Kobe responds to Jordan...

[LBJ 23]

It goes beyond aping MJ's moves. It's trying to ape his mannerisms, swagger, gum chewing, fist pumping, interview cadence, manipulating and copying of exact MJ moments, etc.

Kobe took imitation to a borderline creepy level, especially earlier in his career.. .

I agree with this. It's not about the actual basketball moves, it's more about the ''he can't guard me'' type of copy moves. It's normal for a average 10 years old kid on the playground to do this, it's normal to see a highschool player celebrate the exact same way Jordan did, but it's quite weird to see an adult NBA superstar with his own NBA legacy do this.

[7_cody]

I agree with this. It's not about actual basketball moves, it's more about the ''he can't guard me'' type of copy moves. It's normal for average 10 years old kid on the playground to do this, it's normal to see a highschool player celebrate the exact same way Jordan did, but it's quite weird to see an adult NBA superstar with his own NBA legacy do this.

You're trying too hard.

Name me one original player in the NBA that invented all of his own manerisms and moves.

Definitely not LeBron. Even he does the Jordan fist pump celebration.

I'll wait.

After you're done with that, name me one player that wouldn't want to be like Michael Jordan.

Still waiting.

[Hoopz2332]

You're trying too hard.

Name me one original player in the NBA that invented all of his own manerisms and moves.

Definitely not LeBron. Even he does the Jordan fist pump celebration.

I'll wait.

After you're done with that, name me one player that wouldn't want to be like Michael Jordan.

Still waiting.

Lebron is far more original than Kobe Lebron can be described as hybrids of various players before him but no singular player is like him. lebron is one of the most unique players ever while Kobe is a downgraded lower level imitation of Jordan

[sportjames23]

I've never been mad at Kobe from copying MJ's moves. Hell, I did the same thing when I used to ball. The thing that pissed me off about Kobe when he first came on the scene is when he denied it, saying Magic was his favorite player growing up.

Now, how many of you had a favorite player growing up--but wound up copying the moves of another player completely? GTFOWTBS

[7_cody]

Lebron is far more original than Kobe Lebron can be described as hybrids of various players before him but no singular player is like him. lebron is one of the most unique players ever while Kobe is a downgraded lower level imitation of Jordan

Is there anything original about LeBron? He isn't the first point forward. He isn't the first playmaker. What did he invent?

So not being able to master every move from other great players before you is more impressive than being able to master any move?

Ok. If you say so. I respectfully disagree that Kobe trying to be like MJ is a bad thing.

[7_cody]

I've never been mad at Kobe from copying MJ's moves. Hell, I did the same thing when I used to ball. The thing that pissed me off about Kobe when he first came on the scene is when he denied it, saying Magic was his favorite player growing up.

Now, how many of you had a favorite player growing up--but wound up copying the moves of another player completely? GTFOWTBS

yeah I didn't like that either. I have always thought that he only said that because he is a Laker, and it makes a better story

MJ was obviously his favorite player...

[LBJ 23]

You're trying too hard.

Name me one original player in the NBA that invented all of his own manerisms and moves.

.

Of course you're right with this one. But with Kobe it goes beyond that and you know it.

And I'm not saying that it's wrong, I'm just saying it's weird cuz Kobe really didn't need to do this. He was so good/famous/hyped up at such an early age that he would be where he is now without being Jordan nr. 2 as far as manerisms go. I can see some scrub doing this trying to become more famous but for Kobe it really wasn't neccessary.

[7_cody]

Of course you're right with this one. But with Kobe it goes beyond that and you know it.

