Monday, March 5th, 2012 at 10:25 am  |  200 responses

Kobe Bryant Doesn’t Think He’s Ever Had a Rival in the NBA


According to Kobe, those who were once considered rivals faded away, and the current crop of stars is too young and haven’t won enough rings to truly measure up. From ESPN: “Despite Bryant’s acknowledging that it’s not just another game, he wouldn’t characterize his relationship with LeBron James as a rivalry. ‘Not for me,’ Bryant said. ‘I get up for everybody just the same, to be honest. It’s hard for me to turn my meter up any higher than it normally is.’ OK, Bryant was asked, how about Dwyane Wade? [...] ‘He’s too young,’ Bryant said. ‘He’s too young. When I came into the league, he was in elementary school.’ Bryant is three years older than Wade, but was already a seven-year veteran when Wade was drafted in 2003. Bryant said it is ‘a little late in the game’ for him to develop a rivalry with any current NBA player, so instead he is chasing names in the record books rather than in box scores from the 2011-12 season. ‘At this point my rivals, in terms of what I have left to accomplish in my career, (left the game) when Magic (Johnson) and Michael (Jordan) retired in ’98,’ Bryant said, referring to the second of Jordan’s three retirements that came after he won his sixth and final championship with the Chicago Bulls. ‘That’s it. In terms of what I’m looking to accomplish, that’s about it.’ [...] ‘What I have left to accomplish, those players retired a long time ago,’ Bryant said. The San Antonio Spurs’ Tim Duncan won four championships to Bryant’s five throughout their shared careers, but Bryant said while the Spurs might have qualified as a team rival to his Lakers, Duncan’s individual rivalry came against Shaquille O’Neal as a fellow big man. ‘He was never in my position,’ Bryant said. ‘He was more Shaq’s rival than mine. As a team, the Spurs were always a team that we had to go through. So from that standpoint, yes, but in terms of personally, no. I’ve outgrown them all, from A.I. (Allen Iverson) when I first came in to (Tracy) McGrady to Vince Carter and so forth and so on.’”

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  • http://www.thedynastyboys.com lix

    Kobe DID NOT deserve all of those All Defensive selections. He and JKidd basically got multiple selections off rep, not performance. Anyone who says different doesn’t watch anything more that Sportscenter highlights.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    OH and if you think Kobe deserves any of his defensive accolades in the last 7 years then you definitely have no actually been watching full Lakers games. He hasn’t (again, rightly so) had big time defensive responsibility in that stretch at all other then to lead the defense by floating and talking.

  • What

    Go Celtics!

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    I can’t believe people really think coaches are worried about who is a great defender on the other team.
    They have more than they can handle worrying about their own teams
    You go back through the years and examine the great defenders that were hooping with Kobe at the same time and explain how he made all defense over them. He was NOT a better defender than many cats like Battier, or Snow, or Mckie, or Artest or Prince, or Bowen, or Thabo, and many others. He just wasn’t. I could go through his entire career, look at who was playing then and pull up name after name of cats who were better defenders who didn’t make all defense.
    Bottom line, Kobe’s rep got him in.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    Kobe got all defensive selections while not even being close to the best defender on his own team (Ariza – Artest)

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    I think he should have been given 1 or 2 first team nods. 2002-2003. He was a beast defensively that year. He deserves to have a couple off of reputation, but no he does not deserve those 1st team selections. But neither does Kareem Abdul Jabbar, whom has more than Kobe does. He and Kobe were comparable with their defensive prowess. Neither should have as many as they do though.

  • CB

    I see what NBK is saying but between 2000-2008 kobe was the best guard in the NBA. Yeah A.I was ballin and won the mvp, but thats because he was by himself, and yeah t-mac was ballin too but Kobe was the best all around guard in offense and defence all in one. As far as comparing him to duncan and Shaq idk. Shaq was pretty dominant until 04. And even if you put shaq in his prime vs Jordan in his prime its kinda hard to say whose ‘better’ .

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    KAJ was an absolute force defensively. idk what you mean? the last 2 awards were questionable for sure, definitely the very last 2nd team award in i believe 84′, but before that he was grabbing 10ish defensive rebounds and blocking 3+ shots a game, there really wasn’t anyone better at that time that i can think of.

  • robb

    People here are assuming Kobe said “I had no rival” as in “I had no equal” he’s not saying that. The media loves that Magic vs. Bird thing. They tried to renew it with the Kobe vs. Lebron stuff, but It didn’t work so now they are asking Kobe who was his rival so they can create some controversy and apparently it’s working because many guys here are misunderstanding what Kobe’s saying.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    Unless he got all defense selections throughout the 80s but I don’t think he did. Maybe two or three after 1980

  • MirChilly

    Kadavour… I forgot about that portland team but honestly they was really only a real threat for two years (98-99 and 99-00). Even with portland and san antonio, that’s only two compared to A.I’s 5 or 6 really tough teams. Also let’s not forgot that late 90′s toronto team while they didn’t win much (or at all) was a tough team to play because of camby, doug and a young t-mac defensively. Let’s not forget that A.I is really only 5’10!!! Yes that does matter. Now Kobe has outlasted all his main so-called rivals (outside of Ray Allen) in terms of nba longevity, so he deserves his spot but I completely understand ALLENP point, We are “caught up” in the moment a little too much now a days. I had a dude about 17 tell me that derrick rose is better than gary payton ever was and blake is better than kemp. But I watched them games, so I believe my thoughts are valid

  • http://nbasobrietystrike.blogspot.com/ CoolWhip

    This is dope.
    Nice to see Kobe speak with actual candid candor – like he’s actually being ‘himself’, not just a proximation of what he thinks is himself.

