Kobe vs. Jordan – the Non-Comparison
June 14th
(After the 2009 NBA Finals, I revisited this topic with some suggestions for the second half of Kobe’s career.)
There’s a lot of crap in my life that I’m sick of. Websites that make you register. “Green” vehicles that get 22 miles per gallon. Stores that call you a “guest” instead of a customer—I mean, WTF? If you were a guest at my house and I made you pay $10 bucks to use my wireless network, would you ever come back?
Anyway, with the NBA Finals underway, there’s a lot of talk about whether or not Kobe Bryant is as good as Michael Jordan. After Game 4, in which the Celtics stormed back to win from a 20+ point deficit in Los Angeles, while Kobe got shut down faster than clicking hardrive at an IT convention, most of that is gone.
But, being the objective guy I am, I’ve decided to compile a list of things at which Kobe Bryant is superior to Michael Jordan:
- Whining – after every drive that couldn’t have been made with a blindfold on, even the ones where he scores, Kobe turns to the ref and shouts, making some gesture to indicate that his jersey was tugged or his arm was held. Jordan just backpedaled down the court and played defense—better than Kobe does.
- Retiring – Kobe could still blow this one. He currently has zero failed retirements to Jordan’s two, but he’s just so freakin’ unpopular with teammates and standoffish with fans that I can’t imagine anyone would want him back.
- Dodging Rape Allegations – Honestly, this one might just be a trick of circumstance. I feel like if Jordan ever had to dodge any rape allegations, he would have done so better than Kobe.
- Gambling - I could be way off on this one, but numerous people claim to have won tremendous sums of money from MJ, including one claim in excess of $1,000,000. Kobe might have similar losses that I just don’t know about, but in my experience, only interesting people gamble.
- Stonewalling - Seriously, if I were to engage in some sort of criminal conspiracy with with either Kobe or MJ, I would go with Kobe, since he’s really good at being cold, unfriendly, and not talkative. That’ll come in handy, should he be taken into custody. Jordan would be all garrulous, charming the cops and trying to sell them McDonald’s or Nike or whatever.
- Wearing an Arm Sock – Grasping for straws, I know. But Jordan never wore an arm sock. Kobe wins by default.
Now lets compare this to the list of things in which Jordan’s skill exceeds Kobe’s:
- Basketball – No contest here. 6 titles, 5 MVPs, and no 20+ point comebacks in the Finals by opposing teams on his home court vs. 1 MVP and no titles without Shaq (though a 2008 title is still possible). Jordan also did it against tougher competition.
- Marketing – The fact that Kobe plays with a friggin’ undershirt on but MJ remains the Hanes spokesman speaks volumes about the divergence in natural salesmanship between the two. Kobe couldn’t sell smack to a junkie, where Jordan could get one clean just by flashing a smile.
- Acting – Jordan has a number of film credits (though not quite as many as Shaq), including the 1998 feature Space Jam, a film that was built around the MJ brand. He also appeared in real movies like He Got Game. Kobe just does a lot of talk shows.
- Baseball – During retirement #1, Jordan played poorly on a minor league baseball team. He also bought them a bus, but still, he didn’t look entirely out of place on that level. Kobe has yet to play professional baseball.
- Changing Jerseys – “When I come back like Jordan, wearin’ the four-five“ . MJ briefly played with the #45 jersey upon his return to the Bulls because his signature #23 had already been retired. I don’t see any #8 hanging from the rafters at the Staples Center, do you?
- Being a Teammate – Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Horace Grant – Jordan made all these players better. He pressured them to succeed, but he never lectured them or chewed them out. He earned their respect. Kobe, not so much.
- Trivial Pursuit – This is just a guess. But Jordan has three years of study on an academically-eligible-to-compete level at North Carolina. Kobe did not attend college. (Related – how sick would it be to see a fourth Jordan comeback to play and complete his degree at UNC?
So yeah. Clearly no contest here. LeBron is already a better comparison to MJ, and he doesn’t even have titles yet.
