Poll: Where does Kobe rank among the NBA's greatest players?

[Androslav]

I'd rank him somewhere between 10-14.
The game was historically much more suitable for bigmen. Nowadays it is different.

[Mike Pemulis]

MJ
Russell
Kareem
Magic
Bird
Kobe
Duncan
Hakeem
Lebron
Shaq

[Somebody]

lol at anyone who doesn't put Larry near the top.

And there's no describing the ignorance of someone who doesn't put Wilt near the top. No one approaches the things he did. If it should be somehow devalued because of the era he played in, then how is it no one else could do the things he did?

Lol at anyone who doesn't bother to read others' reasoning for player rankings. When did I ever say that I'm discrediting Wilt's accomplishments because of his era? If anything I think his era was a golden era for big men, I've gone to bat for the 60s a lot of times on this forum.

There's no describing someone's ignorance who throws a hissy fit because someone else's GOAT list doesn't rank their favourite players in a specific position.

[Somebody]

I think there is a legit argument that Kobe's MVP should have gone to Lebron or KG and that over half his All-Defense awards he got were undeserved.

It should've gone to KG - he was the best player in the world in '08, LeBron hadn't hit his stride back then (he only really hit transcedency in '09 when his defence and offensive quarterbacking took a huge jump).

[Somebody]

I think all of Kobe's awards were well-earned.

Doesn't make sense - now - to try and discredit them.

Oh, believe me, I was discrediting his awards while he was getting them, not just now.

There is probably a long thread somewhere deep in the archives where most of this blog were openly bemoaning, deservedly so, that KG didn't get that MVP award. Discrediting his awards is not something new, not on this blog, not by me.

I think it is hard to beat those regular season stats from Kobe for that year.

KG was instrumental for BOS that year but from a defensive standpoint. KG did get DPOY, though.

Unfortunately - defensive stalwarts never win MVP awards unless they score a bunch. KG - by his nature - wasn't going to kill you with his offense.

Which really makes you wonder whether the basketball minds of the 60s were on to something when they kept on correctly naming Russell the MVP a bunch of times throughout the 60s - defence matters A LOT when you dig deep into the numbers, and it jives with the eye test as well.

[nickagneta]

I think all of Kobe's awards were well-earned.

Doesn't make sense - now - to try and discredit them.

Oh, believe me, I was discrediting his awards while he was getting them, not just now.

There is probably a long thread somewhere deep in the archives where most of this blog were openly bemoaning, deservedly so, that KG didn't get that MVP award. Discrediting his awards is not something new, not on this blog, not by me.

I think it is hard to beat those regular season stats from Kobe for that year.

KG was instrumental for BOS that year but from a defensive standpoint. KG did get DPOY, though.

Unfortunately - defensive stalwarts never win MVP awards unless they score a bunch. KG - by his nature - wasn't going to kill you with his offense.

Which really makes you wonder whether the basketball minds of the 60s were on to something when they kept on correctly naming Russell the MVP a bunch of times throughout the 60s - defence matters A LOT when you dig deep into the numbers, and it jives with the eye test as well.

Yup. KG anchored THE best defensive team of the last 25 to 30 years. KG didn't have the offensive counting stats but he made up for it with ridiculous defense both as an individual and as the anchor to a historically great team defense. That should have counted for so much more than it did in the minds of so many voters that year. People forget. That team started 29-3 and it was all because KG came here, changed the culture and demanded everyone play their best defense every minute on the floor. He was that year's MVP.

[Somebody]

I think all of Kobe's awards were well-earned.

Doesn't make sense - now - to try and discredit them.

Oh, believe me, I was discrediting his awards while he was getting them, not just now.

There is probably a long thread somewhere deep in the archives where most of this blog were openly bemoaning, deservedly so, that KG didn't get that MVP award. Discrediting his awards is not something new, not on this blog, not by me.

I think it is hard to beat those regular season stats from Kobe for that year.

KG was instrumental for BOS that year but from a defensive standpoint. KG did get DPOY, though.

Unfortunately - defensive stalwarts never win MVP awards unless they score a bunch. KG - by his nature - wasn't going to kill you with his offense.

Which really makes you wonder whether the basketball minds of the 60s were on to something when they kept on correctly naming Russell the MVP a bunch of times throughout the 60s - defence matters A LOT when you dig deep into the numbers, and it jives with the eye test as well.

