A lot of people who don't watch basketball and just listen to the media who say that Michael Jordan is the best ever and that Kobe Bryant is a ballhog. People that watch basketball know that's not true. Kobe Bryant isn't a ballhog and if you watch a Laker game you will see. Michael Jordan isn't the best ever. Michael Jordan was favored by the refs and the NBA. The NBA made the three-point line shorter to fit MJ's range better and they changed the hand checking rule to help Jordan on offense. Jordan pushed off Byron Russell which should have been an offensive foul. If you watched the Hornets-Spurs game 6 you will see that Chris Paul did the same thing as that twice and got called for an offensive foul both times. Kobe Bryant is the refs least favorite person in the league (except for maybe Ron Artest and Rasheed Wallace). If he gets hammered on offense they will not call a foul and on defense if he only has a little body contact on the offensive player he will get called for a foul. Kobe is one of the best 3-point shooters in the league while Jordan was mediocre even on the shorter 3-point line. I like Micheal Jordan, but I believe that Kobe is better and people should know why. Michael Jordan has the better stats but he also played in a time of bad defense and he got every call his way. Scottie Pippen and all the other good players on the Bulls made Michael Jordan look better. Without Scottie Pippen, Jordan never got close to a championship. No Jordan fans want to admit it, but Kobe Bryant is better than Michael Jordan. When they played each other Kobe scored over 40 points in the first half while being guarded by MJ. Everyone says Jordan is the best ever because of all his MVP's and Championships (which he wouldn't have gotten without the help of the NBA), but no one says Bill Russell is the greatest and he won 11 championships and Kareem won 6 MVP's during his NBA career but very few people call him the greatest ever. Michael Jordan complained to the refs just as much as Kobe does if not more, but he never got called for a technical because the refs didn't want to help the other team. I do think MJ is one of the greatest players ever and I like him as an NBA player but I still believe Kobe is better.
It all depends on the criteria one uses to rate the best players. Wilt Chamberlain had absolute monster seasons including AVERAGING 50 points and 25 rebounds for an entire season. Jabbar's skyhook was considered unstoppable, he was also a 6 time MVP. Russell was the ultimate team player and has 11 championships.
Kobe will probably end up as one of the top 5 scorers in history. He's a perrinial all defensive team selection. Kobe needs another championship to solidify his standing as an all time great. That will get the silly #### off his back of winning without Shaq. Two more championships would truly be awesome.
Did you actually watch Jordan play or are you gathering your opinions from 2 or 3 dvds? Jordan didn't play in the 60's!! You are completely blind by your undying love for Kobe. I have my favorite players too but I'm never this damn ridiculous!!
There are over 10 things I disagree with here and I don't want writer's cramp to mention them all...but this blog bothers me so much I have to bring up a few.
"Kobe is the refs least favorite person in the league" He's 4th in the league in FT attempts...so he gets plenty of calls his way. And the Lakers have DOMINATED the FT category in the Jazz series so you definitely can't complain about that.
"Scottie Pippen and all the other good players on the Bulls made Michael Jordan look better" Are you kidding me!!!! How well did Pippen and his "other good players do" when Jordan retired??
"Kobe is one of the best 3-point shooters in the league" He's not even in the top 20 in 3pt percentage. He's not even the best Laker! Its Vujacic...
Jordan didn't become a regular 3pt shooter until later in his career when he stopped competing in dunk contests to save his knees and have a longer career...
You can't be a huge basketball fan and think this way...you are a HUGE KOBE fan, period.
I'm not sure how many games you watched MJ play, but I'm guessing it is quite a few less than the amount you've watched Kobe.
Those of us who have watched both for an extended time are virtually unanimous that MJ was superior to Kobe.
The three point line is the same now as it was when MJ played except for 2 seasons. MJ had a higher shooting percentage than Kobe.
Jazz fans would disagree with your statement about Kobe, "If he gets hammered on offense they will not call a foul", he has averaged over 13 free throws/game against the Jazz.
I saw your link, but there isn't much supporting data about who the writer is and why he has the agenda he does. I mean, who has EVER heard of Brian Jalas???
It becomes very difficult to compare players from different eras, because of the changes in the game over time.
Wilt Chaimberlain has most of the untouchable records, but now that there are so many more big players that would likely not be the case if he was in the league today. Bill Russell has the most rings, but with the salary cap and draft system of today would the Celtics have beeen able to field the best team all those years in a row?
Many have called Kareem the best of all time, some like Oscar Robertson, and a few tab Wilt and Russell. Jordan was the most-recent great, and he was well marketed.
