More Kobe Hatred

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Right now, Team USA is in Asia, and they barely managed to beat Italy, only after Carmelo Anthony got hot from long distance. So shouldn’t the addition next summer of Kobe Bryant, maybe the most prolific scorer in basketball today, be a no-brainer? Well…

I don’t know. On the one hand, Kobe can score like nobody’s business, and when the Lakers aren’t letting him rest against a lesser guard, he is a tenacious defender.

At the same time, teamwork and humility have never really been Kobe’s strong suits, and those are two things that are crucial when you’re playing with a bunch of other guys who are used to being the big dogs wherever they’ve played before.

That’s not to say Kobe can’t be a team player, it’s just that with the Lakers he hasn’t been asked to do that often. Can he come in and in fit in with a team that has three captains younger than him?

Maybe Team USA can be Kobe’s redemption in the eyes of the basketball cognoscenti who believe he cares more about self than team. Maybe the Lakers really did ask Kobe to ignore open teammates last season in order to give their team the best chance of winning. And maybe we’ll finally see what Kobe can do when he dons the USA jersey for the first time and the most talented team he will have ever played with surrounds him.

It presents an interesting conundrum for Coach K and Jerry Colangelo. If he shows up and refuses to buy into the system, would they cut him in order to keep a no-nonsense guy like Joe Johnson? And which player’s minutes would Kobe take? Carmelo’s? D-Wade’s? LeBron’s?

Right now there’s more questions than answers. But that’s why we have a comments section…

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Source

Slam is starting to be a big joke. Sorry to stir up things up, but this forum has been pretty slow lately, so we might as well talk about something.

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">It presents an interesting conundrum for Coach K and Jerry Colangelo. If he shows up and refuses to buy into the system, would they cut him in order to keep a no-nonsense guy like Joe Johnson? </div>

Is Kobe really that big of a cancer that he can be capable of something like this? Funny stuff

 

Kobe is a great player but to play on team usa you have to accept yourself as role-player. Can kobe do that? judging by his past its not something he's great at. He can probably light up any international squad for 60+ points but would that help team usa? no not likely.

Also can you imagine how good the tri-captains of lebron-wade-anthony will be by 2008? will kobe be needed that much?

 

It is ridiculous to say Kobe won't buy into the system, or won't play as a team. Is there any reason why Kobe won't follow the system? Kobe has matured, and he will do whatever it takes for the team to win. Even if it means he will have to take a lesser role. I'm sure Kobe is smart enough to realize that in 2008 Wade, Lebron, and Carmelo will be superstars, and Kobe himself may not even be the focus point of the team. Like I said, Kobe has matured, and he has no problems playing as a team. If Kobe has more help around him, he won't have to score 30 or 40 points a game for the Lakers to win. Take game 7 of the Suns series as an example. The Lakers were struggling so Kobe put it on himself to play as a team and get his teamates involved in order to win.

 

Kobe had no problem scoring 17/22 points and such against the Suns and taking the win. It is ignorant to just say he'll mess up the team. Let him tryout first, and then criticize him if he does something bad, which I doubt will happen. People are so hateful.

 

Kobe plays great in the allstar games when he's playing with other talented NBA stars. I don't think he'd have any problem sharing the ball on the national team.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting durvasa:</div><div class="quote_post">Kobe plays great in the allstar games when he's playing with other talented NBA stars. I don't think he'd have any problem sharing the ball on the national team.</div>

Yezzir

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Maybe the Lakers really did ask Kobe to ignore open teammates last season in order to give their team the best chance of winning.</div>

LOL, ok, that really did it for me.

THis article is a joke, don't even worry about it, Kobe is gonna come in and start showing people why he is the best player in the league.

I hope he eats up D Wade's minutes. Melo and James will battle their own minutes with each other imo.

I think with the way Melo has been playing, him and Kobe would be more beneficial than James and Wade.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Brasco:</div><div class="quote_post">Kobe is a great player but to play on team usa you have to accept yourself as role-player. Can kobe do that? judging by his past its not something he's great at. He can probably light up any international squad for 60+ points but would that help team usa? no not likely.

Also can you imagine how good the tri-captains of lebron-wade-anthony will be by 2008? will kobe be needed that much?</div>

Then why was he one of the first CALLED by Coach K who accepted the offer to play for TEAM USA. Kobe is the best individual player in the NBA today. Thats an ASSET to TEAM USA if you ask me. Not a cancer. Kobe wants to represent the UNITED STATES like everyone else and deserves a shot like everyone else. People are so quick to judge on the past. Let him MAKE the TEAM like everyone else. Dont judge the BOOK by its COVER. This is the new KOBE BRYANT. He's in his prime, and Im betting that he's ready to take on whatever role it takes to WIN!!!