And I'm not saying that it's wrong, I'm just saying it's weird cuz Kobe really didn't need to do this. He was so good/famous/hyped up at such an early age that he would be where he is now without being Jordan nr. 2 as far as manerisms go. I can see some scrub doing this trying to become more famous but for Kobe it really wasn't neccessary.

ok fair enough, IMO he didn't do it on purpose it just came naturally after spending his entire life trying to be like MJ. Too bad he didn't copy MJ's shot selection, limited 3-pointer attempts and increased effort into finding the higher percentage shots, instead he fell in love with MJ's hero shots and difficult to guard fadeaways

Even someone like me, say I was good enough to go pro (hahah, yeah right!), even I would probably use some of Kobe's manerisms and verbage without meaning to. I'd be like, "We just didn't execute well enough. We need to execute better." ya know, I don't know, I would love to be like MJ or Kobe personally

Think on the business side too, if a business is successful, than other entrepreneurs will try to copy that. It's hard to invent a business model, but profits can be made by successfully copying something that already works

[Hoopz2332]

Is there anything original about LeBron? He isn't the first point forward. He isn't the first playmaker. What did he invent?

There has never been a player like in all aspects like Lebron.

This is the breakdown they did on Lebron on ESPN countdown







How Good Is LeBron James?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EO_yl_oRQR4

So not being able to master every move from other great players before you is more impressive than being able to master any move?

Ok. If you say so. I respectfully disagree that Kobe trying to be like MJ is a bad thing.

Taking a few moves from Jordan is one thing, jacking his mannerisms is another level of weirdness on some stalker sh!t.

Kobe Bryant is gone from the NBA playoffs, but he remains the most riveting and controversial figure of the postseason. Even his absence fills the room.

Bryant solidified his position as the most polarizing player in the NBA with a wildly inconsistent and confounding series against the Suns. There he is, passing and moving without the ball and generally playing like Steve Nash. There he is, putting up 50 because his team needs it. There he is, petulantly putting up three shots in the second half of the seventh game, just to prove a point about the inadequacies of his teammates.

And to think, the seventh-game disappearance came just as everyone was ready to attach a new description -- team player -- on him.

Say what you want, but he's the only guy who could have pulled that one off.

How's this for redirecting responsibility: You can make a good case that 90 percent of Kobe's problems stem from the lingering, and bizarre, national fixation with Michael Jordan. Kobe is part of the fixation; he's groomed himself to be the successor to the point of imitating Jordan's mannerisms.

And that, more than anything, is why every game featuring Kobe comes across not as a basketball game but as "Kobe on Kobe."

He's been trying so hard to be someone else -- or someone else's version of who he should be -- that he isn't really anybody. From the outside, his words seem hollow and his actions seem borrowed.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2...e=keown/060510

[no pun intended]

Imitation is the greatest form of flattery.

[AlphaWolf24]

Lebron is far more original than Kobe Lebron can be described as hybrids of various players before him but no singular player is like him. lebron is one of the most unique players ever while Kobe is a downgraded lower level imitation of Jordan

Lebron was dipped in Kobe Bryant gear...even trying to swagger jack Kobe's do.

[AlphaWolf24]

Who stole anything from Kobe?

Off the top....

Marshon Brooks

Paul George

Kyrie Irving

Andrew Wiggins

and just like MJ in the 90's.....we all wanted to be like mike.....but honestly who could?

who stole from MJ and actually used it in game and suceeded?.....hardly anyone.

[sc19]

Lol @ This generation copying Kobe. And it's true. We see that in chuckers like Melo and Westbrook. Kobe has embraced ball hogging and chucking in basketball.

[Hoopz2332]

Off the top....

Marshon Brooks

Paul George

Kyrie Irving

Andrew Wiggins

and just like MJ in the 90's.....we all wanted to be like mike.....but honestly who could?

who stole from MJ and actually used it in game and suceeded?.....hardly anyone.

none of those guys play like Jordan therefore they don't play Kobe.

[AlphaWolf24]

none of those guys play like Jordan therefore they don't play Kobe.

- actually all of them play like Kobe....

Brooks especially.....not only do I recognize this.....but so does Brooks ( as he always says he patterned his game after Kobe)

so either me , Marshon and most fans are lying....or you don't understand basketball.



( same goes with PG 24)