How underrated is Kobe's athleticism?

[sundizz]

There seriously may never have been, besides Jordan, a more athletic perimeter basketball player the history of the sport than a 99-2001 Kobe. I say basketball player, because I'm sure there have been players that could run faster, jump higher, etc...but they really lack the body control Kobe had.

Athleticism as a basketball player:
-Hops (aka Gerald Green)
-Jumping power while moving (aka Lebron)
-Burst of speed (aka Russ)
-Body control (aka Nash)
-Overall speed (aka John Wall)
-Usable explosive power (aka Shaq)

2001-2002 highlight reel (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCmuvNCQdVA)
2001-2002 top plays (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS6hlq1OvqU)
1999-2000 top plays (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_ZGtDL7mPI)

[outbreak]

you misspelled "was"

[navy]

Judging by your comparisons not underrated at all.

[Marlo_Stanfield]

There seriously may never have been, besides Jordan, a more athletic perimeter basketball player the history of the sport than a 99-2001 Kobe. I say basketball player, because I'm sure there have been players that could run faster, jump higher, etc...but they really lack the body control Kobe had.

Athleticism as a basketball player:
-Hops (aka Gerald Green)
-Jumping power while moving (aka Lebron)
-Burst of speed (aka Russ)
-Body control (aka Nash)
-Overall speed (aka John Wall)
-Usable explosive power (aka Shaq)

2001-2002 highlight reel (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCmuvNCQdVA)
2001-2002 top plays (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS6hlq1OvqU)
1999-2000 top plays (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_ZGtDL7mPI)
not even remotely close in any way

[BlkMambaGOAT]

There seriously may never have been, besides Jordan, a more athletic perimeter basketball player the history of the sport than a 99-2001 Kobe. I say basketball player, because I'm sure there have been players that could run faster, jump higher, etc...but they really lack the body control Kobe had.

Athleticism as a basketball player:
-Hops (aka Gerald Green)
-Jumping power while moving (aka Lebron)
-Burst of speed (aka Russ)
-Body control (aka Nash)
-Overall speed (aka John Wall)
-Usable explosive power (aka Shaq)

2001-2002 highlight reel (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCmuvNCQdVA)
2001-2002 top plays (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS6hlq1OvqU)
1999-2000 top plays (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_ZGtDL7mPI)
:biggums: Kobe is like Shaq in the explosive department?:biggums: :biggums: :biggums: :biggums: :biggums: :biggums:

[dubeta]

The problem I have with Kobe, is that he relied too much on his athleticism/physical gifts :rolleyes:

Kobe was always quicker, faster, than whoever guarding him. Added to that he possessed supreme body control and agility, enabling him to physically dominate his opponent.

This is why I prefer LeBron more, LeBron never had these gifts and thus relied on skill, hard work, and footwork in order to succeed :applause:

[buddha]

Kobe was a great athlete but he wasn't an a superhuman once in a generation type athlete like LeBron.

[lilteapot]

It's only underrated if you're an idiot. He's one of the most explosive, most athletically gifted players in history.

[Dresta]

Not at all underrated.

Proof = this retarded thread.

[sundizz]

I didnt mean kobe has the explosive power of shaq. I merely listed what attributes are important to athleticism and a player example that is a beast in that attribute.

Im just saying...kobe now is semi athletic but mostly skilled. A young kobe though...he was comparable to any perimeter athlete ever when taking into account the full range of attributes. He had the body control to find open spaces, the explosion to get to dunking range, the hops to get over anybody, the strength to go through anybody and deliver facials, and the aggression to put it all together.

[zoom17]

Not at all underrated.

Proof = this retarded thread.

:oldlol:

[Paul George 24]

There seriously may never have been, besides Jordan, a more athletic perimeter basketball player the history of the sport than a 99-2001 Kobe. I say basketball player, because I'm sure there have been players that could run faster, jump higher, etc...but they really lack the body control Kobe had.

Athleticism as a basketball player:
-Hops (aka Gerald Green)
-Jumping power while moving (aka Lebron)
-Burst of speed (aka Russ)
-Body control (aka Nash)
-Overall speed (aka John Wall)
-Usable explosive power (aka Shaq)

2001-2002 highlight reel (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCmuvNCQdVA)
2001-2002 top plays (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS6hlq1OvqU)
1999-2000 top plays (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_ZGtDL7mPI)

not even as gd ass carter

[Cold soul]

Kobe was a great athlete but he wasn't an a superhuman once in a generation type athlete like LeBron.

