Nick Wright: "Kobe was never the best player in the league once in his career"

[Randoug]

Derrick Rose was the best player in 2011 but Durant wasn't the best player in 2014 ?

 

[rapbeats]

Dr. Jerry Buss [via Jim Grey] (May 19th, 2001):

“I just spoke to Dr. Jerry Buss who owns the Lakers and he has owned the ball club for an awful long time now. And he just told me that he can’t recall any Laker, maybe with the exception of Magic Johnson, over the course of the last month playing at the level that Kobe Bryant is playing at. He says it’s just stupefying to him and astonishing that this guy has done so well. And maybe other than Magic he can’t recall another Laker, including all of the great Lakers (Worthy, Jabbar, Cooper, Nixon) playing the way Kobe Bryant is playing.”

Source:






Paul Westphal (May 20th, 2001):

“Who is to say Kobe Bryant isn't going to be better than Michael Jordan? Let's get that out on the table right now. He's a lot better than Jordan was at the same age.”

Source:

Spurs a Step Slow Against Efficient Lakers, Bryant




Steve Kerr (May 24th, 2001):

“He's the closest thing to M.J. I've ever seen. Of course, M.J. didn't have a Shaq to play with him, which actually makes what Kobe did even more impressive."

Source:
Call Off the Search -- the Next Jordan Has Come of Age in Los Angeles





Phil Jackson (May 30th, 2001):

“I've always held the bar up very high for Kobe, and he's not only reached that bar, but he's jumping over the top of it right now. And I think it's the best that I've ever seen a player of mine play with an overall court game. I'm asking him to do so much, and he's accomplishing it." [Jackson was quickly asked for a clarification. That includes Michael Jordan?] "I never asked Michael to be a playmaker," Jackson said. "That's the greatest player that I've ever had, that I could consider the greatest player in the game, and I never asked him to be a playmaker in those terms. I asked him to be playmaker when he was doubled or tripled. But Kobe has to set up the offense, to advance the ball, to read the defense, to make other players happy, and he's doing a great job of that."

Source:
NBA Playoffs 2001 - Jackson cites Bryant's playmaking skills






Mark Jackson (March 3rd, 2003):

"He's the best player in the game right now," Utah guard Mark Jackson said last week, after Kobe went for 40 points to help the Shaqless Lakers beat the Jazz. "He's playing basketball that's as good as I've seen in my career."

Source:
http://www.si.com/vault/2003/03/03/8098947/like-mike-or-even-better




Shaquille O’Neal (May 12th, 2004):

"I don't see how he does it," O'Neal said. "He's a fabulous player, probably the best player that ever played the game, especially with all the stuff he's been going through. And it was a fabulous night for him, a memorable night."

Source:
USATODAY.com - Bryant's 42 points get Lakers even with Spurs




John Salley (June 8th, 2004):

*Chris Rose: Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan?

**John Salley: I played with both Kobe and Michael. I would have to say that Kobe Bryant is the better player. Kobe has a much better shot, handles the ball better, and just has more tricks to go along with his game. And just look at his career...he already has 3 rings and he's going for his fourth this year.

*Chris Rose: Yea because he's playing with Shaq, the most dominant big man ever, right?

**John Salley: Wrong. Playing with Shaq of course makes it easier for Kobe, but I don't think Michael would have done as well as Kobe is, playing with another superstar. If you think about it, Jordan had someone who rebounded for him (Rodman) and brought leadership to the team (Pippen). Other than Jordan, the Chicago Bulls didn't have any real good offensive players. Jordan did the scoring all by himself. Where in Kobe's case, there's Shaq, who's another superstar that wants to score points, or else he gets upset as we've seen many times before. Kobe shares the ball with Shaq, and still puts up big numbers by himself, which is what amazes me. Kobe puts up the same numbers as Jordan did, and Kobe's playing with Shaq. If Kobe was on a team without Shaq, he would score 45 points per game.

*Chris Rose: O.K. You made some good points, but you agree that Jordan is a better defender, right? I mean, he won the defensive player of the year award several times.

**John Salley: No way, I don’t agree! Back in Jordan's days, you were allowed to put your elbows on the guy you were defending. Now in Kobe's days, even if you just touch a player like that, you get called for the foul.

*Chris Rose: O.K., whatever John. Well here's my last argument, and if you don't agree with me on this one, we're going to have to test you for drugs.

**John Salley: Man, shut up. I played with Jordan and Kobe. Did you?

*Chris Rose: No, but I do know that when it's late in the game, you want Jordan taking the final shot.

**John Salley: How can you say that? You just say that because Jordan made the game- winning basket on your sorry Cleveland Cav's team back in the early 90's. Man, for the next show, we should put a clip together showing Michael Jordan's game- winning shots and Kobe Bryant game- winning shots and compare the two. Jordan might have more game- winners, but Kobe still has 10 years left in this league, and he's not even at his best right now. Another thing of course is Kobe's trial case. I don't think anyone in the history of basketball could do what Kobe is doing traveling from court to court, scoring 30+ points.

