Quite simply Kobe Bryant is one of the most galvanizing figures in NBA history. You either love him or hate him, there’s no middle ground. We can honestly say there’s no other NBA superstar that receives the same degree of criticism that Kobe has over the years (though “The Decision” is slowly changing all of this). I put together a list of Top 10 Things Haters Say About Kobe and Why History will prove them wrong:
10 – He’s not better than Michael Jordan. Yes Lakers fans I hate to break the news to you; Kobe Bryant is not better than Michael Jordan. Lakers fans hardly believed he was, nor do they even entertain the argument. This is just sportstalk fodder by the national media every June after the Lakers annual championship parade (BTW – which is an official rite of summer: Memorial Day, 4th of July, BBQ’s and a Lakers Championship parade). It’s meant to light up the phone lines and draw out a “YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!!!” from the Kobe haters. Listen, we know he won the first three titles with Shaq. We know the hand checking rules are different and that MJ would score 65 points a game. And we know he never faced Detroit’s Bad Boys or Riley’s Knicks. We get it.
Shhhhhh, (in a whisper tone) but you know what? I’ll take the second best shooting guard in the David Stern era.
Next: Kobe’s not a good teammate
9 – Kobe’s not a good teammate. Call it the Emo era or the Glee-ification of America, all of the sudden we now expect our superstars to lead their respective teams with a sensitive touch, always nice, always having fun and always liked by everyone in the organization.
Oh and they also have to cure cancer, be wildly funny (but in a I’m-not-trying-to-be-funny-that’s-just-how-I-am way), throw birthday parties at Chuck E. Cheese, and let their teammates win at beer pong.
Kobe’s not that guy. Ric Bucher said it best on a podcast I heard last season; Kobe doesn’t want to be your friend. He’s confident enough as a leader to get past all of that and pursue the real goal: Championships.
You won’t see him lead in any choreographed pre-game rituals or take the fellas out bowling. What you will get is an old-school, 80’s type of leader; an alpha dog who expects the same mental and physical effort that he brings daily.
His teammates might not adore him like LeBron or Nash, but they respect him. And really that’s all you need as a leader of the franchise…respect.
Next: The Kobe Video Guys and Andrew Bynum
8 – The Kobe Video Guys and Andrew Bynum. Everyone breaks out the summer of 2007 and reminds us of the time Kobe wanted out of LA. He was frustrated with the team’s direction and was worried that he would waste yet another season of his prime while the Lakers (and especially Jim Buss) wait for Andrew Bynum to develop. So he cracked… on camera to two douchebags who tried to go public with the video of him going off on Bynum in a parking lot.
The KVG’s became instant web stars/idiots that summer trying to cash in. (BTW – the KVG saga still cracks me up. A friend of mine actually got an “exclusive” interview with them, meeting with them like some discreet back-alley drug deal. He actually had his bags searched!!!)
Question, who was the starting center on the Lakers before the summer of 2007? Kwame Brown. The starting small forward? Luke Walton. Starting point guard? Smush Parker (yep, that guy). Look at the roster in 2007… you’re telling me you wouldn’t go off to two dudes in some random parking lot in Orange County??? Kobe had to drop 65 points on Portland just to land a 7 seed in the playoffs and get rolled by Phoenix in 5. The guy had a VERY legitimate reason to go off. (BTW – The five worst words you’ll ever hear, “Starting at guard, Smush Parker!”)
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QepbzXRbZQE
Next: Kobe’s not as good as LeBron and Wade
7 – Kobe’s not as good as LeBron and now Dwyane Wade. The fact that a player, who was a rookie in 1997, is entering his 15th NBA season and has 1,219 regular season and playoff games under his belt is in the discussion as a top player in the NBA is amazing enough. Sure he’s not as explosive as he was in 2006, sure his knees are feeling the toll of a LONG NBA career and sure he might rest a little on D this year, but being 4th or 5th best is not too shabby.
