Larry Bird Would Like To Have Kobe As His Teammate

[longtime lurker]

Bird and Kobe would make an amazing duo since they compliment each other so well. But eventually I could see egos clashing although I'd expect Bird to give the reigns to Kobe more graciously than Shaq did

[Not No Talker]

Your personal vendetta against Kobe is sickening. It seriously is. I couldn't even take this post seriously, obvious agenda is obvious.

Anyway, when people talk about this "special trait" that you are bashing, I think they are referring to his intense work-ethic and determination to become the best (in all aspects)...period. Kobe wants to win, he's always hungry for the W and that's something that everyone who's been around him has been able to say (whether its been players, coaches, trainers, analysts, etc.). Everyone see's his passion and everyone see's his drive.

As for winning...winning, more or less is a team accomplishment. In order to win, you need a solid team. Kobe through 05-07 was in a very similar situation as Jordan was before the arrival of Pippen, PJ, and the great Chicago Bulls teams of 1990-1998. First round exits, wishy-washy records, etc. etc.

You sir just sound butthurt. Sure he played with Diesel....and? Magic played with Kareem. Kobe came into the Lakers roster in 1996-1997 (straight out of High School), are you seriously faulting him for not being better than Shaq the years leading up to and including the 3-peat? Are you faulting him for playing with him? Shaq was dominant as ****, but even as a side-kick...are you honestly going to say that he wasn't a valuable asset in those Championship runs? I don't fully understand what your agenda is in respects to that argument.

Oh and don't get it twisted, Kobe Bryant has been the clear-cut leader of the Los Angeles Lakers since '05 and he LED the team to those 3 consecutive finals appearances (08,09,10). Am I discrediting Pau Gasol or any of the other Lakers players? Not at all because without them the Lakers would not have captured the Gold at all but it was Kobe Bryant that took on the leadership role that had gotten them that far. Kobe's competitive nature helps set the tone for the rest of the team and I think it also propels them to play harder as well (don't mention rejects like Smush Parker or Kwame either).

Some of the Kobe Bryant hate on this board is ridiculous. Same with the LeBron hate...appreciate greatness for what it is.

Strong post
Would rep

[G-Funk]

"Players, casts and coaches." So Michael Jordan is not really special when he had Phil Jackson as his coach and teammates like Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Horace Grant, Toni Kukoc, B.J. Armstrong etc. on his team? It's cause he had a stack team like that? Same with Magic Johnson right? He had Pat Riley as his coach, Kareem, James Worthy, Byron Scott, Bob McAdoo, Michael Cooper and others. And Larry Bird had Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Bill Walton and others.

ownage

[Kblaze8855]

When I just saw the interview on ESPN I was surprised id not seen a topic on Larry saying Lebron is by far the best in the league and nobody else is even close. He said its lebron #1...then you try to figure out the rest.

[Mr. I'm So Rad]

Kobe Bryant would have been the best player Larry Bird every played along side with.

Would be interesting to see how those to competitive minds would have gone at each other in practice and the weight room, in their primes.

Basketball match made in heaven.

[INDI]

Why do people jump on Kobe for the 05-07 season??? They say he lost shaq. Do they realize he also lost Malone? Payton? Fisher? Fox? Phil???????????? Aldo do they recognize the new starting center and small forward (divac n devean) missed 63 games? Did they forget that Lamar missed about 16 games and so did Kobe in that first year.......


And after They tell you they forgot. Why was the lakers still in the playoffs around mid season???????????????????????????????????????????? ??

[rsoares28]

What they also forget is the lakers were in first/second right before bynum went down and the gasol trade happened..

I am by no means insinuating that that team without gasol wouldve done anything but 1st/2nd in the stacked western conference for the 1st half of the season is a pretty good accomplishment.

[G-Funk]

bump

[Kobe 4 The Win]

As much as the salty-ass haters want to, you can't discredit Bird's opinion on this.

Knowing what I do about Bird when he played this doesn't surprise me one bit. Kobe has that insane dedication to work harder than anyone in the off-season. He has that laser focus during practice and in games. He has as much determination and Russell, Magic, Bird and Jordan. His mentality is cut from their cloth. Kobe is also one of the toughest players of all time. Like Bird, Kobe will play through about any injury and find a way to work around any handicap.