Source: Kobe vs. Jordan: The best player of all time? - Sports Central Message Boards





Rudy Tomjanovich (July 11th, 2004):

"When I think about Kobe Bryant, I get very excited, and any coach would," Tomjanovich said. "This guy is phenomenal. He's versatile. He can do so many things. What he did this year, under the circumstances, to me is a tribute, not only to his physical toughness, but his mental toughness.... He has already done legendary things on the court. If he was finished today, people would still be talking about some of the things that that guy has done. I truly believe he has a chance to become the greatest player to ever play the game."

Source:
New Coach Hopes for the Best




Mark Jackson (April 16th, 2006):

“Well, when we talk about Kobe Bryant, I never thought I would say it, playing against Michael Jordan for so long: But Kobe Bryant, at the end of the day, will go down as the greatest basketball player that has ever lived. 81 points, 62 at the end of the 3rd quarter, outscoring the Dallas Mavericks. Kobe Bryant will go down as the greatest basketball player that has ever lived.”

Source:






Mike Dunleavy (April 17th, 2006):

"From a talent standpoint, he may be better than Jordan was at this stage of his career."

Source:
http://www.si.com/vault/2006/04/17/8374977/the-great-unknown







Steve Kerr (March 30th, 2007):

“His offensive game is so good, so fundamentally sound in every aspect, that it may be time to debate whether or not he's the most complete offensive player in the history of the NBA. I'm not talking about the best player – there are plenty of players who rank well ahead of Bryant in that category. I'm simply wondering if there has ever been a player with a more complete skill set with footwork, ball handling, perimeter shooting and leaping ability.”

Source:
The great Kobe debate

The best player in the NBA - LONE Mavs Fan Forum






Pat Riley (2007):

“He rates right there, probably, with Jordan. I mean, Jordan will always, to me, be the best of the best of the best. But you gotta’ put Kobe there. And that’s where Dwyane and LeBron and Carmelo and all these other guys one day would like to be considered in that group. But I don’t think anybody is ever going to be considered better than the guy that hung from the air. Never.”

Source:







Bill Simmons (June, 2008):

“I hate comparing anyone to Jordan, but what Kobe has shown over the past four months has been Jordanesque - not just his ability to raise his game in big moments (which he always had), but the way he picks his spots, keeps teammates involved and then arbitrarily takes over games and puts them away. If being an NBA superstar was like playing Grand Theft Auto, then that would be the final mission, right? The way Kobe single-handedly assassinated the Spurs in Games 1 and 5 was something we've only seen from a handful of players in NBA history. You can't say enough about it. He has become the player we always wanted him to be."

Source:
https://books.google.com/books?id=oLCSBeuStRcC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA527#v=onepage&q&f=false





Phil Jackson (July 14th, 2008):

[Does Kobe have better basketball skills than MJ?]

“He does. I think that he has overall. Kobe’s outside shooting is perhaps better than Michael’s. The thing about Michael is that Michael would go on a scoring tear, he would go on like a retribution night where, ‘I gotta go after their leading scorer tonight because him and I are matched up and I need to take him down a notch to hurt this team’ type of thing . He wouldn’t do the kind of 50-point games sequence that Kobe did last year where he just obliterated the record books and just went out and had a hot tear where he just tore up the league. It was bizarre.”

Source:






Tex Winter (September 15th, 2008):


A few years back, the Lakers coaching staff concluded Bryant and Jordan were much alike, almost eerie, in fact, when it came to the alpha male qualities of their competitive natures. Kobe and Michael were ruthless when it came to winning, everyone agreed. And their skills were similar. Except Michael's hands were larger. The major difference between the two came with college experience. Jordan had played in a basketball system for Dean Smith at North Carolina, thus he was better prepared to play within a team concept.

In a statement that may surprise a lot of people, Winter told Lazenby that he doubted that Jordan would have been a good fit playing alongside Shaquille O'Neal. It will probably surprise Bryant's critics even more to learn that Winter said that his critical examination of game tape shows that Bryant's shot selection is quite good: "Actually, for the most part, he's not forcing up a lot of bad shots. When he gets hot, he does take shots that would be questionable for other players. But a lot of the shots he's taken go in." Winter concluded, "I tend to think how very much they're alike. They both display tremendous reaction, quickness and jumping ability. Both have a good shooting touch. Some people say Kobe is a better shooter but Michael really developed as a shooter as he went along. I don't know if Kobe is a better shooter than Michael was at his best."

Observers like to point out that Jordan played on a Chicago Bulls team with no great center, but Winter always countered that Jordan was a great post-up player and in essence was the premier post weapon of his time.
Bryant himself came into the NBA with amazingly good post skills, but there was never room for him to play in the post with Shaquille O'Neal occupying the lane during their years together with the Lakers.
In a lot of ways, Bryant is Jordan's equal as a post player, Winter said, except for one critical element. "What's happened to Kobe and his post play - and he is a great post player - is that he's catching the ball just out of the lane and the defenders are forcing him out toward the wing."