Next: He ruined the Kobe – Shaq era
6 – He ruined the Kobe – Shaq era. At least that’s how it was played out back in 2004. Both Shaquille O’Neal and Phil Jackson were gone and we all got the feeling that Kobe forced Jerry Buss’ hand as a free agent. He even threatened to leave for the Clippers if something wasn’t done! Either that’s some serious bluffing or Kobe was extremely power hungry.
But as time passed we learned that it was Jerry Buss pulling the strings all along. Shaq had maybe 2 or 3 quality years left in the tank yet he didn’t want to take a cut in salary, work out in the offseason or comfortably settle in the role of number 2 behind Kobe. He had to go and Buss was keen on starting over with a young, athletic and exciting team (read: no Triangle Offense).
Early on things went from bad to worse as we all went through the Rudy T era (uggghhh) and watched Shaq raise a banner in Miami (double uggghhh). We always felt that Shaq and Kobe could go for a minimum eight-peat, but instead Shaq’s winning titles for Pat Riley of all people.
Shaq eventually left Miami, Phoenix and Cleveland all in ruins. Coaches all got fired and some relationships were soured. Shaq and Wade are hardly on speaking terms and Shaq literally stole his idea of “Shaq versus” from Steve Nash (who later cut a deal to get in on the cash and have a producer’s title).
Shaq burned bridges on so many teams that he had to settle for a veteran’s minimum with the Boston Celtics of all teams. As each day passes Shaq comes off at the insecure/jealous one who broke up the dynasty rather than Kobe.
Jerry Buss broke up the team not Kobe and gambled on a new era (with some humble pie and Phil Jackson along the way) and won big time.
Next: Kobe’s no longer a good defender
5 – Kobe’s no longer a good defender. Age has caught up and Kobe is no longer the “shutdown corner” he once was. Yeah, but after 14 seasons who is. There are nights that Kobe plays free safety off his man doubling on the perimeter and playing the passing lanes. Scottie Pippen did this with the Bulls in the late 90’s. His length created havoc, tipping passes and causing a fair share of turnovers.
But then there are those few nights where Kobe’s inner-competitor takes over and he ratchets up the defense and harkens back to the athletic days as No. 8. The best example was the Heat game last December. Wade and Kobe went at it all night with Kobe getting the final word with a …. (wait for it)….. sick game winning three at the buzzer.
Kobe’s hoops IQ allows him to realize his defensive limitations to where it won’t hurt the team defense. Plus he gets by with experience and smarts to make up for the slower wheels.
Next: He’s not an engaging personality
4 – He’s not an engaging personality. It’s a weird criticism but we hear it occasionally. Kobe comes off a little forced. As I said before, he’s not MJ nor Steve Nash. Kobe comes from a sheltered childhood growing up in a foreign country. He’s all-basketball-all-day, sort of like a mad scientist who has no social skills. He’s Revenge of the Nerds but with a sick offensive game.
Early in his career he tried to mimic the Jordan soundbites with the “I love a challenge!” and the same mannerisms. It just didn’t seem right. Now he breaks out the occasional joke but his smile and laugh doesn’t seem natural.
My point… WHO CARES?!? The best personality in the room is the guy with the trophy, and Kobe has five titles, three All Star MVP’s, two Finals MVP’s and one league MVP.
Next: Game 7 against Phoenix
3 – Game 7 against Phoenix. This is the first of the red flag games that people break out in Kobe hating talk. Just what happened in game 7 of the 2006 playoffs against Phoenix? Kobe stopped shooting in the second half as the Lakers got blown out 121-90. The nation reacts, the FBI investigates, Charles Barkley calls out Kobe, Kobe comes on TNT to respond and then speaks in front of a congressional hearing… okay two of those did not happened. But remember the outrage? Remember the overall shock and horror? Suddenly the playoffs became the background to a “did Kobe tank?” storyline.
Hey didn’t LeBron have a similar meltdown last season and the season before? Ask Cavs fans… okay maybe they’re not the ones to ask… ask Celtics fans, who just about wrote their team off after a blowout loss in Game 3 only to rally and destroy the will of the #1 seeded Cavs. Many experts claimed LeBron was not LeBron, hinting that he might have tanked or something else (???). But there was no national outrage, no Charles Barkley claiming LeBron quit, no appearances on TNT. Poof, like that it was gone.
