Hoopshype — Top 76 players of all time

[Moranis]

Kobe ain't top 10. that's for sure.

I think Kobe is getting the "he just died tragically young" vote here. As his death fades farther into history, I think Kobe will fall down to the 11th-13th spot were he belongs.

I don't think its his death that's doing it for him, I think it's more of a generational thing now.

Hanging out over on Reddit alot, seems like there's a large contingent of people who think the torch was passed from Jordan to Kobe to LeBron, that the 2000's decade was ruled by Kobe the way Jordan ruled the 90's.  And this seemed to be the sentiment before Kobe's death.

It's really interesting too, to hear the narrative change.  People my age and older probably remember Kobe being being the source of the problems (selfish teammate/player), but now those same issues are retold with Kobe as the victim.

Shaq leaving LA.  Was Kobe's fault, now Shaq's fault.

Teammates not getting along with Kobe.  That was Kobe being selfish, now it's Kobe was the only hard worker.

None of Kobe's teammates going to his wedding, his parents not going to his wedding.  That's because Kobe was a jerk.  Now it's because they were all jealous.

Kobe suing his parents.  It was because Kobe was a jerk.  Then it turned into his parents just wanting to profit off him

Kobe and Karl Malone beef.  That started when Kobe was waving off picks from Malone at Kobe's first All-Star game, so Kobe being a selfish prick.  Now it's because Karl Malone hit on Kobe's wife several years later.

Rape case.  Went from questions about the situation, to "what rape case?"

But that's all digressing from the point.  I really think it's a generational thing.  To a lot of fans born in the 90's and on, Kobe was their NBA god.  Less to do with his death, more to due with the "legend." The 2000's being more of an ensemble of NBA stars (Duncan, KG, Kidd, Kobe, Dirk, Nash, McGrady, Iverson, Shaq, etc.) as opposed to 1-2 dominate stars (LeBron in the '10s, Jordan in the 90's, Bird/Magic in the 80's), probably helps too, where I think people go back now and fill in Kobe when they play the name association game with the 00's, and this contributes to the overrating of his game too.

This is right.  Kobe's legend was always greater than his actual play. 

He also played for a very long time so he is high up on a lot of lists, and he played at a time when there weren't any other quality SG's so he could just cakewalk to the All NBA 1st Team every year.  I also think his defense was much more legend than earned.  He was obviously an excellent defender, but I don't think he was anywhere near the type of defensive player that should have been on 12 All Defense Teams (and 9 of them 1st Team).  That makes it seem like Kobe was the best guard defender in the sport's history, which just isn't true.