Kyrie is a shorter version of Kobe Bryant. Agree or disagree?

[Rosco917]

Now I dont mean in terms of accomplishments. Because Kyrie still has ways to go

But style, ability to make difficult shots, ability to hit clutch shots, wants to hit the clutch shots, sneaky good athletes but nothing crazy.

Who else would you compare Irving to?

A 6-3 sized IT.

[max215]

Disagree. I don't see many similarities, other than not wanting to share the stage with a better teammate.

Yup.

[Granath]

World B. Free

[Tr1boy]

I would say a shorter version but maybe a poor man's version (at least at this point) James Harden.

Very good 3 point shooter.
Very crafty at driving to the hoop.
Not overly athletic in terms of vertical, but very athletic in other ways.
Has the ability to create for others, but Irving needs to take it up a level to get to Harden.
Last but not least poor defensive player. Lol

Really?? How many times has Irving choked in the playoffs?

Harden defense is horrible in the regular season and playoffs

[Tr1boy]

Now I dont mean in terms of accomplishments. Because Kyrie still has ways to go

But style, ability to make difficult shots, ability to hit clutch shots, wants to hit the clutch shots, sneaky good athletes but nothing crazy.

Who else would you compare Irving to?

A 6-3 sized IT.

Not bad...but Kyrie is a better shooter

[Boris Badenov]

Kobe Bryant was a superb defensive player.  Kyrie Irving is not.

Kobe is better but you make him sound like he was Leonard or even Tony Allen

Kobe made 9 1st Team All Defense and 3 2nd Team All Defense.  He often received votes for defensive player of the year with at least 1 top 5 finish.

In other words he's better than those guys. Haha.

Well, maybe not Leonard, but we will see how much effort Kawhi exerts on D when he's 33 and has played ten million minutes.

[mqtcelticsfan]

Disagree. I don't see many similarities, other than not wanting to share the stage with a better teammate.

Kyrie can be a hot dog

But his game has matured

Last season vs the Celtics , game 4 Kyrie went off... Literally took over

Do you find that, this was necessary?

Read this as his game has mustard.

[Moranis]

Kobe Bryant was a superb defensive player.  Kyrie Irving is not.

Kobe is better but you make him sound like he was Leonard or even Tony Allen

Kobe made 9 1st Team All Defense and 3 2nd Team All Defense.  He often received votes for defensive player of the year with at least 1 top 5 finish.

In other words he's better than those guys. Haha.

Well, maybe not Leonard, but we will see how much effort Kawhi exerts on D when he's 33 and has played ten million minutes.

Leonard has been a better defender than Kobe was, but the gap between Leonard and prime Kobe isn't all that much.  Irving is one of the worst defenders in the league. 

And here's the thing, they actually aren't all that similar offensively either.  Kobe had no conscience shooting the ball, like Irving, but unlike Irving, he wasn't a very good outside shooter.  Kobe's bread and butter was the mid range game and getting to the line.  I mean Kobe's career FTr was .382 and he peaked at .502 (he was over 50% another time as well).  Irving's career best was last year at .311.  They are just totally different types of players offensively and aren't comparable defensively.

Irving has a similar mentality to Bryant, but that is about where the similarities end. 

[JBcat]

I would say a shorter version but maybe a poor man's version (at least at this point) James Harden.

Very good 3 point shooter.
Very crafty at driving to the hoop.
Not overly athletic in terms of vertical, but very athletic in other ways.
Has the ability to create for others, but Irving needs to take it up a level to get to Harden.
Last but not least poor defensive player. Lol

Really?? How many times has Irving choked in the playoffs?

Harden defense is horrible in the regular season and playoffs

I'd like to see how Irving does with little help. Irving played with Lebron and Love, and Cavs record hasn't been great when Lebron sits.

At least Irving will have a really good sidekick with Hayward here.

[kozlodoev]

Kyrie is a shorter version of Kobe Bryant in the same way in which Reggie Evans is a shorter version of Ben Wallace.

[SHAQATTACK]

I wish Irving was 6 6".  .....that would be pretty Kobe like .

But .....Kobe has that unique "wiring " .....that only a few guys get ...... a pit bull no quit , only winning and can NEVER ever be satisfied with enough  titles .   

We ll see how Kobe or MJ crazy Irving is to win multiple titles . 

[nickagneta]

I don't see the comparison to Kobe at all. Best comp I see is better version of Jamal Crawford.

[RJ87]

I would say a shorter version but maybe a poor man's version (at least at this point) James Harden.

Very good 3 point shooter.
Very crafty at driving to the hoop.
Not overly athletic in terms of vertical, but very athletic in other ways.
Has the ability to create for others, but Irving needs to take it up a level to get to Harden.
Last but not least poor defensive player. Lol

Really?? How many times has Irving choked in the playoffs?

Harden defense is horrible in the regular season and playoffs

I'd like to see how Irving does with little help. Irving played with Lebron and Love, and Cavs record hasn't been great when Lebron sits.

At least Irving will have a really good sidekick with Hayward here.

Considering the Cavs' entire offensive system is basically "Give it to Lebron and let's see what happens", it's not surprising that the offense falters when he sits.

[moiso]

I don't see the comparison to Kobe at all. Best comp I see is better version of Jamal Crawford.

Good comparison.

[Bucketgetter]

If Kyrie was immensely more athletic, taller, stronger, and the totally opposite of what he actually is on defense, then sure, he’s like Kobe.