He’s Beethoven Bryant… Now Hear the Music!
By Ted M. Green | Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, Column
You wouldn’t think a man who seems to have everything would need anything.
You wouldn’t think a man loved by millions might need a friend.
Kobe Bryant has oodles of talent, tons of money, a pretty wife, beautiful young family and the respect, if not unconditional affection, of most of his peers. So what could a man with all that possibly need?
Oh, just understanding, appreciation and, finally, an end to the hating.
Understand what, you say?
That he is the best player in the NBA by eons and quite possibly more skilled than even Michael Jordan.
Appreciation? Yup, by finally naming him MVP of the league.
And hating? That’s right, it’s time to put a merciful end to the petty envy and ugly jealousies, time to stop holding Colorado over his head, time to stop penalizing him because he’s ridiculously gifted and kinda comes across like he knows it.
It seems crazy to me that for every Kobe jersey you see in arenas around the country, for the millions of Number 24’s that are worn in China, there seem to be an equal number or more who refuse to give this generational treasure his just due.
I’m not talking about naming him to All-Star teams or All-NBA first teams or even paying him the 20 mil or whatever it is he makes in salary each year. He’s earned all that.
I’m talking about recognizing how hard he plays, how hard he works to make his teammates better, how he leads by words and example.
The rap in the past that he didn’t make his teammates better? Bullfeathers. He passed to them. They missed. What 
was he supposed to do, shoot it in the basket for them?
Look at the Lakers now: If you don’t think Jordan Farmar, Sasha Vujacic and Ronny Turiaf are all light years better than a year ago, you’re just not paying attention. Heck, playing in the backcourt with Kobe, Derek Fisher at an age (33) when lots of guys are fading, is having a career year, with all-time bests in every shooting category. Coincidence? Not hardly.
I’m also talking about how when it comes to being The Closer, Kobe makes Kyra Sedgwick look like a helpless little girl. Look under “4th Quarter” and Kobe’s probably got a copyright in the government patent office.
Know what? Forget all that.
What I’m REALLY talking about is, for Kobe’s detractors, the haters, to drop the pretense and stop the posturing and just admit that as a shooter, driver, finisher and defender, as the ultimate basketball Jedi master as we speak here in the late winter of 2008, Lebron James with all his Nike marketing power and funny/cutesy Old Man commercials, can’t hold Kobe’s jock. Or gym bag.
Oh, he can hold it, all right, but only if he asks real nicely.
By having the b*lls to light a fire under Laker management and calling them out last summer when they were derelict in their promise to put a team around him; and then, by putting those unkind words and bad blood behind him as if it never happened once he hit the court in November, never shortchanging his employers with his herculean efforts; by maturing into the kind of leader who pushes and encourages his teammates instead of scolding and demeaning them (see Andrew Bynum); by scoring points as if they’re bunches of grapes; by making more highlight plays in any given game than most other so-called superstars make in a month; by hitting hundreds of shots that make you shake your head and wonder if he’s even human; by leading the Lakers to the top of the Pacific Division and third best record in the NBA when many experts had them as an eight seed or worse; and dammit, by still playing like a genius virtuoso with a pinky finger that is so broken and mangled, a top hand specialist recommended immediate surgery; for dropping 41 on the Suns in Phoenix with a freaking half-broken shooting hand!; for all those reasons and probably 100 more I haven’t thought of, Kobe Bean Bryant has finally earned the unconditional respect and admiration he has never quite received from a public that has never embraced him with the same affection they showed for MJ and now the new darling of Hip Hop Hype, Bron Bron.
I’ve got your Bron Bron right here.
It is absolutely incomprehensible to me, but yet fully expected given the history of Kobe Bryant, that not one major national NBA writer, far as I know, has been smart enough, fair enough or honest enough to come out right now and say what is now startlingly obvious:
That if Bryant isn’t the MVP this year, that award needs to be put on the shelf forever, never to be dusted off again.
Know who the other candidates are this season?
KG? Nope, been hurt. Lebron? With 24 losses in a conference that is dreck? Sure, whatever you say.
In other words, there are no other candidates, not in the no-spin universe free of East Coast bias that I live in.
In the real, un-spun NBA, it’s Kobe’s world and everybody else is just living in it. And if you don’t believe me, ask the players. Trust me, they’ll tell you.
Now I’ll be the first to admit: I’ve always respected Kobe, appreciated him, understood his athletic genius, but I never quite embraced him, either. There is, inarguably, something cold, clinical and a little too detached about his public persona, and his postgame sound bites. There is something, the hard edge, that slight chip on the shoulder people perceive, that does stop many fans from feeling warmth for him. But that’s Kobe’s vibe.
It must be how the real assassins roll.
Turns out that off the court, Kobe is giving, outward reaching, socially aware and generous with his time; he’s warm with kids, busy with lots of community and charity work that never makes the papers. In fact, he wants it that way.
But from this point forward, let me suggest to the haters that it isn’t Kobe’s fault some clever Nike marketer never had him be the one to dive into the pool or play four different characters including a grumpy old man.
