Kobe lists the top 5 players he has faced... [Archive] - Message Board Basketball Forum

jlip

12-21-2015, 08:46 PM

I don't know if this has been posted yet. If so, please delete, mods.

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/post/_/id/14417395/kobe-bryant-lists-top-five-players-faced-career

Olajuwon, MJ, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Clyde Drexler

VengefulAngel

12-21-2015, 08:49 PM

No respect for Duncan....

Kobe sure likes KD...

Deuce Bigalow

12-21-2015, 08:51 PM

No respect for Duncan....

Kobe sure likes KD...
He owned Duncan :confusedshrug:

sammichoffate

12-21-2015, 08:53 PM

Clyde Drexler? I thought he would say Iverson

sd3035

12-21-2015, 08:53 PM

No respect for Duncan....

Kobe sure likes KD...

Durant is probably the best one on one player that has ever existed

DMV2

12-21-2015, 08:54 PM

Did he really play Drexler? Kobe was a young benchwarmer during the final years of Drexlers career.

jlip

12-21-2015, 08:59 PM

Did he really play Drexler? Kobe was a young benchwarmer during the final years of Drexlers career.

I was thinking the same thing. Kobe also never faced a team with a "prime" Hakeem.

VengefulAngel

12-21-2015, 09:02 PM

Durant is probably the best one on one player that has ever existed

Somewhat agree, Durant is great but they're are some names I would put ahead of him if I was to pick the top 5 player's Kobe has ever faced.

DMAVS41

12-21-2015, 09:22 PM

The Clyde pick is Kobe trolling everyone....and the Hakeem pick is a direct shot at Shaq...and perhaps Duncan as well

Guy is so ****ing cunning and calculated on this stuff....love it

raprap

12-21-2015, 09:24 PM

DoctorP

12-21-2015, 09:25 PM

DaOldLion

12-21-2015, 09:25 PM

The Clyde pick is Kobe trolling everyone....and the Hakeem pick is a direct shot at Shaq...and perhaps Duncan as well

Guy is so ****ing cunning and calculated on this stuff....love it

oh **** off you don't know the guy and have no idea what he is/was thinking :oldlol: :oldlol:

MMM

12-21-2015, 09:26 PM

So the only player he named from his prime is Bron

DMAVS41

12-21-2015, 09:27 PM

oh **** off you don't know the guy and have no idea what he is/was thinking :oldlol: :oldlol:

I'm not criticizing him at all...I loved it

I couldn't care less who Kobe lists there...

DaOldLion

12-21-2015, 09:31 PM

I'm not criticizing him at all...I loved it

I couldn't care less who Kobe lists there...

I realize that.. But stop trying to act like you know what this dude was thinking or that a certain pick was a subliminal shot to some other player I mean ffs you've never met this guy. You don't know what he was thinking.

JimmyMcAdocious

12-21-2015, 09:38 PM

In an older interview he said TMac was one of (or the) toughest he's had to guard. Kobe getting senile with age.

DMAVS41

12-21-2015, 09:48 PM

I realize that.. But stop trying to act like you know what this dude was thinking or that a certain pick was a subliminal shot to some other player I mean ffs you've never met this guy. You don't know what he was thinking.

Well, use your brain...

DaOldLion

12-21-2015, 09:53 PM

Well, use your brain...

I did and realized you are an idiot for pretending to know Kobe's motivations behind his answers

deja vu

12-21-2015, 09:55 PM

Yeah the Drexler one is odd. Maybe he faced him one game and had a hard time against him?

DMAVS41

12-21-2015, 09:57 PM

I did and realized you are an idiot for pretending to know Kobe's motivations behind his answers

So you really think he honestly believes 97 and 98 Clyde is better than KG, Duncan, Dirk, Wade....etc?

I didn't say I knew specifically what his motivation was....although I definitely think leaving Shaq/Duncan off was calculated...

