Idk man, maybe just that specific year they have a point. I was too young. But I have memory of Kobe in that all star game where Jordan hit the shot at the buzzer, Kobe was already looked at as a level higher than his opps. At least by me. Even iverson, we always said if he was Kobe’s height he’d be the best. But he wasn’t. Lol
Gil moved the goalpost. The conversation was about TMac saying put him on that Laker team and he will win with Shaq as much as Kobe.
That’s what got BJ up in arms and then Nick said no one was talking about TMac being better. As good as, yeah. But better, he was saying no.
Either way, it’s all opinion. Not that there wasn’t a conversation being had, because there definitely was. But it’s an opinion to say TMac is better. It’s an opinion to say the hypothetical chance of TMac being a Laker and him winning as much as Kobe. And that’s what Nick got upset about, because he disagreed and Gil saying “there were talks” doesn’t mean that it’s facts like he kept saying. The only facts are there were:
1. Conversations about who was better for like a year or two by some.
2. Kobe and Shaq 3peated
3. TMac never won a playoff series.
Those are the only facts involved in all this and Gil saying anything else is typical mouth breathing bullshyt.
I actually lost respect for TMac in that interview because for him to sit there and say “if I had the opportunity” like this nikka wasn’t a premier player in the league that rivaled Kobe for a time. nikka you had plenty of chances, you just failed, repeatedly. To sit there and say you are a “championship caliber player” while never even competing for the championship, let alone winning would’ve been the quickest and loudest “fukk Naw” on TV that wasn’t Pat.
So no, Lakers not winning a title with TMac despite his numbers on a whole different team being comparable to Kobe’s. He don’t have the mental toughness to fight with that version of Shaq and still get those performances that Kobe did. He dont have the intangibles to replace Kobe and think he winning on that Laker team. His words right now showing that he don’t have what it takes to weather that storm. He not gonna battle Shaq for dominance of that team. He not gonna tell Shaq “Yo ass not getting this ball the rest of the night”. He not gonna force Shaq feel like he has to prove himself to TMac because of all that. He literally don’t have it in him deal with the type of dude Shaq was back then. Shaq would’ve ate that nikka alive.
And he hasn’t played in a system like the triangle that severely limits a wing player. Kobe was Kobe DESPITE the triangle and most players struggled to figure it out. I’m not just giving all that to TMac.
He wouldnt have won with Shaq and he definitely wouldn’t have won with Gasol. What I CAN say is Kobe DID win with Shaq and would’ve MOST DEFINITELY won 1 with that Rockets team.
It’s weird that TMac even tried to replace Kobe to make an argument for himself. That’s supposed to be your boy, you could’ve used someone else to make that same point. Knocked kneed, lazy eyed muthafukka. He used to be one of favorite players.
Nick can’t articulate himself. I personally edged Kobe during that time (like Artest), but it was a conversation at the time.
