Kobe and the Art of Making Difficult Shots

[mtron929]

One thing I’ve been thinking about lately is how Kobe Bryant’s rank as a player is influenced by something that doesn’t show up directly in the box score, which is his ability to make extremely difficult shots.

Among certain diehard fans and especially among fellow NBA players, Kobe is often placed very high on all-time lists. Imo, a big reason is this perception that he could do things most players simply couldn’t do. He had a certain flair for how he scored that was up there with MJ and even exceeding someone like Lebron. The fadeaways over two defenders, the spinning baseline jumpers, the contested pull-ups with a hand in his face… the kinds of shots that make you say “Only Kobe.”

So when I was younger and watching this live, I really got the impression that he was the best player in the league and far better than someone like Duncan. However, now that I am a bit older, my views have changed quite a bit because at the end of the day, basketball does not award bonus points for degree of difficulty. A tough contested fadeaway is still worth the same 2 points as an open corner jumper.

And the reality is that a lot of nights, Kobe would hit a couple of those highlight-reel shots but still finish something like 8-for-22 or 10-for-27. Yet as a fan watching the game, you walk away thinking, “This guy is the best player alive.” The emotional weight of those “impossible” makes overshadows the misses.

This is where perception and analytics diverge.

From an efficiency standpoint, players who consistently generate higher-percentage shots tend to grade out better. Someone like LeBron or Steph often ranks higher analytically because their shot diet is cleaner and their decision-making produces more efficient offense over 48 minutes.

But the human brain doesn’t work that way. We overweight the dramatic. We remember the impossible shot over the routine one.
And players themselves value the ability to get your own bucket in any situation because it’s such a rare skill.

So Kobe ends up with this dual reputation. Amongst the analytics crowd, he is agreat but less efficient, shot-selection issues drop him down in the all time rankings. Amongst fellow players and fans who watched the Kobe show alive, it's Kobe man.

Now, if I were to steelman the pro-Kobe crowd, perhaps there is a demoralizing factor for the other team when Kobe makes a difficult shot that does not show up in the box scores. That is, when Kobe hits these difficult shots, perhaps the other team just freezes up and plays suboptimally, having seen something unbelievable. But I am not sure this was the case. At least from my subjective viewing, it was often the case that when Kobe made some of these ridiculous shots, he got in that zone and missed plenty as well. And I don't seem to recall his team winning too many of the games when he was on a roll with his ridiculous shots.

Thoughts?

[tsherkin]

I think anyone who actually looks at Kobe's game understands that he was a wonderful player. Even a peripheral look at his stats suggest he was a strong volume scorer who was reasonably efficient, but had trouble in the Finals. Solid defender on average, very good early on and in bursts later when he wanted to turn it up. His reputation is a LITTLE inflated compared to some of his ATG peers because he enjoyed the chance to roll as Shaq's #2 for a three-peat prior to going off on his own and showing that he could get it done as the main guy just fine, and people overplay his total number of championships in comparisons with very clearly superior players.

The "making tough shots" thing is also overplayed, but it's similarly true that Kobe was statistically the best iso player of his day, so the talent and on-court relevance was there. He's sort of the avatar of volume fetishism and youthful attitude issues, but he was unquestionably one of the best we've seen play. Friction comes primarily when he's compared to guys who were just obviously better.

He could get on a heater as well as anyone the league's seen when he had his jumper falling, and he loved the challenge of attacking 1v1, getting it done himself. But that turned into a lot of frustration at times when he was freelancing outside of a highly-functional system, for example, and when he didn't produce results comparable to those other guys.

[og15]

I thought we were going to discuss how cool making difficult shots can be, and a video would be posted lol.

Kobe sometimes made it tougher for himself. There is a cool factor in difficult shot making, even though sometimes a player might be the one that made the situation difficult. It's a nice skill to have, just not to be used too often. I would be lying if I said I didn't practice and at times take some Kobe shots when playing even though I knew it wasn't the best shot, but I could make enough that it was fine.

Kobe wasn't inefficient as incorrectly stated by some people, unless one thinks post injury Kobe was the same guy. He wasn't an elite efficieny volume scorer, but few are and that's okay, but he did so many things well and was very good.