Now if only I could get the New York Times to stop making me register.
June 18th, 2008 at 8:00 am
Kobe plays great, but Jordan’s a great player. Let’s put this debate to bed once and for all. The dismantling of the Kobe led Lakers on the NBA’s greatest stage is a testament to what I already knew, Kobe could not carry a team to a Championship. The three he won, well, he was carried by Shaq. Besides, Jordan has too much hardware and accomplishments to even mention Kobe in the same breath. Mannerisms don’t make titles. Let me leave you with this, only one player in the annals of NBA history has seen a triple-double in an NBA All-Star game, not Magic, Robertson, Stockton, Bird……………………Jordan. Enough said.
June 19th, 2008 at 2:42 am
Mr. Michael Jordan is an ICON respected by many as the greatest basketball player to ever live! His legacy goes beyond his basketball skills, his athleticism, his fundamentals, his superlative smarts for the game and don’t forget the soaring, gliding and magnificent dunks. On and off the court Air Jordan was simply brilliant. You didn’t see Air Jordan’s name in the newspaper being accused of raping someone! Mr. Air Jordan was undoubtedly the best in his era and many eras to come. Quotes by the great Bill Russell “You never got the sense that he took the night off”! Michael captivated us with his excellence for so many years’ night in and night out. He’s done so many amazing things on the court that make a player like David Robinson say something like “you get the sense that Jordan has a little magic with him when he plays”! No one was a close second when Your Airiness reigned over the entire NBA. Quotes from Coach Chuck Daly “The man (Jordan) is literally embarrassing the LEAGUE”. Mr. Jordan lived up to the HYPE like no one has ever done before. His style, the bald head, the tongue sticking out, the baggie shorts, his walk and the shoes, which still out sell all currently active NBA player shoes, is just a small measure of his greatness and trend setting ability. You see its more than just scoring a lot of points and winning awards. Everyone wanted to market Mr. Jordan because he was GOLDEN. Mr. Jordan was the game’s greatest player ever even before he won any championship in the minds of many. And then after winning 6 championships with the Chicago Bulls proving that he was a team player and that he could make his teammates better sealed the deal and put all arguments to bed as to who’s the greatest basketball player to ever live. The amazing thing about Michael Jordan is that everyone knew he was going to get the ball in crunch time…and everyone knew he was going to do something breathtaking…and everyone knew that NO ONE could do anything…I said ANYTHING to stop it from happening! Air Jordan was “Captain” of his team and everyone followed his lead. Kobe followed Shaq’s lead and now that there is no Shaq, Kobe is so lost and look average at times in the “NBA Finals”! He’s finally accomplished something that Mr. Jordan has not, which is losing horribly in the NBA Finals. So embarrassing to lose so badly and not be able to do anything even on an individual level. Kobe Bryant is just a kid with talent. A lot of NBA players are similar to Air Jordan, but it stops there…no ifs, ands, or buts about it. The End.
June 28th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
I am never ceased to be amazed by the fear that some Jordan fans have for Kobe Bryant stealing some of MJ’s thunder. Compare them at the same age. Kobe has 3 titles to Jordan’s 2. He has 1 mvp to Jordan’s 2, but everyone knows he was ripped the past 2 years and he should have 3 by now. They dont give that award out the same anymore, so you cant really use it as a comparable stat. Different requirements in different eras. Kobe does have 2 all-star MVP’s to Jordans 1 (at age 29), if you like MVP stats.
I just wish those with Jordan so far up their rear oriface would get him out. Yes the man sold more Nike’s, but who really gives a crap? We are comparing their game. Not how they handle off the court incidents, or how they sell shoes, or how they get people to like them.
