Greater: Kobe Bryant vs Stephen Curry

[JN61]

Kobe currently with a 58 point lead over Steph

Recency bias.

Steph was injured all last season and didn't have a good first game. Public perception is always short-term memory.

If this thread was made 2 years ago, Steph would be leading.

Recency bias is the reason why curry gets votes in the first place.

[Danny1616]

Kobe currently with a 58 point lead over Steph

Recency bias.

Steph was injured all last season and didn't have a good first game. Public perception is always short-term memory.

If this thread was made 2 years ago, Steph would be leading.

Recency bias is the reason why curry gets votes in the first place.

I don't want to sound inconsiderate but people also tend to overinflate players careers once they retire.

[rotty]

This is really tough

Right now I would say Kobe but if Steph can play another 6 years in the league putting up similar stats to his previous years (not his peak 2016 season) he will probably overtake him

What Kobe has over Steph is longevity, total accomplishments and his standing in career stat totals. But with his career incomplete its hard to see where Steph will end up. Kobe is also more of an all around guard, his size and overall offensive repertoire was valuable in his era and is something I think is more valuable in the playoffs.

Steph on the other hand had an all time great single season where the warriors went 73-9 and really did change the game. His game is much more valuable than Kobes in this era.

[JN61]

Recency bias.

Steph was injured all last season and didn't have a good first game. Public perception is always short-term memory.

If this thread was made 2 years ago, Steph would be leading.

Recency bias is the reason why curry gets votes in the first place.

I don't want to sound inconsiderate but people also tend to overinflate players careers once they retire.

How is a player overinflated who quite literally has double the points that aging Curry has (and more on the all major statistical categories in generally) and 2-3 times generic NBA awards minus regular season MVPs and massive lead on the post season success individually and team wise.
18× NBA All-Star
11× All-NBA First Team
2× All-NBA Second Team
2× All-NBA Third Team
9× NBA All-Defensive First Team
3× NBA All-Defensive Second Team

People who say "when it's all said and done" would have a point if Curry wasn't already slowly regressing soon 33 year old point guard. He doesn't have another 30 PPG season for ages under his sleeve and has looked extremely shaky without all-star cast.

[Optms]

Kobe for longevity and cultural impact.

Curry for better peak and single handedly changing the NBA overnight.

[Some smartguy]

Kobe. He was a near match for Curry offensively but was named to 9 All-Defense Teams.

[Egg Nog]

Both are all-time great players. Curry has more influence on winning games and that's all that matters to me. Kobe is a top 20 player, Steph is top 15. Steph's offensive efficiency is on an entirely different level, Kobe's better defense is not enough to make up the difference.

The Kobe side hinges on people accepting "mentality" or "true alpha" as real arguments. Like, it's okay that you think Kobe was a cool guy...it doesn't mean he had a greater influence on winning basketball games than Curry...you have to willfully look past Kobe's flaws to make that argument.

People calling the Curry > Kobe argument "recency bias" are the same people whose extreme confirmation bias vividly recalls all of Kobe's heroic moments and forgets the many times his shooting was detrimental.

[Danny1616]

Recency bias is the reason why curry gets votes in the first place.

I don't want to sound inconsiderate but people also tend to overinflate players careers once they retire.

How is a player overinflated who quite literally has double the points that aging Curry has (and more on the all major statistical categories in generally) and 2-3 times generic NBA awards minus regular season MVPs and massive lead on the post season success individually and team wise.
18× NBA All-Star
11× All-NBA First Team
2× All-NBA Second Team
2× All-NBA Third Team
9× NBA All-Defensive First Team
3× NBA All-Defensive Second Team

People who say "when it's all said and done" would have a point if Curry wasn't already slowly regressing soon 33 year old point guard. He doesn't have another 30 PPG season for ages under his sleeve and has looked extremely shaky without all-star cast.

Relax dude.

I didn't say Kobe's career is inflated, I said that people generally tend to overinflate retired players.

In terms choosing between both of them at their peak...it's honestly pretty close and I give Kobe a very slight edge. Kobe easily wins in overall career based on his longevity.

[meekrab]

"Greater" is certainly Kobe, but peak Steph was a better player than peak Kobe.

[Drygon]

This is really tough

Right now I would say Kobe but if Steph can play another 6 years in the league putting up similar stats to his previous years (not his peak 2016 season) he will probably overtake him

What Kobe has over Steph is longevity, total accomplishments and his standing in career stat totals. But with his career incomplete its hard to see where Steph will end up. Kobe is also more of an all around guard, his size and overall offensive repertoire was valuable in his era and is something I think is more valuable in the playoffs.