Source:
http://20secondtimeout.blogspot.com/2008/09/michael-jordan-and-tex-winter-discuss.html

Tex Winter Compares Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan

 

[rapbeats]

John Wooden (May 1st, 2009):

He says Kobe Bryant, "from a physical point of view is the best to ever play the game,"

Source:
John Wooden is too busy to deal with death






John Wooden [via Bob Einstein] (November 17th, 2009):

“I had the honor of having breakfast with John Wooden about 6 months ago. And I spent 2 hours with him. And I said, ‘Who is the greatest player you’ve ever seen?’ And he said, ‘Kobe Bryant.’ Which shocked me. Over Jordan. He said he’s never seen anybody work that hard on offense and defense and the complete game.”

Source:







Derek Fisher (January 2nd, 2010):

Fisher said he believes Bryant could average 50 points under the right circumstances, with a coach who ran the kind of offensive schemes geared exclusively toward getting the league's leading scorer more than his 30.6-point average.
"If he was in a situation where the coach said, `All right, here you go, do you. Every time we come down, we're going to run a screen-and-roll or an isolation,"' Fisher said. "Come on now, the dude might average 50. OK, maybe 46."

Source:
Lakers star Bryant has a knack for buzzer-beaters




Alvin Gentry (March 12th, 2010):

"He's the best closer in the history of the game if you ask me," Gentry said. "Yeah, that is including Michael Jordan. I just think what he's done this year, to have six game-winning shots that come on the last possession of the game, I don't know if anybody has ever done that.”

Source:
http://archive.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/20100312lakers-kobe-bryant-suns.html







Bill Simmons (June 2nd, 2010):

“He will never be greater than Jordan. So drop that thought. Hell, even that 10-game stretch we just witnessed wouldn't have cracked Jordan's top-10 playoff hot streaks. But still … he can beat Jordan on years. Let's say Kobe enjoys two more top-5 MVP seasons, then settles into a "Duncan 2009/2010" type phase for the next two, then he's washed up. The sheer volume of numbers will add up: rings, All-NBAs, All-Star appearances, points scored, games played -- it will be like nothing we've ever seen. At the very least, it will be a debate. And I will get angry and tell you to shut up, and that we need to stop comparing people to Jordan, but still, it's a debate. And there's going to come a point when someone can ask the question, "If you were starting a team and could have either guy for his entire career, would you rather take MJ from 1984 to 2003 (with the five missed years of games thrown in) or Kobe from 1997 to 2016 (with 0 missed years of games thrown in)?"

Source:
Simmons: NBA Finals preview





David Stern (June 3rd, 2010):

“To me Kobe is there with Michael. And if you saw that shot, the one he sank and went by and patted Alvin Gentry. I’m saying, “How did he do that? It’s not possible.” It was impossible. But he did it with somebody sort of hanging on him. And I do mean hanging. He has the capacity through his will and determination, which of course is accompanied by his intense conditioning and his incredible skill, to do what has to be done as part of and for the team.”

Source:







Horace Grant (November 22nd, 2010):

[Where does Kobe rank?]

“Wow! From the all-time great list, he’s somewhere in the top 5. I mean, Michael – from my era – was the best…and still is the best. But Kobe is right there. And I say that sincerely because his competitive spirit can only be taught by Michael Jordan’s competitive spirit.”

Source:
Horace Grant: Jordan COULD score 100, Kobe is Top 5






Phil Jackson (April 27th, 2011):

"I wouldn't compare them," said Jackson, who coached both. "I think Kobe's as good as Michael."

Source:
The Kobe Rules: A unique set of standards for a unique player





David Stern (April, 2011):

“If [Kobe] wins another championship they are going to have the same number aren’t they?…MVP’s depend on a bunch of media guys…[Kobe and Jordan belong in the same conversation]”

Source:
http://c.espnradio.com/audio/580361/genericaudio_2011-04-27-173501.mp3





Michael Jordan [via Roland Lazenby] (January 17th, 2012):

Kobe's ultimate competition is MJ. That's why MJ watches him. MJ made people think what he was doing wasn't human. Ditto the Kobester.
I never said Kobe was better than MJ. MJ just told me Kobe's the only one to have done the work, to deserve comparison.

Source:
Michael Jordan thinks only Kobe Bryant deserves comparisons



Michael Jordan [via Roland Lazenby] (January 31st, 2012):

"Kobe had done the work. He [Jordan] was very aware and taking in great interest in Kobe Bryant's great work ethic. Michael Jordan's work ethic also is legendary. He said Kobe had done that work to deserve the comparison. He says Kobe's the only one to have done the work."

Source:

Why Michael Jordan says Kobe Bryant deserves to be compared to him




Andre Iguodala (February 6th, 2012):

When asked after Saturday's 98-87 win in Atlanta whether Bryant brings extra electricity to the building, forward Andre Iguodala didn't hesitate.
"I think so," Iguodala said. "He's the best player in the game. Second-best player of all time, in my opinion."
No. 1?
"M.J., of course," Iguodala said, referring to Michael Jordan.

