry Stackhouse, and a young Devin Harris. Without solid role players like that, Dallas wouldn't have that record and Dirk probably wouldn't have that mvp.

From 2004-2008, which was Kobe's prime, he had no solid role players, and thus had little team success, which is what mvps are all about. Regardless of averaging 40 ppg for a month, scoring more than 50 for four straight games, etc, one man can only do so much.

In the past dozen years, find one player that won mvp playing alongside players like the ones Kobe had from 2004-2008.
As for Shaq getting the finals mvps, Kobe was not in his prime at that time. He was 21, 22, and 23 years old for those three championships, which is just a kid playing alongside prime Shaq, so it's understandable that Shaq would outplay him. When Kobe developed into his prime, he proved that he can also win as the man and not have to play as a second option.

Efficient Jerry Stackhouse? In 2007? Efficient? Dude shot between 40.1% and 42.8% in Dallas dude..

Prime Josh Howard or Jason Terry was still no where near Lamar Odom or Caron Butler. Plus, as much as you want to crap on guys like Kwame Brown, he would've been the best Center Dallas had in the past 10 years before Tyson Chandler.

I just mentioned Shaq because we're talking about player of the Century. Technically, he has the most Finals MVPs of the 2000s. There's no doubt in my mind that 2000-2003 Shaq > anytime Kobe was in his prime, IMO.

Kwame and raw Bynum are still better than anything Dallas had in the front-court not named Dirk.

And yeah, LeBron has won MVPs without anything better than Mo Williams. It's not that I think the players Kobe was working with were great, but I just hate the argument that Kobe had no one around him. Lamar Odom was an excellent, versatile player back when he and Kobe were doing it out there by themselves.

 

[00david00]

Smush Parker
Kobe Bryant
Luke Walton
Lamar Odom
Kwame Brown





cmon mayn

 

[MajinZuub]

Lamar used to miss so many open layups back then

 

[Trillmatic90]

Lebron won MVP playing with Mo Williams.  Kobe had Lamar Odom and Caron Butler.  

Mo Williams was averaging 18 ppg as their second option. The first time Kobe had a second option (after Shaq left) that averaged 18 points was in 2008 when Gasol got traded. He went on to win the mvp that year and make it to the finals.

iversons 76ers team the year he won mvp was much worst than any of the post shaq laker teams kobe had to deal with and thats the truth

Like presequel said, Iverson's team was an above 50 win team and went to the finals that year. That team gets downplayed a lot, but they were a top 5 defensive team in the league at the time, with Mutombo and Ratliff denying everything in the paint.

Efficient Jerry Stackhouse? In 2007? Efficient? Dude shot between 40.1% and 42.8% in Dallas dude..
Prime Josh Howard or Jason Terry was still no where near Lamar Odom or Caron Butler. Plus, as much as you want to crap on guys like Kwame Brown, he would've been the best Center Dallas had in the past 10 years before Tyson Chandler.
I just mentioned Shaq because we're talking about player of the Century. Technically, he has the most Finals MVPs of the 2000s. There's no doubt in my mind that 2000-2003 Shaq > anytime Kobe was in his prime, IMO.
Kwame and raw Bynum are still better than anything Dallas had in the front-court not named Dirk.
And yeah, LeBron has won MVPs without anything better than Mo Williams. It's not that I think the players Kobe was working with were great, but I just hate the argument that Kobe had no one around him. Lamar Odom was an excellent, versatile player back when he and Kobe were doing it out there by themselves.

Dirk always had a solid starting 5 from the early-mid 2000s. Josh Howard, Jason Terry, Michael Finley, Jerry Stackhouse, Devin Harris, etc. That's why Dallas always finished with more than 50 wins ever since 2000. When you look at Kobe's teams in the mid 2000s, aside from Lamar (and Butler for that one year post Shaq), his starters include guys like Chris Mihm, Smush Parker, Luke Walton, Kwame Brown, Brian Cook, Andrew Bynum (when he was playing like a bust), etc. There's a clear difference between the two groups.

I know where your coming from with Shaq having the most finals mvps in this century so far, but that's not the be all, end all. Kobe still has more championships in total, more career total points, higher career ppg, higher career playoff ppg, more all star mvps, more all NBA 1st teams, more all NBA 1st defensive teams, etc. When you look at things like intangibles, Kobe also has a crazy work ethic, where Shaq was known for partying and letting loose. All of these things should be considered when looking at a player's legacy. I'm not saying Kobe blows everyone out of the water for player of the century, but right now he has the edge imo.

 

[mertonhanks]

You cant possibly be arguing that Mo Williams was the reason Bron won the MVP and Kobe didnt. Kobe has Never made it past the first round without atleast 1 dominant big man by his side. Not once in his illustrious career.