As far as pure basketball talent goes, Kobe has him by a mile. The biggest difference in their games is that Kobe can shoot the long ball. Everyone remembers Jordan had 1 game (his entire career) where hit hit several 3’s, and even MJ himself was surprised that they went in (watch a few nba commercials and you’ll see the reaction I’m talking about). Also, I would sure like to see Jordan play against the zones and box and 1 defenses that have been legalized by the NBA in recent years (especially Boston’s from this year). If you think they could not have kept Jordan out of the paint in the finals this year, given the same supporting cast, then you are nuts. Jordan never won anything until Scottie Pippen. Before Scotty, Jordan didnt win jack except for scoring titles and dunk contests. Scotty is known as a top 50 nba player (all-time). Kobe doesnt have that kind of help (Andrew Bynum could be that player but that remains to be seen).
The most comical reference in your babblings that I read, was your “Jordan played better competition” claim. Seriously dude, whatever you are smoking, get me some of it. Jordan never once beat Bird’s Celtics, Isaiah’s Pistons, or Magic’s Lakers in a playoff series during their primes. He only beat the Pistons in 91 when half the team died of old age or something like that, and the Lakers in the finals that same year when Magic had 2 bad knees and was in the last full season of his career, Byron Scott was injured, Kareem was retired, and Worthy was too old to be productive. All he had to do the years he won was beat John Starks and the knicks to get to the finals, and that mediocre Jazz team, the sorry Sonics team, and the mediocre Suns team. None of those were too impressive. The game is faster now than ever and the players are more and more athletic every year. MJ had competition early, but never could beat them till they were old and gray. The teams he beat were good enough to make the finals, but a joke in comparison with 2003-2008 Spurs, 2000-2002 Lakers Dynasty, and this years Celtics and Lakers. Keep in mind, Kobe played with a torn ligament in his shooting hand for half the year, and still did what he did scoring about 30ppg, and dishing about 5-6 assists per game. Bynum, their second best player this year, missed the second half of the season entirely. If they stay together and healthy, look out for years to come.
MJ was a great player, no doubt, but he is so far up everyone’s a-holes its not even funny. It’s time to let the guy go. Some MJ lovers I know, stopped watching basketball because he retired. That’s freaking insane. No one will ever be good enough to be mentioned in the “same breath” as MJ, but it has nothing to do with basketball skills. It’s because of the many MJ fans not willing to let him go or open their eyes long enough to see that a better talent is in the making right now, in today’s game. So get over yourselves, pull MJ out of your rear orifice and stop being so prejudice and judgmental about Kobe’s off-court life, threat to MJ’s legacy, etc, and watch the guy play basketball. He’s the most complete player to ever play the game. Bar-none. Keep watching haters. The titles are on the way. Sooner or later, you will have to come to terms with it. All the comparison talk you heard this year is only the beginning.
June 29th, 2008 at 1:08 am
“As far as pure basketball talent goes, Kobe has him by a mile.”
WHAT!!!! Go watch Kobe and Jordan in their prime years on Youtube.com. There are no comparisons really. Jordan was quicker, faster, stronger, and could leap higher. The difference is obvious. The stats indicate the difference. The biggest one is FG%. While Kobe relied on 3-pointers and jumpers, Jordan was able to get to the rim, and hence, shoot a better percentage. In his prime, Jordan was quite possibly the most dominant basketball player ever.
But even as Jordan aged and became more perimeter oriented, he still shot a better % of 3’s and jumpers (in 95-96 he hit nearly 43% of his 3’s, a number Kobe has not yet been close to) than a prime Kobe does now.
“The teams he beat were good enough to make the finals, but a joke in comparison with 2003-2008 Spurs”
Did you watch those Spurs teams? I love the Spurs, don’t get me wrong, but they are hardly a prime example of team athleticism in the NBA. Bowen, Ginobli,and Duncan are great, athletic defenders for the roles they play, but they rely on a very disciplined team defense strategy much like the teams of Jordan’s era. While good athletes, there are several current and past players with more athleticism. The Lakers are also a bad example of an athletic team. While Shaq was certainly a freak, Jordan was able to dominate him in his prime years (point in case: the sweep in the 96 playoffs.) Who else on those Lakers teams were more physically gifted than Clyde, Barkley, Kemp, Payton, Malone, Magic?
