Kobe Bryant is a Better Basketball Player than Michael Jordan.
April 1st 2007 04:37
Kobe Bryant’s recent string of 50 point scoring nights has had a lot of
NBA writers comparing him against another player that is similar in every facet of the game of basketball – Michael Jordan.
The Kobe vs. MJ debate has raged on since Bryant began establishing himself as perhaps the best player of his era. In all honesty this writer never gave the debate much thought until very recently. The reason being that NBALOUD has never entertained such a comparison because it was a no brainer – Jordan all the way.
Now, I’m not so sure.
Let’s begin with a caveat: Jordan is the greatest ever. End of this debate. Why? Six championships without a dominant big man, whilst playing in an era that included Magic, Bird and the great Pistons team.
No, what this post is interested in answering today is whether or not Kobe Bryant is the better basketball player. This is where things get murky.
Bryant is perhaps the most reviled player in the league right now and is hated as much as he is loved. Scratch that – he is the most loathed player in the NBA right now and admired by few.
NBALOUD has been guilty of Kobe bashing in the past as well but looking at this question objectively he has strong claims to being a better player than His Airness. This statement would be considered blasphemous to many people out there.
Well, now that this writer has gone out on a limb and stated that Kobe Bryant may be a better basketball player let’s analyse how this is so.
Both Kobe and MJ are freakishly athletic and are the most complete offensive weapons in the eras they inhabit. Steve Kerr in a recent column wrote that he believed that Bryant was a better ball handler and long range shooter than Jordan was and NBALOUD agrees.
During the dominant days of the Chicago Bulls people forget that the non-point guard that had most of the ball handling responsibilities was Scottie Pippen.
In terms of creativity and explosive athleticism both Michael and Kobe are virtually on par, but this era of NBA basketball has much more better athletes in comparison to Jordan’s era. That doesn’t translate though to players being better basketball players though because ballers in this period are fundamentally lousy.
Jordan was a fierce defensive presence but as Jemele Hill points out in her recent article for ESPN.com was equally assisted by the very much underrated Scottie Pippen who is a much better version of LeBron James. Pippen was a defensive beast and Kobe is cut from a similar mould. Bryant takes pride in his defence and being named as a member of the All-Defensive team in four years is no mean feat for a perimeter player when the rules are written as such to assist offensive players by any means possible.
Hill also makes a valid point that Kobe hasn’t acquired the individual awards that MJ has and her explanation as to the reasoning why is as sound as any explanation – blind hatred for Bryant.
Detractors of Bryant don’t so much critique Kobe’s basketball prowess but rather love to take him down a peg vis-à-vis his off-court behaviour. True, Kobe has been far from a saint on-court as well but does everyone forget that Jordan once got violent with Reggie Miller on court? That he has allegedly punched teammates during practice and was so universally disliked during his time with Washington that his teammates were happy to see the back of him?
This doesn’t include the various other transgressions that MJ has committed but gets a pass on because of his iconic stature not only within the game but in popular culture. He is synonymous with NBA basketball on a global scale.
Today’s posting is just another side of the Kobe vs. MJ debate that will never be definitely settled. Knowing NBALOUD’s erratic nature this space is probably going to dedicate a posting in the not too distant future as to why Jordan is better than Kobe.
In tribute to Scottie Pippen here is a video of the top 10 career dunks from the man himself.
Kobe shows MJ the size of the fish he caught that morning. (Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images)
The Kobe vs. MJ debate has raged on since Bryant began establishing himself as perhaps the best player of his era. In all honesty this writer never gave the debate much thought until very recently. The reason being that NBALOUD has never entertained such a comparison because it was a no brainer – Jordan all the way.
Now, I’m not so sure.
Let’s begin with a caveat: Jordan is the greatest ever. End of this debate. Why? Six championships without a dominant big man, whilst playing in an era that included Magic, Bird and the great Pistons team.
No, what this post is interested in answering today is whether or not Kobe Bryant is the better basketball player. This is where things get murky.
Bryant is perhaps the most reviled player in the league right now and is hated as much as he is loved. Scratch that – he is the most loathed player in the NBA right now and admired by few.
NBALOUD has been guilty of Kobe bashing in the past as well but looking at this question objectively he has strong claims to being a better player than His Airness. This statement would be considered blasphemous to many people out there.
Well, now that this writer has gone out on a limb and stated that Kobe Bryant may be a better basketball player let’s analyse how this is so.
Both Kobe and MJ are freakishly athletic and are the most complete offensive weapons in the eras they inhabit. Steve Kerr in a recent column wrote that he believed that Bryant was a better ball handler and long range shooter than Jordan was and NBALOUD agrees.
