Kobe is to me officially the greatest player in NBA history, I don't care if anyone here says MJ; cause hey you're wrong!!
But what makes me evern more sick is the people that says T-Mac is better, I mean WTF! Kobe is the best, will be the best the next 13 years or so, and will eventually be the greatest player ever.

Alot of people try to ask me, "do you think Kobe is better than MJ, do you think he is the greatest of all time?"

I simply say this, let him do what he does. He may not be a MJ, but im sure as hell happy that he is a Kobe Bryant...

Only time will tell.He still has a long road ahead and has much to prove.

I think Kobe is the best player in the NBA right now, and will continue to be until he retires. I do not think he is the best ever, because that is not something that can be determined until after that player is retired. Kobe has a lot of his career left. I think he has the potential with how he is playing now, unless he has a career ending injury, to be one of the five greatest players to ever play this game. Even though I like Kobe and think he is what we should start building our team around and that he is our team's future, I can't say he is better than Jordan. No one will ever compare to, be equal to, or better than MJ. He was simply the best player to ever step foot on a basketball court. He did things that were unbelievable on a regular basis. People that see highlights of him are still stunned and in awe. He was the most marketable, profitable player ever. Over 60,000 people came to watch Jordan and the Bulls play the Hawks, a record attendance for an arena. To be better than a player you have to have surpassed records that he has set; Kobe has not scored 69 points. Kobe hasn’t taken over a game and won it for his team. Kobe has had only a few buzzer beaters. Kobe isn’t a clutch player. In the S.A. series he relied on the official to help him out too much, even though they were not calling anything in his favor. Kobe hasn’t won an MVP award. Kobe doesn’t lead the league in scoring. Kobe hasn’t averaged 41 points against a team in the finals. Kobe hasn’t scored 63 points in a playoff game. Kobe hasn’t been named Finals MVP. Kobe hasn’t had a triple-double in an all-star game. Kobe hasn’t lead the league in steals. If Kobe is the best then he would have started his rookie season over Eddie Jones, something Jordan did. Kobe didn’t average 28.2 points his rookie season. Kobe hasn’t averaged 34.7 points in the playoffs. I can’t see how anyone can be better than Jordan. There is no way to say Kobe is better than Jordan. To say he is better than Jordan was at this age is one thing, but to say that Kobe is already better than Jordan, that’s impossible. Yes, Kobe will eventually have some of these things. Yes, Kobe will have better stats than Jordan did in some of these things, but he will never be better than Jordan, no one will.

Players shouldn't be compared no matter what. And when people do compare them, then it's just a matter of opinion. Each player contributes a lot to the game, and they do their own thang on the court. Fans may like it or not. I for one think that Kobe doesn't care about being the greatest player of all time, he just wants to be the best he can be, and if that comes with the territory, then so be it, he could care less.

jsm0331 I disagree with you in everything, first of all, the NBA has evolved, right now there are players that no one ever thought there would've been, Jordan was ahead of his time, If Jordan were 234 right now, he would be another Kobe, T-Mac etc..
And if Kobe wouldve played back in the days Jordan did, he wouldve been just a dominant, because defenders were worse than they are right now, back when he played, and i say that because he started in 84 so thats more than 15 years its almost 20, he was a stater as a rookie because he played college baskletball, he had real competition, Kobe didnt cause he came out of high school, and was 17 years old, I mean Jordan at the age 17 never dreamt about being as good as kobe was, he was a backup in high school for crying out loud.
Jordan hasnt scored 42 in a half, 12 three pointers in a game, 9 in a row, avergaed 40 points in a month, I mean score 69 points would be like the easiest thing for Kobe if this were his team, but theres also Shaq if you ever take Shaq out of the team, give confidence to Kobe im so damn sure he would score 80 points, well whatever hes the best and if you dont like it, go to an MJ forum and brag about him, cause we are here to support Kobe not MJ, in fact we have to hate MJ

I agree with you kobebetterthanMJ,


Kobe would have scored more than 69 and past 70 if Phil would have kept him in the Game against Denver last year, and Memphis the year before that. In the Memphis Game 2 years ago, he had 54 or is it 56 BY THE END OF THE 3RD QUARTER. The Lakers were blowing out Memphis at that point and Kobe did not play a single minute in the 4th. Kobe would have 70 or 71 in my estimation.

Also, I agree that today, players are more athletic, stronger, and faster then in the 80s. Kobe would have dominated during the 80s.

Kobe will be the greatest, but MJ will be the Landmark- What this means is Kobe may be a better basketball player, but MJ will be the man that made the NBA what it is..... unless Kobe takes it to another level...
That level would be
Avg 40 ppg 10 reb and 5 asst.

One year Jordan avg 37ppg in a season, its possible.

Kobe is the MAN rite now in the League, but he will be the MAN period after his career is all done with. Simply because of this, he evolved to become a team player. Aside with what the media and the public want him to do, he's always done things to better himself and ultimately the team. From him not going to college to him marrying early Kobe has always done what he thinks he is capable of doing. He has got to be the most responsible individual in the NBA right now. Like Kobe-one-kenobi said, he could have easily destroyed all of MJ's scoring accolades by now, but he did not becuz of the team. He eliminated his own streak in Feb. becuz he believed it was becoming a distraction and his teammates were not as involved. Game 5 against the Spurs, Phil said that he did not draw it up that way, but Kobe still found Horry wide open to win the game. Compare that Kobe to the Kobe tossin up airballs at the end of the game against the jazz in the '98 playoffs. Every summer Kobe goes back into the lab to work on some part of his game that needs improving. He wasn't a vocal leader before, now he is. Wasn't a deep ball shooter, now he is. Wasn't a team player, now he is. This attitude is what reminds me of MJ except MJ did not have a 7'1, 340lb. giant that demanded the ball. And please Pippen is no Shaq. We haven't even seen Kobe's full talent yet and we won't see it cuz of Shaq. It is because of Kobe's dedication to winning and nothing else that sets him apart from MJ. Its hard to compare the two because MJ never really had a superstar teammate, but Kobe does and will for another couple of years and that is why he called the team out and the big fella out so that he can continue to win. His dedication to winning is what is making him sacrifice the game he knows he has inside of him and thats what makes him even more competitive and more of the MAN than MJ.