  • http://www.thedynastyboys.com lix

    LOL @ candid candor

  • http://slamonline.com The Philosopher

    When someone who is grown has been told the same thing(s) since they were a child, often times they believe it.
    Whether they consciously believe it, or unconsciously.

  • BrackMamba

    ray allen can not be compared with Kobe. they’re just 2 different players. kobe creates his own shots, ray allen gets his shots created from other players.

  • Dingo Rob

    Kobe keeping it real, showing he has a good grip on who he is and where he sits. Personally best guard since MJ followed by AI

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    Yeah my B. Didn’t realize Kareem was snagging so many boards and blocking so many shots in his younger days.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    I completely understand what you were getting at though, if 80s Kareem got all those defensive accolades he would be in the same rep for awards situation as Kobe.

  • http://slamonline Jimbo

    The only guard in the 2000′s who deserves to be in even the same sentence as Kobe is AI. And the only other shooting guard who deserves to be in the same sentence as MJ is Kobe.

  • http://slamonline.com The Philosopher

    Kobe isn’t in the same sentence as Jordan.
    Period.
    Jordan is the better scorer.
    Better defender.
    Better passer.
    Better ball handler.
    Better rebounder.
    Better leader.
    Better decision maker.
    More heart.
    More coachable.
    Better pure athlete.
    Better without the ball.
    More clutch.
    Played in a better era.
    Never had a center.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    And he lost his hair sooner….then everyone.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    I love how everyone conveniently forgets about JWest when talking about SGs comparable to MJ. His numbers (both RS and Playoffs) are the closest to MJ’s but his name seems to get lost in the “Kobe looks, walks, and talks like MJ” hype.
    It’s a shame how old-time greats are regularly disrespected by the media and fans in the name of hyping up today’s stars.

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    MJ also sported tighty whities better. Wayyyy better. Taylor, stop it. West is a distant third. Wade is biting at West’s ankles if he hasn’t passed him already also.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    Lakeshow, West is 3rd. But not distant. And Wade has definitely not caught him. You need to catch up on your Jerry West history.

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    Yeah maybe. I know the numbers. Never seen a full game besides AllStar that West was in. I just know he would get dominated by Wade. That’s all I need to know in assessing who is the better player. Wade doesn’t have half the career accomplishments that West had, but he is the better player by all accounts in my opine.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    I see.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    So by looking at a player’s athletic abilities is all you need to know when trying to decide who’s the better player? WOW…I guess Gerald Green would turn West into vegetable soup. I don’t know if you’re serious or just trying to make a fool of yourself but West’s numbers are superior to Wade’s all across the board (RS/Playoffs). When Wade wins a Final MVP award on the losing team and becomes the Logo of the NBA, then maybe…just maybe we can talk about him being better than West.

  • Everynowhere

    talent wise: i agree with lakeshow. But when players are being compared its usually about what they had accomplished in their careers. The logo has had a better career then wade so far. that’s not even debatable.

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    Go back to 2nd grade homie. You gotta learn to read. I didn’t even mention athletic ability. So Wilt is astronomically better than Shaq? Right Taylor? No one has ever won MVP in a losing effort other than that one time so why would Wade ever do that. Hey but it’s all about the numbers to you it sounds like so yeah Wests #’s > Wade’s #’s.

  • http://www.nba.com Red

    Kiss the rings biaaatch!!!

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    People tend to favor what they never witnessed.

  • ctk

    this guy isnt a rival so to speak but KevinGarnett was a better player than Kobe from 2000-2008…Kobe just played on better overall teams

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    People tend to favor what others tell them to favor.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    You know, Garnett probably was better from 04-05/06. So Kobe’s reign was even shorter then I thought.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    Who told him to favor Wade over Jerry West? Lol what you talkin bout willis?

  • rkirby

    @Philosopher Phil Jackson said himself that Kobe is a better ballhandler than Jordan, so take that one back. Also, Shaq is the player whose numbers are inflated if anybody’s are. Who did Shaq have to go against in the post when he was in his ‘prime’ especially in the finals? an aging Mutumbo, Divac, an over-the-hill David Robinson…everyone else isnt even worth mentioning. The one time Shaq met a good center in the finals, he got swept even with Penny Hardaway, Anderson, Horace Grant, Dennis Scott. He has played on just as talented teams if not more talented teams than Kobe and has won fewer championships. Shaq for the majority of his career has had a physical advantage similar to the ones Chaimberlain had in his heyday and grossly underperformed while playing with the greatest wing players of their eras (Penny, Kobe, Wade, Lebron, Pierce, Allen). Shaq is so overrated it’s not even funny.