However, no matter what standard or argument you use, at this point in his career, it isn't reasonable to say Kobe is better than MJ.
I'm certain Kobe would agree...
Last edited by nba is the worst on May 16th at 5:50 PM.
Well. MJ has averaged more freethrow attempts per game than Bryant. 8.2 to 7.7. So that is pretty obvious.
Yes Kobe doesnt have the accolades that Jordan had or the Championships, but Kobe is a better player than Jordan.
If you judge a player on stats, Wilt is the greatest. If you judge a player on Championships, Russell was the greatest. If you judge a player on MVP awards, Kareem was the greatest. If you judge a player on being the best teammate, Magic was the greatest.
But take away their core!
MJ has never had a winning season without the Bulls Championship core. 5 Seasons! Kobe is on his way to the Western Conference Finals without Shaq. (The Big Hump) and has a pretty good chance of winning it all by the looks of the Vegas odds.
Let's say the Lakers win the title? Then, he would have accomplished something Jordan had never come close to. Winning without his Championship core.
You see. Kobe Bryant right now is a better "all around" player than Jordan was. I'm sorry. As for defense. Pippen was the Bulls best defender, and besides Rodman, MJ was their third best.
But you cant just judge a player on what he's done with future Hall of Famers. The true mark of the "greatest" comes with what you've done WITHOUT them!
Not only that, but you have to consider that MJ, in his prime, really had NO competition. The Knicks, Heat, Pacers, Cavs, Hawks are NOTHING compared to the Spurs, Jazz, Rockets, Suns, Mavs, and now Hornets. NOTHING!
A conference that has had 9 of the last 10 MVPs and 7 of the last 9 championships.
What a lot of you dont understand is that Jordan was human. He made a ton of mistakes. Wasnt the greatest teammate, took a ton of ill advised shots, had trouble with management, lost a few games for his team, had made a lot of turnovers when he shouldnt. The problem is, none of you would know that.
I did buy the shoes to jump higher, I did have my copy of "Come Fly With Me" I was a Jordan fan. I did watch him all the time on our huge 7 foot sattelite dish. And I was also a Lakers fan. And compared to Bryant, MJ wasnt as good.
And I'm not the only one. Phil Jackson thinks so as well. And NONE of you can argue with HIS opinion. NONE of you!
You wanna know why? Because he's actually watched them both play almost every game. Not on Youtube either.
No Bryant isnt a 6 time champion yet. Nor does he have 5 MVP trophies yet. But we're only halfway through his career. But as for ON THE COURT, and accolades and Championships aside, Kobe is better. Sorry to say.
As for the haters? We'll see! As for the fans. Start talking about it because it is coming to pass.
As for what Jordan's teammates did after he retired,
Pippen was One Quarter away from leading the Blazers to the Finals in 1999.
Actually, Pippen has gone further in the playoffs without Jordan, than Jordan has gone without Pippen.
Rodman has 3 rings other than Jordan. Steve Kerr got two rings after Jordan and Horace Grant got a ring after him as well.
Besides that.
Jerry Stackhouse, Christian Laettner, Charles Oakley, Larry Hughes, Richard Hamilton, and even Kwame Brown have all been better players without Jordan as their teammate.
But if you want to bring Caron Butler up. The 1st year he played with Bryant in 2004 - 2005 was his highest spike in his career, to this day, when it comes to efficiency.
Thank you tcb - now I never have to argue with you again.
I think everyone that agrees with this blog should just make a post now, so we can put you on a list.
So far:
Ubershorty
TCB
Kobe is NO WHERE NEAR the player Jordan was.
Jordan DOMINATED his competition.
DOMINATED.
Do you think people sat around when Jordan was 30 years old and argued who was better, Jordan or Malone? Jordan or anybody? No.
LOTS OF PEOPLE think LeBron James is the best player in the NBA. LOTS OF PEOPLE think Chris Paul is the best player in the NBA. LOTS OF PEOPLE think Tim Duncan has been the best player of the last 10 years.
Kobe is great, he's not even the best player of his generation, IMO, and many would agree.
No one could say that about Jordan.