Source:
http://articles.philly.com/2012-02-06/sports/31030540_1_lakers-bryant-kobe-bryant-wells-fargo-center






David Stern (December 5th, 2012):

"I want to shake his hand. I think Kobe as a talent and a competitor, he's up there on the pedestal with Michael Jordan as one of the greatest ever," Stern said. "Kobe has had such an extraordinary run playing at the highest level for so long and the championships to prove it in a league that is extremely competitive.”
Source:
NBA commissioner David Stern: Lakers star Kobe Bryant 'on the pedestal with Michael Jordan' as one of the greatest




Phil Jackson (May 21st, 2013):


“Ever since Kobe was a rookie, the question of whether he would become ‘the next Michael Jordan’ had been the subject of endless speculation. Now that Kobe’s game had matured, this no longer seemed like a frivolous question. Even Jordan has said that Kobe is the only player who can be compared to him, and I have to agree. Both men have an extraordinary competitive drive and are virtually impervious to pain. Michael and Kobe have both played some of their best games under crippling conditions -- from food poisoning to broken bones -- that would sideline lesser mortals for weeks. Their incredible resilience has made the impossible possible, allowing each of them to make game-turning shots with packs of defenders hanging all over them.”

Source:
https://books.google.com/books?id=7ekSmKFBTlMC&lpg=PP1&pg=PT201#v=onepage&q&f=false



Julius Erving (June 5th, 2013):

Dr J says if he had to pick between LeBron and Kobe he picks ... Bryant. Says Kobe 1 of top 5 players of all time.

Source:





Stephon Marbury (August 13th, 2013):

“I think Kobe Bryant is the best basketball player” [Better than LeBron?] “Yeah. [Better than Jordan?] I won’t say he’s better than Michael Jordan but he’s definitely the second best player. For me, personally, I think he’s the second best player to ever play basketball. In the NBA. Period.

Source:





Phil Jackson (August 24th, 2013):

[on Kobe & MJ]

“They’re just a standard that’s above in all cases. When I came to the Chicago Bulls Jerry Krause the General Manager and I talked a lot about our strategy towards winning. And he was always quick to tell me, ‘There’s never been a team driven by a 2-guard that’s won a championship in the NBA. You look at all the teams that won they’ve had Cousy & Russell, and they’ve had Oscar Robertson & Kareem Abdul Jabbar, and you’ve got Walt Frazier & Willis Reed, and you had Wilt Chamberlain & Jerry West. But there’s never been a 2-guard that’s been able to been the dominant force on the team that’s won.’ The reality is that I was able to have 11 championships working with 2-guards in each case. Now, that’s taking away a little bit of something from Shaquille O’Neal who’s a pretty darn good center. But Kobe was still a dominant force on that team and just coming into his own. But it says something about the dynamism of these two guards. In fact Michael compares Kobe as the only one that he can really say met his standards as a player and a guy that worked hard at his game. And that’s very true.”

Source:





Kevin Durant (March 14th, 2014):

“Of course. He’s the greatest of all time. His skill is second to none. Him and [Michael Jordan] are neck and neck as far as skill. You can put in athleticism and be the best passer and strongest and quickest. But it’s about skill. I think that’s how his game is played. That’s why Kobe is the top two best ever in just having skill, footwork, shooting the three, shooting the pull up, posting up, dunking on guys and ball handling. It’s flat out skill. Him and Jordan are 1 and 1A. They’re neck and neck as far as the skills are concerned.”

Source:
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-b...d-michael-jordan-are--1-and-1a-213142314.html

 

[rapbeats]

Dwyane Wade (July 25th, 2014):


“Well, it used to be Kobe Bryant… the second best all time…. now, I have a new favorite player to play against… my former teammate, LeBron James.”

Source:
Wade looking forward to playing vs LeBron




Brandon Jennings (August 20th, 2014):

“Michael Jordan had more “Help” winning his rings than Kobe. Kobe Had Shaq. MJ had Pippen, Dennis, Ron Harper, Horace Grant, Steve Kerr, Toni Kukoc, John Paxson, B. J. Armstrong. Kobe is really the greatest ever. MJ never won without Pippen. Kobe won 2 rings without another great on his team. Kobe is The Goat. People always telling me Kobe Bryant greatest is Tricky. But MJ supporting cast was better than Kobe’s. Hmm. It’s only one player compared to MJ, and that’s Kobe. Now Kobe change the mindset of a lot of players today. MJ & Tim Duncan both had better supporting cast than Kobe. Ron Harper is better PG, than any PG Kobe ever had. Scottie Pippen…. We don’t even have to say. Dennis Rodman… Come on now! Not even close. Y’all caught up in the moment look at the facts… This not about who’s better between MJ & Kobe. I just feel MJ supporting case was better. The debate wasn’t about who’s the better player. It was about who had the better Supporting Cast. Winning Rings.”

Source:
Brandon Jennings says Kobe Bryant, not Michael Jordan, is the greatest of all time






Carlos Boozer (December 14th, 2014):

[on Kobe passing MJ on scoring list]

“It’s a big moment in basketball. I’m a basketball fan, we all are in here. What he just accomplished was so amazing. To score that many buckets in his career and pass Michael, who most of us in our era we all think he’s the greatest player of all time, and right behind him is Kobe. For him passing Mike tonight, honored to be a part of that. Honored to be a part of this team and be able to witness greatness.”

Source:





Kevin Durant (April 15th, 2015):

[who’s on your Mt. Rushmore?]

“Jordan, Bird, Kobe, Magic.”