Steph on the other hand had an all time great single season where the warriors went 73-9 and really did change the game. His game is much more valuable than Kobes in this era.

Do you also rate Kobe ahead of Larry Bird who had almost same longevity as Curry?

[Drygon]

Kobe. He was a near match for Curry offensively but was named to 9 All-Defense Teams.

Curry's level of impact on offense blows Kobe out of the water lol.

Magic Johnson & Larry Bird has 0 All-Defense teams & 3 All-Defensive teams respectively.

Are they worse than Kobe Bryant in all-time ranking as well?

[Kukoc-Lauri]

Kobe was much better player than Curry. Tbh peak Kobe was better than Lebron also. Peak Kobe is second only to MJ.

[Young gun 6]

I’m a bit of a Kobe hater / realist. I’d have him in that 10-12 range all time.

But cmon... this a no contest at this stage.

For Curry to overtake Kobe he’d need to have 2-3 amazing seasons, prove he can actually do something without an all star cast (same as Lebron, Harden, Kobe all have in the past) and have some epic seasons.

1-2 amazing seasons as well as constantly underperforming in finals isn’t enough to catapult you over one of the greatest players of all time.

Curry has arguably only had 2 better seasons than About 12-13 of Kobe’s best seasons.

Add in the 2 extra titles, 2 extra Finals mvp’s, 12 extra all star games, 9 extra all nba teams, 12 extra all nba defensive teams and it’s not even close.

Curry would need a large combination of the following:
A couple of near on 2016 seasons, prove he can carry a mediocre team to the playoffs (this season) like Kobe did, get another mvp, a finals mvp, multiple all star and all nba team appearances and a couple more titles to even be in this discussion ‘when it’s all said and done’.

Does anyone see this happening?

[limbo]

Do you also rate Kobe ahead of Larry Bird who had almost same longevity as Curry?

?

Bird has played 34.500 regular season minutes and 6.900 postseason minutes.
Curry has played 24.000 regular season minutes and 4.300 postseason minutes.

How is their longevity almost the same?

Bird has more prime years and rarely missed games outside of 1989. Curry has less prime years, missed most of 2012 and 2019, missed 31 games in 2018, and missed some Playoff games as well...

Curry's longevity's closer to a Ginobili/McGrady....

[rotty]

This is really tough

Right now I would say Kobe but if Steph can play another 6 years in the league putting up similar stats to his previous years (not his peak 2016 season) he will probably overtake him

What Kobe has over Steph is longevity, total accomplishments and his standing in career stat totals. But with his career incomplete its hard to see where Steph will end up. Kobe is also more of an all around guard, his size and overall offensive repertoire was valuable in his era and is something I think is more valuable in the playoffs.

Steph on the other hand had an all time great single season where the warriors went 73-9 and really did change the game. His game is much more valuable than Kobes in this era.

Do you also rate Kobe ahead of Larry Bird who had almost same longevity as Curry?

No, it seems like you are hyper focused one thing. My whole post here outlines all of the relevant criteria when comparing two players

[Dnt hate]

I'm not a kobe fan and it's obviously kobe, disrespectful really

[Asianiac_24]

Peak wise you can make a great argument that Curry is better. Career wise? Kobe has had 10 years of superstar/top 3-5 player play (2001-2010) and 4 years of top 10-15 player play (2000, 2011-2013). Curry has had 2 top 10-15 player play (2013, 2014) and 5 years of superstar play (2015-2019). Longevity is not even close.

[Soulyss]

Full Disclosure:

As a Blazer fan, I freaking hate the Lakers, always have, always will. That said, I enjoyed hating Kobe, but I always respected him... Same goes for Curry, I respect him, a great shooter, a good leader and dude, and I do not hold the current rules and style of the game against him like some.

BUT THIS AIN'T FREAKING CLOSE... MAMBA ALL DAY. <you have no idea how much this hurts to say>

[art_tatum]

Legacy and all time list? Kobe
Best player individually 1 on 1? Kobe
Best player in a team setting? Curry

I would rather take and build around peak curry than peak kobe-- and peak kobe is amazinggg

Also curry's career isn't close to being over yet so we will see where he will end up all time.
But its a joke to compare career wise to kobe who finished his.
What if curry gets injured and retires? What if he wins 3 more chips with klay and wiseman maturing? And gets 2-3 fmvps? But it's a feat to top kobe who is in the top 10 all time- at worst top 15

[DonaldSanders]

Curry for peak
Kobe for total career (and it's not close right now)

Depends what is more important to you. Curry isn't done so he could pass Kobe, but right now I rate Kobe higher overall.

However if you have to pick a guy to plug into teams of really good players, Curry will be higher in value; but Kobe can carry better. Quite different players!