Jamal Crawford calls Kobe Bryant 'this generation's MJ'

[Ben-N1ce]

He surpassed Jordan by winning carrying Shaq. Jordan couldn't have done it.

[PCProductions]

Aesthetically speaking, he is this generation's version of Jordan.

[basketball royalty]

In terms of fame and respect around the league Kobe is certainly this past generations Jordan. LeBron is obviously the man in the current generation.

[crazy_me_87]

Kobe> Lebron ... played better defensive teams against superstars in their prime (not 23 year olds) and can score on high volume at or above league efficiency from anywhere on the floor (not low volume like Lebron)

huh?

ok please would someone explain to me why guys like Kobe and Durant are many times seen as high volume scorers while lebron is not

Career PPG:

Kobe 25.2

Durant: 27.3

Lebron: 27.5

so how is the guy with the most points per game the worst scorer of them?

just because Lebron has probably the best balance between passing and scoring ever doesnt mean he cant score

and Lebron is also the most efficent of the 3.. beating Durant slightly and Kobe by a margin in regards of efficeny

now anyone would explain that scorer thing to me?

[Beffiosa]

I'm a fan of Kobe and everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I can't even remember what year in Kobe's prime he was the best player in the NBA. Hell, I even think he has Chris Paul's MVP award

Steve Nash has Kobe's MVP...

Nash has Shaq's MVP but I don't think anyone will give a guy who lead a team to 45 wins even though he averaged 35 points on 27 shots and 10 FTA. I actually think Lebron who won 50 games averaged over 31 points with almost 7 rebounds and 7 assist while shooting a much better percentage were more deserving than Kobe

[DieYoung]

Chuckers will always respect other chuckers. Jennings also looks up to Kobe. Wouldn't be surprised if JR Smith was a Kobe fan too.

[hands11]

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/post/_/id/11244090/jamal-crawford-calls-kobe-bryant-generation-michael-jordan-right

[instagram]http://instagram.com/p/qsXzkAwMCF/[/instagram]

Bryant certainly has something of a claim, using his prodigious shot-creating ability to win five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. Others, though, believe LeBron James deserves the title, while many surely believe there will never be a "next Michael."

What do you think?

agree with JC

I am old enough to have watch MJs entire career and he was my favorite players.

Kobe was what Crawford said. MJ even knows that.

MJ was still better. But Kobe was awesome.

[DieYoung]

Kobe's 2 titles without Shaq were against the "old and withered" Celtics and the "unstructured" 09 Magic.

Also with arguably the best big man in the game again

Pau's productivity rose playing with Kobe

Pau productivity rose because of Phil Jackson, not Kobe. Gasol started to decline as soon as Phil left the team.

[Beffiosa]

Kobe> Lebron ... played better defensive teams against superstars in their prime (not 23 year olds) and can score on high volume at or above league efficiency from anywhere on the floor (not low volume like Lebron)

huh?

ok please would someone explain to me why guys like Kobe and Durant are many times seen as high volume scorers while lebron is not

Career PPG:

Kobe 25.2

Durant: 27.3

Lebron: 27.5

so how is the guy with the most points per game the worst scorer of them?

just because Lebron has probably the best balance between passing and scoring ever doesnt mean he cant score

and Lebron is also the most efficent of the 3.. beating Durant slightly and Kobe by a margin in regards of efficeny

now anyone would explain that scorer thing to me?

The media told them Lebron is not as good a scorer.

Playoffs Lebron 28.0 ppg
Playoffs Kobe 25.6

[Threethrows]

No one is this generation's MJ. There's only been one. Kobe is a great player with some great accomplishments but the impact MJ had as both a player and an icon put him on his own tier. Kobe can just be Kobe.

[reanimator]

Kobe> Lebron ... played better defensive teams against superstars in their prime (not 23 year olds) and can score on high volume at or above league efficiency from anywhere on the floor (not low volume like Lebron)

huh?

ok please would someone explain to me why guys like Kobe and Durant are many times seen as high volume scorers while lebron is not

Career PPG:

Kobe 25.2

Durant: 27.3

Lebron: 27.5

so how is the guy with the most points per game the worst scorer of them?

just because Lebron has probably the best balance between passing and scoring ever doesnt mean he cant score

and Lebron is also the most efficent of the 3.. beating Durant slightly and Kobe by a margin in regards of efficeny

now anyone would explain that scorer thing to me?

Lebron does the bulk of his scoring in the paint and everywhere else is on low volume or he risks below average to average league efficiency. Being able to score anywhere on the floor at high volume at or above league efficiency obviously has utility and doesn't apply to Lebron.

[reanimator]

Also with arguably the best big man in the game again

Pau's productivity rose playing with Kobe

Pau productivity rose because of Phil Jackson, not Kobe. Gasol started to decline as soon as Phil left the team.

You mean when Kobe left his prime

[Massamba]

The difference between Duncan or LeBron and Kobe? Kobe is his generation's MJ. Duncan or LeBron are the Duncan or LeBron of their generation. Kobe will always be the poor version of Jordan. LeBron or Duncan are just LeBron or Duncan. I thought after 20 years in the league Kobe would be known as Kobe, but he is still the "next Jordan". It's almost like he didn't put his name on the game.

