This is something that has been concerning me a bit ... By most accounts, KG has lost a step and probably peak a couple of years ago. How does that affect Kobe? KG was the 1st HighSchooler in decades to go from Highschool straight to the pros. Kobe was 2nd. Since they were pioneers of sort, we dont really have an idea of the long-term affects of this type of move. Where i'm getting at his that players usually start peaking around age 28-32, then their play starts tailing off a bit. KG seems to have peaked at 25-29 and his play has starting to tail off slightly. That's 3 years earlier than typical players, and 3 years seems to be the average time spent in college. So could this be a sign of Kobe? Could Kobe start to tail off by next season just like KG? Have we already seen Kobe's best years and could this be the last of his peak years??? Keep in mind Kobe has had a much more extensive post season than KG as well. Rick Fox said on 570 this past week that he believes Kobe may start to tail off soon.
It's possible, especially considering the additional post season games Kobe has played in. The only difference is KG plays a big man position, and their bodies take more of a beating, however guards rely on speed and jumping ability to play at an elite level. These two players are also two of the hardest workers in the offseason, so the extra effort they place in the offseason will pay off as they get older. It won't take them as long to recover had they been out of shape. I think KG still has at least 3 more seasons of playing at a superstar level, and Kobe has about 5. It's possible Kobe peaked last season, he had an incredible year, and it will be tough to replicate. It's going to be important for the Lakers to groom another SG and also put games out of reach early on to rest Kobe. We can't keep relying on him to play 40 minutes a night, because he'll break down earlier than we want.
The reason KG isnt playing that great is because he's on the timberwolves, and he doesnt really want to be, he wants to win and his team has sucked every year(except for the spreewell cassell year) how do you expect him to play hard every night when he knows it wont be for very much. Correct me if im wrong, but didnt KG lead the league in rebounds last season.
Kobe's body to me looks like in top shape. He maybe a step or 2 slower but that doesn't make him one of the best players in the NBA.
I really don't see Kobe tailing off til he's in his early 30s. He's in such great shape and is a workhorse in the offseason. He's always working out and staying in shape, and that's a big reason why I don't see him breaking down any time soon. Beyond that, as mentioned earlier, he plays the guard position. Guards tend to take a lot less damage than the bigs because they're not pounding eachother down low on a consistent basis. If Kobe maintains his offseason workout, I don't see why he can't keep up his superstar calibur play well into his 30s.
i honestly believe Kobe will be playing at an elite level for another 5 years. He may start slowing down when he's 32-33 or so, but even then i still think he'll be an all-star.
Kobe has some good years left in him.. I think he has the ability to re-invent himself based on his abilities...
scary but i just cant see Kobe not being that dominant player hes always been, its impossible for me to picture Kobe's game tailing off.
<div class="quote_poster">drunkenbarden Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">scary but i just cant see Kobe not being that dominant player hes always been, its impossible for me to picture Kobe's game tailing off.</div> I don't think its a matter of his gaming tailing off like people are suggesting. But Phil and Kobe themselves have said it... he cannot sustain a certain level of play throughout a whole 48 minutes of a game like he could when he was 24. He has to pick his spots and go to work...
kobe's game doesn't rely on athleticism (though i'm sure it helps some). his game is predicated as much on smarts as athleticism. if sam cassell can still do the things he's doing by taking care of his body and just being a clever player, kobe can continue playing at a high level well into his mid 30s. as his athleticism declines, he will find new ways to score. a player like kobe doesn't score as much as he does without being one of the smartest in the game. also - kg and kobe bryant are different players. kg is a big man. kobe a guard. that has to play a role in it too. as my high school coach always said, big men have to run from baseline to baseline while carrying 50 pounds of body weight, guards typically from perimeter to perimeter. it's hard to compare the lifespan of a big man to a guard because you can almost argue that it's a completely different game they're playing. just my $.02
Kobe has already lost a bit of athleticism. If you can't see it you're not paying attention. His explosiveness looks to me probably about 90% of what it was in like 2002. However a lot of the game is mental so he can still play at an MVP caliber level for years.
<div class="quote_poster">phunDamentalz Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Kobe has already lost a bit of athleticism. If you can't see it you're not paying attention. His explosiveness looks to me probably about 90% of what it was in like 2002. However a lot of the game is mental so he can still play at an MVP caliber level for years.</div> Thats what makes a a player great. Its his ability to evolve his game, know his limits, and adjust to the changes in their bodies. Of course Kobe is not as explosive as he was in the past, but his jumpshot is so much better, his FT percentages has gone up, etc.... MJ was one of the legends who acccomplished this. Thats what made him so great. His basketball IQ. Not just his ability to score and win. If you cant learn to play differently, you'll be done at age 30. As you get older you can't rely on just your athleticism. Your intelligence and experience begin to play a much more important role in winning ball games.
I'm not worried about athleticism effecting Kobe's scoring, I'm worried about his impact defensively once he loses quickness and jumping ability. Shooting guard's are generally the #1 option on most teams, and most of the high flyers in the league are SGs. It's a demanding position to defend.
the only reason Kobe has really slowed is his knee injury but other than that he should be back up and doing what he does best winning games
<div class="quote_poster">shapecity Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I'm not worried about athleticism effecting Kobe's scoring, I'm worried about his impact defensively once he loses quickness and jumping ability. Shooting guard's are generally the #1 option on most teams, and most of the high flyers in the league are SGs. It's a demanding position to defend.</div> I don't know, man. If Kobe was consistently holding Ray Allen to 10 PPG in their meetings, then I'd worry about it. Most backcourt superstar offensive players in this league - there ain't really anybody who can slow them down. Even though we know Kobe relishes tough defensive assignments, let's face it his real value is in his ability to get his own shot at any time. A loss in athleticism is bound to affect this somewhat. I think athleticism hurts frontcourt defensive players more cause they have to jump more- Okafor and guys like that once they hit the big 3-0 they start to become role players......but hey, look at Steve Nash. If Kobe can play with Nash's IQ, he can be a primary option at 35...