June 29th, 2008 at 1:44 am
(continued)…
“Jordan never won anything until Scottie Pippen.”
This argument is always dredged up as if it somehow shows that Jordan was not the driving force behind the 6 rings. The fact is Jordan took teams to the playoffs without Scottie, and often played brilliantly, though in losing causes. Kobe, meanwhile, has taken Shaq-less teams to the playoffs and choked away big leads (a 3-1 lead to the suns, and a 20 + pt. lead to the Celtics) while shooting low percentages (less than 40% from the field.) You can’t say that about Jordan. MJ never called it a day like Kobe did against the Suns that year, and he never had a series where he let his team down. MJ might not have 6 rings without Scottie, but Pippen would probably have none without MJ.
“The game is faster now than ever and the players are more and more athletic every year.”
The speed of games is actually slower because of the increased number of fouls that stem from the no hand-checking rule. As far as athleticism, some of the best athletes of todays NBA are similar to the best of the past. Jordan was said to have a 48 inch vertical in his prime and to have run a 4.3 40. That is unmatched in todays game. Others like Thompson, Drexler, Dr. J and Spud Web were similar leapers and nearly as quick and fast. This just goes to show that hops and quickness are not necessarily improved with technology. Maybe a larger number of players have honed their athletic gifts today, but the limits of athleticism don’t seem to have risen.
This Jordan-Kobe debate can be quite contentious, but when you get down to pure talent there is no real debate. If you care to look, check out some of Jordan’s videos on youtube or, better yet, find a full-game to watch. Note the defense being played, MJ’s athleticism, his efficiency, explosiveness. Can you honestly tell me Kobe is on the same level?
June 29th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
I dont need to resort to youtube, man. I watched MJ many times. I also watched the 80’s Sixers, Lakers, and Celtics. I’ve been around long enough that I dont need youtube to remember MJ.
Again, Jordan never won anything without his All-Time NBA top 50 guy (Scottie). We don’t know if MJ could have won even 1 title in the 90’s without Scottie, but we do know that he could not do it in the 80’s without Scottie, because he didnt. I find it hard to believe he could have because all you have to do is look at Kobe’s Lakers since the Shaq departure to see that one man, no matter how good, cannot win by himself, and as dominant as the Diesel was at the time, I dont even think that Shaq could have won the threepeat with LA without Kobe. Kobe deserves just as much or more credit for those 3 titles as Shaq. It was Kobe that took over in OT and sealed the win in Game 4 of the Finals in 2000 to secure a 3-1 lead while Shaq rode the pine after fouling out before OT started. It cannot be done alone. Every Batman, must have a Robin.
You have to at least admit that Kobe is in the same league. 1 playoff series doesnt change that. He got a little bit of help this year and everyone seen the results of his MVP season taking his team to the Finals. The experts/analysts who follow the game are comparing these Kobe to MJ. If it was so outlandish, that would not be happening. If you cant at least admit that the comparison is valid and these 2 guys are in the same league (which is above everyone else), then it’s pointless to argue with you and it shows that you either dont know anything about the game, or you are thinking with your heart and not your head. Many Jordan fans simply cant even acknowledge Kobe for the talent that he is. They hate him because they are afraid he is going to sway a few opinions in the “who’s the greatest” argument. Because of this, he simply doesnt get the credit he’s due.
June 30th, 2008 at 10:30 am
Jordan vs. Kobe – Is it really wrong to compare?