Who is the better baller? You decide. (Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)
In terms of creativity and explosive athleticism both Michael and Kobe are virtually on par, but this era of NBA basketball has much more better athletes in comparison to Jordan’s era. That doesn’t translate though to players being better basketball players though because ballers in this period are fundamentally lousy.
Jordan was a fierce defensive presence but as Jemele Hill points out in her recent article for ESPN.com was equally assisted by the very much underrated Scottie Pippen who is a much better version of LeBron James. Pippen was a defensive beast and Kobe is cut from a similar mould. Bryant takes pride in his defence and being named as a member of the All-Defensive team in four years is no mean feat for a perimeter player when the rules are written as such to assist offensive players by any means possible.
Hill also makes a valid point that Kobe hasn’t acquired the individual awards that MJ has and her explanation as to the reasoning why is as sound as any explanation – blind hatred for Bryant.
Detractors of Bryant don’t so much critique Kobe’s basketball prowess but rather love to take him down a peg vis-à-vis his off-court behaviour. True, Kobe has been far from a saint on-court as well but does everyone forget that Jordan once got violent with Reggie Miller on court? That he has allegedly punched teammates during practice and was so universally disliked during his time with Washington that his teammates were happy to see the back of him?
This doesn’t include the various other transgressions that MJ has committed but gets a pass on because of his iconic stature not only within the game but in popular culture. He is synonymous with NBA basketball on a global scale.
Today’s posting is just another side of the Kobe vs. MJ debate that will never be definitely settled. Knowing NBALOUD’s erratic nature this space is probably going to dedicate a posting in the not too distant future as to why Jordan is better than Kobe.
In tribute to Scottie Pippen here is a video of the top 10 career dunks from the man himself.
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Comment by charles
ZCars
Ponderous
But these sorts of debates are pretty much endless, much like arguing whether Pele or Maradona is the best footballer ever.
Charles.
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
I understand how it's hard to compare... the players are beasts in this age, and MJ had free rein...
Comment by Stanley
cibby - well you're just missing out because he is hands down the best player in the nba right now. hill brings up a valid point in stating that if mj played today his athleticism wouldn't set him apart like he did when he first came into the league. 40 inch vertical leaps seem to be everywhere now. the players are also bigger, stronger, faster and more athletic but jordan still would be jordan even today. he'd probably be more damaging because no one can play defense anymore.
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by Stanley
mj used to jack up a lot of shots too and he used to get big time criticism for the amount of shots he took. but most people would side with you in saying jordan is better. each to their own.
thanks for commenting though.
Comment by Rudy
What we need to focus is that koby, lebron, garnett and many many more players are part of what Michael brought to the game. He rewrote the book on techniques. Having Michael on the game was just the best thing that every happened to the sport. He is the all time greatno matter what stats are broken.
He was there and no one else could be even compared to Michael. To add up to that... Koby is still to win 5 league MVP's, 6 finals MVP, Defenseve player of the year etc etc. Talking about points... still no comparission on the carrear average.
Comment by Stanley
and you're very right in saying that eras are difficult to compare but isn't it fun speculating on such a discussion? the beauty in questions like these is that it could never be definitively be resolved and you put up some mind boggling numbers that kobe cannot compare with.
thanks for your contribution tough. very much appreciated.
Comment by Dwayne
Comment by Stanley
the primary reason that kobe doesn't pass the ball in certain games is that his teammates are average and lack the ability to finish. jordan had some good, yet underrated offensive weapons around him.
so, if there were 5 kobes i am sure the teamwork would be a lot more better than his current laker incarnation.
yes, 'nique, kemp and chambers did have some mad hops. i do love that chambers dunk that you talk about and he seemed to rise higher as he got airborne. my point was and jemele hill makes the same argument in espn.com that 40 inch verticals are much more prevalent now. you watch games and highlights packages guys with unbelievable athleticism, strength and size are everywhere.
that being said i have made this point before and if jordan played today he would tear it up offensively even more because the defenses now are horrible.
thanks for your comments dwayne and i hope your shoulder gets better for playoff time in miami.
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
At some point, there will be a basketball player who will be better than MJ. More importantly, there will one day be a player who will take the mantle of Mr NBA (for want of a better term). Jordon epitomised NBA, and one day there will be someone else that we instantly think of when we think of basketball (it'll be a sad day). Kobe may one day be recognised as a better player than Jordan, but he'll never be synonymous with basketball the way Jordan still is.
You make a great point about Pippen. I loved Scotty Pippen (I lived in St Louis in the 80's our closest team were the Bulls). I've never understood why he wasn't rated far more highly than he was. Bloody legend of a man was Scotty.
Comment by Stanley
yes, you are correct in pointing out that jordan was synonymous with basketball and personally speaking i don't think anyone will ever have that type of cultural impact ever again. he was the perfect player and will forever be linked to sports in the manner that ali, pele and tiger woods are.
and i am of total agreement that scottie pippen was a very much underrated player who let's face it was the supreme all-rounder. he was great and i think that those who love basketball would appreciate how good he really was.
