KOBE: The NBA’s most SPOILED player.
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
Jordan: ‘I absolutely laughed’.
Before I start the bashing of Kobe Bryant, let’s point out a few things.
Who’s the greatest basketball player of all time? I think anyone with a brain can figure out that it is Michael Jordan. For many years we’ve been trying to find the next Jordan but seemed to come up short every time.
I will admit the closest thing to MJ would be Kobe. Just think about a few things, he walks, talks, shoots free throws, and even chews gum like Michael Jordan. The fact that he’s just as tall and has Michael’s coaching staff is great too.
But lets be real here Kobe…
You are NOT Michael Jordan. Now pay attention to why this is and you will realize that i’m not just a Kobe hater but a realist.
When you look at the career of Michael Jordan, it would be tough to ignore his NCAA National Championship at UNC in 1981-1982, Two Olympic gold medals, NBA Rookie of the year 1985, Nine time All-Defensive team 1988-1993 and 1996-1998, Six time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player 1991-1993 and 1996-1998. Ten time scoring champion, 6 NBA Championships, Ranked #1 by ESPNSportscentury’s Top 100 Athletes of the 20th Century… etc .etc. etc..
Keep in mind, Michael did all this with Will Purdue, Bill Cartwright, and Bill Wennington. Certainly a far cry from Kobe’s; Shaquille O’Neal, Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol and now NBA’s most dominant center, Dwight Howard.
Yes, Michael had Scottie Pippen to help out with the fast breaks and defense, however, Scottie couldn’t hold the lead when Jordan sat on the bench sipping on Gatorade. Not saying that Pippen didn’t have game, just saying the Chicago Bulls didn’t have someone to dump the ball in the post when MJ sat out.
And now fast forward to the 2012-2013 season. Kobe has once again manage to get a dominant center, this time in Dwight Howard. This should make an interesting season for the Los Angeles Lakers who acquired Steve Nash as well. And did I mention Nash is far better than any point guard that Jordan had when he played?
Maybe I would just feel better if Kobe admitted he models his whole career like Michael Jordan’s. Kobe is desperately aiming at that 6th championship that he feels he needs to be tied to his mentor. And to be honest with you, I don’t think he’ll get it, regardless of him having Dwight Howard.
We all remember Bryant’s all star cast of Hall of Famers when he had; Karl Malone, Gary Payton, and lets not forget Michael Jordan’s back up from 1996 to 1998, Ron Harper. Kobe and Karl Malone would have a memorable feud in which Bryant accusing Malone of making a pass at his wife at a Lakers game. Karl was quoted as saying; “Misery loves company. This is a Hollywood soap opera, and I’m not going to be a star in another Bryant soap opera. ”
Shaq also had his issues with Kobe over “who’s runs this team”. How can one take sole credit for winning a championship when you have too many chiefs and not enough Indians? Maybe that’s why Kobe told ESPN; ”I don’t miss 15 games because of a toe injury that everybody knows wasn’t that serious in the first place,” referring to a procedure called a cheilectomy where doctors had to shave bone spurs off O’Neal’s toe.
There is no doubt the current NBA trade that sent Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers, Andrew Bynum to the Philadelphia 76ers, Andre Iguodala to the Denver Nuggets and Al Harrington to the Orlando Magic will sure shake up the NBA and make things real spicy this coming season.
The question remains, will Dwight Howard have the passiveness needed to deal with Kobe’s narcissism. Howard will have to yield and hope Kobe can show him the light, and pray that light isn’t a runaway train.
And that’s my .02