OT: Kobe retiring

[superjohn]

When did Todd Fuller retire, anyone know?
Explanation: The GS Warriors, back in the day of Run TMC (Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, Chris Mullins) had the opportunity to draft Kobe Bryant and many fans in the area (I'm back here now) were hoping they would. Instead, they drafted Todd Fuller from NC State. Coulda, woulda, shoulda... amazingly bad judgment.

Who is this Mullins that everyone around here speaks of?

 

[boba]

My list would look something like Jordan, Magic, Bird, Wilt, Kareem, Russell, Lebron, Oscar, Dream, Shaq, Duncan and Kobe tie for 10th and Selvie 11th.

Where does the good Dr. make house calls in this list? The only thing keeping the 76ers from having 5 NBA titles was that they had to go through Bird and Co. in the Eastern Conference Finals, and the same holds true for Larry Legend, when Moses and Dr. J were the inevitable opponent.

 

[JimHurley]

There will never be another Kobe. One of my all-time favorite players. The killer instinct Kobe has doesn't come around often. This is both an iconic and sad moment for the NBA. Kobe, you will be missed.

 

[superjohn]

Where does the good Dr. make house calls in this list? The only thing keeping the 76ers from having 5 NBA titles was that they had to go through Bird and Co. in the Eastern Conference Finals, and the same holds true for Larry Legend, when Moses and Dr. J were the inevitable opponent.

I always debate whether Dr. J makes the top 10 and I always seem to put him last out right after Selvie.

 

[intlzncster]

I always debate whether Dr. J makes the top 10 and I always seem to put him last out right after Selvie.

How could you not? But you're a homer. Most people have Selvie 20-25.

 

[James]

Kobe should try and pass the ball as a parting gift

 

[blackbird]

It always surprises me that he only has 1 mvp

The NBA went through a "Hate on Kobe" spell, when he should have earned those MVPs.

I never saw Jordan, but Kobe Bryant is the most skilled basketball player I've ever seen. And I always respected him for playing the game the way I don't think it should be played..winning while playing that way..and making me like watching it.

 

[Walker11]

Man, I love Kobe. I was genuinely moved reading his piece, and definitely not because it was a great work of poetry. All this guy wants to do in life is to continue playing basketball, but his body is letting him down. Getting old sucks. There aren't many (any?) competitors like him.

 

[imno1]

How could you not? But you're a homer. Most people have Selvie 20-25.

Only because Johnny Time was blackballed from the league. Had he been allowed to play, the record books would look a lot different and recruiting at UConn would have been easier. But Selvie still did great things. He invented the vape pen, won numerous ultra marathons (without any cell phones) and broke Wilt's womanizing record. If Donald Trump becomes president rumor has it JS will be named a SCJ. John Selvie a great Husky, a great American

 

[Deepster]

I always thought he was selfish. A product of the Jordan, "isolate me and stand aside to watch" era the game took on, coincidentally both under Phil Jackson's "triangle offense" nonsense. Has anyone outside of LA ever said "I gotta be home by 9 to watch Kobe"? Does he have a defining moment or shot? Meh. Good riddance.

 

[methodology]

I always thought he was selfish. A product of the Jordan, "isolate me and stand aside to watch" era the game took on, coincidentally both under Phil Jackson's "triangle offense" nonsense. Has anyone outside of LA ever said "I gotta be home by 9 to watch Kobe"? Does he have a defining moment or shot? Meh. Good riddance.

I dont know but the greatest basketball performance I can ever recall watching is when Kobe was beating the Mavs after 3 quarters of play. I think the score was Kobe 62- Mavs 61. And then he didnt play the 4th quarter.

His 81 point performance is also a defining moment.

 

[James]

Ready or not... All these dudes are retired I feel old as hell. I had this issue

 

[James]

Kobe bryant is a funny character in basketball lore, it's almost like he's been a caricuture of Jordan his whole career. Here's a hilarious old grantland piece on his failed rap career.

 

[superjohn]

The NBA went through a "Hate on Kobe" spell, when he should have earned those MVPs.

I never saw Jordan, but Kobe Bryant is the most skilled basketball player I've ever seen. And I always respected him for playing the game the way I don't think it should be played..winning while playing that way..and making me like watching it.

This is pure nonsense, Kobe only got one MVP because that's all he deserved. In true Kobe form he blames the media for only winning the award once and he blames it on the fact that he played with Shaq. If there is anyone who may have a gripe for only winning one MVP it's Shaq. As good as Kobe was he was always second fiddle to Shaq who for that stretch with the Lakers was the most dominant guy the league has seen since Wilt.