I won't get into stats because you fools just DISREGARD them completely anyway.
i saw jordan play live on TV. i saw jordan play live at the richfield coliseum numerous times ( i got to play there once too!!)
i saw rex chapman light michael jordan up like a christmas tree on february 23, 1996 at the old miami arena. LIVE!! and lower level.
chapman went 9-10 from distance and finished with 39 to jordan's 31 as the heat beat the bulls. (that's the year the bulls won 72 games this game was one of only 10 regular season bull loses.)
i saw kobe play at staples center twice this season live. i watched nearly every laker game over the last 4 seasons live on TV.
now that you know my credentials, is it still OK for me to roll around on the floor when i read you TRY to elevate the legend that you've all created to KOBE!! to be comprable to MJ?
jordan came into the league and created a dynasty out of a pitiful franchise.
kobe came into the league turned a dynasty into a pitiful franchise.
and not to throw water on you kobe fans but i agree with people who classify MJ jordan as the greatest hoopster!!!!! until kobe is?? in terms of what jordan did on the court!!!!and the amount of rings he won!!!! MJ in my view is the best!!!! count em how many rings has kobe won??? jordan 6???? thats my story and im sticking to it!!!!
Recently, quite a few celebrities and pro athletes were said to appear on the millionaire luxury club __RichMatchMaking.com____OMG!!! Are these famous guys fond of internet dating for now?? Maybe they are indeed so rich that they feel boring sometimes to need new things?
The refs do not hate Kobe as he goes to the line 15 times a game. "
Let's say the Lakers win the title? Then, he would have accomplished something Jordan had never come close to. Winning without his Championship core." WOW! That implies that Kobe has no supporting cast and is doing it all by himself, but lets face it Gasol and Odem are huge parts of the Lakers success. Your alleged "Greatest Player of All Time" Didn't even take a shot in the 4th quarter of game 5. He doesn't take a shot and some people are still willing to clain that he is carrying this team?
Just from the tone of your writing, I can tell that you are still very young. It is obvious that all the stuff you have referenced in your piece has come from things you have read or heard someone say. It is not from watching hundreds of games played by MJ and by Kobe. You obviously have no firsthand basis for comparison.
You are a Kobe fan. Understandably you want "your guy" to get his proper respect. But putting down the greatest icon of basketball is not the way to do it. You do not have to tear down MJ to elevate Kobe. If Kobe is destined to become the greatest ever, it will happen. If not, none of these kinds of pieces is going to make it happen. Frankly it just makes you look a little foolish.
The fact that basketball people are still looking for the "next Michael Jordan" says it all. I have never once heard anyone say a new player is the "next Kobe."
Kobe is a great player, but greater than MJ. Not yet, maybe not ever.
* 14-time All-Star
* Olympic Gold Medalist—1984, 1992
* Five-time MVP—1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998
* Six-time NBA Finals MVP—1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998
* Seven-time The Sporting News MVP—1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1998
* Rookie of the Year—1985
* Defensive Player of the Year—1988
* 11-time All-NBA—10 times first team, 1 time second team
* Nine-time All-Defensive First Team
* Sports Illustrated "Sportsman of the Year"—1991
* Named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996
* Two-time Slam Dunk Contest champion—1987, 1988
Select records
* Most scoring titles—10
* Most All-Defensive First Teams—9
* Most NBA Finals MVP awards—6
* Highest career scoring average—30.12
* Highest career scoring average playoffs—33.45
* Most consecutive games scoring in double figures—866
* Highest single series scoring average NBA Finals—41.0 (1993)
It's not fair to both Jordan and Kobe to be compared to each other, that's the bottom line.
There is only one Jordan. There is only one Kobe. Period.
But I will say this.
What makes the Jordan of 1989 - 1998 better than Kobe right now (key words, Kobe right now) is Jordan's EXTREME EXCELLENCE IN COURT AWARENESS.
That is the biggest difference and because of this trait, Jordan's Bulls would defeat Kobe's Lakers in a seven-game series.
Jordan simply knew when to make certain plays at certain times of the game. He knew exactly when to pour it on. He knew when to take a back seat. He knew when to get 13 assists at crucial points in the game and he knew when to score 10 in a row to seal the deal. Kobe is still evolving into that type of player. But Bryant's time will come and I'm sure of this.
There were times during the fourth quarter in Game 6 as Utah was starting to make a run when Kobe forced the issue a couple of times and either turned the ball over or got an offensive foul. Jordan rarely made these mistakes in big games because of his knack for knowing what to do and when to do it during game situations.