Yup. KG anchored THE best defensive team of the last 25 to 30 years. KG didn't have the offensive counting stats but he made up for it with ridiculous defense both as an individual and as the anchor to a historically great team defense. That should have counted for so much more than it did in the minds of so many voters that year. People forget. That team started 29-3 and it was all because KG came here, changed the culture and demanded everyone play their best defense every minute on the floor. He was that year's MVP.

I think people are taught to just value other things more in basketball - for example flashy isolation scoring with ball pounding, ball dominant assists and impressive shotblocking/ball-stripping instead of elite frontcourt floor spacing, GOAT level big man complementary passing and GOAT level help defence.

[Jvalin]

I'm a sucker for dominant defensive players. Huge fan of KG's game here!

Guys like Kobe, KG, Karl Malone, Moses, Jerry West, Dirk, Barkley were all stunning players. Really difficult to rank them in terms of talent. It's way easier to rank them in terms of accomplishments. What breaks the tie for me is ring count. Kobe got 5, KG got 1. It's as simple as that.

Sure, he was playing second fiddle to Shaq. He wasn't the best player in the 2010 Finals. I get all of that. At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter. What matters is the fact that he won. It's not like he were a role player with multiple rings (Robert Horry). He was always among the protagonists (if not the main protagonist).

Luck plays a big role in success. KG got drafted by the Wolves. Kobe got drafted by the Hornets, but immediately got traded to the Lakers. I firmly believe that if KG were playing for the Lakers (or the Spurs under Pop) he would have had way more rings. Tough luck for KG, but it is what it is.

[JSD]

He’s not even a top 5 Laker

Magic
Kareem
Shaq
Wilt
West

[GreenFaith1819]

I think all of Kobe's awards were well-earned.

Doesn't make sense - now - to try and discredit them.

Oh, believe me, I was discrediting his awards while he was getting them, not just now.

There is probably a long thread somewhere deep in the archives where most of this blog were openly bemoaning, deservedly so, that KG didn't get that MVP award. Discrediting his awards is not something new, not on this blog, not by me.

I think it is hard to beat those regular season stats from Kobe for that year.

KG was instrumental for BOS that year but from a defensive standpoint. KG did get DPOY, though.

Unfortunately - defensive stalwarts never win MVP awards unless they score a bunch. KG - by his nature - wasn't going to kill you with his offense.

Which really makes you wonder whether the basketball minds of the 60s were on to something when they kept on correctly naming Russell the MVP a bunch of times throughout the 60s - defence matters A LOT when you dig deep into the numbers, and it jives with the eye test as well.

Yup. KG anchored THE best defensive team of the last 25 to 30 years. KG didn't have the offensive counting stats but he made up for it with ridiculous defense both as an individual and as the anchor to a historically great team defense. That should have counted for so much more than it did in the minds of so many voters that year. People forget. That team started 29-3 and it was all because KG came here, changed the culture and demanded everyone play their best defense every minute on the floor. He was that year's MVP.

I think people are taught to just value other things more in basketball - for example flashy isolation scoring with ball pounding, ball dominant assists and impressive shotblocking/ball-stripping instead of elite frontcourt floor spacing, GOAT level big man complementary passing and GOAT level help defence.

So...SO..true, Nick and Somebody.

THIS guy made sure our Celtics got that kind of Defensive recognition



He ENSURED that The League RECOGNIZED our Celtics Teams for DEFENSIVE efforts...look how many of our guys got DEFENSIVE recognition through the years.

I even remember reading somewhere that the league was upset with Red in the early 2000s because he was insisting that the All Star players played defense, LOL....can't find that info anywhere on Google (yet)..

I can see that happening.

Red would've LOVED KG...I know Russell did.

[Somebody]

I think all of Kobe's awards were well-earned.

Doesn't make sense - now - to try and discredit them.

Oh, believe me, I was discrediting his awards while he was getting them, not just now.

There is probably a long thread somewhere deep in the archives where most of this blog were openly bemoaning, deservedly so, that KG didn't get that MVP award. Discrediting his awards is not something new, not on this blog, not by me.

I think it is hard to beat those regular season stats from Kobe for that year.

KG was instrumental for BOS that year but from a defensive standpoint. KG did get DPOY, though.