Yes! It is wrong comparing Jordan with Kobe; it’s like comparing a genius to an ordinary person on the court. Michael Jordan has won 6 championships being the number 1 player of the NBA, Jordan has been in the Nine-time All-Defensive First Team (1988-93, 1996-98), Jordan is the 14-time All-Star and All-Star MVP, Jordan is an Olympic gold medalist, and Jordan also is one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. Kobe Bryant on the other hand, has only won 3 championships being number 2 in the NBA. I mean, if you want to compare Kobe with someone you can compare him with Scottie Pippen and even so, I still doubt that Kobe should be compared with Pippen. Pippen has 6 championships being number 2 in the NBA. I’m not going to lie, Kobe Bryant is good. He is doing what he is supposed to be doing, PLAY, and he is doing a great job at it. Everybody has their ups and downs, and right now Kobe is in his ups and I hope he keeps going; then maybe he can catch up to where Jordan is. Anybody that is good at what they do stands out when there are no obstacles in their way, or when the competition is no longer there. The 2008 season didn’t go well for Kobe; the Celtics have done it. After 22 years they have won the Championship number 17. I guess Kobe wasn’t good enough this season, maybe next year. Maybe someday he can be compared to Jordan, but I will still believe that Jordan is number 1, because how the saying goes “Everybody wants to be like Mike”.
July 2nd, 2008 at 7:09 pm
Kobe may have been the #2 option during the threepeat in Shaq’s prime, but had he been on any other team, he would have been the #1 option. Even then, he was the best player in the league. The reason Shaq was the #1 option on that team was because no other team in the leage had a center in the same class as shaq. It was a guarantee, and you go for the guarantee everytime. Had MJ had a Primed Shaquille O’neal, who was a freak of nature at his size, he too, would have been option #2. Even in his prime.
I will say Mike is still number 1. All I am saying is that Kobe deserves to be in the discussion. He’s a lot closer than the haters give him credit for. While he may not have overtaken Jordan, his is worthy of the comparison. No one else ever has been, but Kobe certainly is. That’s all I’m saying. And I have no doubt that when the final chapter of Kobe’s career has been closed, he will be there. Sitting at the top.
July 3rd, 2008 at 12:52 am
Kobe has no chance of being close to Michael Jordan. I’ve seen many games where Kobe has air-balled the final shot in the game. Michael Jordan rarely missed clutch shots but he never airballed them. Also, Kobe will never be the teammate Jordan was. While Kobe did score 81 point, he did it in the regular season versus the Toronto Raptors, I mean come on if he what of done that against the Spurs, I would’ve been impressed. Jordan, on the other hand, scored 63 points in his 4th year against the gritty Boston Celtics defense in a playoff game even though they lost it was a heroic perfomance. Last,Kobe recently lost in the Finals while Jordan never lost a series of such importance
July 12th, 2008 at 1:38 am
First of all, you havent seen “many games” where Kobe has air-balled the final shot in the game. I remember only 1 and I’ve watched the Lakers since the early 80’s. The one you have to be referring to was the one against the Jazz in the WCF in 1998. Kobe was 19 when that happened. Where was MJ when he was 19? Oh yea, not good enough for the NBA yet. He was still in College and was the #3 option on his UNC team at that time behind Worthy and Perkins. At least Kobe was good enough at 19 to be the #2 option on a team that played for the NBA’s final 4. Do you seriously think that MJ never through up an airball in his career? You must not have watched him play much.
Second of all, yes Kobe did score 81 points, and single handedly beat the Toronto Rapters in the process. It was a regular season game, but I certainly dont see MJ’s name beside the second greatest scoring performance in NBA history. Personally, I call it the best scoring performance in NBA history, because when Wilt scored 100, they gave him the ball every time down for 4 quarters in a game that was a blowout. He should not have even been playing enough time to get to 60 in that no-contest. Kobe’s 81-pt game, however, was close until the 4th quarter when Kobe’s went on his final run to close the game. Plus, he did it against much better competition that Wilt’s 100-pt game. Kobe also wasnt the biggest guy on the floor, unlike Wilt who was usually dunking on 6′2″ 185 pound white guys. Personally, I think that his 100-pt game deserves an asterisk for reasons stated above. I love Wilt, after all, his Jersey hangs in the Staples Center, but Kobe’s 81 was more impressive.