[hands11]

Number of seasons Michael Jordan shot .470% or better: 10

Number of seasons Kobe Bryant shot .470% or better: 0

Pointless comparison. Kobe shots a lot more 3 balls.

Look at eFG and TS

The tiny URL for your query is:

http://bkref.com/tiny/UZxXR

MJ was clearly better. But Kobe was awesome.

But Kobe has 17 season by 34. MJ only 13. That time out allowed MJ to rest up and reload. Maybe he could have played though. Maybe not. He at least allowed him to get hungry again. We will never know for sure.

[NO-KG-AI]

If someone is the Jordan of their era, there won't be an argument. There was no argument of who the man was during his time. You didn't have to politic and twist numbers for him like you have to for Kobe.

[reanimator]

The difference between Duncan or LeBron and Kobe? Kobe is his generation's MJ. Duncan or LeBron are the Duncan or LeBron of their generation. Kobe will always be the poor version of Jordan. LeBron or Duncan are just LeBron or Duncan. I thought after 20 years in the league Kobe would be known as Kobe, but he is still the "next Jordan". It's almost like he didn't put his name on the game.

[hands11]

It's true
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v27Hk5OIe-k[/youtube]

Kobe as a student. He studied MJ game on tape and replicated it.

What was an awesome video. Thanks.

[crazy_me_87]

Kobe> Lebron ... played better defensive teams against superstars in their prime (not 23 year olds) and can score on high volume at or above league efficiency from anywhere on the floor (not low volume like Lebron)

huh?

ok please would someone explain to me why guys like Kobe and Durant are many times seen as high volume scorers while lebron is not

Career PPG:

Kobe 25.2

Durant: 27.3

Lebron: 27.5

so how is the guy with the most points per game the worst scorer of them?

just because Lebron has probably the best balance between passing and scoring ever doesnt mean he cant score

and Lebron is also the most efficent of the 3.. beating Durant slightly and Kobe by a margin in regards of efficeny

now anyone would explain that scorer thing to me?

Lebron does the bulk of his scoring in the paint and everywhere else is on low volume or he risks below average to average league efficiency. Being able to score anywhere on the floor at high volume at or above league efficiency obviously has utility and doesn't apply to Lebron.

ok i get that

but i dont get why that is a advantage for Kobe

imo its more of a advantage to Lebron.. he knows his streghts and does not force tough shots from everywhere like Kobe can do many times..

well i just seem to think differently.. BB is a Team sport and so i got Lebron anytime over Kobe

and btw no matter from where you score:

i take 27 points on 55fg% over 30 points on 45fg% any day

i gladly sacrifice a few points if i know this player doesnt take ill advised shots

[Arman_tanzarian]

LBJ is more productive in a team setting but Kobe's game is more conductive to winning in a team setting. Also individually, we all know Kobe would destroy Lebron 1 on 1.


I think Kobe will find it impossible to keep Lebron out of the lane 1 on 1. Lebron is just to big, strong and fast for Kobe to defend. Kobe can't post up Lebron and I think Lebron can challenge most of Kobe's shots

Not from what we have seen when they have matched up

If all you've ever seen is that 2 possesions in one all star game sure. Lebron has eaten Kobe for breakfast in their h2hs even befor his prime. Bbr is your friend, use it.

[dautjazz]

Number of seasons Michael Jordan shot .470% or better: 10

Number of seasons Kobe Bryant shot .470% or better: 0

.470%?

Thanks Arbitrary stats king.

Kobe is a .454 career shooter, it's actually rather pathetic for a high volume scorer.

Rank (PPG) Name PPG FG%
22 George Mikan* 23.13 0.404
23 Paul Arizin* 22.81 0.421
7 Allen Iverson 26.66 0.425
5 Elgin Baylor* 27.36 0.431
8 Bob Pettit* 26.36 0.436
19 Pete Maravich* 24.24 0.441
21 Rick Barry* 23.17 0.449
11 Kobe Bryant 25.46 0.454
12 Carmelo Anthony 25.26 0.455
14 Dominique Wilkins* 24.83 0.461
6 Jerry West* 27.03 0.474
24 Dirk Nowitzki 22.55 0.476
4 Kevin Durant 27.4 0.479
10 Oscar Robertson* 25.68 0.485
16 Dwyane Wade 24.31 0.492
17 Larry Bird* 24.29 0.496
1 Michael Jordan* 30.12 0.497
3 LeBron James 27.52 0.497
28 Bob McAdoo* 22.05 0.503
9 George Gervin* 26.18 0.504
27 David Thompson* 22.13 0.504
29 Julius Erving* 21.97 0.507
30 Hakeem Olajuwon* 21.77 0.512
13 Karl Malone* 25.02 0.516
25 Bernard King* 22.49 0.518
2 Wilt Chamberlain* 30.07 0.540
18 Adrian Dantley* 24.27 0.540
26 Charles Barkley* 22.14 0.541
15 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar* 24.61 0.559
20 Shaquille O'Neal 23.69 0.582

2nd lowest FG% among modern day players in the top 30 for ppf, 7th worst % among all players. That's pretty bad.