Source:







Horace Grant (July 27th, 2015):

[on Kobe vs Jordan]

“Michael is 1 and Kobe is 1A. Michael, his will to win is second to none. Being competitive and being that ultimate leader, willing us to win all those championships. And Kobe is such a close second. They’re competitiveness. The ultimate competitors who just hate to lose. Only difference I would say is Michael spent three years in college, Kobe came out of high school. And Michael has six championships, Kobe has five. But all the other stuff they’re right there with each other.”

Source:


Former NBA players talk Kobe vs. Jordan, Bulls vs. Lakers





Julius Erving (August 13th, 2015)

"Kobe's a special player. He's done as much as anybody who has ever played the game, and he's as good as anybody who has ever played the game."

Source:
Quote history of Kobe: An era's MJ






Dirk Nowitzki (November 30th, 2015):

To me, he’s probably the greatest player I’ve faced. And I’ve faced some great players with Tim Duncan and Shaq and all these guys. But he was something else, just scoring-wise, the shot-making ability was incredible. I was always a big fan.”

Source:
http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dal.../dirk-nowitzki-feeling-old-kobes-announcement



Jason Kidd (November 30th, 2015):

"He’s a champion. I think when you look at what he’s done for the game, it’s right there with Magic (Johnson) and Michael (Jordan),"

Source:
Kidd on Kobe: On and off the court, he's a champ






Shaquille O’Neal (December 14th, 2015):

“My favorite Kobe story was when we were going back and forth against Indiana and I had fouled out. So I’m thinking damn, here we go again. I [messed] up. Remember I was killing Rik Smits and I fouled out and they made that run? Everybody was worried, including [then-Lakers coach) Phil [Jackson]. And Kobe came up to me and said, ‘Don’t worry. I got it.’

“That’s when he put on that show. That’s when I got behind the podium after the game and said, ‘Kobe is the best player in the world!’
“I was nervous and he was like, ‘Big Fella, I’ll be here. You ain’t got to worry about [anything].’ That’s when I knew he was ‘real- real.’ I always knew he was real.
“But you know how [Michael] Jordan is real-real in the clutch? Magic Johnson is real-real in the clutch. That’s when I put Kobe in that category. He saved my ass.
“When people ask me about Kobe and MJ, I say I’m from the younger era and I feel you always have to give it up to the ones before you. I’ve got to go with MJ. Just like you always ask me — me or Wilt (Chamberlain)? Wilt. Me or Bill [Russell]? Gotta say Bill. Even with Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar]. I’m going to say Kareem. If it wasn’t for them, it would be no me. But I don’t mind. And Kobe is in the same breath as MJ.”

Source:
Kobe chronicles: Shaquille O'Neal shares his thoughts on Kobe Bryant's upcoming retirement






Jason Kidd (December 15th, 2015):

“I think he's in that category of Jordan, when you talk about his work ethic, you talk about a champion, an ambassador of the game and understanding how to play it at the highest level," Kidd said. "Not once a week, but every night.”

Source:
Parker relishes chance to play Lakers with Kobe





Tracy McGrady (February 12th, 2016):

“He’s the best player I’ve ever played against. I played against Michael my rookie year. And going up against MJ my rookie year was quite frightening. And I also played him when he was with Washington. But Kobe at that time was in his prime, MJ was kind of on the back-door of his career. But playing against Kobe in his prime, I’m in my prime, there’s no doubt that he’s the best player that I’ve faced.”

Source:
McGrady: 'No doubt' Kobe best player I've faced, including MJ - ESPN Video





Dirk Nowitzki (February 26th, 2016):

[All-Time starting 5?]

“Great question. I mean, I played with a lot of great teammates. I don’t know. Probably Magic, Michael Jordan is one of my heros, and Shaq is in there and probably Tim Duncan, and Kobe. I mean, there’s a lot of great players.”

Source:
http://www.si.com/nba/video/2016/02/26/dirk-nowitzki-dallas-mavericks-kobe-bryant-full-interview





Kevin Durant (April 13th, 2016):

“You’ve never seen anyone with the footwork [Kobe] has, the athleticism, the shooting ability,” Kevin Durant tells me. “Being able to shoot the three off the dribble, off the catch and shoot, off the post. You’ve never seen that many skills in one person, outside of Michael Jordan. Of course, he doesn’t have six finals MVPs, or six titles, but skill for skill he’s unmatched.”
“If you gave any one of us guys that can score at a high level [such] one-on-one coverage, it’s to our advantage every time,” Durant says to me. “We don’t talk about that [in comparing Kobe and Jordan]. We only talk about hand checking and physicality. So imagine if the best scorers in our game today—Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Steph Curry, Russell Westbrook, guys like that—played all one-on-one, all the time. Imagine the points they would score. Imagine the averages we would see. Once he was in his prime they started to breed the 6-8 super-athletic shooting guard, and he was out there holding his own against everybody,” Durant says. ”

Source:
Kobe Bryant: He The Best




Mark Jackson (April 13th, 2016):

“I never held true to that argument,” says former All-Star, Warriors coach and current ESPN on ABC analyst Mark Jackson. “And the fact of the matter is that there was Dr. J before Jordan. Jordan will tell you that. We don’t say there was no way Jordan could be better than Dr. J. because he emulated him. It makes no sense. At the end of the day, Kobe has put himself in the discussion because of his greatness, how hard he’s worked. You have to be that good. Larry Holmes isn’t Ali, not because he didn’t work his tail off. He’s just not Ali because he wasn’t as great as him. Let’s give Kobe his credit.