MJ, he gambled, caroused, bitchslapped teammates, smiled at all the right times, became Nike’s Jumpman, hit the very last shot of his Bulls career to win his sixth and last title (I can still see it in my dreams in slo-mo, the pushoff on Bryon Russell, as if it happened five minutes ago)…and now Michael, his Airness, lives in our hearts forever.
Let me be the one to suggest to the haters that if you don’t begin realizing that a true basketball Beethoven is passing your way again, Kobe Bryant is going to be gone before you had a chance to genuinely enjoy and embrace the show.
Ted Green is Senior Sports Producer for KTLA Prime News and a former sportswriter for the L.A. Times and National Sports Daily. He does not vote anymore for NBA MVP but wishes he could.
Discuss:
77 Responses to “He's Beethoven Bryant... Now Hear the Music!”
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He’s more talented than MJ. People have to admit that no matter what. If any one wants to argue that, please provide some technical differences between MJ’s and Kobe’s game. Then, tell me why Kobe is not equal/superior to MJ.
Enough with the hating!
Fanboy post…
And it’s fanboys like you that hurt your idol’s image most. Kobe’s admittedly the best player in the league right now (and possibly for the next 3-4 years) but instead of “giving him his due” by writing about his skills, you instead ranted against his competitions like an 11-year-old.
I’m not even a “bron bron” fan but the distasteful comments removed any credibility from your 2-thousand-word-long post.
Here’s the thing .. people do give Kobe his due. He is universally acknowledged as the best player in the world today. Shaq said it 2 days ago. Lebron said it multiple times. Magic said it during the all-star break.
Here’s the thing .. Kobe’s just beginning to earn his legacy. He still has 7-8 good years left in him. I’m projecting 5 rings, finals MVP’s, 2 MVP’s, 10 1st teams, 8 1st defense teams, 1 Olympic gold.
Here’s the thing .. the media is the biased party here. But we all know that. Our media is biased beyond belief.
Here’s the thing .. who’s opinion to you trust more .. some white-collar dude with a journalism degree, or someone from the pantheon of the game’s greats, such as Charles Barkley, Shaq, Magic, or most of the league’s current GM’s, players, and coaches?
If you say the former, you’re probably a fool of the media hype killing it to give Bron Bron his due before he’s done anything. Chill out - Lebron will own the league from 2012 to 2018.
But if you say the latter, you’re probably appreciating the great of today, someone who pours his heart and soul out every single day for the game he loves.
Jerico…dude chill.
He’s just making a point and it’s the hating that you are doing that he is talking about. How can adulation affect the way you view someone? I don’t get that. Who cares if people are overly enthusiastic? Why do you care so much what people think? If this is a reason why you hate Kobe, then you’re a hypocrite. You yourself are showing a great deal of immaturity by letting others affect your decisions and feelings. So before you write a rant that you feel is a well articulated argument (and it’s not great), you should think about whether there is any real significance to what you are addressing.
hey Jerico,
The only you reason you disliked the “distasteful comments” were becuase they were all true and like the many writers the author talks about, you dont want to admit them. if you dont like the truth, go work for Fox News, you can have fun with all the lies you want.
He may not be Beethoven, but he is Da Vinci—and Mozart—and Einstein…www.kb24.com
He may not be Beethoven, but he is Da Vinci—and Mozart—and Einstein…KB24 (Kobe’s site)
This post gave me chills…I have not read anything in so long that is so valid…I live in LA and remember when Kobe came into the league…My favorite Laker player, and many of those around me at the time, was Nick “The Quick”…man that boy could play and had ice-cold blood… But to see Kobe Bryant is flat out the most entertaining thing to watch…Sure people, in this East Coast biased NBA, talk about Lebron like hes a god…He can play, yes, and is definitely the oldest looking 23 year old I have ever seen, but nobody is more talented, fierce, hard-working, and tenacious then Kobe Bryant. The attributes that he contains and lives by on a daily basis is no matched by any. I dont recall a time that the most entertaining basketball player in the league was also the most fundamentally sound-KOBE BRYANT
If he wins 2 to 3 championships he will be even with Mike in the Post Shaq era in regards to public support. Most feel the 3 championships the Lakers won were mostly due to Shaq. But, if they do the unthinkable and win 4 or even 4 in a row. Forget about it! He will have surpassed Michael. Laker Management has to continue to surround him with people who can play. They have a solid 3 with Bynum, Kobe and Gasol.
Well said. I took you for a hater myself. Lebron is great without question and will one day be the best thing in the NBA but that day is not today. Don’t feel too bad you are not the only one that came around on Kobe recently, there was Bill Walton and Shaq even long time antagonist Michael Wilbon from the Washignton post (his story is particularly enlighting) has turned a new life. The Jedi Master Kobewon has brought peace to the galaxy.
Kobe’s interview with the guys from KLAC.
http://tinyurl.com/2ekpdt
This is the most relaxed, contented, and happiest, I’ve ever seen Kobe. Not post-game Kobe, not even defensive, when asked about ‘the demand.’ Just Kobe being human. Dog’s barking, Pizza man delivery, in the background, funny.