I just know he doesn't actually think Clyde was better than the guys above...or he decided to answer it in a way like:

"I was so bad in 97 and 98...I couldn't believe how good Clyde was"

Like I said...use your brain

JohnFreeman

12-21-2015, 09:58 PM

Didn't he say TMac and Carmelo like a year ago?

DaOldLion

12-21-2015, 10:00 PM

So you really think he honestly believes 97 and 98 Clyde is better than KG, Duncan, Dirk, Wade....etc?

I didn't say I knew specifically what his motivation was....although I definitely think leaving Shaq/Duncan off was calculated...

I just know he doesn't actually think Clyde was better than the guys above...or he decided to answer it in a way like:

"I was so bad in 97 and 98...I couldn't believe how good Clyde was"

Like I said...use your brain

No I don't know what he "honestly believe".. You don't either, you don't know shit about what he "honestly believes" so stop posing as if you do know. Your original post read like you had just talked to the guy..

pnyozzzoo

12-21-2015, 10:01 PM

duh such a simple agenda and you guys cannot see through it, Kobe is stretching it to make clear he has a very Long career.

DMAVS41

12-21-2015, 10:01 PM

No I don't know what he "honestly believe".. You don't either, you don't know shit about what he "honestly believes" so stop posing as if you do know. Your original post read like you had just talked to the guy..

Let me make it clear.

I didn't talk to Kobe.

DMAVS41

12-21-2015, 10:02 PM

duh such a simple agenda and you guys cannot see through it, Kobe is stretching it to make clear he has a very Long career.

Was just about to post this actually, but don't want to pretend I know something...LOL

WayOfWade

12-21-2015, 10:04 PM

Yeah the Drexler one is odd. Maybe he faced him one game and had a hard time against him?
No clue, Clyde did average 18/6/5 in Kobe's rookie year, but Kobe has faced players that put up much better numbers than that.

raprap

12-21-2015, 10:05 PM

duh such a simple agenda and you guys cannot see through it, Kobe is stretching it to make clear he has a very Long career.
True

JT123

12-21-2015, 10:24 PM

Was just about to post this actually, but don't want to pretend I know something...LOL
:lol Kobe stans are super sensitive these days

ShaqTwizzle

12-21-2015, 10:27 PM

http://blacksportsonline.com/home/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Kobe-Bryant-Tim-Duncan.jpg

ShaqTwizzle

12-21-2015, 10:44 PM

Ok yeah there is probably an agenda behind the choices.
They don't make any sense otherwise and are kinda retarded.

Hakeem was pretty washed up by 1998 (when Kobe started playing real minutes against him) and in basically all their matchups he put up shit stats.
His best game against Kobe was 22 / 8 / 2 and outside of that he basically was 10-15*ppg / 7-8*rpg in most of their meetings.
The idea that he deserved a mention over Prime Duncan, KG or others he faced is laughable.
Maybe it was a shot at Shaq. Maybe it was copying Jordan (who praised Hakeem at his fav C).

Drexler is even worse.
They met 3 times and Drexler's best game was 21 / 5 / 6

In the other 2 games Drex scored 17pts on 28%FG and... 10pts on 12%FG (2-16).
I mean... did he deserve mention over Pierce, T-Mac, Iverson and many other guards Kobe faced during his Prime who weren't washed up when he met them?
Definitly not... that pick makes no sense at all.

JT123

12-21-2015, 10:48 PM

Ok yeah there is probably an agenda behind the choices.
They don't make any sense otherwise and are kinda retarded.

Hakeem was pretty washed up by 1998 (when Kobe started playing real minutes against him) and in basically all their matchups he put up shit stats.
His best game against Kobe was 22 / 8 / 2 and outside of that he basically was 10-15*ppg / 7-8*rpg in most of their meetings.
The idea that he deserved a mention over Prime Duncan, KG or others he faced is laughable.
Maybe it was a shot at Shaq. Maybe it was copying Jordan (who praised Hakeem at his fav C).

