I will be the first to argue that Kobe Bryant is the best player in the league. The man is unbelievable. He has the whole arsenal. There is no weakness in his game.
However, does this mean he will finally win the Most Valuable Player award? Highly unlikely because of what the award actually stands for now.
The MVP award has turned into a sickening popularity contest. Just look at the past four winners Kevin Garnett 2003-2004, Steve Nash twice 2004-2005, 2005-2006, and Dirk Nowitzki 2006-2007. Now let us examine how many championships those players have won in those four years. Oh yeah ZERO! In fact none of them even made it to the finals the year they won the award.
So what does the "most valuable player" actually mean?
Nowadays it seems as though if you are on a good REGULAR SEASON team, and you are likable towards the media, you are a shoo-in to win.
How can Steve Nash, who is a good player, win it two times in a row? The man has never even led any team to an NBA Finals. In my opinion, he is the product of the perfect system for his game. He should not even be mentioned with the past winners. In fact if he never wins a championship he should not be in the hall of fame.
Today's Must Reads
If you want to argue with me on that go check his stats for the first four years of his career and then argue him being in the hall of fame.
I want to see them give the award at the end of the season.
How about we combine the MVP with the finals MVP. Isn't it more logical to agree that the team that wins it all actually had the most valuable player? This would solve the problem of people like Nash becoming a multiple winner.
This year I believe Lebron James will win the MVP award. Why? Only because you see him every five minutes on ESPN.
Lebron is a fine player, and I have nothing bad to say about him or his game. I think that he has the potential to one-day dominate the NBA. However, the league and Nike are shoving Lebron down our throats much like they did MJ. It is hard for most people not to give into the hype surrounding Lebron.
Lebron actually might be the most like Jordan because both are given too much credit for what they actually did.
Now many of you will call it blasphemy for me not to agree that Jordan was the best player of all-time, but I will leave that for another day. However, in case you were wondering it was Magic Johnson.
Kobe Bryant has really grown this year.
He has finally given up the thought that he could do it all. Even before the Gasol trade he had the Lakers playing great basketball. Now the Lakers are looking like the team to beat not only this year, but perhaps for the next five years.
All this does not guarantee him being this years MVP.
If he does win it than we can finally say the award finally has validity again.
Maybe the most valuable player award isn't as valuable as it once was. It has lost all of its prestige. So who cares if Kobe doesn't win this year or any year after that.
A friend of mine said that he would rather see four more championships for the Kobe led Lakers than one Kobe MVP award.
I agree with him.
I am sure Kobe would too.
comments (25) write a comment »
write a new comment
6 months ago
i agree
6 months ago
agreed
6 months ago
Magic Johnson led the Lakers to nine count that nine NBA championships. All against great teams such as the Celtics three times, the Sixers three times, the Pistons twice, and the Bulls once. Those were arguably the best teams in the history of the NBA. He won five times out of the nine.
Kobe, if he wins two more championships will go down as the greatest player in the history of the NBA.
MJ beat an old Lakers team. A Blazers team who were never was going to win. A Suns team led by one Charles Barkley whose basketball karma destined him to never win. A Sonics team led by Kemp and Payton enough said. Lastly the Jazz led by Malone and Stockton, who much like Barkley, were never destined to win.
It is because of Magic and Bird that Jordan was able to reap such success. Both financially and in popularity. Magic was the savior for a dieing league.
So before you say that Magic isn't even in the top 10 go check the history books buddy. He might not be the best player ever. That was just my opinion, but he definitely is in the top 5 at the very least.
from 6 months ago
EPIC Comment James! You stole my thunder so to speak because I was going to mention all the points you hit. All it takes is a few years away from the game and people forget that this game like everything else has a history. Michael Jordan was phenomenal and had a great career but if you look at what Magic Johnson did in college and then in NBA and what Larry Bird and Magic did for the association in my opinion he is in the Top 5 at the very least.
from 6 months ago
Thanks! Plus Magic's career ended abruptly after contracting HIV.
Who knows maybe he had one more championship in him.
6 months ago
Finally!!!
Some one speaks out against the ridiculous hype surrounding Lebron. Seriously, I agree that it is very easy for casual basketball viewers to assume that Lebron is the greatest player since Jordan by listening to these ESPN commentators.
In doing that, they are blatantly ignoring and thereby, disrepecting a champion like Kobe, who has the most polished all-round game and is a proven winner. It boggles the mind that such a player, who clearly strives for such perfection, did not win MVP. I guess this award has truly lost its significance.
from 6 months ago
Exactly! Kobe has the most heart in the NBA. The guy doesn't take a play off let alone a game. He is the most conditioned player in the league. No one else would play with injuries he has played through!