About your take: For me, I’ve never been a Kobe Hater, nor Lover, just a Kobe appreciator.
Regarding jealousy: I used to hate Wilt, but when he was traded to the Lakers, I found myself thinking, ‘you know, he really has been misunderstood. He’s a nice guy when you get to know him.’
Well thought out, well written.
Recommend: Yes
Jerico,
You want more hard, cold analysis? Here you go:
http://www.respectkobe.com/?p=17
But be warned — it’s a good 4000 words long, and you seem to have an aversion to any serious reading. Of course, it requires some length to do any justice to this topic, so I hope you can spare the extra minutes.
But I have a question for you: Since when is the approach taken in this article not a valid one? The author clearly didn’t spend time talking about statistics, records, and detailed skill analyses, which seem to be what you were expecting. Instead, he approaches this article from a more experiential, emotional, and personal perspective. He highlights the prejudices and predispositions against Kobe that cause people to “hate” him — and these are, truly, primarily emotional responses. He makes several key points regarding Kobe’s greatness that go against popular opinion, such as the ways in which he has, in fact, greatly improved his teammates.
The ways in which he compares Kobe to his primary competitors in terms of greatness (LeBron, Jordan, etc.) are also quite valid. He brings up points about some of the shortcomings and/or missing pieces in LeBron’s and Jordan’s games because it directly relates to strengths and weaknesses of Kobe’s. How is it his fault that readers like you have whitewashed over virtually every single one of Michael Jordans many faults, and are already doing the same for LeBron James, and can’t handle it when people call out their faults?
Kobe haters — and he’s right, there are MANY — call out Kobe’s faults on a regular occasion. More than half of the time, they’re not even correct, not even true! At least the criticisms made against James and Jordan by the author of this article are all true! So how is it not appropriate for him to respond in kind, by (a) demonstrating how much of the rampant criticism of Kobe is, in fact, false, and (b) demonstrating how the same, and sometimes more, criticisms hold true for media and fan heroes like LeBron and MJ? How is that not valid?
So, if you want a more technical assessment of Bryant’s skills and accomplishments, and a more analytical assessment of why he is so deserving of the recognition so many refuse to give him, go read my article: http://www.respectkobe.com/?p=17
But first, I want you to explain to me why only that type of article is valid, and an article from this perspective is not.
Amazing, amazing, and amazing column.
Wonderful post.
Ted, God bless you. It is so absolutely refreshing to read something like this. You really hit the nail on the head with this one. I think a lot of people, not just Laker fans, can really appreciate your work here.
There hasn’t been enough attention given to Kobe about his good things and what he has done on and off the court. Just recently, why isn’t the biggest game in the world with the best player in the world not more publicized of what Kobe did. If it was LeBron you’d be hearing about what he did with the same coverage time of the damn Clemens trial.
Thank you and the best to you. I can’t see how anyone can argue any point you have in this article.
You’re column on Kobe is “dead on”… I wish that I wrote it!
Just the other night I was watching the Lakers v Suns, with my 16 Year old son and we were so inspired by Kobe’s effort and amazing play(s), that my son turned to me and said; I’ve seen MJ play a little and I remember him as being great, but was he really better than Kobe?
I am a Laker fan and a NBA fan,I watch the games pretty closely and my answer to him was; No, MJ was not better than Kobe Bryant! This is as good as it gets, at least for now!
Keep up the good work!
Truly great piece
Great Article TMG.
Kobe’s public persona is as warm as a rock. I’d rather listen to Lamar, Pau and The Machine in post game interviews.
But that has nothing to do with Kobe’s 2nd job as the Maestro of an the Laker symphony. Truly one of the greatest players of all time, I don’t think enough people realize that Kobe is past the midpoint of his career, enjoy it now while it lasts…you won’t see another transcendent basketball player like Kobe Bean Bryant in your lifetime.
I have a question for Ted Green.
What is the deal with thw LA media sports writers & columnist.I’m talking especialy about the guys @ the LA Times.Bill Plashcke, Mark Heisler, and Mike Breshnahan.These guys seriously write their articles with a lot of hate for Kobe and act like Shaq is still in LA and plays for the Lakers.Where during those times they wrote like Shaq could do no wrong and crucified Kobe for everything that went bad for the Lakers then.
I love you for writing this!!…it’s so long overdue. Never has anyone notable in the sports world been so villified, disrespected, ignored and under appreciated. I wish this could be published in some of the major sports magazines. Kobe deserves so much better for his talent and accomplishments….on and off the court.
Ted Green is a genius. Journalism at its finest.
Sista’s need to quit hating because he married to a Latin girl and appreciate what we have in L A, how can you live in Los Angeles and hate the Lakers when the Clippers well are the Clippers and we don’t have a Profesional Football team and The Dodgers haven’t won a playoff series since 1988 or something like that, hate on them two teams.