This is so true on so many levels.

[sundizz]

This is so true on so many levels.

I actually think this too...but I think that many people forget how athletical a young Kobe was. Lebron has a combo of speed + power + jumping ability. However, in terms of basketball, Kobe actually has comparable athleticism.

For football though, Lebron >>>>> Kobe.

Kobe has done significantly better dunks than Bron. And it's not just because of "dunk skill" it definitely is a lot to do with athleticism. Young Kobe's ability to explode (like Russ West) and jump off two feet is some of the best we've ever seen. Lebron really can't do that the same way. He rarely explodes in the halfcourt the way Kobe does. He usually gets his dunks because of building up speed that is unmatched when combined with his power.

Kobe as a halfcourt dunker >>>>> almost everyone ever. He has that first step acceleration + 2nd step power build that almost no other perimeter player has had with consistency.

[GimmeThat]

You can say its underrated
but Kobe knew he had to put on some weight after the championship run in order to be a more complete player.
and he knew he was going to lose some explosiveness "athleticism"

without it he wouldn't had been able to back down guards and separated himself from the other elite athletic wings

He tried to gain some of it back later in his career by watching his diet.
it's what made his playoff series against Alvin Gentry's Sun such a great series.

[WolfGang]

I've never seen a player twist their body in the air like Kobe. His dunks were RAW!

[hawksdogsbraves]

Is or was? Because if we're talking right now, the dude can hardly walk.

[bizil]

There's no doubt peak Kobe was a freak athlete, no doubt about it. I don't think he was ever underrated in that aspect. However in his era, I think Bron, Vince, T-Mac, and Wade among the great or very good SG's and SF's were even more athletic than him. But Kobe easily qualified as a freak athlete. But among the great SG's and SF's, I think Dr. J, Bron, MJ, Nique, Drexler, Thompson, Wade, T-Mac, and Vince were superior. When it comes to freak athletes, u get bonus points for being at the least an All-Star caliber player. Because when u are very good or great, u can force your will on your opponents more often with that freakish athletic ability. The guys like Gerald Green, Kenny Walker, Darnell Hillman, etc. I can't put in a class with a Kobe or MJ for those reasons. And a small PG like Robert Pack I can't put in the class with a KJ. Or for centers, I can't put JaVale Mcgee in a class with Howard, Hakeem, or Robinson.

[fpliii]

:rockon:

[RoundMoundOfReb]

Kobe was like a Paul George level athlete. Not LeBron, Shaq, Wilt, MJ etc..

[GimmeThat]

Kobe was like a Paul George level athlete. Not LeBron, Shaq, Wilt, MJ etc..


Kobe is at least Chris Paul level

If Paul George can average 8+ rebounds a game, we might be able to argue he's on Kobe's level in terms of athleticism.

Without reducing his scoring load of course.

[fandarko]

Kobe was like a Paul George level athlete. Not LeBron, Shaq, Wilt, MJ etc..

Now you are seriously underrating him.

[sundizz]

Kobe was like a Paul George level athlete. Not LeBron, Shaq, Wilt, MJ etc..

This is what I mean underrated. Sure, Paul George can do some nice dunks. But he has nothing the same besides the ability to do equal or better wide open dunks.

The amount of dunks Kobe has in the halfcourt is significantly more than any other perimeter player of today. He blew by people with ridiculous speed in the halfcourt, and hammered it over every big man. That's athleticism. The speed to get by people, the strength to go through people, and the hops to dunk over people. There are prolly dozens of more "athletic" people outside the NBA that can dunk. However, the ability to have basketball athleticism is what I'm talking about. Gerald Green can't get anywhere near the hoop to do his dunks because he lacks the body control to go by people, and the first step speed to utlilize his hops.

Kobe's combo of athleticism is second to none ever. No one combined the speed, power, hops, agility, quickness, strength at the perimeter position like he has (except Jordan). Lebron is a much much better open court athletic player, but in the halfcourt Kobe is a much more useful athletic player. Lebron rarely gets dunks in the halfcourt nowadays...because he can't explode off two feet in the halfcourt to dunk over people. He needs steam.