Also, I would hardly call the Boston Defense of that era “Gritty”. Jordan got his 63 in that game because he was being exactly what Kobe haters call “a ball-hog” and “a bad teammate”. Yes that is why they lost the game. Jordan was a worse teammate during that time than Kobe ever has been. All Jordan cared about back then was winning dunk contests and scoring titles…Oh yea, and punching Will Perdue (his teammate) in the face during practices. Yes, such a wonderful teammate.
Back to those “gritty Celtics”…They won a couple rings because of Bird and their outstanding offense, coupled with good, but far from “gritty” defense. Magic’s Lakers made them look like the present day Denver Nuggets when they beat them 2 of 3 times in the finals. 3 other times during that decade, those Celtics never even reached the finals to challenge LA as they finished with 5 titles to their 3 during that era.
Lastly, those 80’s Celtics certainly do not compare with this year’s Celtics as far as Defense. This year’s Celtics played the kind of Defense MJ never had to face, or yes, he would have lost in the finals. You are crazy if you think that this year’s Celtics could not have kept MJ out of the paint with that zone defense had his shooters failed to make shots like Kobe’s did. Kobe is as good or better at getting to the rim against straight man-to-man than MJ was.
There is really no point in arguing with a die hard Jordan fan who is a hater of Kobe because they feel that Jordan’s legacy is being threatened. They’ll never give Kobe his due no matter what he does. If you cant acknowledge the greatness that Kobe has, and at least admit how close his basketball talent is to MJ’s, then in my opinion you know nothing about the game and you’ll always shun anyone not named Michael Jordan. That, is what is wrong with the game today.
Like it or not, you’ll hear these same Kobe/MJ comparisons next season, and every season after that because the people who get paid to cover the sport, all acknowledge that it is not “outlandish”. If you cant come to terms with the fact that they are so close that the comparison is at least justified, you have a long decade of hating ahead of you, my friend.
July 28th, 2008 at 10:12 am
i can see kobe’s talent, but I also see that the guy has been playing pro basketball since 12 years now. If you guys really think he’s only in the dawn of his career and that the years to come will rocket him to the basketball pantheon, you’re delusional. I think we have seen the best of Kobe, which ranks him as a top 10-15 player in nba history. We also have seen his ceiling, which is : failing on the big stage, horrendous shot selection when it matters most, and poor team work skills. That’s ok if you ask me, you can’t be perfect. I don’t understand why kobe lovers want to put him to a league he doesn’t belong. Even the guy himself acknowledged recently that he was tired of comparisons with MJ : “you’re talking about the best to play the game!” or something like that. “Let me be me”. Yes Kobe, we’ll let you be you, and the best favor we could do you for that would be to stop setting the bar too high for you. Given this, I’ll still enjoy his flashes of brilliance. But when it comes to leadership, winning spirit and excellence, i’ll look somewhere else.
October 1st, 2008 at 7:07 pm
To dude who says this recent C’s team defense was superior to the defenses that Jordan faced in the past. Please kid, lay down that pipe. Seriously, are you kidding me? 81 one point is the greatest game in history??? The fact, he beat bunch of high schoolers, because Raptors were just bunch of kids. Go back and watch that game and honestly tell me about the defense in that game. Do you think they played any?? Hint, I don’t think so. The greatest game ever is MJ against Cleveland where he scored 69 and the PER of that game is the greatest ever. The game was against the playoff team in a playoff like atmosphere. In addition, 63 pts playoff game beats any other Kome individual performance. I don’t care what Kome does in a regular season game. Get back to me when he shoots over 46% in the playoffs and wins there. Real legends are made in the playoffs and that is where Mike dominated. Kobe, not so much. Sorry, but if you have any brain, there is no comparison by a mile.
November 10th, 2008 at 11:10 am
If Jordan would’ve played against those Raptors the game would’ve been sealed in the 3rd quarter and he would watch the 2nd unit gain some confidence. Kobe doesn’t even make the top5 and I’m not even certain if he belongs in the top10.
