ESPN on Kobe's success so far - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

LakerMania · 08-14-2002, 04:46 AM

Since I know how y'all love Number 8 on this forum, I thought I'd post this [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

Kobe's only getting started

Only 10 shopping days left until Kobe Bryant's 24th birthday.

And we're left wondering what does one give to a kid with fame, fortune, three NBA titles, four All-Star appearances, a fade-away turnaround jumper set in iambic pentameter, mad hops, the NBA dunk trinket while still a teenager, his own shoe, a rap record . . . everything?

Bill Russell was born Feb. 12, 1934. He would go on to win a record 11 NBA titles as the defensive monster of the Celtics. But by the age of 24, he had only two.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was born on April 16, 1946. He would go on to win a record six regular-season MVPs. But he didn't get his first one until age 25.

Michael Jordan was born Feb. 17, 1963. He would go on to win six NBA titles, five MVPs and demigod status. But by the age of 24, he had nothing but a reputation for shooting too much and jumping so high.

Karl Malone was born July 24, 1963. He has scored 34,707 points thus far in his NBA career and, barring injury, will become the league's all-time scorer in a little more than two seasons, passing Jabbar's 38,387 mark. But by the age of 24, he had scored only 2,982.

Kobe already has 8,197.

Malone didn't even hit his stride until age 25 when he strung together six seasons of 27-plus points per game. Jordan started a year earlier, tallying seven straight seasons of 30-plus points per game.

Kobe stands on the threshold, having already averaged 26.7 points per game over the last two seasons as Shaq's sidekick. He's been named to the All-NBA third team, second team and first team as well as the NBA's all defensive team and all interview team. He speaks two languages, doesn't cheat on his wife as far as we know and scored more on his SATs than you and I combined.

Forget walking. He could dribble on water.

In his first six years as a professional basketball player, Bryant has averaged 15 playoff games per season and rising. Malone is averaging 9.8 and sinking. Jordan is at 12.7 and sinking even faster.

Think about this just for a second. We spend countless hours arguing amongst ourselves over this shooter and that scorer long after they sank their last bucket. Or came back out of retirement. Kobe has been under our breath before he ever took his first.

We began judging him before the sixth period bell rang.

Heck, you called him a ballhog before you could buy him a drink. He was a bobblehead before daily shaving.

It's hard to believe that Bryant is about to enter his seventh season, a quarter of his life spent between TV timeouts while men much older and wiser than he already argue about his accomplishments past.

Where were you when the Lakers made him the No. 13 pick of the 1996 NBA draft out of Lower Merdian High School?

Bryant was born Aug. 23, 1978, too young to legally sign his first NBA contract.

Shaquille O'Neal, the best player of the current generation, says he is going to play five more seasons after hyping Bryant as the best player in the league last season. Do the math, find some wrapping paper and don't forget to rip off the price tag.

TheKid · 08-14-2002, 07:38 AM

The boy is good don't get me wrong but if some of the greats that were mentioned in the article started playing in the NBA when they were 18, Jordan for instance, well the numbers they put up would have been astronomical.

Drbio · 08-14-2002, 08:45 AM

As good as he is, Showbe couldn't hold Jordans jock.

Red White and Blue · 08-14-2002, 09:56 AM

At only the young age of 24 he is already the 3rd best player in the league with TMac a close 4th. No one else is even close to the kid, I think we owe him a little more credit. Sure he plays on the Lakers and we are supposed to hate them, but come on guys 24 with 3 titles, with more to come? Kobe can more than hold MJs jock, MJ said that himself. MJ and alot of other experts say at this age, Kobe is better than MJ was at this stage in their career.

TheKid · 08-14-2002, 10:33 AM

MJ at 24 was in his second year or third year in the pros, that's the difference. Kobe has now at the age of 24 been in the league for 5 years and plays with the MOST DOMINATING player in the NBA arguably history of the game in Shaq. NOW Jordan WAS the best player in the game by his fifth year and granted didn't have the championship to show for it BUT didn't have nearly the team Kobe had by his fifth or sixth year in the NBA.. Right now I wouldn't say Kobe could hold Jordan's jock, when Kobe leaves Shaq, then we'll see. That team is mediocre at best without Shaq despite Kobe being a phenominal talent. THAT'S the difference between Jordan and Kobe.