 

[Fishy]

Great player.

No one will miss him.

The Lakers seem less than broken up that he's leaving.

 

[tzznandrew]

Don't really disagree with most of this, but you really have Kobe top 10?

Off the top of my head in no order:

Bird, Russell, Chamberlain, Jordan, Shaq, Magic, Kareem, Robertson, Duncan, and maybe a bunch of guys after that (Olajuwon, Lebron, Kobe, etc.)

LeBron is absolutely in the first group of players.

As a scorer, few were able to put more points on the board than Kobe. But as an all-around player he falls somewhere in that 12-15 range all time. Which is pretty freaking amazing, if you ask me. But some want to put him 2 behind Jordan...and that's not even close to accurate.

 

[boog204]

Was never a Kobe fan; always thought he was a who tried too hard to be MJ. But, the guy did things on a basketball court that I've never seen another human do and there were times when he was Jordan's equal. I mean the dude scored 81 in a game where he shot over 60% from the floor and hit some of the single most difficult shots I've ever seen and made it look easy. He was not Jordan or Lebron, but in my lifetime (I'm 36) he is a top 5-6 player (Magic, Bird, MJ, Lebron, Kobe, Duncan, and then everyone else...)

 

[Chin Diesel]

My list would look something like Jordan, Magic, Bird, Wilt, Kareem, Russell, Lebron, Oscar, Dream, Shaq, Duncan and Kobe tie for 10th and Selvie 11th.

I've seen lists a lot worse than that.

 

[nomar]

They are sure gonna miss his 30% shooting and 10 PER.

 

[joober jones]

My list would look something like Jordan, Magic, Bird, Wilt, Kareem, Russell, Lebron, Oscar, Dream, Shaq, Duncan and Kobe tie for 10th and Selvie 11th.

and Mandeldove 12th

 

[puppygenius]

I always felt he had more basketball skill than Jordan. Better ball handler. Better shooter. But it is very close in the shooting dept. Kobe is not as physically as gifted Jordon.

I love the dude (on the court) my fave and the one I follow but he is not a better shooter than Jordan (50% as a guard is phenomenal) .

 

[puppygenius]

It always surprises me that he only has 1 mvp

He had haters, like a lot of hater. Refs included but the Colorado situation made it worse.

 

[champs99and04]

LeBron is absolutely in the first group of players.

As a scorer, few were able to put more points on the board than Kobe. But as an all-around player he falls somewhere in that 12-15 range all time. Which is pretty freaking amazing, if you ask me. But some want to put him 2 behind Jordan...and that's not even close to accurate.

I agree with placing him 12-15. I'd probably have him closer to 15. I think Duncan and LeBron are both comfortably ahead and I would at least consider taking a prime D-Wade over a prime Kobe (Kobe is obviously ahead of D-Wade in the pecking order because of his durability).

Gonna have to disagree with @Deepster 's assertion, though, that he wasn't must-see TV at his peak. He was certainly emblematic of an era of basketball that I'm not terribly disappointed that the NBA has moved beyond, but I've seen him convert opposing fans to mesmerized spectators like no other player in the history of the game besides maybe Jordan. He inspired awe and fear (to some extent, in Lakers fans, too) for the reason that there was no shot he wouldn't take and no shot he couldn't hit. I was never his biggest fan, but he'll deservedly be remembered as one of the great athletes and entertainers of our time.

 

[Deepster]

...I've seen him convert opposing fans to mesmerized spectators like no other player in the history of the game besides maybe Jordan.

Oh, puuuuhlease. Textbook example of hyperbole.

 

[tzznandrew]

I agree with placing him 12-15. I'd probably have him closer to 15. I think Duncan and LeBron are both comfortably ahead and I would at least consider taking a prime D-Wade over a prime Kobe (Kobe is obviously ahead of D-Wade in the pecking order because of his durability).

Gonna have to disagree with @Deepster 's assertion, though, that he wasn't must-see TV at his peak. He was certainly emblematic of an era of basketball that I'm not terribly disappointed that the NBA has moved beyond, but I've seen him convert opposing fans to mesmerized spectators like no other player in the history of the game besides maybe Jordan. He inspired awe and fear (to some extent, in Lakers fans, too) for the reason that there was no shot he wouldn't take and no shot he couldn't hit. I was never his biggest fan, but he'll deservedly be remembered as one of the great athletes and entertainers of our time.

Peak Wade was probably better than peak Kobe. It's really close...closer, I'm sure, than many imagine.