Stephen A on new ESPN rank: I definitely did not consider Kobe top 5...Maybe 10.

[Rico2016]

Stephen A: I did not have Kobe top 5, maybe 10
Jalen Rose: I did not have Kobe top 5, maybe 7 (and Jalen is a Kobe lover)

https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/-/media/Images/Daily/2018/06/20/Stephen-A.ashx

Can we safely put Kobe into the 10-15 tier and be done with this? It would be a travesty to other 6-10 players ranked above Kobe, such as Bird, Hakeem, Duncan etc.

[AirBonner]

Kobe is consensus cemented 12. Great player but was never the leader that Shaq, Duncan, Bird were

[FultzNationRISE]

Stephen A: I did not have Kobe top 5, maybe 10
Jalen Rose: I did not have Kobe top 5, maybe 7 (and Jalen is a Kobe lover)

https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/-/media/Images/Daily/2018/06/20/Stephen-A.ashx




Is Stephen A whitening...??

Is he pulling a Michael Jackson?

[RoseCity07]

Kobe's not even top 10. I can't have a career 44% shooter in my top 10. I just can't.

[Phoenix]

Kobe's not even top 10. I can't have a career 44% shooter in my top 10. I just can't.

What about Bill Russell?

[ArbitraryWater]

What about Bill Russell?

I think its pretty obvious this refers to players who's offense or even scoring, is the strong suit.

And even then, Russell is the sole exception through the top 25.

[Phoenix]

I think its pretty obvious this refers to players who's offense or even scoring, is the strong suit.

And even then, Russell is the sole exception through the top 25.

I'm aware of the context. I just thought it an interesting criteria to make.

[Whoah10115]

So top 10 and top 7 and his range drops to 15.

44%...and?

Goodness, you guys genuinely suck at so much.

[LAL]

They took away his individual media awards because he played with shaq and third option fisher, or because of smush & kwame or not winning more reg season games with Pau out West than Lebron in the east or some crap like that.. That's not good enough, media also want to take away his rings, even in his worst series, imagine a 20 year old magic coming back from sprained ankle after missing games in the series and wins the game for the lakers after kareem fouls out in a hard fought important overtime game 4. 15 PoInTs PeR GaMe. That's his "sidekick" ring.. not a sidekick in 4th quarters for some reason. Check out some of duncan's numbers, his great teammates, kareem's numbers in some of the titles he won, losing in his prime without Magic, even third option rings, Lebron's ringchasing and superstar teammates in the east and 6 finals losses, Bird great teammates and a fmvp teammate, Hakeem's constant losing and short prime, Magic's teams and chokes, Wilt's losing.. Kobe may not have the mvp's, but everyone knew who the best player was everytime he stepped on the floor in his prime, has less weaknesses than most on the list and more rings than most on the list. suck my dick espn.

[ELITEpower23]

They took away his individual media awards because he played with shaq and third option fisher, or because of smush & kwame or not winning more reg season games with Pau out West than Lebron in the east or some crap like that.. That's not good enough, media also want to take away his rings, even in his worst series, imagine a 20 year old magic coming back from sprained ankle after missing games in the series and wins the game for the lakers after kareem fouls out in a hard fought important overtime game 4. 15 PoInTs PeR GaMe. That's his "sidekick" ring.. not a sidekick in 4th quarters for some reason. Check out some of duncan's numbers, his great teammates, kareem's numbers in some of the titles he won, losing in his prime without Magic, even third option rings, Lebron's ringchasing and superstar teammates in the east and 6 finals losses, Bird great teammates and a fmvp teammate, Hakeem's constant losing and short prime, Magic's teams and chokes, Wilt's losing.. Kobe may not have the mvp's, but everyone knew who the best player was everytime he stepped on the floor in his prime, has less weaknesses than most on the list and more rings than most on the list. suck my dick espn.

What

[ThatCoolKid]

They took away his individual media awards because he played with shaq and third option fisher, or because of smush & kwame or not winning more reg season games with Pau out West than Lebron in the east or some crap like that.. That's not good enough, media also want to take away his rings, even in his worst series, imagine a 20 year old magic coming back from sprained ankle after missing games in the series and wins the game for the lakers after kareem fouls out in a hard fought important overtime game 4. 15 PoInTs PeR GaMe. That's his "sidekick" ring.. not a sidekick in 4th quarters for some reason. Check out some of duncan's numbers, his great teammates, kareem's numbers in some of the titles he won, losing in his prime without Magic, even third option rings, Lebron's ringchasing and superstar teammates in the east and 6 finals losses, Bird great teammates and a fmvp teammate, Hakeem's constant losing and short prime, Magic's teams and chokes, Wilt's losing.. Kobe may not have the mvp's, but everyone knew who the best player was everytime he stepped on the floor in his prime, has less weaknesses than most on the list and more rings than most on the list. suck my dick espn.

Kobe was a great player - he just wasn't as efficient/impactful as players higher than him on the list.

[2ball]

Kobe was a better offball player which resulted in more chips then LeBron. Kobe is top 10

[Rico2016]

Kobe was a better offball player which resulted in more chips then LeBron. Kobe is top 10

Russell > Jordan
Pippen = Jordan

Thanks for the report, Detective 2 IQ

[FKAri]

What about Bill Russell?

Shouldn't be in anyone's top 10. **** that old fart.

[Soundwave]

44% is dragged down a bit by his post-ACL years and his early years where Del Harris wouldn't play him much, so you can't really get into as much of a flow of a game if you're only playing 15-25 minutes.

And it's not out line with other players of that era, a good chunk of the late 90s and early 2000s was low scoring and defenders were allowed to get away with a lot more than they are these days. It's not like Vince Carter or Tracy McGrady were shooting 50% at that time.

Didn't Larry Bird have some bad Finals? He got outplayed by Cedric Maxwell in one did he not? Why is that never brought up?


1981 NBA Finals:
Larry Bird: 15.3 ppg/15.3 rpg/7 apg on 42% shooting

Outplayed by teammate Cedric Maxwell ... great rebounding numbers though.

1985 NBA Finals
Larry Bird: 23.8/8.8 rpg/5 apg on 45% shooting
(outplayed by teammate Kevin McHale)

[light]

I don't have Kobe top 10. I have Duncan, Shaq, Big O and Hakeem ahead of Mamba.

But we can safely say he's top 10-15 and I don't think most people would have him lower than 12.

[LAL]

I don't have Kobe top 10. I have Duncan, Shaq, Big O and Hakeem ahead of Mamba.

But we can safely say he's top 10-15 and I don't think most people would have him lower than 12.

Big O was great, what impressed you most about Big O?

[raprap]

10-15 is the rightful spot for the Mamba. RIP

[Soundwave]

I honestly think Magic and Bird get overrated a bit. Neither of those guys was that much better than Kobe honestly.

Bird and Magic had poor/not so spectacular NBA Finals too but they get a pass for that. Magic barely had a jump shot.

[Axe]

Kobe was a good role player...

A good scoring machine, i mean..