Is there a current NBA Player that can be as big as MJ, Kobe and Lebron?
- Thread starter MenacingMonk
- Start date
MAYBE ITS CUZ I LIVE IN LA, BUT IT FEELS LIKE KOBE IS ALSO BIGGER THAN MJ IN AMERICA AS WELL NOWADAYS... ESPECIALLY WITH THE YOUNGER GENERATION (BORN IN THE 90S OR LATER).
I THINK MJ IS REACHING THE POINT WHERE HE IS MORE KNOWN FOR HIS SHOES ABOVE ALL ELSE WIT THE YOUTH.
THATS HOW THE MEDIA WANTED IT, BUT IT DIDNT WORK
EVEN WIT ALL THEIR DOWNPLAYING KOBE AND OVERHYPING LEBRON, KOBE STILL TURNED OUT TO BE THE BIGGER ICON.
HTXBreh
Superstar
I have to agree with you one time basketball is played @FIBA World Cup and Olympics hows it not global
Zion signed a $75 million endorsement deal and had 5+ million social media followers (more than like half of this year's established all stars have even now) before he even stepped on an NBA court; anyone arguing he isn't the obvious answer is delusional. The people in here hopelessly juelzing that he somehow won't or can't be because "he has no personality"... but LEBRON JAMES of all people does in comparison got me 
And for the people saying LaMelo... that kid would be lucky to get a $7.5 million endorsement deal before even playing an NBA game... let alone a $75 million one
. Dude might have a good social media following from his dad's antics and facebook tv show... but he is not anywhere near the same caliber of prospect that Zion and the big 3 of the topic of this thread were. If he actually ends up a good player his ceiling star power wise is something like a bigger Embiid; top social media darling, definitely a popular player in the league...but nowhere near global, league defining superstar. And he ain't nowhere near the prospect Embiid was neither. 
And for the people saying LaMelo... that kid would be lucky to get a $7.5 million endorsement deal before even playing an NBA game... let alone a $75 million one
. Dude might have a good social media following from his dad's antics and facebook tv show... but he is not anywhere near the same caliber of prospect that Zion and the big 3 of the topic of this thread were. If he actually ends up a good player his ceiling star power wise is something like a bigger Embiid; top social media darling, definitely a popular player in the league...but nowhere near global, league defining superstar. And he ain't nowhere near the prospect Embiid was neither. 
ThaRealness
Superstar
Its not the name.... Its that hes foreign and playing for a small market team.
MJ still has a mystique to him that is unmatched. Blame the media for protecting him from criticism when he played and for overexaggerating his legacy in retirement. MJ is top 2 in my book. But the media has totally downgraded the greatness of Scottie Pippen to elevate Jordan.
Globally this U.S. media manipulation doesn't exist which is why Kobe is the most popular around the world. Especially in China where they don't give a fukk about America.
ThaRealness
Superstar
Thats true. Thats the one thing Lebron has over Jordan. He won without Kyrie and he won without Wade
Trece
Superstar
This is what separates Kobe/MJ from Bron in other countries and even certain fans from the states.. Grace and Elegance vs that big bruiser style of Bron..
Bron got the elegance of a strip club bouncer in his playing style..
In many ways he is more equatable to Shaq.
But he definitely the torch bearer right now and the only player maybe getting there someday could be Zion if he drops some baby fat and adds some grace to his game.
Trece
Superstar
Some of these posts are so trash...
2.4 billion people shared Kobes death on Chinese social media..
You had soccer players in Europe crying and dedicating goals to Kobe that very day, football players crying in a superbowl montage, baseball players from Arod to Jeter writing heartfelt messages, you had golfers wearing his shoes, tennis players crying and dedicating matches to Kobe.. MMA fighters doing tributes, even Mexican boxers walking in the ring with Kobe jerseys on..
And you got some small minds here talking about history will not be kind to Kobe..
This mamba mentality thing will be talked about by your children's children
It's a philosophy that says never back down, never shy away from the moment, never let pain physical or emotional get in the way. With all due respect to Bron he ain't coming close to that.
MJ had his time but kids aint exactly clamoring for 30 year old highlights either.
Zion also plays for a small market team and it wont hinder him...It IS his name you even said its that hes foreign and has a "foreign" name.
Not being American and having an english name will keep him from being the face of the league...You see it everyday when analysts struggle to say he is the unanimous MVP which he clearly is but they keep putting other ppl in the discussion with him.IMO that has alot to do with him being non american and the xenophobia that exists in America esp in sports...
When Lebron retires
Will be the first time since 1983, NBA will be without Jordan, Kobe or Lebron
(Aside from the 94 retirement)
Will be the first time since 1983, NBA will be without Jordan, Kobe or Lebron
(Aside from the 94 retirement)
Before kobe's death? yes. remember media never fully embraced kobe. media rigged kobe his top 5 all time status.
from commercial point of view bron sold more merchandise and shoes than kobe. that's a good indicator on who's more 'popular' because that's a factual evidence. in 2015 when kobe was still in the league bron's shoe generated $340mil. Kobe only did $105mil
LeBron James Tops NBA Shoe Sales at $340 Million for Nike
kobe's popular among hoopers like myself. hoopers respect kobe more than bron IMO cuz the style and grace kobe had. but popularity goes beyond basketball. Bron had broader appeal. and bron's 2010 decision got him to that love/hate status.
kobe also had that love/hate because of kobe was that guy who threatened loyal jordan fan base. also rape allegation 2003 also hurt kobe domestically among women.
in any top athlete ranking i always saw bron ahead of kobe. this was 2016 global ranking by ESPN.
Who's the most famous athlete in the world?
kobe was behind Bron. he was even behind KD.
the whole ranking is a joke, but you get my point. IMO only american athlete who belonged in the world top 10 list was Tiger. IMO Bron or any other american athlete doesn't move the global needle. Yes, china is an anomaly. but china is just 1 country. For ex. nobody knows Kobe in Korea except die hard hoopers.
BUT
Now that Kobe passed away. things are very very different now. Kobe is in the immortal status now.