I never saw Michael Jordan play in his prime....

[GetSomeMoney]

THis is quoted for biblical purposes. This is the truth and then some.

Anyone old enough to remember knows that Shaq was just too dominant back in the day. The man was his own center of gravity (no pun intended). He OWNED that team, and everyone knew it including Kobe. Jordan was the "shaq" of his team. I'd even argue that although they are different positions, Shaq is more comparable to Jordan in terms of what he meant to his team than Kobe was.

And to keep it 100%....I ALWAYS though AI was better in his prime by comparison. Around 96-05 I don't think anyone could honestly convince me that Kobe was better than AI.

I only began to really see Kobe as a top 3 elite player around 06' when he dropped that 81, and then eventually won 2 on his own. He definitely began to stand out individually and shaprened his game tremendously after that.

I'm a Jordan fan, but I'm not sure I can think of many GM's that would not start their team with a prime Shaq

 

[Sunalmighty]

ESPN and Nike done made some of these dudes think MJ was this mystical ball player. He was damn good but he wasn't that damn good to where he's ten times better than anyone who is elite.

Him and Kobe are neck and neck. Kobe did somethings better than MJ and MJ did somethings better than Kobe. I'll take MJ. He just was more athletic and had better physical attributes.

Save that bullshyt for them niccas in they EARLY 20s, who never had a chance to see him play from earlier times, I'm 33. I don't need Nike or espn to hype anything. Aren't you the same dude who said Jordan wouldn't average 30ppg in today's league? Niccas still lookin for a savior, keep lookin

 

[*AP]

So this whole thread is based on Kobe goin to work on the Raptors and Hornets

 

[Sunalmighty]

I seen both of them play and Jordan was better, but not by as much as some people like to pretend.

Jordan was a MUCH more tenacious defender throughout his career and that more than anything gives him the edge.

Kobe is a better shooter than Jordan was.

I used to think Jordan was better off the ball, but Kobe is just as good, he just doesn't play off the ball nearly enough.

There's a gap between them and Jordan is in front, but that gap is a LOT smaller than people are willing or comfortable with admitting.

Some people are too invested in hating Kobe to the point where as a basketball fan they can't give him his due. Some people still trying to argue Magic is the greatest Laker ever even though Kobe has won just as much and dominates the Lakers record book (which is a feat in and of itself).

Kobe is a better 3point shooter. Remember, mike has a CAREER 49% field goal percentage, while Kobe is somewhere around.......45%

 

[Sunalmighty]

You got the ages wrong breh. Jordan retired the first time at 30. The second time at 35 but back to the lecture at hand...I don't think he wins 8 straight titles either and I am a Jordan stan. I don't deal with possibilities. Its like saying the Heat could be going for a 3 peat if they didn't lose to Dallas. You either did or you didn't...so much happens in a season plus teams eventually wear down 100+ games when you include playoffs.

I watched just about every game of the bull from '90 to '98 on WGN while I grew up in Houston...used to go back and forth on games even when they played the same nights as the Rockets. Yes, I was also a fan of Pippen so I didn't stop watching when MJ retired the first time. Some of these young nikkas don't know about Bozo the Clown to start trying to say Kobe is as good or better than Jordan.

The biggest thing that Jordan has over Kobe is his bball IQ and defense. Skill wise they are about even, but it is how efficient someone is at using that skill that sets them apart. It like two guys with the Porsche 911, but one is more efficient at reading the track/other drivers, efficient at breaking, and anticipating turns. That is Jordan compared when compared to Kobe. Kobe's talent is immense but his bball IQ is slightly above average, he makes up for it in sheer determination and talent. Kobe is a player driven more by emotion which impacts his decision making on the court and his leadership skills. But that emotion, especially his passion and love for the game is something that I think he has over MJ. It has helped build and improve his skill for 17 years.

He is a harder worker than MJ and I don't think anybody trains more than Kobe. His work ethic is legendary. When I think of someone that truly loves the game of basketball...I think of Kobe. He is definitely the best ambassador for the game of basketball. When it comes to dedication, Kobe is role model for any player of any sport. He has earned that respect.

Nah, how do dudes think MJ got to be soo good? Mike is more passionate, emotional and he loves the game more. That's why he came out of retirement twice to play the game. If their skill set was equal, but Kobe is a harder worker than MJ, wouldn't it clearly show that he is a better player. Jordan had to work harder against better competition, not to mention, he didn't get drafted to a team that was already primed for a tile run. Not to mention, he doesn't make anyone around him better. But these are just opinions.

 

[GetSomeMoney]

I'll never understand how nikkas downplay how important KObe was to that Laker squad from 00-03. He routinely shytted on the big teams in the west especially the Spurs..he had a game where he dropped 48,15,7..avg damn near 35 in 5 games against them and that was in 2000 if im not mistaken. Shaq was the man in the Finals of course (look at the East teams they beat) but Kobe was a top 5 player even back then.