Unfortunately - defensive stalwarts never win MVP awards unless they score a bunch. KG - by his nature - wasn't going to kill you with his offense.

Which really makes you wonder whether the basketball minds of the 60s were on to something when they kept on correctly naming Russell the MVP a bunch of times throughout the 60s - defence matters A LOT when you dig deep into the numbers, and it jives with the eye test as well.

Yup. KG anchored THE best defensive team of the last 25 to 30 years. KG didn't have the offensive counting stats but he made up for it with ridiculous defense both as an individual and as the anchor to a historically great team defense. That should have counted for so much more than it did in the minds of so many voters that year. People forget. That team started 29-3 and it was all because KG came here, changed the culture and demanded everyone play their best defense every minute on the floor. He was that year's MVP.

I think people are taught to just value other things more in basketball - for example flashy isolation scoring with ball pounding, ball dominant assists and impressive shotblocking/ball-stripping instead of elite frontcourt floor spacing, GOAT level big man complementary passing and GOAT level help defence.

So...SO..true, Nick and Somebody.

THIS guy made sure our Celtics got that kind of Defensive recognition



He ENSURED that The League RECOGNIZED our Celtics Teams for DEFENSIVE efforts...look how many of our guys got DEFENSIVE recognition through the years.

I even remember reading somewhere that the league was upset with Red in the early 2000s because he was insisting that the All Star players played defense, LOL....can't find that info anywhere on Google (yet)..

I can see that happening.

Red would've LOVED KG...I know Russell did.

Great stuff! Now put KG into your top 10 jk

[Redz]

MJ
Russell
Kareem
Magic
Bird
Kobe
Duncan
Hakeem
Lebron
Shaq

Wilt?

[GreenFaith1819]

I think all of Kobe's awards were well-earned.

Doesn't make sense - now - to try and discredit them.

Oh, believe me, I was discrediting his awards while he was getting them, not just now.

There is probably a long thread somewhere deep in the archives where most of this blog were openly bemoaning, deservedly so, that KG didn't get that MVP award. Discrediting his awards is not something new, not on this blog, not by me.

I think it is hard to beat those regular season stats from Kobe for that year.

KG was instrumental for BOS that year but from a defensive standpoint. KG did get DPOY, though.

Unfortunately - defensive stalwarts never win MVP awards unless they score a bunch. KG - by his nature - wasn't going to kill you with his offense.

Which really makes you wonder whether the basketball minds of the 60s were on to something when they kept on correctly naming Russell the MVP a bunch of times throughout the 60s - defence matters A LOT when you dig deep into the numbers, and it jives with the eye test as well.

Yup. KG anchored THE best defensive team of the last 25 to 30 years. KG didn't have the offensive counting stats but he made up for it with ridiculous defense both as an individual and as the anchor to a historically great team defense. That should have counted for so much more than it did in the minds of so many voters that year. People forget. That team started 29-3 and it was all because KG came here, changed the culture and demanded everyone play their best defense every minute on the floor. He was that year's MVP.

I think people are taught to just value other things more in basketball - for example flashy isolation scoring with ball pounding, ball dominant assists and impressive shotblocking/ball-stripping instead of elite frontcourt floor spacing, GOAT level big man complementary passing and GOAT level help defence.

So...SO..true, Nick and Somebody.

THIS guy made sure our Celtics got that kind of Defensive recognition



He ENSURED that The League RECOGNIZED our Celtics Teams for DEFENSIVE efforts...look how many of our guys got DEFENSIVE recognition through the years.

I even remember reading somewhere that the league was upset with Red in the early 2000s because he was insisting that the All Star players played defense, LOL....can't find that info anywhere on Google (yet)..

I can see that happening.

Red would've LOVED KG...I know Russell did.

Great stuff! Now put KG into your top 10 jk

Oh don't worry - he IS, in my heart.

In past Historical drafts on here I've paired KG with Kareem....paired him with Hakeem....wanted to pair him with Shaq this time around.

Kevin Garnett is just as likely to make a clutch DEFENSIVE play as Kobe was to making a clutch OFFENSIVE play.

Offense fills the seats...sells tickets. Nothing wrong with that.

[Celtics4ever]

Top 10 not top five, maybe 7, 8, 9

[Fafnir]

Top 20. I also think several current players are well on pace to overtake him. Which could put him 25ish?