Just remember, it is us, the fans, and not Kobe himself, who are forcing the unfair and premature comparisons. Kobe Bryant is a student of the game and honors its history. He knows very well the pantheon of greats and his own basketball mortality, and how insignificant one person is compared to the rich history of the game. This is evident through his interviews and talks – that once cocky and arrogant teenager has been humbled by life, humbled by the game he loves. The guy actually blushed when someone mentioned his name alongside Laker great Elgin Baylor and finds Jordan comparisons both untenable and silly.
Honest humility is a most attractive virtue. Kobe Bryant’s humility in the face of his undying will to win is evident in his interviews, his demeanor, and his interactions with peers and fans. Don’t listen to the media or his numerous detractors, who would tell you otherwise, that Kobe is faking it. True, in the past he was highly unlikeable. But the media has missed out on the latter part of the story – his transformation - because it isn’t a cash generator. The public loves an enemy. If you have followed the guy since the Colorado incident, it is beyond obvious that he has transformed. The last time I heard, his family is doing wonderful. Forgiveness and redemption are freely given to those who desire it. Kobe Bryant has found his purpose and is living it out – not to steal the spotlight from the Jordans and the Lebrons, but just to honor his God-given basketball abilities as best as he can.
He knows what separates Jordan from him – the hands, those million dollar hands, as Phil Jackson put it, that allowed Jordan to dominate near the basket were not part of God’s basketball gift for Kobe. As a result, Kobe’s game is forced more to the outside, and he has adjusted, becoming one of the game’s best shooters and ball handlers, and generally acknowledged by peers as the best player in the world today, and probably the best perimeter player ever.
But, as everyone from Tex Winter to Shaquille O’neal knows, the game is most efficient played inside-out. Every championship in the past 10 years has gone through Shaq or Duncan, and before that, through Hakeem, Kareem, Wilt, and Russell. Jordan was an anomaly because he was able to dominate the low post. Kobe is content to maximize his own gifts, and to perfect the game with his own, unique set of physical abilities. But he knows he will need to depend on a low post presence, and he has been blessed with one for most of his career, from Shaq to Bynum to Gasol. Funny how the pieces fall into shape, isn’t it?
Yet hands alone are not what separates Jordan from Bryant. Because winning defines the bulk of one’s legacy, sheer luck of the draw plays a huge role. As Tracy Mcgrady pointed out, basketball is not tennis – it is a team sport.
Michael Jordan was blessed with a dominant team during his prime years – a team that won 55 games without him in 1994 and went to the conference semifinals. He was also blessed with injury-free teammates for most of his career. He doesn’t know what it is like to suddenly lose teammate Karl Malone, the same Karl Malone who had limited Garnett and Duncan, to a career ending knee injury right before facing the Pistons in the 2004 Finals. This is a blessing that has eluded Kobe Bryant, who is playing with torn ligaments in his shooting hand, an injury that exacerbates his average hands, and who's team has lost Bynum for 45 games and Gasol for this current critical stretch. Yet his Lakers are a mere one game out of 1st place in the West, the most dominant conference in recent memory. But ultimately, unless he wins a championship, Kobe Bryant will be viewed a failure.
There are times when I look at a superstar on a losing team, and I want to tell him, “It’s not on you. Keep ya head up.”
When Jordan drove to the rack and drew a three-point play on Charles Barkley in the 1993 Finals, and Barkley fell on his knees, realizing his championship dreams were over, I wanted to tell him, “It’s not on you. It’s Michael we’re talking about. Keep ya head up.”
When Nash got bounced from the playoffs, bloody nose and all, I wanted to tell him, “It’s not on you. The Spurs are the better team, and there is nothing you could have done. Keep ya head up.”
When Tracy Mcgrady held that press conference after falling in 7 games, I wanted to tell him, “It’s not on you. Keep ya head up.”