November 11th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
last i checked jordan NEVER outscored an opponent in three quarters, being soooo great , why ? Have no fear JORDAN fanatics, he will be missed, the second greatest is gone, deal with it. The only one in your corner is you. Swift-Boat Jordans against KOBE. Like Joe stated, Jordan’s era is over. He was the best till KOBE, now its KOBE’s mantle, and your greatest fear is that KOBE isn’t done yet. What are you gonna be saying 5 years from now when KOBE has a few more rings ??? The Lakers are 30 and under and 1-13 full of talent, eat shit and die my friends.
November 12th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Guys, there is only and only thing that I will personally share with you whether you are an MJ fan or a Kobe fan…Basically, we ordinary people don’t know exactly how we compare them but there is only one man in this league that he can compare MJ and Kobe… Tex Winter says…..I don’t know who’s the greatest between MJ and Kobe but one thing I do know is that… when these two basketball players will play against themselves during their primes, blood will be scattered on the hard court!!!!!! SEE? Got the logic????
November 21st, 2008 at 8:46 pm
Kobe is the poor man’s version of jordan. All the stats point to it. Kobe is a good player, probaly one of the best since Jordan retired, If LBJ ever learns how to make freethrows then LBJ will be the best in the league by a mile, and will have a chance to dethrone MJ as the best basketball player ever. Other basketball legends agree that MJ was the best ever, even kobe has said so on many occasions so why even debate something that has already been answered. jordan > kobe
February 11th, 2009 at 10:59 am
Ok so your obviously part of the giant fan base known as the “Kobe haters”. The dude went through so much shit already at an age when michael jordan was still in university. PS I would rather have the two time defensive player of the year rodman and scotty pimpin, oh yes pimpin on my team then shaq so don’t be saying shaq won those titles and don’t be saying jordan had tougher competition you joke. pps I do think jordan is better then bryant but if kobe wins with the team he has now a.k.a “alone” then it would be a much closer argument
February 11th, 2009 at 11:11 am
and yo if were talking about championships then robert horry would be better then both kobe and jordan right?
February 26th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
i can see how some idiots would think that kobe and mj are in the same “league” only because they have similar game styles. However, there are a ton of differences. 1st, MJ is more athletic and has better fundamentals of the game. Watch Kobe and watch Jordan; everything from the jab steps, to the head fakes, Jordan is better; his game is more sound. Kobe looks like a retarded monkey when he tries to pump fake his shot. MJ’s fundamentals make him less predictable as a player. Whenever I watch Kobe, I seem to know exactly what he’s going to do; he’s too predictable. Jordan could post up, shoot fadeaways from either side, avoid a double team, etc. Don’t get me wrong, Kobe CAN do that too, but rarely actually does it and for some reason gets praised when he does it once or twice in a game (fadeaway) when Jordan did it pretty consistently.
Jordan has a quicker first step. And I’m saying this b/c it’s true; just watch them play. If you compare the way they move, Kobe looks like he’s 50 pounds heavier, while MJ moves on the court effortlessly
Also the year Jordan shot 43% from 3’s it was because the NBA shortened the 3 point line. Despite this, Kobe isn’t a much better 3point shooter than MJ. I think both hover around 32-34% for their career. It’s not like Kobe is Ray Allen from beyond the arc.
Also, the games where Kobe starts launching 3’s, the defenses he’s playing against are generally retarded. If an opponent makes at least 2-3 threes in a row, generally it would be smart to stick your defender on him around the perimeter. But the games where Kobe does shoot 3’s, the defenders don’t do anything. If you watch the game where Lebron James made 8 3’s against the bucks, they actually put a defender right on him on the perimeter and even with that he still made them; to me that game is more impressive than Kobes 12.
March 23rd, 2009 at 8:44 am
As a UK-based Lakers fan, I found your blog on google and read a few of your other Lakers posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.
