Before I write down my thoughts, I'd like to point out few points that you need to keep in prespective: 1) I'm a Shaq fan. I'm not a Kobe/Lakers homer. Heck, I don't even like them. 2) I don't like to open up threads that discusse something opinionated. This is my first one actually. I don't do it because I know everyone has an opinion, and rarely, very rarely, can you convince people otherwise. 3) This thread is <u>not</u> a result of last night's game vs Dallas. However (Steven A Smith voice) ... Kobe is the most talented player in our generation. Bar none!! Last night's 62 points in 3 quarters explosion was just the icing on the cake for me. I have never seen a player that can change the game on both ends of the floor and dominate that much since Jordan. I've seen him do it 5 years ago, I've seen him put on a similar performance against Memphis (54 in three quarters too), I've seen shut great players down, one of which was Vince Carter few weeks ago. There was a thread in the Skybox saying Kobe was the best, and I admitted that he's the most talented, but I said Iverson, Brand and LeBron are having better seasons. And they may be having better seasons. I don't care if he passes or not, I don't care if he's knucklehead, if he's a rapist, if he's an a--hole, all I know, watching Kobe from the moment Jerry West magically snapped him out of Charlotte's hands, and to be honest, he's the most talented player in the league and in our generation, and if he keeps on winning games, he's without a doubt, the league's best player. Hey, and I don't even like the guy.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">3) This thread is not a result of last night's game vs Dallas.</div> Oh yeah, sure. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Last night's 62 points in 3 quarters explosion was just the icing on the cake for me. I have never seen a player that can change the game on both ends of the floor and dominate that much since Jordan.</div> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">he's without a doubt, the league's best player.</div> Top 5 no doubt, but I wouldn't say the best just yet. Talent wise he is the best but overall, he is not touching Duncan.
I said this thread wasn't a result of the game, but it definitly helped me come up to this conclusion. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Avery:</div><div class="quote_post">Oh yeah, sure. Top 5 no doubt, but I wouldn't say the best just yet. Talent wise he is the best but overall, he is not touching Duncan.</div> Why didn't you quote the entire sentence? I said "if he keeps on winning games, he's the best player in the league". How's Duncan more talented player than Bryant, if we disregard the teams they're on?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Purple Fever:</div><div class="quote_post"> However (Steven A Smith voice) ... Kobe is the most talented player in our generation. Bar none!! </div> That's funny, because Steven A. Smith is the same one who was screaming "Pass the ball to Shaq!!" when they lost to the Pistons. The same guy who was hating on Mitch and Buss when they chose Kobe over Shaq. Just wanted to point that out, because I think it says something about his opinions and how quickly they change.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Purple Fever:</div><div class="quote_post"> How's Duncan more talented player than Bryant, if we disregard the teams they're on?</div> How do you measure "talent"? What does it even mean to say one player is more "talented" than another on the basketball court? Is it who'd win in a game of HORSE? Who's the most explosive scorer? I think Kobe is capable of doing things on a basketball court that no other player on the planet can do. But so can Iverson. So can McGrady. Considering the total package of what a player brings to a team, I think most GMs would rather have Duncan for a season than Kobe. Ultimately, that's all that matters.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Why didn't you quote the entire sentence? I said "if he keeps on winning games, he's the best player in the league".</div> That's my fault. I sort of skimmed though your post and I'm so used to people saying Kobe is the best so I immediately though that's what you were trying to say. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">I think Kobe is capable of doing things on a basketball court than no other player on the planet can do. But so can Iverson. So can McGrady. Considering the total package of what a player brings to a team, I think most GMs would rather have Duncan for a season than Kobe. Ultimately, that's all that matters.</div> Pefrectly said. In terms of total package Kobe is up there but not the best and I think we could all agree there.
Thing is, I don't even like the guy. I don't. It's just mind-boggling when somebody that talented, yet never seems to get his deserved credit. As crazy as that sounds.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Purple Fever:</div><div class="quote_post">Thing is, I don't even like the guy. I don't. It's just mind-boggling when somebody that talented, yet never seems to get his deserved credit. As crazy as that sounds.</div> He gets his credit from his fans and guys like you who wake up after an performance like he had last night.
