Kobe Bryant Pop Quiz: Separating Fantasy from Reality

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There’s been a lot of strong commentary these last few years about Kobe Bryant’s place in the NBA pantheon, both currently and historically speaking. Many claim that Bryant is the best player in the game.

Comparisons with Michael Jordan are being made in some quarters, with media-types like Colin Cowherd pronouncing Bryant the clear-cut second best player (non-center) in NBA history. And, to hear Cowherd tell it, the Jordan/Bryant comparison is an apt one. The ESPN radio host has in the past stated that he would choose Bryant over Jordan if he had one shot to win a big game.

So where do these proclamations belong on the fantasy/reality continuum? What are your thoughts on the matter? Is Kobe the best of his era? The best Laker ever? A truly Jordanesque player as so many have claimed?

Here’s a 10-question “Kobe Quiz” to help you sort out fact from fiction. It’s time to find out whether your Kobe-based belief system is built on a foundation of sound logic and perception or whether you’ve been Herd-winked into some dubious misconceptions.

NBA MVP Awards: Michael Jordan vs. Kobe Bryant

All-Star Game MVP's don't count.
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Many claim that Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan have had comparable careers. Jordan won SIX NBA MVP’s. How many MVP’s has Kobe won in his 15-year career?

A. Six—Just as good as Jordan!

B. Four—He’s in the ballpark!

C. Two—Okay, not as good as MJ but still not too shabby.

D. One—Same as Derrick Rose and one less than Steve Nash.

 

 

Answer: D

Dwayne Wade and Kobe Bryant: Interchangeable?

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There seems to be some dispute about whether Kobe Bryant or Shaquille O’Neal was the most important reason for the Lakers winning three championships in 2000-2002. What happened when Shaq left the Lakers for Miami? 

A. The Lakers won it all the next season. Kobe didn’t need Shaq!

B. Shaq was never heard from again. He was nothing without Kobe!

C. Two years later Kobe’s Lakers beat Shaq’s Heat in the Finals. Take that Shaq!

D. Two years later Shaq won a championship with Dwayne Wade, proving that any number of all-star swing-man types (Wade, Paul Pierce, etc.) would have won three rings if they were playing with Shaq in LA between 2000 and 2002.

Answer: D

Kobe Bryant: The Second Coming Of...Clyde Drexler?

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Kobe Bryant’s career statistics most closely resemble those of which following player?

A. Michael Jordan

B. LeBron James

C. Larry Bird

D. Jerry West

E. Clyde Drexler

Answer: E.

For his career, Kobe has averaged 25 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.5 steals and .5 blocks with .454 shooting percentage. That’s completely non-competitive with the stats of Jordan (30/6.2/5.3/2.3/.8/.497) and LeBron (27.7/7.1/.7.0/1.7/.8/.479). Jerry West (27/5.8/6.7/2.6/.7/.474) was also superior to Kobe in every category. Bird’s 24.3 points per game was slightly under Kobe’s 25, but his 10 boards, 6.3 assists, 1.7 steals and .8 blocks beats Kobe in every other category. As for Drexler, his 20.4 career average is admittedly well under Kobe’s 25, but he also beats Kobe in EVERY OTHER CATEGORY. In other words, every player mentioned above is better than Kobe in every major statistical indicator aside from Bird and Drexler in the scoring category.

Take It from Jerry West

Jerry West Knows Talent
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Jerry West, the man who brought Kobe Bryant to the Lakers, is often cited as one of the best judges of talent around. Who did he say was the best player in the game today, potentially better than Michael Jordan, and a “no-brainer” first choice if he was starting a new team today?

A. Kobe Bryant

B. Dwight Howard

C. Dwayne Wade

D. LeBron James

Answer: D.

Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal: A Love Story

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It is often said that Kobe Bryant “just wants to win” more than anything else. And, yet, when he was winning three consecutive championships with Shaquille O’Neal he was so unhappy that Shaq had to go. According to his own coach Phil Jackson, what was the reason why Kobe could not co-exist with Shaq?

A. Kobe wanted to win so badly and he felt that Shaq just did not want to as much as he should have.

B. Kobe did not like the fact that Shaq was not donating more time and money to local charities.

C. Kobe “was tired of being a sidekick.”

D. Kobe was jealous because Shaq was making more money than he was.

E. C and D.

Answer: E.

According to Jackson’s book “The Last Season,” Kobe’s wish to hog the spotlight and his jealousy of Shaq’s money trumped his “desire to win.”   

Phil Jackson Knows the Real Deal

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True or False: Phil Jackson once demanded that that Lakers trade Kobe Bryant, stating that he would not come back to coach the team if Kobe was on it.

A. True

B. False

Answer: True

Phil Jackson Never Questioned Michael Jordan

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True or False: Jackson never said anything remotely like this about Michael Jordan.

A. True

B. False

Answer: True

2000-2002 Los Angeles Lakers: Shaq's Team

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Jordan won six championships, and on each of these six occasions he won the NBA Finals MVP, indicating that he truly “owned” those six rings. Among the five times that Kobe Bryant has been on the championship roster with the Lakers, how many times has he won the Finals MVP?

A. Five. Just like Jordan, Kobe led his team to every championship he won.

B. Four. Shaq won one, but Kobe was still the big dog.

C. Three. Not too shabby.

D. Two. When Shaq was in town, he won the Finals MVP all three times.

Answer: D.

Kobe Bryant: The Best "Closer" in the Game?

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At one point several years ago some media personality concocted the phrase “Kobe Bryant is the best closer in the game.” Ever since then, the media has been robotically repeating this phrase so much that people naturally assume it’s true. In fact, what statistical proof is there that Kobe truly is the “best closer in the game?”

A. Kobe is clutch! It’s statistically proven!

B. Kobe is clutch! You can’t prove otherwise!

C. Kobe is clutch! Just because!

D. There is no statistical evidence whatsoever supporting the idea of Kobe as the "best closer in the game."
 

Answer D.

There is no indication that Kobe shoots any higher percentage in the clutch than he does any other    time in the game. In fact, there is fairly strong statistical support for the idea that LeBron James is a better “closer” than Kobe Bryant here: http://chasing23.com/kobe-bryant-vs-lebron-james-game-winning-shots/

 

 

 

Kobe Bryant: One of the Top 25 Best Players in NBA History.

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The website basketball-reference.com has established a mathematical formula, designed by Marquette physics professor Arpad Elo, to rate the best players of all time. The formula has Michael Jordan ranked number one. Where does Kobe Bryant rank on the list?

A. Second. He’s the second best player ever!

B. Third. He’s the third best player ever!

C. Fourth. He’s the fourth best player ever!

D. Twenty-fifth. Actually, dude, that’s about right.

Answer: D.

The top six on the list makes perfect sense: 1. Jordan; 2. Jabbar; 3. Bird; 4. Wilt; 5. Russell; 6. Magic. For those who claim that Kobe is the best Laker of all-time, there are SIX Lakers ahead of him on the list: Jabbar, Wilt, Magic, Shaq, West and Elgin Baylor. Once again, that’s about right. You can argue Kobe ahead of Baylor, but not ahead of West, Shaq, Magic, Wilt or Jabbar.