You have done it again Oracle, you really like to stir it up. Reading your blogs I sometimes wonder if you even believe what your writing. Either way I dig it, makes for interesting conversation when peoples emotions get involved. This year for Kobe was a MJ type year, he made his players better and landed the MVP on top of it. Probably the best in the game now, but best ever...no way not yet. You are clearly of the Kobe generation and thats cool, but those of us who watched MJ play know at this point there is no comparison. Maybe someday, but as of right now Michael Jordan clearly the best.
mj was the the one who changed the face of b-ball kobe changed the attitude af be ball and shaq ruined the look of dominate big men in b-ball. the fundumentals of basketball are lost thats what really needs to be found
THE GAME EVOLVES! Kobe, Lebron, Iverson...(just fill in any explosive players), grew up watching and mimicking Jordan. They were doing some of the things he was doing in the Finals while they were in high school. Also, defenses get better because after seeing so many people doing these moves, defenders will come up with ways to stop them. Eventually the really good ones (see list above) develop newer techniques to get the ball to the basket and score. Now if you could take Jordan from 1994 and Kobe of today and put them in a matchup with equally matched teams, Kobe would win, if only because nearly every point guard, shooting guard and small forward he's faced since he's been in the league does the same things that Jordan perfected many years ago. This is not to say that Kobe's better, he just would have more experience defending that type of player. In Jordan's era there were few players that even attempted the moves he mastered, so defenders rarely saw play like that. If you take MJ of then and put him against defenders of today, He would not AVG 30 pts a game, they have a better feel for what he's about to do. That's why you can only compare players in the same era. That goes for other positions: Wilt vs. Hakeem, Russell vs. Duncan. The game is better because it builds on itself. Its not just Basketball. Does anyone here believe that the 16-0 Miami Dolphins would have a chance in hell with this year's Patriots or for that matter any other NFL Team (well...except for the um...Dolphins).
YOu make a huge point BIGMO about the evolution of players and the game itself and how succeeding generations adjust to the style of play.
But I completely disagree with you about Jordan not averaging 30 if he played in today's game.
A player of Jordan's caliber, not to mention his cerebral nature for the game, would undoubtedly adjust to today's style of play.
Keep in mind that Jordan was just as athletically gifted as today's athletes, if not more. He's not AIR JORDAN for nothing you know.
He'd still be able to take it to the rack and dunk on people and utilize his vast array of moves. What separates Jordan from many players in both generations is his uncanny footwork, which is similar to Kobe's.
If 6-4 Monta Ellis can do what he does, I have no doubt in my mind that Jordan is a 28-32 ppg scorer in today's game. In fact, Jordan scored 40 pts a couple of times with the Wizards just five years ago as a 40-year old. That should tell you something about his ability to compete with today's players. So what more if the MJ in his prime played in 2003?
And I haven't even begun to talk about Mike's post up game, fadeaway turnaround jumpers, three-point shots, and mid range game.
Bottom line: Michael is as complete a player (mentally and skillwise) as anyone who's ever played the game in ANY generation.
Now this is going to sound silly, but Kobe may pass Jordan in basketball skills, but he will never gain the respect and even love that Jordan has garnered.
Jordan had the personality that made people just like him, even people who should have hated him because of the rivalries.
Kobe has the personality that makes you want to slap him up side the head and ask him what he was thinking.
I think you call it charm. Jordan has it, Kobe doesn't.
If you base it on raw talent alone, then Kobe can lay claim to being ONE of the best. If you're talking about a team leader that will bring championships to their club, he isn't even in the list.
Several people here have the argument that Michael was clearly the best of "his time" but I disagree. It is not that clear. I, for one, think Magic is right there. Could he have scored like Jordan, sure, but he did so much more in making his team so much better. I honestly think Magic should always be in this discussion as best ever. The ultimate team player who could and did take over when necessary. He even played center when called upon and made the big shots. Who else could have done what the "Magic Man" did...nobody.
The best ever what? Kobe is a spoiled, whinny little hood rat that feels everyone should like him because he can put a ball through a hoop but even a trained #### can do that. I'm sorry but after his sexual offence trail and that fact that his wife and the naba fans allowed him to get away with it, you would think he would be a bit more mature. Instead he still has his "it's all about me" attitude.
Basketball has lost some of it's flava! Now, instead of teams winning championships, it's individuals. Kobe is having his time, just like Russell, Havlicek, Cousy, Magic and Kareem, Dr. J And Moses, Bird and so many others. The evolution of today's game caters to the individuality and flare of a player and not so much the "heart".... You feel me? Kobe will be one of the best. That's after Jordan and Magic... In my opinion!
I am a huge pro basketball fan. I am also a huge Lakers fan. I hate the Celtics because of the players attitudes and the biggest homer in basketball, their announcer, Tommy Heinsohn. I am not bias in the posts about these teams though. My favorite player is Kobe Bryant and I also like everyone on the Lakers. I also like Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, and Kyle Weaver (2008 draft class). Please visit my website, www.thebasket balloracle.co m