[tsherkin]

Kobe wasn't inefficient as incorrectly stated by some people, unless one thinks post injury Kobe was the same guy. He wasn't an elite efficieny volume scorer, but few are and that's okay, but he did so many things well and was very good.

Yeah, he was a +3% rTS guy for a decade. He was fine, on average. He had more issues with specific defenses and lacked the same upper bound and average performance level as a bunch of the guys higher on the ATG list, but he was a magnificent (if occasionally frustrating) player.

[Statlanta]

the aesthetic of Kobe made you think that Kobe could bail himself out of anything. Even as a flawed Jordan copy he did things that even Jordan wouldn't do and that is what made his myth.

The fact that Kobe Bryant continuously did what people only did when the shot clock was expiring made him a hero of "ethical hoops". The city and the championships only solidified that emphasis of popularity.

The reason we say Kobe and not Jordan/LeBron/Curry when we shoot in the trash can is having faith in shooting your shot.

[Handlez]

2010 vs Suns in playoffs is one of the greatest displays of difficult shot making and overall offensive dominance I've ever seen.

[CodeBreaker]

Kobe's tough shot making was amazing, but comparing it to uber efficient scorers like KD or Jokic, its value drastically diminishes

[Optms]

Kobe's tough shot making was amazing, but comparing it to uber efficient scorers like KD or Jokic, its value drastically diminishes

The thing with uber efficient players like Dirk or Jokic, is that when facing defenses that take away their strengths, there is seldomly any adjustment. So they disappear entirely because they get figured out. More so Jokic.

[Lockdown504090]

Kobe's tough shot making was amazing, but comparing it to uber efficient scorers like KD or Jokic, its value drastically diminishes

kd only has one playoff run more efficent than bryant before he joined the warriors, but carry on. relative to league averages, bryant has numerous playoff runs more efficent than shai's 2025. I would say those are similar players in terms of what their teams are asking them to do.

[tsherkin]

Kobe's tough shot making was amazing, but comparing it to uber efficient scorers like KD or Jokic, its value drastically diminishes

kd only has one playoff run more efficent than bryant before he joined the warriors, but carry on. relative to league averages, bryant has numerous playoff runs more efficent than shai's 2025. I would say those are similar players in terms of what their teams are asking them to do.

KD is definitely a better RS scorer than Kobe has ever been, but the playoff situation is an interesting one. Although Bryant himself mostly has high-profile rough performances in the Finals, so there's something to be said for that.

But even if you look at his time in OKC, he's at 57.5% TS and 107 TS+ in the playoffs.

Meantime, Durant's a career 109 TS+ player in the playoffs, 59.9% TS. So relatively AND absolutely, he has been MUCH more efficient than Kobe (54.1% TS career in the playoffs, 102 TS+).

[CodeBreaker]

Kobe's tough shot making was amazing, but comparing it to uber efficient scorers like KD or Jokic, its value drastically diminishes

So they disappear entirely because they get figured out. More so Jokic.

You mean making the right pass to an open teammate to hit a better shot is worse than chucking a brick over 3 defenders?

[tsherkin]

Kobe's tough shot making was amazing, but comparing it to uber efficient scorers like KD or Jokic, its value drastically diminishes

So they disappear entirely because they get figured out. More so Jokic.

You mean making the right pass to an open teammate to hit a better shot is worse than chucking a brick over 3 defenders?

Yeah, it's kind of a daft sentiment. And then of course, Kobe fans are quick to note that he had no playoff success after Shaq and before Pau because his team wasn't capable of winning... but when the same argument is made about how Jokic's teammates were insufficient, that argument suddenly stops being viable. Curious.

[Old_Blue]

How about the art of actually MAKING the damn shot? Kobe had a career FG% and 3P% of .447 and .329, respectively. Meanwhile, Steph has a career FG% and 3P% of .471 and .423, respectively. "But what about Kobe's athleticism!" the Kobe Stans scream. Yeah, what about it? With that kind of athleticism, you'd have thought Kobe would have put it to far more efficient use instead of chucking at every opportunity. When you talk about Kobe, it's impossible to separate the player from the selfishness. It's right there in the numbers for all to see.

[theforumblue]

what is your point exactly?

