Rank Kobe's best years

[Im Still Ballin]

That Threepeat period always interests me about Kobe

I'll make a ranking in a second

[Nilocon165]

Eddie curry is the greatest center ever

[Im Still Ballin]

Eddie curry is the greatest center ever

Was by far the best shaq defender

THE STATS SUGGEST THIS!

[Gotterdammerung]

The Pubescent Years: 1996-1999
Kobe was still in his Young Padwan stage, transitioning from high school to the pros. Mostly a back-up.

The Frobe Years: 1999-2004
Kobe hit his athletic prime, became legit All-Pro, sublimated his game with a Pantheon great in Shaq, & won titles.

The Lone Gunman Years: 2004-2007
Kobe went full "Black Mamba" despite or because of a lack of talent around him, peaked in 2006 with 35 ppg.

The Mature Jedi Master Years: 2007-2011
As the Lakers improved, Kobe re-sublimated his game and made 3 consecutive Finals, won back to back titles.

The Twilight Years: 2011-2016
Three major injuries robbed Kobe of a slow fade to black type of career. But we will always have 60 on 50.

[sammichoffate]

The Pubescent Years: 1996-1999
Kobe was still in his Young Padwan stage, transitioning from high school to the pros. Mostly a back-up.

The Frobe Years: 1999-2004
Kobe hit his athletic prime, became legit All-Pro, sublimated his game with a Pantheon great in Shaq, & won titles.

The Lone Gunman Years: 2004-2007
Kobe went full "Black Mamba" despite or because of a lack of talent around him, peaked in 2006 with 35 ppg.

The Mature Jedi Master Years: 2007-2013
As the Lakers improved, Kobe re-sublimated his game and made 3 consecutive Finals, won back to back titles.

The Twilight Years: 2014-2016
Three major injuries robbed Kobe of a slow fade to black type of career. But we will always have 60 on 50.

Fixed

[scuzzy]

Faber knocks



Achilles pops



50 shots



Mic drops

[Im Still Ballin]

You just feel like Kobe lost a lot of chips in the Frobe-Lone Gunman transition phase

[Bankaii]

As an individual player?

1) ChuckBe: 2005-2007
2) FroBe: 2001-2004
3) WinnerBe: 2008-2010
4) TwilightBe: 2011-2013
5) NewBe: 1996-2000
6) OldBe: 2014-2016

[Quickening]

As an individual player?

1) ChuckBe: 2005-2007
2) FroBe: 2001-2004
3) WinnerBe: 2008-2010
4) TwilightBe: 2011-2013
5) NewBe: 1996-2000
6) OldBe: 2014-2016

This is about right, and highlights why the ring argument holds too much weight when ranking individual players. Kobe won all his rings outside of his peak years.

[Gotterdammerung]

Fixed

Actually Kobe got hurt in the 2011 playoffs. Then had a down year in 2012 and finally blew out his Achilles Tendon in 2013.

[sammichoffate]

Actually Kobe got hurt in the 2011 playoffs. Then had a down year in 2012 and finally blew out his Achilles Tendon in 2013.

He had two pretty good years in 11' and 12', fantastic year in 2013 before the injury.

[Prime_Shaq]

2008 was his best year in terms of knowing when to get his team involved and when to take over. A very composed veteran knowing how to effectively pick apart a defense at will and truly LED his team. Its too bad he just met 3 much hungrier players in the Finals.

[Stringer Bell]

I'm not sure exactly what his peak year was. Kobe put up the best scoring numbers in 2005-06, but part of that was because he had to with that team, and also it was a great year for perimeter players with the rule changes and ref calls. Iverson and Lebron also put up terrific numbers that year, I think they scored their career highs also.

You could say Kobe's "prime" lasted a very long time, from the 2000-01 season to somewhere in the late 2000s or early 10s. I don't know when his "peak" was. Kobe played great during the 00-01 season and had some spectacular performances in the postseason. Game 1 of WCF against the Spurs was his best postseason performance IMO, definitely one of his greatest performances ever period when you take into account the defense he was playing against and how often he attacked the rim against Duncan and Robinson.

[guy]

2006
2008
2007
2001
2003
2009
2010
2002
2012
2013
2004
2011
2000
2005
1999
1998
1997
2014
2015
2016

[SamuraiSWISH]

2006
2008
2003
2001
2007
2009
2010
2013
2002
2004
2012
2005
2000
2011
1999
1998
2014
2015
1997
2016

In eras, individually?

Black Mamba: 2005 - 2007
AlphaBe: 2008 - 2010
FroBe: 2000 - 2004
Vino: 2011 - 2013
NewBe: 1997 - 1999
OldBe: 2014 - 2016