FilthyFinMavs · 08-14-2002, 12:00 PM

<< MJ at 24 was in his second year or third year in the pros, that's the difference. Kobe has now at the age of 24 been in the league for 5 years and plays with the MOST DOMINATING player in the NBA arguably history of the game in Shaq. NOW Jordan WAS the best player in the game by his fifth year and granted didn't have the championship to show for it BUT didn't have nearly the team Kobe had by his fifth or sixth year in the NBA.. Right now I wouldn't say Kobe could hold Jordan's jock, when Kobe leaves Shaq, then we'll see. That team is mediocre at best without Shaq despite Kobe being a phenominal talent. THAT'S the difference between Jordan and Kobe. >>

I agree I wanna see soemone change places with Kobe and AI and lets see how far 6ers go and how much Kobe does. Shaq is making all the players around him better and doesetn get to much credit for that. Kobe is a incredible player dont get me wrong but put Finley up with Kobe. Kobe is the better player but how many things can u name Kobe does more than Finley? He obviously has the better handles but thast about it that comes to mind. Im not tryinhg to be a homer here or trying to take anything away from Kobe. Kobe is a terrific player but the Jordan comparison needs to stop. I dotn care waht MJ said Kobe will never be as good as him. Jordan is the best player of All Time and I Saw the games were Kobe had to lead the Lakers to a win in regular season and the result came to some losses to the Chicago Bulls. Kobe and Jordan may play similiar but thas because they play with the same style of play. I cant argue with Kobe being the 3rd best player in the NBA but without Shaq u can kiss those rings and his stats goodbye.

Fidel · 08-14-2002, 01:13 PM

<< as Shaq's sidekick >>

Any more questions?

Drbio · 08-14-2002, 01:42 PM

Showbe is Shaq's bitch.

LakerMania · 08-14-2002, 02:22 PM

Quote:

I cant argue with Kobe being the 3rd best player in the NBA but without Shaq u can kiss those rings and his stats goodbye.

Without Shaq(which means the Lakers have a 35 mil payroll) the Lakers would struggle to even make the playoffs in the WC, big deal, you need an awful lot of talent these days to get a ring in the NBA. But as far as stats go, he is a 30-8-5 player in games without Shaq. How is Shaq helping Kobe when he is sitting on the bench? Mind control? Telekinesis?

FilthyFinMavs · 08-14-2002, 02:30 PM

<<
Quote:

I cant argue with Kobe being the 3rd best player in the NBA but without Shaq u can kiss those rings and his stats goodbye.

Without Shaq(which means the Lakers have a 35 mil payroll) the Lakers would struggle to even make the playoffs in the WC, big deal, you need an awful lot of talent these days to get a ring in the NBA. But as far as stats go, he is a 30-8-5 player in games without Shaq. How is Shaq helping Kobe when he is sitting on the bench? Mind control? Telekinesis? >>

U quoted only a small portion of what I typed. I also stated that if u switched places with AI and Kobe. And my point was Kobe would be facing much more double teams and even triple teams with the 6ers than eh would with the Lakers. I gave Kobe to much props actually by saying he is the 3rd best player in the NBA but oh well. Kobe probaly is a 30 8 5 guy but Dirk could put up better numbers than that with Finley gone and Finley could do that if Dirk wasnt here. Thats not a big accomplishment the wins are the big accomplishment and I saw exactly waht I needed to see when Lakers played Bulls.

Fidel · 08-14-2002, 02:45 PM

<< How is Shaq helping Kobe when he is sitting on the bench? >>

When Shaq was on the bench the Lakers were pretty vulnerable throughout the playoffs. I don´t have +/- stats of the Lakers players but I´m sure those stats are VERY + for Shaq.