In their primes: KG or Kobe?

[MasterEmile]

I was having this discussion with a couple of friends.
Simple question: It's your first pick in a draft, you have no other players on the team yet, you have Kg and Kobe both in their respective primes. Who would you pick?

[kne]

Both have the heart of a champion. I think Kobe's play is slightly better and so his on-court impact would be more significant. KG, on the other hand, would be better to build a team culture.

I honestly can't decide.

I would pick prime Timmy over both, though.

[knuckleballer]

 I love KG, but this is an easy call.

[Jon]

I tend to agree with the Kobe consensus. However one has wonder what people would think about KG if he played the first half of his career with Shaq as his teammate.

[knuckleballer]

I tend to agree with the Kobe consensus. However one has wonder what people would think about KG if he played the first half of his career with Shaq as his teammate.

KG and Shaq's skills offset really well.  I loved the season they played together even if Shaq was a shell of his former self.  They would still need a perimeter player to create shots though.

[Moranis]

Am I building a team or just trying to win a game (or series)?

Building a team I probably take KG, trying to win a game (or series) probably take Kobe. 

It is the same discussion I have with people regarding Jordan and James.  I take James if I am building a team, but if I'm just trying to win a game or a series, I take Jordan. 

KG just seems like a guy that is easier to build around and would be a better teammate.  Guys love playing with him.  Kobe is a giant dick who no one likes to play with and all his teammates end up despising and leave, but he is the better player and the more dynamic scorer, which would more likely lead to a win in a game or series.  Plus, big men are harder to come by than guards, so for franchise building I'd rather have the big man.

[GC003332]

I was having this discussion with a couple of friends.
Simple question: It's your first pick in a draft, you have no other players on the team yet, you have Kg and Kobe both in their respective primes. Who would you pick?

I have a question for you, where is the team located that has this first pick?
No point in picking Kobe if he will demand a trade and no suit up for you 
I have my doubts whether Kobe could have lead Minnesota to 8 straight playoff runs like KG did.
So I would pick KG to have a sustained high level of performance from a team perspective.
Are they both going to be paid the same, if one demands a ridiculous salary and gets it , that may well hamper your efforts to put a quality team around them.

[krumeto]

I cannot make myself say Kobe. I am going all KG.

KG is the ultimate UBUNTU guy. Anchoring the defense, giving you the reliable 20 PPG and giving it all for the team. To me, the last point is key. You add KG first, you can add anybody to him and as long as the effort is 100%, KG will be with the team.

I have no basketball arguments against Kobe. It is the huge ego I do not like as a basis of a team.

[sofutomygaha]

I'm surprised that anyone would say Kobe. The chasm between Garnett's defensive value and Bryant's defensive value is so huge. Comparing their respective offensive values and their impact on their teammates is more controversial, but if your judgement is being clouded by championships and MVP trophies you need to hit the reset button.

[Who]

KG -- does more to help his teammates.

[PhoSita]

KG and it's an easy decision.

[loco_91]

Looking at offensive stats, Kobe posted merely solid efficiency on a ton of volume. Look at career PER: 23.2 and 22.8 for Kobe and KG respectively. In contrast a truly game-changing offensive player is Lebron, whose career PER is 27.7 (!!). The difference isn't due to Lebron being still in his prime; he has been more efficient his whole career than Kobe was even at his peak.

That is to say, Kobe was a great offensive player, but not a LBJ or MJ-level offensive dynamo. KG was also a great offensive player, and he changed the power forward position with his shooting, but he was never as much of a volume scorer as Kobe. 

Defensively, on the other hand, is where you see a BIG difference. Bryant actually has a negative defensive BPM for his career, which probably undersells him a bit, but the fact is that he is hardly a dominant force on this end. KG on the other hand, well, we've all watched him play: no stats needed. We're talking about the difference between a roughly average defender and perhaps the GOAT.

I'll take KG.

[sofutomygaha]

Looking at offensive stats, Kobe posted merely solid efficiency on a ton of volume. Look at career PER: 23.2 and 22.8 for Kobe and KG respectively. In contrast a truly game-changing offensive player is Lebron, whose career PER is 27.7 (!!). The difference isn't due to Lebron being still in his prime; he has been more efficient his whole career than Kobe was even at his peak.

That is to say, Kobe was a great offensive player, but not a LBJ or MJ-level offensive dynamo. KG was also a great offensive player, and he changed the power forward position with his shooting, but he was never as much of a volume scorer as Kobe. 

Defensively, on the other hand, is where you see a BIG difference. Bryant actually has a negative defensive BPM for his career, which probably undersells him a bit, but the fact is that he is hardly a dominant force on this end. KG on the other hand, well, we've all watched him play: no stats needed. We're talking about the difference between a roughly average defender and perhaps the GOAT.

I'll take KG.

With you 100% until that GOAT part. Certainly one of the greats, but is he really in the conversation for greatest?

[TheTruthFot18]

I love KG, but this is an easy call.

Sadly this is how most on here feel.

[D.o.s.]

Looking at offensive stats, Kobe posted merely solid efficiency on a ton of volume. Look at career PER: 23.2 and 22.8 for Kobe and KG respectively. In contrast a truly game-changing offensive player is Lebron, whose career PER is 27.7 (!!). The difference isn't due to Lebron being still in his prime; he has been more efficient his whole career than Kobe was even at his peak.

That is to say, Kobe was a great offensive player, but not a LBJ or MJ-level offensive dynamo. KG was also a great offensive player, and he changed the power forward position with his shooting, but he was never as much of a volume scorer as Kobe. 

Defensively, on the other hand, is where you see a BIG difference. Bryant actually has a negative defensive BPM for his career, which probably undersells him a bit, but the fact is that he is hardly a dominant force on this end. KG on the other hand, well, we've all watched him play: no stats needed. We're talking about the difference between a roughly average defender and perhaps the GOAT.

I'll take KG.

With you 100% until that GOAT part. Certainly one of the greats, but is he really in the conversation for greatest?

GOAT in terms of defense. I'm still not on board 110% with it but I think you could make a pretty strong argument for Garnett's place in someone's top whatever defenders of all time list.