6 months ago
Kobe ain't Michael Jordan!
LeBron owns Kobe. Kobe fears LeBron.
Kobe will not surpass MJ but LeBron has now surpassed Kobe.
LeBron's only 23 years old, yet he still dominates Kobe every single time.
from 6 months ago
Yeah sure Kobe fears Lebron! Dominates what!? I pray the Cavs make the finals in the next five years so Kobe can stomp on Lebron! Just like the Spurs did last year!
from 6 months ago
Lebron himself admits Kobe is the best! So he is your god why don't you follow what he says!
6 months ago
Lebron ain't Michael Jordan!
Kobe owns Lebron. Lebron fears Kobe.
Lebron will not surpass MJ and Lebron will not surpass Kobe.
Kobe is 29 years old, yet he still dominates Lebron in every aspect of the game!
6 months ago
Magic Johnson was the greatest player ever!!! Kobe Bryant has been the best player in the NBA for many years now.
6 months ago
Kobe ain't Michael Jordan!
LeBron owns Kobe. Kobe fears LeBron.
Kobe will not surpass MJ but LeBron has now surpassed Kobe.
LeBron's only 23 years old, yet he still dominates Kobe every single time.
from 6 months ago
Dude let it go!
6 months ago
Good read James and I agree with all your points despite what some others had to say. I think that most of these guys who have disagreed are clearly from a different era and perhaps only watched a few highlights of Magic Johnson or the end of his career. I also agree that Kobe Bryant has been the best player in the league for a while and could care less if he wins the newly named M-P-opular Player award. This guy goes through all he goes through for the sole purpose of raising a championship trophy over his head at the end of the season. Unfortunately a lot of people hate Kobe for whatever reason as if he has violated them personally. This gives a lot of these haters another reason to hate Kobe. Good Article.
from 6 months ago
Thank you very much. It is good to know there are still some sensible fans out there. I have to admit as a kid growing up I was one of the biggest Jordan fans. I still think he is awesome, but after soaking it all in and taking into account the historical contributions Magic has made to the game of basketball and the NBA. Even to this day with his involvement in the communities. He continues to be a blessing to our society.
Go Raiders btw! Man we need to get out of this funk! I have been a Raiders fan since birth 1983. So it's very much die hard for me seeing as they have only won one championship since then.
6 months ago
Magic was good but he never led the Lakers to any nine championships. He might have led them to nine Finals but he only actually won five.
from 6 months ago
I know I said he won five! He led them to nine championship games is what I meant.
6 months ago
Great article
6 months ago
Very well said
tmike23
6 months ago
Very well said
tmike23
6 months ago
不错的文章
6 months ago
last time i checked the caves were 5-0 the last 5 times they played including 2-0 this year. So if your definition of MVP is the best player, how is it not the guy who is ahead of kobe bryant in nearly every category imaginable? who has more ppg? who has more apg? who has more rpg? who has more combined steals and blocks pg?
Ok so maybe you think the MVP is the most valuable player to a team, first i'd argue the person that does all of the above is most valuable, but the cavs are winless without lebron, the lakers would still make the playoffs without kobe, cavs wouldn't without lebron.
Dude's averaging nearly a 30 point triple double per game, that is insane and 1 of what like 3 players EVER to do it....give me a break, talk about a homer.....
6 months ago
Oscar Robertson averaged a triple double a whole season in case you didn't have a memory far enough to remember events past a year ago.
Also Kobe averaged 35pts 5 rebounds and 5 assists two years ago. He averaged 32, 6, and 5 last year.
So don't make 30, 8, and 8 seem so special.
It is only this year that Kobe has support in case you couldn't remember that also.
The last three years he carried them. They made the playoffs twice in the very deep Western Conference.
If the Cavs played in the Western Conference they would be the Blazers!
Lebron can have the award.
Lakers win championships.
The city of Cleveland doesn't win anything! Ever!
Plus its one ugly place to live.
Lastly if you are going to leave such a douche bag comment the least you can do is sign up for an account.
Anonymous give me a break.
What's the matter nothing much to write about these days in Cleveland huh?
5 months ago
kobe dererves to be mvp and has been for a while ...its not politically correct ..and i think thats some bs ...clev wont win even 50 games ...1st kobe didnt get it cuz stats are not everything u said ...now ur saying his stats are not enough? sad ....quit hating and be fair ...the man deserves it
write a new comment