How many rings would Kobe have if he was a ring chaser and picked his teammates?

[AintNoSunshine]

Yeah he was like that for a while until he realized that Mo williams =/= Scottie pippen and shaq

[ralph_i_el]

Keep in mind that he has 5 rings just working off of whoever the front office gave him, now try to imagine him in his prime choosing whatever team he wanted to join anytime his contract allowed him to, how many rings do you think he couldve have won?

00

[NBAplayoffs2001]

6 or 7 because his years from 05-07 were quite wasted and I think with his scoring ability could get him another ring or two with the right teammates. The rest of his career I think he was satisfied with the talent levels on his team

[pauk]

Why would he do that when he was part of the biggest championship driven franchise, he was having the supporting casts handed to him on silverplates since the get go? Hell, it was actually Kobe who was part of the supporting cast handed on a silverplate to SHAQ who led them/him towards 3 straight championships....

[Rooster]

Well, he chose not to play for Charlotte, so in a way he chose every teammate he's ever played with.

This a revisionist version. Jerry West had this deal in the bag. All it takes was teams passing on Kobe to pull It through. There was one team who might take him. The Nets, but Kobe never worked out with them so they will never gamble on a skinny swingmen from high school (Kobe was a pioneer for perimeter players) so they picked a safety one college boy Kittles. Lakers even got rid of two of my favorite Lakers, Peeler and Lynch to create a max space to get Shaq. And as soon as Charlotte picked Kobe ( Lakers indirect pick), Jerry West master plan and vision came through. Trade Divac and signed Shaq and the rest is history.

[Rooster]

Why would he do that when he was part of the biggest championship driven franchise, he was having the supporting casts handed to him on silverplates since the get go? Hell, it was actually Kobe who was part of the supporting cast handed on a silverplate to SHAQ who led them/him towards 3 straight championships....

Kobe took a great risk when he got rid of Shaq to win on his own. Some superstars would take the easy route and shortcuts to win some chips.

[riseagainst]

this is why Kobe will always be remember as an all time great. He gets knocked for playing with Shaq and people say he can't win without him, and lebron stans even go as far to say those 3 chips count as losses.

But he went to 3 consecutive finals and back to back championships after Shaq left. Proving haters wrong time and time again.

this is how you create your own legacy. Not buying it.
mad respect.

[Bandito]

So many Lebron stans here...why?

[hawke812]

Keep in mind that he has 5 rings just working off of whoever the front office gave him, now try to imagine him in his prime choosing whatever team he wanted to join anytime his contract allowed him to, how many rings do you think he couldve have won?

At least nine.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Kobe played with the arguably the GOAT center (at his peak) and multiple HOFers, nevermind arguably the GOAT coach.

When we talk about help and supporting casts, Kobe's had that luxury for most of his career.