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Trench:</div><div class="quote_post">Then why was he one of the first CALLED by Coach K who accepted the offer to play for TEAM USA. Kobe is the best individual player in the NBA today. Thats an ASSET to TEAM USA if you ask me. Not a cancer. Kobe wants to represent the UNITED STATES like everyone else and deserves a shot like everyone else. People are so quick to judge on the past. Let him MAKE the TEAM like everyone else. Dont judge the BOOK by its COVER. This is the new KOBE BRYANT. He's in his prime, and Im betting that he's ready to take on whatever role it takes to WIN!!!</div>

Amen, my brother... I think he'll be just fine, he plays very well when he has quality players around him, someone mentioned the All-Star games...

 

I say Kobe should go play for Italy and win them a Gold medal, HAHAH that would be great.

 

First of all, you can't win 3 championships without being able to play in the system.

Lang Whitaker is a reknowned Kobe hater just to let you know.

The ironic thing is that he loves off Stephon Marbury (and I mean that literally) yet calls Kobe selfish.

What a guy.

 

You're definitely right about Slam. It was great when I was starting to get into basketball and everything, but I think I've outgrown it.

That little piece was pretty ridiculous. I hate how it just continues to make assumptions: Team USA is fine without Kobe, Kobe struggles in a team environment, Kobe won't buy into the system, etc. I've always got the impression that Kobe enjoys playing within the system more than simply taking over.

 

During the all star break kobe had 8 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists...
tell me that isn't a team player when you're on the same team as Dirk, T-Mac, KG etc.

Kobe will shine in Team USA just by being there

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting illmatic:</div><div class="quote_post">Yezzir



LOL, ok, that really did it for me.

THis article is a joke, don't even worry about it, Kobe is gonna come in and start showing people why he is the best player in the league.

I hope he eats up D Wade's minutes. Melo and James will battle their own minutes with each other imo.

I think with the way Melo has been playing, him and Kobe would be more beneficial than James and Wade.</div>

It's comments like these that gives Kobe fans a bad rep. DWade has been the best player on the team behind Melo (maybe the best all-around). Just because Wade has more finals MVP's than Kobe, doesn't mean you have to hate on him. You flame on this guy for hating on Kobe, then you turn around and do the same to Wade.

 

i agree that this is bs, but you cant use the all star game as an example at all. The all star isnt so serious, as it is just fun. Obviously they want to win, but making a cool pass or something is more fun than just being a ball hog and scoring, thats how it appears everyone plays to me.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting kobe23:</div><div class="quote_post">During the all star break kobe had 8 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists...
tell me that isn't a team player when you're on the same team as Dirk, T-Mac, KG etc.

Kobe will shine in Team USA just by being there</div>No offense but there's a level of respect between Dirk, T-Mac, KG, Duncan, etc ... and Odom, Smush, Kwame, Mihm, Cook, etc...

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting virve119:</div><div class="quote_post">It's comments like these that gives Kobe fans a bad rep. DWade has been the best player on the team behind Melo (maybe the best all-around). Just because Wade has more finals MVP's than Kobe, doesn't mean you have to hate on him. You flame on this guy for hating on Kobe, then you turn around and do the same to Wade.</div>

I don't think most of the Kobe fans here talk like that, so we're not worried about our rep. Also, playing devil's advocate, I'd assume it's not Wade's Finals MVP that he is jealous of, but the ESPN/Media hype of Wade after the Finals ended. Although, agreed, it was hypocritical of him to say that. Anyway, good luck Kobe, you're the best.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Brasco:</div><div class="quote_post">Kobe is a great player but to play on team usa you have to accept yourself as role-player. Can kobe do that? judging by his past its not something he's great at. He can probably light up any international squad for 60+ points but would that help team usa? no not likely.

Also can you imagine how good the tri-captains of lebron-wade-anthony will be by 2008? will kobe be needed that much?</div>
For all of your questions, yes he can and yes he will. Kobe respects Coach K a lot and would do anything to help team USA wins. If Coach K tells Kobe to slam his head into the poll and grab the best opposition player's ball to slow him down, I'm sure he will do it for the sake of the team

Cut all this bull crap about kobe's being selfish. Stop making assumption when Kobe hasn't even wear a USA jersey yet.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting virve119:</div><div class="quote_post">It's comments like these that gives Kobe fans a bad rep. DWade has been the best player on the team behind Melo (maybe the best all-around). Just because Wade has more finals MVP's than Kobe, doesn't mean you have to hate on him. You flame on this guy for hating on Kobe, then you turn around and do the same to Wade.</div>

oh god, go away man. Obviously he will take Wade's minutes, since he probably won't be taking Melo's or James'. And you non-Kobe fans need to stop with that "Comments like these that give Kobe fans a bad rep" No one cares, trust me.

I could care less what you think, if you've read other posts by me, you would see I respect D Wade and his game and I think he has potential to be the best in the league.

"Just because Wade has more finals MVP than Kobe"

LOL, go away Stan, you're not fooling anyone. Ask anyone, Kobe was deserving the finals MVP just as much as Shaq, so don't give me that crap. D Wade won it, cause Shaq is an old man now and the Heat is Wade's team, not Shaq's. Laker's were Shaq's team before they were Kobe's and not to mention the offense was ran around Shaq, not Kobe.

 

Have you seen Kobe in the All Star games? He passes the ball alot, hence his scoring recently dropping in All Star games.