Drexler is even worse.
They met 3 times and Drexler's best game was 21 / 5 / 6

In the other games Drex scored 17pts on 28%FG and 10pts on 12%FG (2-16).
I mean did he deserve mention over Pierce, T-Mac, Iverson and many other guards Kobe faced during his Prime who weren't washed up when he met them?
Definitly not... that pick makes no sense at all.
Kobe is insecure about Duncan matching him in ring count and having a successful career into his twighlight. Leaving Timmy out was no accident. Baldbe is such an insecure beta bitch :facepalm

ShaqTwizzle

12-21-2015, 10:50 PM

Oh shi* and I forgot about Wade.
How does he list Drexler over Wade...

:biggums:

kuniva_dAMiGhTy

12-21-2015, 10:51 PM

Drexler?

I get the pick if he played vs Glide in his prime, but dude was on his LAST legs when Kobe entered the league; a complete shell of himself.

Ditto with Hakeem.

Let me preface my comments and say I don't know Kobe personally (easy fanbois! :lol)... but this list definitely seemed contrived.

No Wade? Duncan? Shaq? KG? C'mon bruh :coleman:

HenryGarfunkle

12-21-2015, 10:53 PM

No Dirk, No Duncan, No Wade.

:lol

Guess they aren't legendary greats after all

ShaqTwizzle

12-21-2015, 10:55 PM

No Wade? Duncan? Shaq? KG? C'mon bruh :coleman:

Not putting Shaq is fine.
They were teammates and when they split he was nearing the end of his Prime.

Drexler over Wade makes no sense though.
Wade dropped many monster games on Kobe while Drexler had one "good game" against him and two utterly awful games (they only met 3 times all in all).

Same with a washed up Hakeem over Duncan or KG or even Prime Dwight...
That makes no sense.

BlakFrankWhite

12-21-2015, 10:56 PM

The butthurt on Duncan's success is real

kuniva_dAMiGhTy

12-21-2015, 10:59 PM

Not putting Shaq is fine.
They were teammates and when they split he was nearing the end of his Prime.

True, but 2004-2008 Shaq was better than the Hakeem Kobe faced. EASILY.

Hey Bron fans, at least he didn't completely troll by leaving your guy out.

:oldlol:

Ca$H

12-21-2015, 11:14 PM

ShaqTwizzle

12-22-2015, 12:07 AM

Duncan's best playoff series VS Kobe : 28 / 12 / 5.0 on 58%TS
--- (6 game series)

Hakeem's best playoff series VS Kobe : 13 / 7 / 0.5 on 46%TS
--- (4 game series)
Averaged 10 / 7 / 0.7 on 36%TS over last 3 games.

:kobe:

dhsilv

12-22-2015, 12:30 AM

sportjames23

12-22-2015, 01:43 AM

The Clyde pick is Kobe trolling everyone....and the Hakeem pick is a direct shot at Shaq...and perhaps Duncan as well

Guy is so ****ing cunning and calculated on this stuff....love it

LOL gotta be. Dream and Drexler were definitely past their primes when Kobe faced them.

I'm not TOO surprised he didn't say Shaq considering their relationship, but I'm definitely surprised he didn't say Duncan.

dhsilv

12-22-2015, 01:53 AM

LOL gotta be. Dream and Drexler were definitely past their primes when Kobe faced them.

I'm not TOO surprised he didn't say Shaq considering their relationship, but I'm definitely surprised he didn't say Duncan.

Even MJ seemed a stretch though, if I played him at 90, I'd likely name drop him just because he's MJ.

k0kakw0rld

12-22-2015, 01:56 AM

Durant is probably the best one on one player that has ever existed
Curry > Durant

PsychoBe

12-22-2015, 01:59 AM

kobe was talking about players that he couldn't guard and/or possibly damn near shut him down.

olajuwon was still a defensive stopper near the tail-end of his career, capable of defending wing-players on rotations and still get back to his man on defense with ease.

drexler still had length and savy to bother kobe especially during his early years in the league.

mj, bran, and kd are obvious picks.

he also said in the interview that he couldn't pick "just" 5 but those were the ones that probably popped into his head first.