Some moments are more personal and painful. When the Lakers were getting crushed in Detroit in 2004, when the Pistons were just pouring it on late in game 5, the clincher, when Shaq was sitting on the sidelines, listless, his aching body racked by age and no longer able to carry a franchise, and Fisher was crying besides him, there was Kobe Bryant, busting his ass on defense, hustling for every loose ball even though the outcome was decided, an extravagant display of energy and heart – all the way until the final buzzer sounded.
It was at that dark moment that I realized Kobe Bryant is no Michael Jordan – Michael would have busted the Pistons on the low block while Kobe Bryant continued to fire away from the perimeter. But I looked at that passion, that hustle, and I knew that Kobe Bryant left every ounce of his heart and physical ability on that hardwood. He could walk out of that building with his head held high – and Larry Brown recognized that in a brief post-game hug.
I see more of the same going down for the final third of Kobe Bryant’s career – a career marked by near misses. Remember Robert Horry’s missed three against the Spurs in 2002? He hits it, and the Lakers move on and win the championship. Instead, the Lakers went fishing. Horry would go on to hit the exact shot to propel the Spurs to the 2005 title. Two identical shots – one make, one miss, two titles won for San Antonio, and the middle third of Kobe Bryant's career is defined - one without a Finals MVP and one secondary to Shaq.
Kobe Bryant is old by NBA standards – pushing 30. Time is definitely not on his side. Time is pushing its case, and the onrush of physical decay and breakdown is waxing greater. The vicissitudes of chance and luck may swing in his favor once more, as it did during the 3-peat. Or, they may not. Either way, keep ya head up, Kobe. It’s not on you.
It's not about being the most popular. It's not about having the best public perception. It's not about boasting about your legacy in comparison with others. It's not about yourself. Rather, it's about honoring your profession, pushing yourself to the limit, and garnering the respect from your peers who have fought alongside you, or against you, who have no agenda. Therein lasts the unaging glory. Whether Kobe Bryant will reach that promised land ever again is irrelevant to sway the truth that Kobe Bryant has mastered his craft and taken it to new heights, and that his passion and love for his professional calling inspires his fans to do the same for theirs.
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6 months ago
You clearly have it wrong, you obviously weren't watching Kobe in the 2003-2004 NBA finals. If you were watching you would realize he is the reason they lost that series and that Shaq wasn't old and slow. Shaq was averaging 26.6 points per game with a 63.1% field goal percentage. While Kobe Bryant was averaging 22.6 points per game with a 38.1 field goal percentage. So Karl Malone's injury wasn't the reason they lost. If Kobe would have fed the big fella, instead of being a ball hog and taking crazy shots the entire series, Shaq would have had another ring. But I'm glad it happened. Shaq wouldn't of been traded to Miami if they won, and we wouldn't of seen Kobe who in the last three years has zero playoff series win, even though he is in his prime, while an aging Shaq out of his prime, has won a championship. By the way you said Jordan was blessed with a great team. Kobe was blessed playing with Shaq, the most dominant force in NBA history. Jordan didn't not have a Shaq. If you say the game is played inside out, than Kobe is the lucky one who was blessed with Shaq, while Jordan was winning with Luc Longley as his center. speaking of Longley after playing alongside Jordan Longley's career went well.. not exactly. If not for luck and playing with Shaq in the beginning of his career, Kobe would just be a cocky Tracy Mcgrady.
6 months ago
Hi Ari, Thanks for reading my article and for putting forth your opinion.
Unfortunately, you have bought into the media hype surrounding the 2003-2004 Finals. The Pistons gameplan was to single-cover Shaq and put the Jordan-rules on Kobe. This meant that Shaq would easily get his numbers, but his teammates would have to step up. The Pistons gameplan worked for 3 reasons:
1: Shaq dominated the 1st half, but tired in late-games. He hadn't played 40mpg since 1999.
2: With Malone gone, the Lakers put Slava Medvedenko on Rasheed. Payton was MIA, and so was Fisher.
3: Kobe couldn't pull a Jordan and dominate the low post because, like I pointed out, he is a perimeter player with smaller hands. Thats why Jordan > Kobe, even if by a slim margin. He fired away on the perimeter, missed more than made, and that was it.