Jordan benefited in having Magic and Bird paved the way for him in the 80s. The NBA was almost dead in the 70s and it took the rivalry of Magic and Larry to bring the NBA into the forefront of the American public. Michael took the marketing aspect to the next level, because there was no one before him that has taken control of the economic market of the NBA. Kobe would have done the same during the 80s.

Quote from:jsm0331

"I think Kobe is the best player in the NBA right now."
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Im sorry but I know this is not gonna be to popular with yall but I have to disagree with Kobe being the best player in the leauge.And I know some of you aint to hot on this guy but I would have to say its Tim Duncan whos the best right now.And sorry but I just cant see Kobe better than Jordan.

Look, I’m not going to sit here and argue who’s better. This argument should not even be discussed until Kobe’s career is over. Kobe is one hell of a player, he plays at a totally different level than everyone else plays at right now. The scary thing is he hasn’t even reached his prime yet, when he does he will be an unstoppable force. He will make T-Mac, AI, Pierce, Lebron, and Allen look like they have no skill whatsoever.

And regarding what Kobe would have done if he was in Jordan’s situation and played when he did, against the competition MJ did….well we can only speculate. Same way we can only speculate on how Shaq would have done if he played against the competition that Wilt played against, or lack there of. Is Shaq better than Wilt, unquestionably, but that is also unfair to say until the big fella is retired, and it is also an opinion. Wilt played against players that were mostly a 1/2 foot shorter than him, thus the reason he scored 100 points; but Shaq might have slacked off and not worked out to improve since he would have been much taller than any competition.

And I might be wrong Kobe might turn out to be better than Jordan; but he isn’t right now, he’s not even in his prime, he hasn’t developed some his skills fully. It wasn’t like Jordan had no competition or defense when he was around. Bird and Magic were around, so was Clyde, Miller, Pistons, (when they had their bad boy cast) Barkley, Stockton, Malone, plus the inside presence of Hakeem, Ewing, Zo, and Shaq. That was back when you actually had a big man to go against when you drove to the basket. Now there aren’t any of those left for Kobe to worry about, the only one that is still around is on his team. So, yes, players now are more athletic, better overall, and better at defense; but it wasn’t a piece of cake for players back then.

We are not here to support just one player, we are here to support the Lakers as a whole. I am not supporting Jordan or bragging about what he has done, just because I love the Lakers and love watching Kobe, doesn’t mean I have to agree with something, if I don’t believe it to be truth no matter how much I like the Lakers. I can’t say Kobe is the best just because he’s Kobe, I have to go with what I believe is true.

We don’t have to hate any player, I am sure some of us like players that other of us don’t. Some of us might hate Timmy, but it would be my guess that Spursfanatic50 and Folding Spaces, among others might just like Tim. Yeah Kobe could have had 80-85 when they played the Wizards, but he didn’t want to, he wanted what was best for the team, that’s admirable to some, taking a back seat for the team, because that‘s what’s best for the team; but that means he has yet to accomplish that. In 5 years, people aren’t going to remember that he wanted what was best for the team so he didn’t keep scoring on his own, they will just remember that he scored 42 in a half.

No matter if it’s true or not, if you walk down the street and ask people who’s better Kobe or Jordan, the majority are going to say MJ. Maybe it was- his image they liked, the fact that he had his tongue out when he was playing, that he made cologne and bathing product, that jump man logo, his shoes, all the clothes that you could buy with his logo on it whether that made them feel special or whatever, that kids everywhere wanted to “be like Mike,� his movie, all his commercials, his style of play, his swagger, or whatever else it could have been….the fact is people just love MJ, for whatever reason.

I will say a few things on Kobe's behalf. Firstly, while I agree that the BEST EVER monaker is a bit premature (Kobe is only 24) I disagree completely with your statements that Kobe isn't a clutch player. He has made more clutch baskets late in games than MJ at this point in their careers. MJ didn't start taking games over late until later on. MJ never shot the three ball or rebounded like Kobe can. And don't even compare their passing ability. Magic Johnson has jumped in amazement at some of Kobe's passes, so that should be a pretty reliable source, not that it proves anything...But to say Kobe has never taken over a game is like saying Rasheed never gets technical fouls. Remember the MJ vs Kobe final round (Wiz Lakers) this season. Kobe threw 42 on MJ in the first half cause Mike got cocky. Kobe spoiled Mike's farewell game winner at the All-Star break, and he also has taken over MOST of the important games in the Lakers runs. Remember against portland, the lob...or against the Pacers when Shaq fouled out late in the game and it went 2 1/2 more minutes (as well as two subsequent OTs) while Kobe took over and willed the team to victory on an injured ankle? How about Kobe's miraculous perfect shooting performance (did not miss a shot or free throw in the entire quarter) in our team's 27 point fourth quarter comeback against the Mavs? Kobe has always been our closer. he is the most consistently clutch player we have. He didn't earn the nickname of "the new mr. clutch" for nothing, and especially not overnight...Mj has the upper hand right nowm, but Kobe has a good decade and a half to do his own damage...