Wow! This article gave me warm feelings all over and brought tears to my eyes. One thing for sure, Lakers fans are highly intelligent people. Quite impressive blog!!!
Good perspective finally.
Screw the media tools with Kobe hatred.
Fans, don’t hate, appreciate.
Wow, so its ok that Kobe is a known womanizer and adulterer, and talks crap about his fellow players and his organization. Its also ok that for almost half a season out of 10 he is a team player and “good guy” but had never been and might not continue to be. Its ok with you guys that he wanted to dump bynum and half the team for KG which would have been devastating to the lakers organization for years to come. This writer should unhook himself from Kobe’s nuts and be a little more objective. He might be the best individual player in the league but lets remember this is still a team sport. Take care laker fans and dust your car flags off its almost that time of year again.
Yeah, UCLArules let’s criticize a basketball player for reasons unrelated to basketball.
That’s like saying the reason why you don’t like Beethoven is because he’s not handsome.
Jonathan - First of all Plaschke is worthless. Secondly, the only reason he is down on Kobe is because Kobe told him he did not do anything with the girl in Colorado and Plaschke sang his praises in an article. When it turned that Kobe did have something to do with her, Plaschke was pissed off that Kobe lied to him. To him!!! He couldn’t deal with that and has been negative since.
Mark Heisler is actually pretty even keeled on Kobe. All of these guys introduce their personal biases in their columns or radio shows. Shaq has always been good press and so they like him.
Great comment, UCLARules. Kobe is an adulterer - so was MJ and most professional athletes. Who is your favorite?
Why do you think he was not a team player all these years? Because the media said so? Start thinking for your own - start watching the games. Did you watch any of the championships? He wanted Bynum out - sure - that was before the summer when Bynum started improving. It was for Kidd, a proven talent. Who is to say KG wouldn’t have made the Lakers as good? The only reason the Lakers have Gasol is because Bynum was hurt. Otherwise it would take a few more years for the Lakers to hit championship level. He has always been a team player.
Oh dear, the Kobe nuthuggers are in full force and getting desperate. Kobe is turning 30 this year, already in his 12th year in the NBA, always called the best in the league yet has no MVP to show and has yet get out of the first round since Shaq departed. And then there is the wunderkind in the small market doing everything the right way at a tender age of 23 stealing their Kobe’s thunder. Aw, it ain’t fair!
timpong: what does kobe have to be jealous about what lebron’s doing at 23? at 23, kobe was one of the main reasons for winning 2 championships in a row. what’s lebron doing at 23? nothing. and the way the mvp has been distributed for the last several years, the mvp no longer means anything; kobe should have been looking for his 2nd or 3rd mvp this year- the very fact that kobe has been considered the best most of his career yet has no mvp proves the media bias (the mvp is voted by the media if you don’t know by now, not by the more knowledgeable gm’s or players). quit sucking lebron’s nutsack and face the facts instead of the media bs.
He plays. If only he stuck to the court when he did it, maybe they’d be more respect for the man.
James doing everything the right way because the media wants you to perceive it that way.
Kobe is always wrong also because they want you to think like that.
Like someone said before; “think for yourselves”
The MVP is a media-based award, so if the media don’t like Kobe as a PERSON then they won’t give it to him. It’s that simple.
You think they actually care about what Kobe does on the court?
Like leading your team in the eastern conference to a 31-24 record is anything special. Oh wait, it IS special because the media wants you to think it’s special.
I just re-read this article again and it’s better the second time around!
You would think the “working men & woman” and all sports fans in general would appreciate Kobe the most! He plays hard every game,regardless if the Lakers are winning or losing. He works hard in the off season every year and comes back better than he was the previous season and he plays through injury or pain, unlike most others.
Which superstar basketball player (especially ones who are so good offensively) plays such hard defense game in and game out?
I don’t hold his “not” being Mr. Personalty with the media and other players against him. His only problem that we know of or should know of was Colorado. And I am happy that he and his beautiful wife appear to have worked it out!
Thanks again…
did any of the lebron-lovers/kobe-haters ever listen to LB23 talk? i mean behind the scenes stuff? he sounds exactly like kb8 did in his early league days. check this out, a quote from “the king” : “let me get my MJ on” … wow! all u ppl who hate on kobe but jump on any opportunity to sniff lebron’s butt should consider this: the #1 and #2 most talented pleayers in the league right now have a lot more in common than you think. lebron is actually following kobe’s footsteps. too bad he doesn’t have a decent team to start-off his career with 3 rings. (ben wallace won’t help)
Standing Ovation…please forward this to all ESPN, FOX, NBA writers….! Finally some one truly understands Kobe. Ask any one in the league and they will tell you whose no. 1, but the NBA and the whole media always holds a grudge against him….Thank you for this wonderful article
No other viable MVP candidate? Ignore the fact that people think Kobe is due, and Chris Paul is more deserving than Kobe this season. From the talk and performance in Laker-land, it seems either Bynum or Gasol would be the MVP of the Lakers. Kobe might not have been able to take his lakers into the playoffs with Bynum out if they hadn’t have traded for Gasol.