“With guys like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, the rules don’t matter,” says Mark Jackson. “So I wouldn’t dumb down their greatness and give any credit to rules.”

“Do you know the mindset that it takes to allow that to wear on you physically and mentally and still go out and do your job?” Jackson asks. In response to Kobe’s “sanctuary” argument, Jackson says, “It’s fine to say that’s where you express yourself. And there are guys that would feel the same way, but nobody would’ve done it like he did. I mean, he went out and still performed at an all-time great level in the process of going through it. And I would bet my last dollar that only two guys in the history of the game could’ve done it, and that’s Michael and Kobe. And one had the platform to do it, so we know he did it.”

Source:
Kobe Bryant: He The Best





Brian Shaw (April 13th, 2016)

“I think that Kobe may have exceeded Michael in terms of just development of overall game,” Shaw says.

Source:
Kobe Bryant: He The Best






Shaquille O’Neal (April 13th, 2016)

“Probably the most memorable is, I think it was our first championship, going against Indiana. And the refs were giving me a hard time and I fouled out and if Indiana won the game they could tie it. And right before I fouled out Kobe looked at me, he didn’t have a worry in the world. He said, ‘I got you, big fella. I’m gonna’ take over.’ I think after that game I think that’s when I said ‘he’s the best player ever’.”

 

[rapbeats]

Steve Smith (April 13th, 2016):

“Nothing wrong with trying to be like Michael Jordan. Different eras, but close eras. I got a chance to guard both of them. I will say, for me, he’s the most athletic fundamentally sound player I ever played against. Then he was a mad scientist that could break down his game, your game, but he did it with a machete, because he’s trying to basically take your heart out. The way he approached each play was different than most superstars. In my opinion Michael kind of knew that he was going to will himself to a win. Kobe felt like ‘I had to win every play’. Both the same type of approach to this game with passion. But I think he was the most fundamentally athletic player I ever played against.”

Source:
GameTime: Talking Kobe - NBA.com





Phil Jackson [via Greg Anthony] (April 13th, 2016):

[on Kobe vs MJ]

“Michael was better without the ball, Kobe was better with it.”

Source:
GameTime: Talking Kobe - NBA.com




Jason Terry (April 13th, 2016)

“K O B E the G.O.A.T. It was an honor to say I played in his era. Only GOD could write a script like this.”

Source:







Stephen Jackson (August 9th, 2016):

[on LeBron]

“He is definitely in my mind one of the Top 5 players to ever play the game, if not Top 3 behind Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.”


Source:
Stephen Jackson: "Butler and Rondo want me on the Bulls"



Allen Iverson (August 21st, 2016):

Iverson recently sat down with rapper Jadakiss for a wide-ranging interview that touched on a number of topics, including his top five players of all-time -- though Iverson was hard-pressed to settle on a fifth.
"Mike [Jordan], Shaq [O'Neal], Kobe [Bryant], LeBron [James]. [The fifth one] could be a lot of dudes," he said.

Source:
Allen Iverson picks top 5 players of yesterday and today




Shaquille O’Neal (September 7th, 2016):

[on Kobe]

“You don’t know how good you got something until it’s gone. When I left L.A. I got DWade, similar type of player. But when I went on after that I was like, ‘You know what? I had the greatest player ever.’ We could’ve won 6, 7 championships together. You live and you learn.”

[Best player since Jordan?]

“I’d probably have to go with the Kobester. ‘Cause his attitude was Jordan-like. He was able to take over games, especially in the 4th quarter. For example: when I tested Kobe out for his last game I said, ‘Kobe, I need you to hit 50.’ He said, “Nah, I’m not gonna’ do it.” But when he saw me there and he started going he said, ‘You know what? You want me to get 50, Big Dawg? I’ll do it for you.’ And he’s always had that ability. It’ll be times in the games, especially in the playoffs, where I’m not really going or I’m tired, and I’d be like, ‘Kobe, I need you to take over.’ And he would take over every time. 50 out of 50 times. It was never a time where I asked Kobe to take over the game and he didn’t perform. So, to answer your question I gotta’ go with the Kobester.”


Source:






Dwyane Wade (January 4th, 2017):

"For me, 1-2, however you want to put 'em, is him and Kobe," Wade said, via 16 Wins A Ring's Spencer Davies. "Obviously I've had to guard Kobe more, so I've been in that battle a little more with Kobe. But LeBron, we've never seen a player like him. We've seen Magic, they got a similar style, but what he does in a game, how he affects games, I haven't seen that. I haven't went against it. But him and Kobe for sure are the hardest and toughest guys that I've ever had to play against."

Source:


Dwyane Wade says Kobe Bryant, LeBron James are toughest players he's faced





Kyrie Irving (February 17th, 2017):

[on his All-Time NBA Team]

"I'd put MJ at the 1, Kobe at the 2, Ray Allen at the 3, gotta space it out, got to have a spot up 4, so I'm probably going to go with KG, he's going to rim-run, do the dirty work. I'd put Shaq at the 5."