Let’s go back to 2006. Kobe and the Lakers came out flat after a truly gut-wrenching loss in Game 6. Remember, it was a last second Tim Thomas prayer that sent that game into overtime and an eventual Suns win. Kobe left it all out there in Game 6, throwing down a jaw-dropping 50 points in 52 minutes. It just wasn’t enough and the Lakers couldn’t overcome the shock of Thomas’s three. (BTW – we were THIS CLOSE to the same thing happening this year after Jason Richardson banked the three in Game 5. Ron-Ron saved us from deja vu all over again. Special thanks to Ron-Ron’s therapist!) Anyway, the Lakers came out flat after a horrific loss and Kobe had nothing left in the emotional tank. Plain and simple.
Warning, do not watch the video on an empty stomach. NSFLF (Not Safe For Lakers Fans)
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pylV_2mT7BE
Next: Colorado
2 – Colorado. You can’t have any Kobe discussion without bringing up what did or did not happen in Eagle, Colorado. This is kryptonite to any Kobe fan. And really there’s no proper response when someone talks about it. How you feel about Kobe the person is how you feel about the situation. Yet, nobody outside of Kobe and the girl really knows what happens. Kobe haters will claim rape and cover-up; Kobe defenders will claim groupie and setup. It’s that simple and there’s really nothing more to say. Let’s move on, I’m starting to get depressed….
Next: Game 7 in the 2010 NBA Finals
1 – Game 7 in the 2010 NBA Finals. This one is right back at you Boston Sportsguy. Kobe goes an abysmal 6 for 24 from the field in the ultimate decider: a Game 7 in the NBA Finals between the Lakers and Celtics. 6 for 24, 6 for 24, 6 for 24, that’s all we hear. Is Kobe, the ultimate fearless competitor, really a big choke artist in disguise? Does he have to turn in his 2010 Finals MVP like it’s a Heisman Trophy?
Come on! Kobe had a brutal shooting percentage in a highly emotional, highly charged, defensive battle. It was a straight up ugly game. The two greatest franchises in NBA history going at it, what else did you expect. Kobe knew his legacy was on the line (in some people’s minds) and he gripped the trigger way too tightly. He was, like everyone else out there not named Ron Artest (again, big ups to his therapist!), too charged up. The best audio from the game is Phil Jackson indirectly speaking to Kobe in a 4th quarter timeout, asking the team to relax. He may as well slapped Kobe in the face screaming, “just relax…. RELAX!!!” But Phil being Phil looked over the troops and calmly asked everyone to calm down.
The reaction? Kobe hit the boards HARD and pulled down 15 rebounds. People forget just how impressive that stat is. Here we are in the third quarter; the Lakers are down big with their superstar struggling on offense. Both teams are going at it and every possession is a very. very slow grind. Smash-mouth basketball if you will. Kobe finds a way to contribute and get his head back into the game by hitting the defensive boards. Finally the Celtics started to wear down and the Lakers found just enough offense to take the lead and eventually the 2010 NBA title.
These are the moments that really separate the superstars from the rest of the pack. Here is Kobe Bryant in the biggest moment of his basketball life and his offense simply leaves him. Instead of looking for a place to run and hide, Kobe found a way to contribute and even dominate by hitting the defensive glass. Again, a shooting guard was the second highest rebounder in the game with 15!
Michael Jordan gets a ton of credit for finding a way to beat the Pacers in Game 7 of the 1998 Eastern Conference Finals. He was fading down the stretch; a year of carrying the Bulls after back-to-back titles finally wore him down. Instead, he drove the lane and forced the Pacers to put him on the line, finding a way to contribute despite an off night from the field. What did MJ shoot in that game? A bland 9 for 25 from the field and 10 of 15 from the freethrow line. Yet we never hear about how MJ struggled in Game 7, instead he’s hailed as a true champion.
Kobe did the exact same thing, just on the defensive boards. Game 7 wasn’t a reason to prevent Kobe from getting the Finals MVP, rather it was THE REASON to give him the MVP.