FashionIssues

12-22-2015, 02:01 AM

maybe against smitty, pip, and mighty mouse. there was never a scenario he had to do work against hakeem and drex.

Goofsta Knicca

12-22-2015, 02:03 AM

Bald mambas don't remember so well?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlSfTbsctRs

Straight_Ballin

12-22-2015, 02:09 AM

So the only player he named from his prime is Bron

More of a pity name drop tbh. Kobe feels bad that he held the torch and gave it right to curry. Poor bron didn't win enough rings. 2/6

Curry with perfection 1/1

jongib369

12-22-2015, 02:19 AM

http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/h2h_finder.cgi?request=1&p1=drexlcl01&p2=bryanko01

TheImmortal

12-22-2015, 02:53 AM

Olajuwon???

Drexler???

This is an insult to Dirk, KG, Wade and Carmelo Anthony (to name a few).. Hell even Ray Allen, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and the like deserve a mention at the very least.

TheImmortal

12-22-2015, 03:00 AM

It's not surprising kobe likes Durant since Durant sucks him off to the media whenever presented an opportunity
LeBron is also a huge Kobe fanboy.. so no surprise there as well. (based on your logic)

BTW, Clyde Drexler is mad underrated on this board... and Hakeem >> Tim Duncan.

bizil

12-22-2015, 03:32 AM

The picks of Dream and Clyde are the most interesting to me. By the time Kobe hit the L, both were in their backend prime years. So I don't really see that. And it's not a diss to Clyde, whose name seems to catch a lot of heat on this topic. Peak Clyde vs. Peak Kobe would have been AWESOME to watch.

At 6'7 and 225 pounds, Clyde was a sick blend of size, great scoring ability, great all around ability, and freakish athletic ability. Before Drexler and MJ came around, there weren't SG's with that package of skills at 6'6 and 6'7. But I can FOR SURE see why he picked MJ, Bron, and Durant. From there, I would think guys like Duncan, Wade, KG, T Mac, Iverson, and Dirk would take up the last two slots.

sportjames23

12-22-2015, 03:38 AM

The picks of Dream and Clyde are the most interesting to me. By the time Kobe hit the L, both were in their backend prime years. So I don't really see that. I can FOR SURE see why he picked MJ, Bron, and Durant. From there, I would think guys like Duncan, Wade, KG, T Mac, Iverson, and Dirk would take up the last two slots.

Agreed.

bizil

12-22-2015, 03:53 AM

I would dig it if Kobe talked about the Golden Era of SG's that he was a part of. If u look at the top 10 GOAT SG's, that era can boast:

Kobe
Wade
AI
Ray Ray

And from there u still had guys like Pierce (had multiple years where SG was his primary position) Vince, T Mac, Manu, Joe Johnson, and Rip in that era too.

72-10

12-22-2015, 03:55 AM

Did he really play Drexler? Kobe was a young benchwarmer during the final years of Drexlers career.

your question was rhetorical, but let's have a quick look at the book anyway

http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/h2h_finder.cgi?request=1&p1=drexlcl01&p2=bryanko01

the answer is no

Bankaii

12-22-2015, 04:50 AM

Not mentioning Duncan/Wade/Iverson when they were all arguably better than him at some point during his prime.:oldlol:

He tries so hard to be known as an "old school" player.

Kobe is such a narcissist, luckily his shit play is keeping him in the limelight.

Smoke117

12-22-2015, 04:53 AM

The Clyde pick is Kobe trolling everyone....and the Hakeem pick is a direct shot at Shaq...and perhaps Duncan as well

Guy is so ****ing cunning and calculated on this stuff....love it

That Kobe Bryant is full of shit and has always tried too hard has been evident his entire career. A great clutch shot to this imbecile is driving and throwing up a shot with 3 defenders collapsing on him...