A closer look at what Kobe gives you over Chris Paul results in one thing: 2 more rebounds per game.
Sure he gives you 7 more points per game, but he shoots at a lower %, and Chris makes up for it with 5 more assists per game.
Chris leads the league in steals, 2nd in assists, whereas Kobe turns the ball over 2 more times per game and shoots it at a worse clip.
But I suppose 2 more boards a game trumps that. You can compare actual wins vs. expected wins for his team, record between the two, etc. Kobe beat Hornets badly last time they played… but if you use that argument LBJ has owned Kobe in 5 straight meetings.
If he doesn’t win a title Post-Shaq, you can’t ever really compare Kobe and MJ. Even now, with the addition of Gasol and the emergence of Bynum (not to mention that they’ve got Lamar Odom as a FOURTH option and Derek Fisher with him in the back-court), even getting another three-peat sans Shaq might not convince many people to make comparisons. And I doubt you’ll ever convince many sane, sensible people (people who live outside L.A. and wouldn’t take a bullet for Kobe) to simply forget Colorado. This article is pure tripe.
Not even close to MJ, never will be. Not better than Lebron right now, either.
How is it a fact that Paul is more deserving? His Hornets are doing really well but his supporting cast are no slouch either. West, Chandler and Stojakovic are all dependable in doing their roles not to mention West is an all star this season.
Kobe, on the other hand, for the first time since Shaq left had quality supporting casts and now people downplay his importance for the Lakers claiming it was Bynum or Gasol who should be MVP. In case you don’t watch Lakers games, Kobe sacrificed a lot of his scoring in order to give both Gasol and Bynum easy chances.
Kevin Garnett passed the first round of the playoff for the first time in 2003 when the Wolves signed Cassell and Sprewell, how come he won MVP not cassell or spreewell? See how dumb this argument is?
The truth is, the media hates him so he’s not being judged with the same standard as any other superstars…it’s as if he’s the only one expected to win without any talent surrounding him at all.
For anyone throwing up stats as proof that James is a better player than Kobe, I have just 1 thing to say;
If you acknowledge that Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson as the greatest of all time (yes, much better than MJ) then your argument will hold some substance.
Until that happens, the stats (in the eastern conference, no less) proof nothing except James is a better fantasy player than Kobe, which I might add dwarf in comparison to Dwight Howard’s stats.
If Kobe beats Lebron in the finals, he goes a long way to earning his eternal respect.
If, on the other hand, Lebron beats Kobe again, the discussion is closed forever.
Most of the time Cavs beat the Lakers, who do you think has been the man of the match? No, not James…it’s Ilgauskas.
Let see if he can bully his way around Gasol or Bynum as easy as he did against Kwame.
Dude, I can’t hear your weak argument with Kobe’s Beanbag in your mouth.
As soon as Kobe carries a sorry-ass team to the Finals on his own and puts up anything close to the numbers Lebron does every night I’ll believe he’s better.
Kobe is a phenomenal player, probably number two. But listen, if you don’t think Lebron can hold his jockstrap, you’re a fool.
And soon as LeBron averages 35ppg with a starting lineup featuring players so bad they aren’t even in the league anymore, I’ll proclaim him better.
LeBron’s team would have lost against the Suns in the first round without a doubt. They gave the Spurs a run, the same Spurs who swept LeBron’s team 4-0. The East is not the West by any means so don’t compare LeBron’s run to the Finals with anthing Kobe has done.
Would have…would have…would have…how about the Cavs HAVE beaten the Lakers five in a row. Not should have or would have…DID.
You can’t hear my argument because you don’t want to. Why? Because you can’t refute it?
James went through the Nets and Wizards before beating Detroit and went to the finals. Beating Detroit was impressive, the Nets and the Wiz…not so much.
Eastern conference was so much of a joke that they got swept by the Spurs in the finals with James shooting 35% FG%…nice.
Here were Kobe’s starting lineups against the Suns; Kwame, Smush, Odom and Luke Walton.
Kwame couldn’t get minutes in the least talented team in the league
Smush is not wanted in the team with worst record
Luke Walton now is a scrub with negative impact in the game.
All three with limited offense, all three with no defensive capabilities whatsoever.
Here’s the thing that boggles the mind. Lebron should be MVP carrying his team with BETTER teammates in WEAKER conference but Kobe should not because even though the West was brutal, his team did not win enough.
What just happened here? Double standard? I think so.
There’s a great saying. You can’t reason someone out of a position they didn’t reason themselves into. Kobe haters have not arrived at their hatred with rational thought, so trying to reason with them is silly. If they don’t watch the games Kobe plays, if they don’t know by watching how good Kobe is, there’s no way beating them on a message board is going to convince them.
As someone who was raised on the Lakers by my grandma, I have always respected Kobe for his work ethic. When the Shaq-Kobe-Feud erupted, I sided with Kobe because as good as Shaq was then, there was no comparing the two of them in commitment to winning. Shaq is *LAZY*, and I couldn’t stand watching him sleepwalk through another season and then blame failure on others.