Kobe is a phenominal player and he is definently Top 3 in my book when it comes to the best players in the league. Kobe, Iverson and Garnett are my Top 3 (in no particular order) because those are all players who can't be stopped and can only be contained. Whenever a team is suiting up against the Lakers, you know they are gameplanning mostly against slow down Bryant. Yet he still always comes out and performs well. I respect that a lot and Bryant is definently one of the best players of our generation. He has the talent, he has the rings and he has the stats to back him up. I believe that the only thing holding Kobe back from being on a "Jordan level" is the people's view of him. Both the Lakers and Kobe are hated by many which hurts Kobe's image. The truth is, if Kobe was playing for a team like the Bulls or the Knicks, I think he would be much more popular and looked at as the best in the league. But since he is in L.A. and has rubbed a few people the wrong way, he has to deal with all the haters that bring his popularity down.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Thing is, I don't even like the guy. I don't. It's just mind-boggling when somebody that talented, yet never seems to get his deserved credit. As crazy as that sounds.</div> I wonder the same thing about my fav. player at times, and no I'm not talking about Shav.
Yes he is a great scorer probably the best along with AI since MJ left, but being a great scorer doesn't guarantee an MVP. So evreybody chill on the "KOBE for mvp!" Take this, the year Wilt Chamberlain averaged 50 points a game and scored 100 in a game, he didn't even win MVP that year, because those feats didn't really equal wins or championships.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Jurassic:</div><div class="quote_post">That's funny, because Steven A. Smith is the same one who was screaming "Pass the ball to Shaq!!" when they lost to the Pistons. The same guy who was hating on Mitch and Buss when they chose Kobe over Shaq. Just wanted to point that out, because I think it says something about his opinions and how quickly they change.</div> this guy is starting to sound like scottie pippens comments on T-Mac when he said he cant play D but a minute later he was talking about how he shut a guy down so amazingly...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Swish15:</div><div class="quote_post">Kobe is a phenominal player and he is definently Top 3 in my book when it comes to the best players in the league. Kobe, Iverson and Garnett are my Top 3 (in no particular order) because those are all players who can't be stopped and can only be contained. Whenever a team is suiting up against the Lakers, you know they are gameplanning mostly against slow down Bryant. Yet he still always comes out and performs well. I respect that a lot and Bryant is definently one of the best players of our generation. He has the talent, he has the rings and he has the stats to back him up. I believe that the only thing holding Kobe back from being on a "Jordan level" is the people's view of him. Both the Lakers and Kobe are hated by many which hurts Kobe's image. The truth is, if Kobe was playing for a team like the Bulls or the Knicks, I think he would be much more popular and looked at as the best in the league. But since he is in L.A. and has rubbed a few people the wrong way, he has to deal with all the haters that bring his popularity down.</div> Didnt Trent Hassel contain the **** out of AI a week ago?
Interesting question, I think it really depends on how you want to measure talent. I would argue Kobe is the best two-way talented player in the game. There are so many talented scorers in the league, but a lot of them don't bring the same intensity on defense. I think players like TMac, Vince Carter, and Nowitzki could be on the same level if they brought it on defense more consistently. Right now those three come the closest to Kobe in terms of offensive talent for me. My definition of offensive talent means they can do the following exceptionally better than most. Driving to the basket Shooting the trey Getting to the FT line and shooting a high clip Mid-Range game Post game I left Iverson out, because he doesn't really have a back to the basket game. His small size just doesn't allow him to back a guy down and post him up. There's only a few players in the league he's bigger than.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting superman32:</div><div class="quote_post">Didnt Trent Hassel contain the **** out of AI a week ago?</div> Yes, he contained him and that's all you can hope for when you play someone like Iverson, Kobe or KG.
Comparing Duncan to Kobe dosent make any sense its like comparing Jordan to Wilt. They are talented in their own ways considering their positions. Although I think Iverson is as talented as anyone in the NBA the things he does for his size are incredible and I think he also deserves more credit. But I do think kobe is the best player in the league right now.
I know people have covered this to some extent, but to say a player is the most talented is totally unquantifiable, and more than that, it's more often than not comparing apples to oranges. There are so many different skill sets in basketball, and so many different types of games to be played, and so many specialized roles, that saying any one player is the most talented is just a misnomer. A common conception is that players who multi-task and do it all are more "talented" than those who specialize, but those who do one thing and do it well hold a particular measure of talent in their one skill, and nothing takes that away from them. I guess I'm just saying that there are entirely too many x-factors involved to call one player the most "talented." And if you ask me, winning has to be one of those talents, and Kobe hasn't really nailed that one down yet.