AirFederer

12-22-2015, 05:13 AM

Well he nailed it on 3/5, not bad for him these days. :cheers:

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/images/smilies/kobe.jpg

kennethgriffin

12-22-2015, 05:37 AM

Bald mambas don't remember so well?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlSfTbsctRs

that was the toughest player that he played against

they asked who the best players he ever faced was

so kobe while having the most difficulty with tmac he however ranks those other 5 guys ahead of him all time

buddha

12-22-2015, 06:14 AM

if he was telling the truth..

MJ
Durant
LeBron
Iverson
McGrady

kobe never faced Olajuwon or played against an elite Drexler.

AussieBaller99

12-22-2015, 07:23 AM

Props to Kobe for naming Durant! He has some of the best career averages of all time.

But Drexler and Hakeem?? Thought it'd be TD, T-Mac, KG, Wade or AI instead

kennethgriffin

12-22-2015, 07:28 AM

if he was telling the truth..

MJ
Durant
LeBron
Iverson
McGrady

kobe never faced Olajuwon or played against an elite Drexler.

well technically if we're going by historical rankings. the best players kobe faced were

#1 MJ
#2 Duncan
#3 Shaq
#4 Hakeem
#5 Lebron

Smoke117

12-22-2015, 07:31 AM

The Clyde pick is Kobe trolling everyone....and the Hakeem pick is a direct shot at Shaq...and perhaps Duncan as well

Guy is so ****ing cunning and calculated on this stuff....love it

You're confused...the fact that he tries so hard is pathetic not praiseworthy, mate. He's the kind of narcissistic, arrogant f@ck that has to come on his girls face everytime.

kennethgriffin

12-22-2015, 07:33 AM

people hating on the hakeem pick should be shot

and drexler is ranked higher all time than iverson or tmac or whoever so wtf are people on?

dhsilv

12-22-2015, 07:50 AM

You're confused...the fact that he tries so hard is pathetic not praiseworthy, mate. He's the kind of narcissistic, arrogant f@ck that has to come on his girls face everytime.

You're not giving a guy a high five if he cums on his girls face EVERYTIME? I mean just that kinda control to do it EVERYTIME is impressive.

ArbitraryWater

12-22-2015, 07:58 AM

Clyde Drexler? Really Kobe? Pick that wants him seem smart?

Does Shaq not count either? No Dirk? Ahh smh

TommyGriffin

12-22-2015, 07:59 AM

Kobe has respect for that old school game.

Smoke117

12-22-2015, 08:01 AM

You're not giving a guy a high five if he cums on his girls face EVERYTIME? I mean just that kinda control to do it EVERYTIME is impressive.

I prefer the direct down the throat choking method myself...it amuses me.

ArbitraryWater

12-22-2015, 08:10 AM

I did and realized you are an idiot for pretending to know Kobe's motivations behind his answers

some of us are able to read into stuff and not be deluded by love for a stranger

TommyGriffin

12-22-2015, 08:12 AM

some of us are able to read into stuff and not be deluded by love for a stranger

:biggums:

dhsilv

12-22-2015, 08:36 AM

I prefer the direct down the throat choking method myself...it amuses me.

Just giving props for someone getting what he wants EVERYTIME. Women use that no word and awful lot in life

SpaceJam

12-22-2015, 08:40 AM

I love how people are judging his picks like they know what his thought process is :roll:

Spurs5Rings2014

12-22-2015, 08:43 AM

Kobe is insecure about Duncan matching him in ring count and having a successful career into his twighlight. Leaving Timmy out was no accident. Baldbe is such an insecure beta bitch :facepalm

:lol

Dragonyeuw

12-22-2015, 09:54 AM

Just in terms of head to head, I don't see how he could pick Clyde over Wade. Kobe was an up and comer playing Clyde on his way out, but faced prime Wade. I also don't see how he could pick Hakeem over guys like Duncan, Dirk, KG. TO BE CLEAR, I speaking as to the point in their careers when they would have faced off.