When the real Kobe hating started, which was about a season after the rape case, I started believing the media spin on Kobe being a ballhog and failing to pass. I even got annoyed after watching games how Kobe was no Magic. He never did learn to pass like Magic.
That all changed when I watched the entire 2005-2006 Laker season. Suddenly from *WATCHING* it all made sense. Kobe’s teammates weren’t failing to receive timely passes from their all-star, they were getting caught up *WATCHING* Kobe. That was the season, btw, where Kobe scored 81 points in a game. That was a season where Luke Walton would nearly routinely get himself underneath the basket with the basketball and instead of trying to score, he would throw it back out to a double-teamed Kobe. His teammates were in awe of him, they were not assertive of their own talents at all.
Stop hating Kobe. He’s had it rougher than most other superstars and he still outshines them.
Great article. Its funny to me that it comes at the same time as I have gathered my thoughts on the topic. I really like the way you expressed you opinions and have now become a reader for life.
Take a look at my KOBE for MVP article at:
www.laballtalk.com
Thank you for your support.
This is the best article I have ever read.
TO ALL THE KOBE-HATERS: one thing i’ve found in common with EVERY kobe-hater that I’ve had the displeasure of meeting (and I’ve met a lot), is that you all spew the same media-produced spittle out of your over-worked mandibles. you guys should take time out of your kobe-hating schedules to actually watch some games instead of just checking weekly standings and ESPN.com headlines in your poseur-way of “keeping up” with the sport.
it’s obvious to anyone who’s watched the sport that kobe deserves the MVP. we’re not saying lebron sucks or KG sucks or kidd sucks or wade sucks, so stop accusing us of brown-nosing kobe when your only response is your own pathetic brown-nosing of lebron or KG, etc. all we’re saying is that it’s time for Kobe to receive more respect and to be finally recognized as the MVP!
THANK YOU LORD FOR THIS ARTICLE…
FINALLY
GO LAKERS
KOBE IS THE BEST EVER
GOD OF BASKETBALL
HE SHOULD HAVE HAD MVP’S IN THE PAST BUT THIS YEAR SHOULD BE HIS 100%
GREAT ARTICLE
I’ve written on numerous occasions that Kobe Bryant does not get the respect that he deserves and that he should have won the 2006 and 2007 MVPs (and should win the 2008 MVP). Here are just a few of the many articles that I have written that explain why Kobe is not only the “best player” but should have already won multiple MVPs:
http://hoopshype.com/columns/kobe_friedman.htm
http://www.probasketballnews.com/friedman_032606.html
http://20secondtimeout.blogspot.com/2007/03/who-is-best-player-kobe-bryant-or-steve.html
http://20secondtimeout.blogspot.com/2008/02/nba-leaderboard-part-xiv.html
I would strongly encourage people who are interested in real NBA analysis to spend less time reading the national magazines and websites that are biased and only interested in fluff and spend more time reading work produced by writers who take NBA analysis seriously.
–David Friedman
http://20secondtimeout.blogspot.com/
Kobe has been robbed of two already. One last year, and one the year duncan won it when shaq was out for begining of the year. The nock on him was that he hasnt won enough games. First in the loaded west! He has to pass the ball more and get his team involved. His team is finally hitting shots. If he doesnt win it this year, there needs to be a new award called the MOP most outstanding player, and give him four at once, one when duncan won it, one when he was dropping 40 every night, one last year and one this year. No one wanted to see this guy succeed because everyone labeled him as the next Jordan, and no one wanted to see anyone better than Jordan. Get your senses together, Kobe has way more offensive skill than Jordan. Better ball handler, hits more of a variety of shots, and it seems like when theres a defender with a hand in his fae behind the arc, he makes it more than when hes wide open. Theres no stopping this guys. All Jordan had was a fadeaway and could jump. Kobe is the more complete player. And for those who say Jordan did it with less help. YOUR CRAZY
! he had john paxton, who was clutch shooter for them and fit perfect in the triangle, steve kerr who has the nba’s carreer best 3 point percentage. Serviceable centers, Scottie Pippen regarded as one of the greatest defenders ever, Dennis rodman an excellent defender and one of the greatest rebounders ever, b.j. armstrong, and good point guard, horace grant. Phil Jackson as his coach. he was in the perfect offense with the perfect pieces around him, you put kobe in there and you have the same amount of rings. And how did jordan make his teammates better? By attractive double teams so his players can make shots? Magic made teammates better not Jordan. Jordans teammates could play and make shots thats y it seemed that way. Kobe teamates are just starting. Your telling me jordan had no help? Kobe for MVP, if not make a new award for him. Its time to realize and admit whose the better player.
If we based MVP awards on what a guy’s like off the court, then Wilt Chamberlain would have never won one.
We’re gonna be so pissed if Kobe never wins an MVP, when Nash got his 2nd consecutive in a year when Kobe averaged 35 a game and took an aweful team to the playoffs.
This year he’s actually on a good team, playing better than ever, and being as unselfish as a leader can be. Give him what he deserves.