[Lockdown504090]

Kobe's tough shot making was amazing, but comparing it to uber efficient scorers like KD or Jokic, its value drastically diminishes

kd only has one playoff run more efficent than bryant before he joined the warriors, but carry on. relative to league averages, bryant has numerous playoff runs more efficent than shai's 2025. I would say those are similar players in terms of what their teams are asking them to do.

KD is definitely a better RS scorer than Kobe has ever been, but the playoff situation is an interesting one. Although Bryant himself mostly has high-profile rough performances in the Finals, so there's something to be said for that.

But even if you look at his time in OKC, he's at 57.5% TS and 107 TS+ in the playoffs.

Meantime, Durant's a career 109 TS+ player in the playoffs, 59.9% TS. So relatively AND absolutely, he has been MUCH more efficient than Kobe (54.1% TS career in the playoffs, 102 TS+).

over their entire careers sure, but if you look at kobe from the years i mention and compare it to before league average started going up like crazy, and kd went to the warriors, which kinda im not sure you even want to count in terms of comparison, it becomes much closer. ts was 53 percent, and offensive rating was 106.2. in KDs, mvp year, it was 54 and 106, so i think those are 2 situations that are great to compare.

kd has a higher true shooting in 2014. bryant has 39 usage rate and played 41 minutes per game with only 2 starting level players on the team in 2006. how do you. can you make the argument that he shouldnt have 41 minutes per game and a 39 usg? the rest of the perim players were really bad despite the gravity of 1 of the greatest offensive players in leauge history. Then playoffs, outside of the 2012 finals run, hes not much more efficent, and that difference is again somewhat made up for with the usage.

I dont think theres anything wrong with thinking kd is better as a scorer than bryant( i would disagree) but to say theres a massive gap statistically, i dont think is even rooted in reality. Go look at his numbers playing for mike dantoni, when he was already on one leg compared to his earlier career. Imagine if he was in that system before.

[bonita_the_frog]

They say Kobe copied MJ but when you play as Kobe in a video game his movements and shooting motion is different to MJ.
It doesn't feel like the same player

[Common Sensei]

How about the art of actually MAKING the damn shot? Kobe had a career FG% and 3P% of .447 and .329, respectively. Meanwhile, Steph has a career FG% and 3P% of .471 and .423, respectively. "But what about Kobe's athleticism!" the Kobe Stans scream. Yeah, what about it? With that kind of athleticism, you'd have thought Kobe would have put it to far more efficient use instead of chucking at every opportunity. When you talk about Kobe, it's impossible to separate the player from the selfishness. It's right there in the numbers for all to see.

How about that 2004 Finals when he played heroic and shot 38%FG and 17%3P with 45%TS and caused Phil Jackson and Shaq to leave LA or that 40% Finals MVP in 2010.

[76ciology]

Each game naturally has stretches of easy looks, medium-difficulty shots, and tough contested attempts. Early on, teams usually dump it inside because bigs often play softer to avoid early fouls. You see it often when Embiid plays to start the game where the bigs would just raise his hand and let him score rather than getting fouled. But once the game tightens, or opponents gets used to the sets you are running, while the refs allow more contact, it shifts into a high difficulty shot battle. That’s the window where Kobe’s value gets into the picture. In those moments, you’d rather trust a perimeter creator with answers from all three levels than a post scorer who can be neutralized by extra physicality and not to turn the ball over with the swarming defense. Those tough shots aren’t just for aesthetics. They matter, and they’re important part of every game specially for playoff series and championships.

[FrobeBryant]

Kobe didn’t care about his advanced stats nor his efficiency. His sole goal was to win the basketball game no matter what. And I don’t think he shot difficult shots just for the cool factor. He was so confident of his abilities that he took any shot, whether there was one or three defenders on him. In some degree, to him no shot was a bad shot.

[bonita_the_frog]

Kobe must have been efficient, because how do you win back-to-back championships as the #1 scoring option for your team without being efficient?
Kobe was taking way more shots than everyone, so if he was shooting so badly they surely wouldn't have won back-to-back...
Kobe was the biggest factor in whether the Lakers won or lost, and I recently saw the 2010 Game 7 and Kobe dominated from the free-throw-line (and also grabbed 15 rebounds including 4 offensive rebounds) to make up for his 6-24 shooting (but it was a low-scoring game anyway 83-79).