Also, by calling Kobe a cocky Tracy Mcgrady, you are feeding into the motus operandi of my article, which is to dispel such notions. Sorry, we aren't living in the 20th century anymore. Kobe Bryant has been humbled by life, as I pointed out numerous times in my article.
Finally, this is missing the point of my article. Future readers, my article is not an apologetic for Kobe in the 2004 Finals!
from 6 months ago
And, one more thing, Ari:
You misread my article, saying that Kobe's having Shaq as a good teammates proves my point(s) wrong.
I said, Michael Jordan had a great team IN HIS PRIME - which is generally defined as between the ages of 27-32, while Kobe had a great team when he was an immature and arrogant youngster.
6 months ago
I will admit that I did make a mistake because I do see that you mention that Michael Jordan had a great team in his prime while Kobe had a great team when he was an immature and arrogant youngster. However when you say things like, He doesn’t know what it is like to suddenly lose a teammate or I see more of the same going down for the final third of Kobe Bryant’s career a career marked by near misses, or keep ya head up, Kobe. It’s not on you., it seems as though you feel sympathy for Kobe Bryant's career and see his as unlucky, when he was so lucky to have played with Shaq, while Shaq was in his prime. Even though the last three years while Kobe was in his prime he hasn't had the best team like he did in the beginning of his career, I mentioned Shaq because Kobe is much luckier than Jordan career wise. Kobe was Robin to Shaq, but when a lot of people look back at the lakers 3 championships, they claim that Shaq and Kobe were both Batman, and I've even met some people that say that Kobe was Batman. When people look at Kobe's resume 50 years from now it will say he won three championships. It will not have an Asterisk next to it that say, he was Robin to Shaq. Jordan never played Robin and was always Batman. The point is that you should never feel sorry for Kobe's situation, when many people credit him as the main contributor to the 3 championships even though he played Robin in those championships. I'm glad you realized that Kobe isn't Michael Jordan, my problem is that a lot of people haven't yet. You don't know how many times I meet people who say Kobe is better than Jordan. Because of this, I can't stand anyone feeling sorry for a guy who some people consider to be better than Jordan, when Kobe has zero finals or regular season MVPs to Jordan's 6 finals MVPs and 5 regular season MVPs(not to mention Jordan missed 1 3/4 a season in his prime when he first retired).
6 months ago
I will admit that I did make a mistake because I do see that you mention that Michael Jordan had a great team in his prime while Kobe had a great team when he was an immature and arrogant youngster. However when you say things like, He doesn’t know what it is like to suddenly lose a teammate or I see more of the same going down for the final third of Kobe Bryant’s career a career marked by near misses, or keep ya head up, Kobe. It’s not on you., it seems as though you feel sympathy for Kobe Bryant's career and see his as unlucky, when he was so lucky to have played with Shaq, while Shaq was in his prime. Even though the last three years while Kobe was in his prime he hasn't had the best team like he did in the beginning of his career, I mentioned Shaq because Kobe is much luckier than Jordan career wise. Kobe was Robin to Shaq, but when a lot of people look back at the lakers 3 championships, they claim that Shaq and Kobe were both Batman, and I've even met some people that say that Kobe was Batman. When people look at Kobe's resume 50 years from now it will say he won three championships. It will not have an Asterisk next to it that say, he was Robin to Shaq. Jordan never played Robin and was always Batman. The point is that you should never feel sorry for Kobe's situation, when many people credit him as the main contributor to the 3 championships even though he played Robin in those championships. I'm glad you realized that Kobe isn't Michael Jordan, my problem is that a lot of people haven't yet. You don't know how many times I meet people who say Kobe is better than Jordan. Because of this, I can't stand anyone feeling sorry for a guy who some people consider to be better than Jordan, when Kobe has zero finals or regular season MVPs to Jordan's 6 finals MVPs and 5 regular season MVPs(not to mention Jordan missed 1 3/4 a season in his prime when he first retired).
6 months ago
Good points. I'll counter that no one truly believes Kobe was "batman" - we all know he played a secondary role. As a result, his legacy will be diminished, unless he gets an opportunity to be the main man on a championship caliber team.