April 21st, 2009 at 6:22 am
I’d like to start off by saying that you whom wrote this blog are a complete idiot and when I say complete idiot, I mean COMPLETE IDIOT! Look I love Kobe but I’ll be the first to admit that Jordan is the greatest of all time. No arguement there pal. However, to say the things you said about Kobe are wrong. That’s a cheap shot at one the greatest of all time and by far the greastest in my era. I guess I understand why you, like all other Jordan nut huggers hate Kobe so much. Because he came so close and so soon to dethroning Jordan and that scared and continues to scare the crap out of you as he continues to do some amazing stuff on the hard wood. Like I said, you’re an idiot Kobe is everything he is made out to be and he is wroth all the hype that surrounds him. The way I see it, he’s only a step behind Jordan and all you folks that claim Jordan was far superior than Kobe have either been living under a rock for the last 13 years of are no smarter than a rock and should be living under a rock!
April 21st, 2009 at 6:34 am
With all that said, lets go LAKERS!!
PS. I would probably have been the greatest player ever if I didn’t get both my knees shattered by a drunk driver! I was 12, and committed to UCLA!! Go Bruins!!
April 27th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
jdm,
Kobe has even never come close to dethroning Jordan. R U serious?
Reasons Why MJ is way better 1. MJ played in a better “era” for one. Kobe has never played against Bird, Magic, or Kareem. 2. MJ has dominated at every level. Kobe never went to college. Probably because he was scared of getting hand checked by a college defender and won’t get the call like he would in the “Star blanketed” NBA. 3. MJ was is a better defender. MJ has one Defensive player of the Year award Kobe has zero. MJ played defense for 48 minutes Kobe picks his spots to play D. 4. MJ is wayyyyyyyyy more valuable to his teams. He won finals MVP every time they(Bulls) won. Kobe is yet to win finals MVP. Because he was the second most valuable player on his teams that won championships(of course after Shaq). Anyone who is the second most valuable player on their team shouldn’t even be compared to MJ. 5. MJ is much tougher. Both mentally and physically. Kobe cries any time he gets touched. MJ took hard fouls. 6. MJ is better at every offensive category except turning the ball over Kobe has him beat there.
I watched the Lakers playoff game last week and Reggie Miller was announcing it and he said “just think if MJ would have had dominant big men like Gasol and Bynum…he would have won even more championships.” so true.
Oh and one last Thing. Kobe’s 81 point game vs Raptors < MJ’s 63 in playoffs vs Celtics
June 17th, 2009 at 10:47 pm
Come on guys!!!! why the hell it will go to comparrison. Jordan have made NBA popular to other countries who don’t have interest in basketball, that’s it. whether your Jordan or Kobe is not important. To those Kobe fans these arguements will not stop. Every great athletes have their era why not jordan have his retirement also in discussion and will just wait when will Kobe has his retirement.
June 20th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
I think you can’t compare these two guys, because whenever u do so, u compare Jordans career long stats against what Kobe has accomplished so far. Whoever thought Kobe would not be able to win a title without Shaq…. hmm who won this years title? and who was the Finals MVP? ohh yeah thats right. And i read a comment about how Kobe blew last years finals against the Celtics while Jordan never did something like that. Let Jordan play against Garnet, Pierce and Allen without Pippen and with a rusty Rodman, like Kobe did without Bynum and a rusty Ariza. I wont say that Kobe is the best, because he is not… yet. But he still has time to accomplish it, and whoever says that he cant be compared to Jordan, should take Jordan out of their buttholes. Lets talk about skills and not about who sells more shoes. And the truth is Jordan is the best player in NBA history, but Kobe is on his way to the top, and haters, whether u like it or not, he is the best active player in the NBA today, and he is up there with Mike, above everybody else, getting better every time. So stop talking and leaving comments about how great Jordan was if u r not able to see the truth when u got ur mouthful with jordans … and realize that there is a player in the NBA who has the talent and potential to surpass him.
June 30th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Just a tidbit Jordan return to UNC in 1986 to complete his degree.