Im really pressed to see list of 14 guys you would pick over Kobe, 5 rings,2 finals MVPs, career avg of over 28 as a starter..27/6/5 in the 17th year..I just can't

When you have a guy that is tripled team, that makes everyone on the team WAY better than they were. Is there another guy you know that was tripled team routinely?? Look I think Kobe is a great player, but again he played with SHAQ!!! I really think people forgot, you mention one game state line, plenty of players had unbelievable stat lines, If you look at Kobe's numbers during the Shaq years, he had his best number (across the board, not just looking at points), It's no coincidence Penny, Kobe, Wade all had their best years with Shaq(prime years), 3 of those rings belong to Shaq, so when you look at the 2 Rings (best player on the team for those rings), looking at 10-15 players ahead or right next to Kobe, it's not impossible to do

MJ, Wilt, Shaq, Bird, Magic, Bill Russell, Kareem, Tim Duncan, Isiah, Oscar Robinson, Hakeem, Lebron, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, I'm not saying all these guys are ahead of Kobe, but if someone told me they thought all these guys were better than Kobe, I would not necessarily disagree.

Most people live too much in the present with sports, Kobe is great, but he's played with a great organization who care less about a luxury tax. I wonder how Kobe's career would have turned out had he stayed in Charlotte.

 

[jmspro]

I've seen both in their prime. Jordan is better. Ima Kobe fan but Jordan is better. The only edge Kobe has on MJ is range. But even later in his career Jordan's range got better. Like someone said earlier, Kobe takes better care of himself and will play longer. Kobe takes over games but nobody took over games like MJ. Plus it was so effortless looking sometimes. The game would be gong and he would have 12 pts, then 15 minutes later he would be up to 40 pts and i would be like wtf. How did that happen.

 

[sfgiants]

Watching MJ in his prime was

I always knew the Bulls would win the game, it was just a matter of how.
Living in Chicago we were spoiled.

seriously, there isnt another fan local fan base for a team that'ts been more spoiled than bulls fans in chicago in the 90s... NEVER lost a championship, i'm from cali and was a fan of the bulls cuz of jordan as a kid, and even i knew it was a wrap in the finals... must've felt great to have been a long time bulls fan watching that shyt unfold

6 finals appearances, 0 losses, and watch the goat's career >>>>>>>>

 

[RedBull]

I seen both of them play and Jordan was better, but not by as much as some people like to pretend.

Jordan was a MUCH more tenacious defender throughout his career and that more than anything gives him the edge.

Kobe is a better shooter than Jordan was.

I used to think Jordan was better off the ball, but Kobe is just as good, he just doesn't play off the ball nearly enough.

There's a gap between them and Jordan is in front, but that gap is a LOT smaller than people are willing or comfortable with admitting.

Some people are too invested in hating Kobe to the point where as a basketball fan they can't give him his due. Some people still trying to argue Magic is the greatest Laker ever even though Kobe has won just as much and dominates the Lakers record book (which is a feat in and of itself).

I've seen both in their primes as good as kobe is he's not better than jordan but he's closin the gap

2 excellent unbiased posts from a so called Stan and a so called hater.

 

[filial_piety]

I've seen both in their prime. Jordan is better. Ima Kobe fan but Jordan is better. The only edge Kobe has on MJ is range. But even later in his career Jordan's range got better. Like someone said earlier, Kobe takes better care of himself and will play longer. Kobe takes over games but nobody took over games like MJ. Plus it was so effortless looking sometimes. The game would be gong and he would have 12 pts, then 15 minutes later he would be up to 40 pts and i would be like wtf. How did that happen.

Don't forget, MJ switched up his game when he came out of retirement. The first 3-peat was a different MJ from the second 3-peat. In the second 3-peat, he perfected the fade away

 

[thatrapsfan]

MVP are voted by the media. Bonds is the best Baseball player I have ever seen but he won't get into Hall because of the bytchass voters who are mainly media.

The rest can be earned. All NBA. I respect that. All Defensive team. I respect that.

Who do you think the voters for the All-NBA and All-Defensive teams are?

 

[Malik]

For all these talks of Kobe playing with Shaq, you never hear any comments of Shaq playing with Kobe.




Is there another Top 10 player who had a "sidekick" that could average 35ppg in a Playoff series?




Shaq's alone in this department. All the other legends might've had other allstars on their squads but, they didn't have no Kobe Bryant as a teammate. Scottie Pippen, James Worthy, Pau Gasol, Tony Parker, Kevin McHale/Robert Parish, Joe Dumars. All those guys are clearly number twos. Shaq's number two is top 5 all time

 

[Lakerman0834]

hold up you love to call jordan fans fatherless yet your own comrades sometimes yourself nut hug another man to no end yet that is completely respectable gtfoh

Been to multiple laker games with my biological father to witness Kobe more than most of than most mj Stans can say

 

[Malta]

Been to multiple laker games with my biological father to witness Kobe more than most of than most mj Stans can say

That's about as much interaction with black people you have, watching basketball games.

 

[red222]

That's about as much interaction with black people you have, watching basketball games.