AirFederer

12-22-2015, 10:06 AM

Big :roll: :roll: @KObe picking Hakeem and Clyde.

rmt

12-22-2015, 10:48 AM

TheImmortal

12-22-2015, 10:52 AM

Honestly.. picking just 5 is very difficult.. especially between Dirk / Wade/ Carmelo/ T-mac/ Garnett / Pierce etc.. Clyde is probably the most logical answer to avoid having to go through that.

Dragonyeuw

12-22-2015, 11:42 AM

It's a really subjective question. For example, 98 MJ would be one of the top 5 he faced individually, but he only faced that version of MJ for a short window, and Kobe himself was young and raw. When he next faced MJ between 2001-2003 it was as an aging Wizard and THAT version of MJ wouldn't be one of the 5 best he faced.

To me, the most logical list of top 5 players would be guys he played against for a number of seasons when they were all at their peaks/primes, Kobe included. If it's irregardless of position, that list would look something like Lebron, Duncan, Dirk, KG, and Durant. If it's head to head again wings/perimeters, something like Lebron, Durant, Wade,Tmac and take your pick between guys like Melo, Iverson, and Pierce/Ray Allen I guess. Picking players who aren't really part of his generation is odd.

riseagainst

12-22-2015, 11:54 AM

Durant is probably the best one on one player that has ever existed

lol no....

riseagainst

12-22-2015, 11:56 AM

duh such a simple agenda and you guys cannot see through it, Kobe is stretching it to make clear he has a very Long career.

:applause:

more intelligent poster on ISH, everyone else getting into conspiracy theories and sh1t.

:roll:

Vertical-24

12-22-2015, 06:46 PM

It actually pains me that this thread has so many pages based on peoples outrage or confusion over Kobe's picks. He was so obviously trolling everyone with a couple of those picks. His toughest competition would quite easily be between TMac, AI, Dirk, Pierce, KD, LBJ, Duncan and KG. And if my memory serves me correctly, he's mentioned a few of them in the past as being such.

Kobe gave you guys the okey doke and you fell for it. Just wondering how Diesel and the other guys feel about it :oldlol:

Spurs5Rings2014

12-23-2015, 09:43 PM

well technically if we're going by historical rankings. the best players kobe faced were

#1 MJ
#2 Duncan
#3 Shaq
#4 Hakeem
#5 Lebron

:applause:

PickernRoller

12-23-2015, 11:09 PM

The takeaway here is that there is a bunch of Duncan stans and Kobe haters really salty and mad about the great Kobe Bryant failing to mention him. His stature speaks volume so the stans and haters are just thristy for any sort of validation to use against him when comparing greats....."but but Kobe said...."

When Kobe doesn't say what these clowns want they throw a tantrum. Deal with it bitch!!!!!

He's probably laughing it to the bank. If you all hate some more perhaps he might mention................Parker. The true engine of that franchise since 06.

You do have to understand Kobe's reasoning here however. Duncan has been Kobe's bitch for the overwhelming majority of his career. There is nothing more bulletproof than Kobe Bryant merking Duncan at the rim and walking away with a series win. They don't call him the Spurs killer for nothing.

SwayDizzle

12-23-2015, 11:21 PM

r u guys stupid or what? Kobe didn't face Shaq when Shaq was in his prime coz guess what? they were on the same team. Kobe routinely destroyed Duncan and the Spurs, why would Duncan be in his top 5 players he faced? Kobe is probably the sole reason Duncan doesn't have 7-8 titles. And Duncan can certainly thank Lebron for a couple titles. All these new age guys except Bron and Durant just aren't even in the same stratosphere as Kobe, course he didn't mention them in his top 5.