[ImKobe]

The problem I have with Kobe, is that he relied too much on his athleticism/physical gifts :rolleyes:

Kobe was always quicker, faster, than whoever guarding him. Added to that he possessed supreme body control and agility, enabling him to physically dominate his opponent.

This is why I prefer LeBron more, LeBron never had these gifts and thus relied on skill, hard work, and footwork in order to succeed :applause:

wut

Kobe first relied on his athleticism in the 90s but he expanded his game further and was a complete player in 02-03. He can beat you in any way possible, his game is so much flashier and more exciting to watch than Lebron's. Kobe will give you fadeaways, crazy behind the back/between the legs dribbles, pump fakes 20+ ft out with a defender on him and somehow gets shots off and swishes them in clutch moments. Posts up anymore and has an array of moves to use. Kobe is aesthetic and he didn't use his athleticism like MJ or Kobe, he was still mainly a jumpshooter.

Dropping 42 in one half on MJ and mainly by shooting jumpers, them 3s bruh
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08L72uwNRxk

[Micku]

There seriously may never have been, besides Jordan, a more athletic perimeter basketball player the history of the sport than a 99-2001 Kobe. I say basketball player, because I'm sure there have been players that could run faster, jump higher, etc...but they really lack the body control Kobe had.

Athleticism as a basketball player:
-Hops (aka Gerald Green)
-Jumping power while moving (aka Lebron)
-Burst of speed (aka Russ)
-Body control (aka Nash)
-Overall speed (aka John Wall)
-Usable explosive power (aka Shaq)

2001-2002 highlight reel (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCmuvNCQdVA)
2001-2002 top plays (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS6hlq1OvqU)
1999-2000 top plays (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_ZGtDL7mPI)

Well...I don't think he was better at body control than Dr. J. Erving just had crazy hang time and was able to twist his body and change his shot mid air. Plus he had bigger hands than Kobe.

And there are others to me who seem more athletically impressive than Kobe. Vince Carter, Nique, D-Wade, Westbrook, Drexler, David Thompson and maybe some others too. Like even lesser names like Shannon Brown or Eric Bledsoe maybe more atheltic than Kobe to me. While Kobe is athletic too, I think he is on the lower tier with the elites in terms of athleticism. So, I don't think he is underrated. Skill wise is a different story. Combine that with his athleticism then you got something.

[comerb]

There seriously may never have been, besides Jordan, a more athletic perimeter basketball player the history of the sport than a 99-2001 Kobe. I say basketball player, because I'm sure there have been players that could run faster, jump higher, etc...but they really lack the body control Kobe had.

Athleticism as a basketball player:
-Hops (aka Gerald Green)
-Jumping power while moving (aka Lebron)
-Burst of speed (aka Russ)
-Body control (aka Nash)
-Overall speed (aka John Wall)
-Usable explosive power (aka Shaq)


You just overrated him in every category except for body control.

[SexSymbol]

He's a top 3 dunker ever, so obviously he has some atletic prowess, although it comes more from his tenacity than from pure physical ability.
He had a nice vertical, nothing spectacular, great SG body with long arms, although small hands, his flexibility in the year is second to none too

[Soundwave]

In terms of raw sheer athleticism ...

Vince Carter > Kobe (or LeBron even).

[eliteballer]

In terms of raw sheer athleticism ...

Vince Carter > Kobe (or LeBron even).

Not even, he had very long arms which gave an illusion that he was jumping higher than he was. Look where his head is on dunks. He also had big hands(probably comparable to Jordan) that allowed him to do fancy dunks with ease, but as far as pure athleticism he isn't any better than the other elite athletic wings.

[Kblaze8855]

Vince had long arms....but he still outjumped damn near everyone over 6'3'' ever.

And Kobe isnt really an underrated athlete. Old Kobe is. People act like he fell off as an athlete more than he did the last several years. Young Kobe had people acting like he was the next super athletic swingman and he just never deserved placement among the monsters. Hes really athletic. He wasnt Jordan, Vince, Lebron, Westbrook, Rose, or Iverson. He wasnt in that company just off athletic ability.

Im not sure Kobe has one dunk ive seen where I was amazed how high he got. Or how far away he took off and made it. He blows by people the same way plenty of non elite athletes do. Ive never seen him get it and go end to end turning on the jets and just blowing other fast people away play after play.

That was never his game. It didnt have to be.