RealGM

What would have happened had Kobe gone to college at Duke UofMichigan or Lasalle rather than skipped to the pros?

Would he have become the first player in NCAA history instead of Kevin Durant to have won the Naismith award as a freshman at UofM? Would he have led the Blue Devils to a title as a 6th man? Would he have led the nation in scoring at LaSalle? Would he have, regardless, become the #1 or at least the #2 (behind Duncan) pick in the 1997 NBA draft and still be a Spur or 76'er? Would he be a 5 time champion today?

Personally, I think Kobe would have enrolled at his dad's alma mater LaSalle rather than Duke or UofM as even as a high schooler he had the desire to be "the man" and to score at an insane rate. I know he loved Coach K but with Duke having the 1-3 positions locked up with Wojo, Langdon, McLeaod and Cappel and UofM being an after thought in the slow paced Big 10, I think Kobe would have stayed home and played with the Explorer's.

The Explorer's had an 11-17 record that year and not one player on the roster with any hope of playing in the NBA. I think Kobe would have came in, started from day one, led them to around a 22-6 record, a #8 seed in the NCAA tourney and one tourney win, possibly two. I think he could have averaged around 32ppg, 8rpg, 3apg, 2spg and over 1bpg, won freshman of the year ... but not finished in the top 3 for the Naismith.

I think Kobe would then have entered the draft following his freshman year and been selected #2 by his hometown Philadelphai 76'ers, being paired in the backcourt with the 1997 NBA Rookie of the Year Allen Iverson.

Kobe and Iverson would still be playing together in Philly and have at least 3 NBA rings each.

As for the Lakers ... they still would have traded Vlade Divac to the Hornets (who could have drafted BOTH Kobe and Jermain O'Neal that year!) for that #13 pick ... and selected Mississippi State's Dontae Jones ... and Shaq would have just retired after 15 years with the Lakers ... and one NBA championship.

i bet he would have had a very good four year career in college, graduate, get his degree and would have been successful in his chosen career

^ Seriously? You think he would have stayed 4 years in college? I can't see Kobe being anything but a 1-and-done ... however if he was really planning to stay 4 years I think he would have went to Duke and won multiple titles.

Kobe in college = Kobe not in purple and gold uniform


30,5,5 player.
2-3 rings.
3-4 rs mvp.
2-3 f mvp
def more scoring feats compared to what he has now.
5-7+ scoring titles.

I'd bet he'd have learned how to turn off caps lock.

hermes wrote:i bet he would have had a very good four year career in college, graduate, get his degree and would have been successful in his chosen career

I concur, he would make an excellent scientist.

Yeah, I agree. If Kobe was a "one and done" college player there is no way that he would be wearing purple and gold right now... so in that way the Lakers were extremely lucky Kobe decided to enter the NBA draft and that Charlotte agreed to trade his rights away for a still productive but aging Vlade Divac. The Lakers would have more than likely kept Nick the Quick and Eddie Jones. And because of Vlade's contract they probably wouldn't have been able to sign Shaq. No doubt they would have been a capable team but in no way a championship contender.

Also, Kobe would have certainly gone to Duke. Because of his tremendous respect for Coach K there is no way that he would have ended up anywhere else.

Kobe was going to Duke for sure, not Lasalle or University of Michigan.

If Kobe and AI were paired together, you could foresee huge problems. Kobe would call AI out for not being at practice.

He goes Number 1 or Number 2

LascelleL wrote:He goes Number 1 or Number 2

This.

Also he doesn't come to the Lakers(at first at least) and he has a lot better career statistics but less accolades and titles.

28/6/6 it's not that far-fetched to think of as career stats.Remember,his assists numbers were always flawed by playing in a complex system like the triangle(Kobe has a 5.9 apg career high in the triangle,Jordan IIRC has a 6.1 season and Pippen holds the record with 7).People always say that Kobe is selfish and he is not a great playmaker but don't watch the context of the system he has played in almost all his career.