Source:
Kyrie Irving left LeBron James off his all-time NBA All-Star team




Jelani McCoy (April 26th, 2017)

“You couldn’t have had a better player for that time than Kobe Bryant. He soaked up every bit of that and used that to what he is now. Which is one of the greatest, if not the greatest player of all time.”

Source:

 

[Rout3r2035]

2000 - Shaq
2001 - Shaq
2002 - Shaq
2003 - Duncan
2004 - KG
2005 - Duncan
2006 - Duncan
2007 - Duncan
2008 - ??? Weird season
2009 - Wade
2010 - ??? I guess LeBron
2011 - Dirk
2012 - Lebron
2013 - Lebron
2014 - Lebron
2015 - Lebron
2016 - Curry

You could argue Kobe in '06 and '08 but there was no point where he was definitively the best like the eras where Shaq, Duncan, and LeBron reigned.

 

[Megadeus]

This breh spent the entire weekend scouring the internet for a bunch of disembodied heat of the moment quotes, most given minutes after a big Kobe game or during his retirement tour... nearly half of them from his own teammates/coaches.

This is what you stans will never understand. The objective raw facts, numbers and info are right there in your face, yet you stay stuck on narratives and kneejerk opinions.

 

[ISO]

00000000000000000000000000000022


I ain't no fukk'n homer like your self equating ass dookie eater.
Stop deflecting...
You know damn well you was gon fail ever bringing up bron name in a time.
before he flanked wade and wade had to ramp this nikka up to win the title.

Art Barr

Ramp what up? Wade was hobbled for many games in them Finals runs. LeBron is a better player than Wade period. LeBron was the better player in every fukking playoff series except the 2011 Finals, and was always a more dominant player. In '09 he was a better player on both ends, Wade had an ass team and put up big numbers on his way to 42 wins foh.

 

[Art Barr]

Ramp what up? Wade was hobbled for many games in them Finals runs. LeBron is a better player than Wade period. LeBron was the better player in every fukking playoff series except the 2011 Finals, and was always a more dominant player. In '09 he was a better player on both ends, Wade had an ass team and put up big numbers on his way to 42 wins foh.

so you got a fuzzy memory of what happened to lebron versus the spur and he got swept.
plus, the loss to the mav's in his second appearance where he wilted and wade had to take over.
it was not till wade aided that nikka in the rampup process to win after a year of seasoning, AND ANOTHER RAMP UP FINALS APPEARANCE WITH WADE, did lebron win.

wade did not need a rampup with shaq to win, my nikka.
wade did not need two trips to the finals to learn how to win,...he won the first time by willing his way.

bron always needed rampup wins to win a title.
even in high school bron needed to ramp up, and it was the same in the pros.
except in the pros he needed a staff with championship pedigree from the front office to a superstar who converted by willing himself in wade to do it.

so, just stop with the homer shyt, dookie lips.
maybe eating all that horse shyt on the ground at your ship parade made y'all lose your memories.

or maybe all the liter fluid on the jerseys y'all burned stunted your mental ability to be cognitive.

chu tweak'n if lebron did not need a rampup from wade to win the nba title.
shyt he just needed to be bailed out by kyrie, just last year, too.


art barr

nikkaz forget,..i liked bron more than you, my nikka.
i can debunk any bron arguement cause i am real about the nikka,..he is no goat and neither was kobe.
as i was a bigger kobe fan than nikkaz, too. except i know the difference and saw the real, which was mj from start to finish, period.

 

[Thatrogueassdiaz]

Kobe had such a beautiful game. Dude is definitely top 8 all time.

 

[High quality poster]

This breh spent the entire weekend scouring the internet for a bunch of disembodied heat of the moment quotes, most given minutes after a big Kobe game or during his retirement tour... nearly half of them from his own teammates/coaches.

This is what you stans will never understand. The objective raw facts, numbers and info are right there in your face, yet you stay stuck on narratives and kneejerk opinions.

Kobe haters are hilarious I swear. You literally have legends of the game saying these things and you still hate. But when nerdy cacs give us there opinions y'all love it.

 

[ISO]

so you got a fuzzy memory of what happened to lebron versus the spur and he got swept.
plus, the loss to the mav's in his second appearance where he wilted and wade had to take over.
it was not till wade aided that nikka in the rampup process to win after a year of seasoning, AND ANOTHER RAMP UP FINALS APPEARANCE WITH WADE, did lebron win.

wade did not need a rampup with shaq to win, my nikka.
wade did not need two trips to the finals to learn how to win,...he won the first time by willing his way.

bron always needed rampup wins to win a title.
even in high school bron needed to ramp up, and it was the same in the pros.
except in the pros he needed a staff with championship pedigree from the front office to a superstar who converted by willing himself in wade to do it.

so, just stop with the homer shyt, dookie lips.
maybe eating all that horse shyt on the ground at your ship parade made y'all lose your memories.

or maybe all the liter fluid on the jerseys y'all burned stunted your mental ability to be cognitive.

chu tweak'n if lebron did not need a rampup from wade to win the nba title.
shyt he just needed to be bailed out by kyrie, just last year, too.