Comment by Anonymous
Some people say that players today are better than Jordan's era? probably. But to those who witnessed the rise of Mike, I have these questions for you? Will you pick the Spurs of Tim Duncan over Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler led Houston? what about Dirk's Mavericks over the 97-98 Malone-Stockton led Utah? Is Steve Nash's Suns better than Charles Barkley' '93 Suns? Or is the '04 Detroit Pistons who beat the star-studded Kobe led Lakers better, meaner, and dirtier than the Isiah's Pistons. Think about it guys. And if its not too much for you, why don't you compare each team from jordan's era to their present team.
Reggie Miller said - "IF JORDAN IS STILL PLAYING, YOU WOULDN'T TALK ABOUT KOBE, VINCE, DWADE or LEBRON"
Magic Johnson said - "THERE WAS MICHAEL JORDAN, and there's the rest of us."
Larry Bird said - "GOD DISGUISED AS MICHAEL JORDAN!"
and I'll say this: "VINCE may go beyond the rim. KOBE may score 200 a night. DWADE may break as many ankles. And LEBRON can be a KING. But as long as I remember there was once a player named MICHAEL JORDAN, "WHO CARES???"
Its not all about the stats, its not all about the skills, its not all about the looks, but its how you played the game and how you finished it. Men are separated from the boys when the game is on the line.
Comment by Stanley
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Comment by Taylor C
Comment by Spennies
Record Reviews
The Dissident
Writing Comedy
Tay C
I agree that Kobe has proven that he is truly great all by his lonesome. But let me ask you this would both of these players have done so well without the system of the triangle meaning Phil Jackson?
Comment by Anonymous
Kobe had Shaq!!! Pippen was the other great player on the team for Jordan's championships. Shaq was the leading scorer and Finals MVP for all of Kobe's championships.
As to athleticism, the 90s athlecisism actually is on par with today, but because there is more advanced media available, the same things are more visible and better documented now. Example: a player in the 90s who could jump really high, but was an average player would have been relatively forgotten if he came out in the 90s. Today, the same guy would be a YouTube star...
Comment by Anonymous
http://kb24overrated.com/
Comment by Anonymous
He shoots well under Jordan's percentage, plays much more minutes every game, passes less (some people say because his teammates aren't on even par), rebounds less, steals less and on and on.....
The only time they played against eachother was when Michael was well into his 30's, a time in which he simply whiped Kobe of the court, and early 40's and even then he could match up to Kobe.
And another reason people think Kobe is evenly skilled as Jordan is because of his offensive game, which he has modelled after Jordan's.
Don't forget that Michael made his teammates better while still scoring 30 point per game, Kobe as seen last year does not stack up. His scoring already is slipping so there you have it. Michael could have scored 50 ppg when ever he wanted, but his desire to win a championship, made him alter his game.
Also defense was much stiffer in the Magic/Bird/Jordan era then it is now a days (nice clip on youtube).
Comment by sproule
Jordan for now is better than Kobe,but i see a change in Kobe..hes easily the best of this era,and i see him getting better and better each year.
Shaq shouldnt be considered overated,sure hes just a massive man but there are many 7 footers around the world that could never move or do what he did.
Until Kobe wins a title without Shaq we cant yet say Bryant is better.Do i like Kobe more..for sure,my girlfriend has even allowed me to call our first born male kobe(shes not even preggers yet,but you know its the only name i liked she would agree to so im holding her to it
Where you can compare them is that electricity they create,where anything could happen..kind of like D wade had when heat won the title.
thats where you can compare them,that last second effort they have...and now kobes not being such a greedy bugger and passes and recognises the changes need in him we should see his game lift.
I just love saying "KOBE" like im a commentator when i watch him play because it reminds me of the days of saying "Jordan".
Only time will tell if Kobe will live up to his full potential.hes got a awesome team behind him now Pau is the man...Bynum hes getting there...Vujacic is a gun.
After all my dribbling i just want to finalise with which was commonly said jordan is jordan and will always be to basketball to what ali was to boxing...but i still prefer Kobe
favourite players of all time...Bird,Magic,Nique,The Admiral and kobe...Jordans the greatest but the bulls of that era were like the man utd of a decade ago,everyone jumped on them,why follow the crowd
ok i will shut up now better do some work !!!
Comment by Petarian
Thanks to MJ for setting up the Scales and standards so that we can compare Basketball players and measure their skills.
It’s an honor for a player to reach to that point where people start thinking to measure him into the scale and find out where he stands.
Jordon is an ICON without him it wouldn’t have possible to find out where Kobe stands.
Comment by Anonymous
That's a fact. They are both NBA's greatest 50 players ever.
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by Anonymous