I mean, which 6'6 guard, other than possibly MJ, would have played Batman to Shaq's Robin when Shaq was in his prime? So, it's not on Kobe.
Kobe rightfully toned down his game, took less shots, played defense, set the tables up on offense, and played Robin to help his team win.
I just listened to his interview on the Mike Tirico Show - guy is ALL about winning, and not about MVP's and Finals MVPs. It's only the media and guys like his fans (some of which are fanatic and say he's better than Jordan - something that everyone in the NBA and Kobe himself has laughed at) - that make such a big deal. I do believe the media has an agenda - then again, the media has an agenda on everything.
It's great discussing this stuff - although this is the wrong day to publish it. It's all about March Madness!
6 months ago
cocky Tracy McGrady. LOL.. the insecurity of some Jordan fans. Kobe has quite a bit work to do, everyone knows that.. but skill wise, he is right there.. having Shaq was of course a luxury.. but, would Michael Jordan be Michael Jordan with Shaq? No, he would have had to tone his game down just the same.. he wouldn't have really explored the post game that made him who he was with Shaq camping down there.. he would have to work on his perimeter game just as Kobe had to early.. so much goes into such comparisons. It's not simple. Just enjoy the talents.
he isn't gifted hands-wise.. but, people have to give credit that he doesn't simply dominate the game because of some special ability athletically.. the guy busts his butt to better his skill set and overcome his weaknesses.. in fact, if you remember, couple years ago, he worked on his hands specifically to make it like a "mitt" so that he can handle the ball better.. and, Kobe's post game is actually one of his strengths now.. though he doesn't have the overwhelming physical presence, especially this year after losing that weight.. but his footwork, for anyone who really appreciates basketball from all aspects, is quite amazing from the post.. he seriously needs to exploit it more.. he is also pretty good in passing out of double teams from the post compared to when he is trapped on the perimeter.. but, he doesn't get the opportunity to play SF much with this roster..
6 months ago
Kobe Bryant is a better player than tracy mcgrady, but this is mainly do due the fact T-mac is always on and off injured ecspecially the last three years. But did you know he has the same amount of scoring titles as Kobe Bryant and just like Kobe he has failed to win a playoff series on his Own(meaning without Shaq). Kobe is a better defender, when he wants to be, but T-mac is better at making his teammates better, so they even out. I guarantee you if Mcgrady was blessed with Shaq as a young man instead of Kobe, he would have 3 titles, we would be talking about him. So I wouldn't be that insulted that Kobe was called a cocky Tracy Mcgrady, Mcgrady has all the talent in the world, and I wouldn't mind Mcgrady if he was a little cockier.
6 months ago
I think thats it is a cop-out to say that Kobe's post game isn't as good as Jordan's because he had to tone down his game to Shaq. Kobe works as hard as anyone in the NBA in season and out of season, and he had plenty of time to work on his post game since he came into the NBA. And his post game is actually very good anyway. But regardless of what you say the reason his post game isn't as good, the point is it isn't as good and just like this article says, that is the reason Jordan is better than Kobe.
6 months ago
Jordan fans have trouble accepting that some players are as great or not as great as their idol Michael Jordan. Cmon, sooner or later that will happen.
6 months ago
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6 months ago
I don't really understand that comment above. The only reason Jordan fans don't believe anyone is a great as Jordan right is because no one is yet. It hasn't been that long since Jordan retired. As a Jordan fan, I will say that when someone comes as long as great as Jordan, I will be the first one to admit it. Lebron James has the best chance so far. But time will only tell. Kobe doesn't have enough years left so it will be almost impossible for him to show me he is as great as Jordan. The man at the age of 29 has inferior regular season and playoff averages in almost all statistics to Jordan, has 2 scoring titles to Jordans 10, no defensive player of the year awards, while Jordan has 1, no finals or regular season mvps while Jordan has 6 and 5. So the only reason Jordan fans haven't accepted anyone as great as Jordan is because no one has come along as great.
6 months ago
nice article
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