Wow I thought the article was biased until I started reading some of these responses. No one can deny that Kobe is an unbelievable talent. But I think this author is so lovestruck he misses all the reasons that a significant portion of the public detests this guy. There is no mention of his petulant no-show in game 7 against phoenix last year. No mention of his throwing Shaq under the bus to the POLICE during interrogation of the alleged rape that occurred, no mention of his pathetic news conference denying that anything had occurred, then later his tearful oh-so-genuine news conference with his wife by his side: “no wait, ok i did commit adultery but i’m sorry. sniff.” how he was so determined to win the MVP at the All Star game in Vegas last year that a lot of the other all-stars commented on how many shots he took and how he was hell-bent on winning the award. not to mention his behavior this past fall when he was trying to force a trade.
In other words, I agree with the author that he doesn’t get a fair shake sometimes, but THERE IS A REASON FOR THAT. He has done so many detestable things, how can you root for a guy like that?
Again, he is an undeniable talent. But better than MJ? Are you kidding me? How many championships do you think MJ would win with Odom, Bynum, Gasol and Fischer? Or D-Wade for that matter, or LBJ?
It’s shocking seeing people declaring that Kobe is such a team player now, MVP blah blah. Ugh, do people remember that after Bynum got injured and before they brought in Gasol, the Lakers were a sub 500 team yet again? For goodness’ sakes where’s the objectivity? And now that the Lakers are rolling, people are comparing him to MJ?
Of course its sports media bias.
It all comes down to these sports writers who bought the shoes to jump higher and bought their copies of “Come Fly with Me” on VHS that still live in a VCR mindset. They need to wake up and realize that this is a HD-DVD world now. Their mentality, when it comes to comparing players to Jordan is flashing the same thing over and over and over again, just like that clock that they never figured out how to program.
The league has evolved from what it was when Jordan played and Kobe is the best of that better evolution.
As for Lebron.
Anybody knows there are two halves to the court and Bron is great at only one. And a couple YouTube videos of a block or two isnt going to disprove it.
A McDonalds High School Player of the Year award and a couple All Star MVPs doesnt assume you the role as greatest in the world. A good season on a “fair” team playing in the JV Conference doesnt bestow the honor either.
As for being better than Jordan. Of course he will end his career being the greatest of all time. The league has evolved and it is a harder game now than it was then.
Kobe’s a better defender even though he cant use his hands. No hand checking.
Jordan had never had “one” winning season without the Bulls core players. That goes to show that Jordan couldnt make the players from those 5 losing seasons better.
Jordan never would have had the numbers he had if he played along side Shaquille O’Neal. The Offense never would have gone through Jordan with Shaq on the team. Thats a gimme.
As for MJ having Gasol, Odom, and an unpolished “Young Drew” Bynum.
He had better players.
Steve Kerr - The greatest three point shooter of all time.
Dennis Rodman - One of the greatest rebounders of all time. An All Star, and 7 time 1st Team Defender and 2 time defensive player of the year.
Scottie Pippen - One of the 50 greatest players of all time. An All Star, and a 8 time 1st Team Defender.
I would say that those were great players.
Objectivity? From the time Bynum went down Lakers had a record of 5-5 until Gasol arrived. Why don’t you objectively see where the loses came from; Suns, Spurs, Cavs, Mavs and Pistons.
People claimed he’s not MVP material but expect him to win against those heavyweights by himself? If you really think he doesn’t deserve MVP then don’t put too much expectation on him in the first place, otherwise that’s just another double standard.
Game 7 against Suns, Kobe simply followed the gameplan that had given them 3 wins in that series. Lakers never won against Suns with him taking 30 shots evident by losing game 6 when he scored 50. Appearantly to the eyes of his detractors, sticking to what works equals to giving up. If Wade or James had scored 24 points, they wouldn’t be called out for quitting rather the media will congratulate both teams and say that the better team won that day.
No, not for Kobe Bryant though. Ignoring the fact that Suns WERE the better team, there’s no excuse for Bryant who was capable of scoring 81 points to score JUST 24 points. What blasphemy, what disrespect to the game to score JUST 24 points.
Colorado has nothing to do with basketball so I won’t even respond to it. MVP stands for Most Valuable Player not Most Valuable Person. Wilt Chamberlain admitted of having intercourse with 10,000 women in his life yet he never took any bashing for it, why is that?
“This is an HD-DVD world now” is probably my favorite comment out of all of these. Perfect on so many levels.
i agree with everything you say, but not the way you said it. remember that no matter how clear things seem to you, all you have is OPINION, OPINION, OPINION. a million may share it, but it doesnt make it true.
do you know why you cite lebron’s referencing kobe as the best as an authoritative reference? because you know that he IS worthy of holding kobe’s jockstrap. hes no way a better player skillwise, but his strength is part of his game. respect.
For anyone who missed it Lebron admitted that Kobe is the best player in the NBA during an interview on live television over All-Start weekend. Barkley then said he would have never admitted that MJ was better than him while he was playing even though now he admits it. So if your runner up for MVP thinks Kobes the best what does that tell you. Plus Chris Paul should be the runner up to Kobe abyways.