  • ctk

    KG should won back to back MVPs…he was what Dwight is now with better scoring,passin,n leadership

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    the media.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    You just said “I just know he would get dominated by Wade. That’s all I need to know in assessing who is the better player” What kind of sh*t is that? If you’re going to make outrageous statements at least have some facts to back them up.
    West’s a better shooter, passer, rebounder, defender, leader, tougher, smarter, and better in the clutch. I wouldn’t expect to offer a counterpoint because why use facts when you can use your gut.

  • http://thetroyblog.com Teddy-the-Bear

    Chris Paul also made All-Defensive First Team, which he had no business being on. The All-Defensive teams are a sham–I don’t even know why we take them seriously.

  • http://thetroyblog.com Teddy-the-Bear

    Also to add to JTaylor/Lakeshow’s comments, Wilt IS better than Shaq.

  • http://slamonline Jimbo

    @The Philosopher… have you not heard the MJ-Kobe comparisons for the past I don’t know, 13 years? I never said Kobe was as good as MJ… nobody will ever be as good as him, but he at least deserves a mention. Jordan had Pippen. Kobe has the skills and he deserves a mention alongside Jordan as the second or third best shooting guard of all time. There is no argument against it and you would be down right ignorant if you disagreed.

  • Dungeon Family

    @Jtaylor21 You worry about Kobe more Than Kobe worries about himself

    You act like a Scorned ex girlfriend

  • mike

    kobe s great- the greatest of his era, but he never had a signature playoff moment – a signature game in the finals that cemented his legend like mj, bird, magic did. He always had enough talent around him to win late in games- so that he didnt even need to play well to win his rings in the finals. he s a great player- but alot of luck has made his legend also. I mean Robert Horry has seven rings also- all through being in the right place in the right time. If AI was on the lakers with shaq- he might have won 3 rings- maybe more because the team would have stuck together.

    That being said though- he has shown the heart the clutch, the confidence and the hard work to constantly improve his game, whereas the others have plataued. I mean the guy is still in the top 3 players- after 16 years- thats pretty amazing. and he shows no sign of slowing down. What im saying is, he s a great player- but perhaps slightly overrated in my book. He s the best of his era, but for me, well short of magic and michael, maybe on par with oscar robertson, and jerry west, and larry bird. Those guys carried their teams to rings. People forget Kobe had some terrible seasons, and some terrible moments, remember when he self destructed the 2004 finals team against detroit?!? or when he let the team lose by not shooting?!? great player but the fact that he has no rivals says more about his competition than the fact that he is that far above them. He s the best of his era- but maybe his eras havent been that great, rather than the fact that he is. For me Kevin Garnett was the best individual talent and player of his generation, better than duncan, shaq kobe, and ai, but kobe has the rings- and i guess thats what counts to the historians.

    Kobe full of contradictions like that. wants to win, but will let his team lose to prove a point, great winner, but also- has been lucky, great scorer- but inefficient and selfish. Clutch- but also very very lucky. in a great franchise, but also has been one to create a winning team. Antyhing you can say about him- the opposite could also be said if you apply it .

  • http://dsjfkl.com Jukai

    Conversation is a bit late, but Kareem’s defense is just as overrated as Kobe’s. He blocked a lot of shots, got a lot of boards, but played terrible man-to-man defense. In the 1972 all-star game, they pulled Kareem and put in Chamberlain at the end of the game because an injury hobbled 35-year-old Stilt STILL played better D than Kareem. I know Wilt Chamberlain was a defensive force in his later days, but this is a year before Chamberlain retired due to injuries.
    Kareem was a fantastic team defender, weakside blocks all day and lots of boards… but he was a stick and got bullied quite a lot in the post, and it wasn’t just in the 80s. In fairness though, he probably got a bunch of nods because a lot of great defensive bigs were in the ABA.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    Wilt retired because he Didn’t want to play anymore. Not because of injuries. He considered coming back multiple times.

  • http://slamonline.com The Philosopher

    Jimbo:
    I know about Kobe. Trust and believe.
    I just like to “stir the pot” sometimes. (alot)lol

  • http://slamonline.com datkid

    Kobe certainly has outlasted his rivals. but he has had plenty steve nash, ginnobli, A.I., Vince, T-mac, Ray allen
    in fact vc, T-mac, A.I., and Ray and even penny were all better than him for years and I know for a fact A.I. was a LOT better in 01. I give bean credit for catching up to him tho.

  • http://slamonline.com datkid

    this actually sounds like a fascinating discussion to read tho.

  • http://www.kb24.com The Seed

    ESPN, CNN and other sports mags, stated Kobe as the player of the Decade. Kobe has been great for a while, anybody who thinks he has not done anything or is overrated. Watch some basketball, please. BOOK IT!!!

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