art barr

nikkaz forget,..i liked bron more than you, my nikka.
i can debunk any bron arguement cause i am real about the nikka,..he is no goat and neither was kobe.
as i was a bigger kobe fan than nikkaz, too. except i know the difference and saw the real, which was mj from start to finish, period.

lebron and wade's finals appearances in 07 and 06 are not comparable
lebron faced a highly pedigreed spurs team with future hofs, it was a miracle for lebron to even take that 07 cavs team to the finals as it took jordanesque performances to beat a more highly pedigreed detroit team that made five straight conference finals and had the finest defenses of its era
wade would never beat the 07 spurs he would not be able to shake bruce bowen and bust zones especially when second option larry hughes injured and an utterly washed eric snow at point not with boobie gibson as the second best player on some nights, nobody could take out the spurs that year with the supporting cast bron had at just 22 years old
while in 06 wade faced a dallas team that were known as chokers in real time they would choke the finals
after 67 regular season wins and the very next year they would lose to the we believe eight seed warriors in the first round
it was not until 11 that dirk could shed this image as a loser, not only that but lebron's cast was nowhere near comparable to wade's
not in skill or pedigree, lebron during his first tenure in cleveland never had anyone like an '06 shaq who was in the mvp race the year before
and still good for 20 and 10 on 60% FG, as well as guys like white chocolate, antoine walker, the glove, zo, posey, and goat coaching from pat riley
not only that but wade benefited from questionable officiating from donaghy era referees where wade shot ft's at damn near record pace
by '09 lebron had already had more legendary playoff games than wade and done more with less than wade so my nikka how did lebron need wade to ramp up
all lebron needed was a serviceable supporting cast to combat the big 4 of boston and whoever came out the west
in prime form with hobbled wade and bosh, lebron was able to will the heat to victory with legendary playoff performances

in 11 when bron choked he worked with hakeem on his post game and jumpshooting to beat the tough zones that dallas utilized against him, the loss humbled lebron.
also kyrie would not bail lebron out in the finals, he simply served his role as secondary ball handler to lebron and best shooter off the dribble
how did kyrie bail out bron when bron had the finest defensive play in nba history to save the game and lead the finals in every statistical category and continously sonned golden child curry at the rim.

how would kyrie bail out lebron when lebron scored more points in the fourth than kyrie, if thats the case others have also bailed out kobe and mj as you forget that this is a team game and role players and second/third options have hit huge shots in pivotal moments throughout the history of the game.

anyway this is off-topic as the initial debate was whether wade was better than lebron in 09.
he wasn't as lebron proved himself the best and most dominant/impactful player in the a
when he outdueled kobe twice in 09 and led his team to 66 wins and the year before took championship boston to 7 games in the playoffs with a significantly weaker cast while wrapping up his scoring title. while also beating the supposed best player in the a kobe twice hitting a gamewinning dagger in his face a couple days before x mas 2008.
when he had the finest defensive season at his position since artest years earlier and racked up 23 chasedown blocks finishing second in the dpoy race to prime dwight
becoming the most fearsome transition defender and guarding whoever mike brown wanted him to guard. when he led the league in 4th quarter scoring and averaged 35/8/9 through three playoff rounds
and hit the shot vs orlando in the playoffs
where he posted up advanced numbers not seen since mj or prime shaq
wade put up numbers on a bad miami team and had a huge ramp up in the second half of that season but in totality he was not better than lebron that year who won mvp for a reason
lebron was the most coveted player in 2010 for a reason because gm's knew no other player could do what lebron could do for a team. lebron was the chosen one project number one pick since a jr in hs, never was wade seen as a better player, wade came into the league in a better situation which is why he won first as lebron was drafted to a city with a 50 year drought in championships across all sports.

while nikkas look for the next mj, I appreciate the kobe's, lebron's, and wade's for what they are. as it is pointless to chase the goat as he will always be the goat.

 

[InstantKlassik]

Dirk was never considered the best player in the NBA by anyone. Even in his MVP year

2011 post season he was

 

[Controversy]

Poster is right that almost no one would say that LeBron was better but that doesn't mean it wasn't true. I remember thinking how the Lakers would have been better if they could just trade Kobe for Bron straight up. Bron shot more efficiently, was a better passer and was a great defender. The only thing stopping him back then was his teammates and his head trash. I think he might have shrunk under the bright lights if he had faced Boston and Orlando in the finals where as Kobe (though he shot terribly) rose to the occasion when it mattered. But to me Bron was already a better player.

Bron ain't the defender Kobe was & that's the diff

Bron never challenges himself defensively but Kobe did from the very of his career

 

[ISO]

Bron ain't the defender Kobe was & that's the diff

Bron never challenges himself defensively but Kobe did from the very of his career

LeBron had more seasons in the DPoY conversation, could defend more positions, and make far more explosive defensive plays than Kobe ever could. How does LeBron not challenge himself defensively when he has been switched off to guards like MVP Rose and Tony Parker and locked them down, when just last year he was trusted to switch to DeRozan in 4Q's of the ECF, when LeBron effectively guarded PF's and some C's as a small ball PF in Miami, when his signature play requires him to run the length of the court and pin shots off the glass killing fast breaks.