Who remembers that Jordan averaged 35 PPG in ‘87-’88 and won MVP on a team the went 50W-32L. The next year he averaged 32.5 PPG on a team that went 47-35 and didn’t win the MVP… So can we all agree that your team needs to win at least 50 games to be considered an MVP candidate?
Kobe averaged 35 ppg on a team that won 45 games. Thus he didn’t win the MVP award.
Lebron’s team needs to win 18 out of their final 26 games in order for him to be considered a viable MVP candidate.
Lebron said Kobe is the best, but that was after he just outplayed him and came back from 10-down in the fourth quarter.
Actions speak louder than words folks.
Lebron guarded Kobe, forced him to go 1-for-6 while scoring 14 fourth quarter points of his own, including a dagger jump-shot in Beanbag’s face.
So doesn’t that quell all of your arguments such as “he doesn’t play defense” and “Kobe is more clutch” because I do recall Kobe passing the ball to Luke Walton on the final posession, surprising Walton so much that he didn’t get a shot off.
It is actually a Blu-ray world.
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/feb2008/tc20080219_066596.htm?chan=search
You know, it’s people like you Colin this article is talking about. People with SO much hatred for a guy that just wants to win and be the best at what he does. Slow your roll man! We can all tell you hate the man! No one is disputing that Lebron is a PHENOMENAL player, Might even be in the conversation as best ever. Yes the Cavs beat the Lakers twice this season. The first in Cleveland, when Kobe and Lakers were beginning to gel, and the second in LA with Bynum watching from home. So until the Cavs beat the Lakers when it really counts, (and it’s not gonna be this year buddy) come back and talk some smack then.
All you Lakers fans have for him is excuses. You can’t answer for him without making one.
The statement that Lebron can’t hold his jockstrap is just so ridiuclously stupid.
I respect Kobe’s ability, your arguments that he’s worlds above Lebron James are just false and stupid.
“As for being better than Jordan. Of course he will end his career being the greatest of all time. The league has evolved and it is a harder game now than it was then.
Kobe’s a better defender even though he cant use his hands. No hand checking.”
I’m sorry, not to keep arguing for the sake of arguing, but you statement above strikes me as laughable. Of course Kobe will end his career as GOAT??!! So it’s a foregone conclusion now that Kobe will be GOAT? Geez man, again, try to have some objectivity. You don’t think you’re being a tad presumptuous? As for hand-checking, again, try to be objective. When they changed the hand-check rules, Doug Collins said during a televised Laker games that MJ would have scored 100 points a game. Of course, he was being funny and who knows how much MJ would’ve scored, but I’m trying to point out that your argument that the new hand-check rules make Kobe a better defender cuts both ways - it’s a lot easier for guys to draw fouls now. And check how many 1st team All NBA defense Kobe has gotten vs. MJ. Not even close. And MJ won Defensive Player of the Year, something I highly doubt Kobe will ever win. The league has evolved, you are right. AGAIN, I think Kobe is a fantastic player, and I think he can conceivably reach MJ’s level. But comments like yours drive me nuts. At this stage in terms of rings, MVP awards, Finals MVP awards, etc., how can you even say stuff like “of course Kobe will be GOAT?” What possible basis do you have to make a statement like that?
“Jordan had never had “one” winning season without the Bulls core players. That goes to show that Jordan couldnt make the players from those 5 losing seasons better.” Again, are you just throwing junk out there to try to support your argument? In his third season, the bulls were 40-42. In his fourth, they were 50-32.
I don’t dispute that Rodman and Pippen were great and Kerr was a 3-point machine. All I’m trying to say is that Gasol, Odom, Fischer, Sasha (3-point specialist), Bynum (already better than Wennington, Luc or any center MJ ever played with), and Farmar is a very very good supporting cast, so good that I think MJ or LBJ or Wade would also be winning a lot of games with them.
Look at how many better defenders there are now than there were when jordan played. Who did jordan score on, kevin johnson? John starks? Bryon russel? There are way more better defenders now and kobe still drops 30 on them. not to mention the zone d and how that clogs the lane. Compare the eras and youll see kobe is an overall better player than jordan was.
well, one good thing about kobe…he likes to force his dick into white women’s asses. that’s some mad skillz.
Wow. That’s ALOT of ass-kissing for a guy who’s never been the concensus best player in the NBA and who’s watching James put up the best season for a wing since Jordan. Kobe Bryant is great, but he’s not Jordan, he’s about equal with the James right now, and he won’t be even that in the near future.
Bryant gets alot of respect, but alot of the disrespect he also receives is due to people like you making him into something he’s not. He’s not a contender for title of the Greatest of All-Time; he’s just not. Trying to make someone into something that they are not only makes them look bad.
How does one measure whether John Starks or Kevin Johnson is a better defender than say…Raja Bell or Andrei Kirilenko?
And don’t pull up steals per game statistics please.