Top 50: LeBron James, no. 1

Yeah Maniac, I don’t even like Cowherd but he was right on that account. We could also say yours or my opinion doesn’t count. Opinions….. we all have one.

What? If you go back to whatever rock you’ve been under Jackie, please spend time learning about the difference between LeBron as a 26 year and every other player in NBA history at the same age and come back and tell me if the phrase “any under 26 year old player” makes a damn bit of sense.

nbk – if if if …

what has he done? He has failed to win now with THREE 60 win teams. Show me when Kobe or MJ played on a 60 win team and lost. He’s in Garnett and Dirk’s class.

I guess this ranking means potential has finally overtaken accomplishments when it comes to ranking the best players in the NBA. It sounds cruel to judge someone by their shortcomings but that’s what sports are all about. You can get alllllll the stats you want, but if you don’t win it doesn’t mean anything. Look at all the great individual players in the league that put up huge numbers and choked time and time again. They aren’t put in the same category as “best”. There are three tiers of good players. Magic,Kobe,Kareem,Jordan,Pippen,Shaq,Wilt are on one tier…Barkley, Iverson, Bernard King, Artis Gilmore, Stockton on the second, Lebron, Durant, Dwight Howard, Steve Nash are in another. The second and third tier are a bit blurry but you can see the correlation. GREAT players that either never got it done, or haven’t been around long enough to call the best. Kobe Bryant has 5 championships and 7 finals appearances. That’s the only argument I need.

And for the record yall musta forgot how dope kobe’s 2003 season was, I’d DEFINITELY take kobe at age 25 over bron. Primarily bc he had already proven that he was able to perform on the biggest stage. I’m sure nbk’s explanation for that disparity between the two is that “well kobe’s just selfish”…considering who had rings by that age (not a ring, 3 of em) I’d have to say its one of those times when selfish must be good. And before you say that kobe piggybacked shaq (a ridiculous argument that already been sufficiently countered by less inteligent men than me) consider for a second who bron played with last year.

And it took Kobe and Shaq 4 tries to win a title. And nobody who thought it out really picked the Heat to win a title in their first try together last season. People gave them a shot (I sure did) but most people ultimately picked the Lakers (I did) or Celtics last year. If the Heat fail and are healthy this year then I think all criticism about LeBron’s ability too figure out how win a title will be justified. You can take Kobe at 25 all you want, but don’t try ad justify it with “he had 2 rings” – so did f*ckin Sam Cassell, would you take him too? LeBron had 2 MVPs at 25 and was much much much more productive, Kobe had 3 rings. As individuals, I’ll take LeBron. For their careers as of now, I’ll take Kobe. My explanation of Kobe’s ability too win has ne’er been about his selfishness. And if you read the conversation in which I used the term piggyback’d his way to 3 titles you’ll notice I explained what I meant a few comments later. So please if your going to complain about me and my comments, say things that are at least relevant.

@nbk fair enough. I just worry that ppl have given bron too much credit too soon and bc he doesn’t seem self motivated like kobe and $ were that he’s gotten/will get complacent with just being a global brand rather than the goat. I’m not a fan of bron’s but I am a fan of the game and want bron (or anyone really, bron just seems the most likely candidate now) to step up and take the torch that kob’s gonna be passing off in the next few yrs, similar to how $ talked about “leaving the game in good hands” (he was talking bout kobe when he said that btw); why do you guys think $ was so friendly and encouraging to kob from day one? Bc he knew this was the one who had the motivation iq and skill to carry the torch. Kob seems to think that next person’s melo from what I’ve seen (as a knix fan I’d hope he’s right). Fyi I don’t understand how some ppl can rank $ the best ever and then (assuming they’re using the same criteria, and if not they’re guilty of a double standard) rank kobe lower than 2nd best guard ever. I’d be interested in nbk’s or anyones explanation of that seeming paradox.

I have Kobe as the 2nd greatest 2-guard of all time. The only other player I would accept someone saying was a better 2-guard is Oscar Robertson but he is generally thought of as a Point. In the guard hierarchy I have Bryant behind only Michael, Magic, & Big O in terms of “best”. Greatness (accomplishments + legend) I think Kobe will only end up behind MJ and Magic. And Z did you know Kobe is the only player MJ has consistently talked to and given advice too, even since Mike was in the league? I believe him and Kobe talk just about once every week (from what I’ve read about their relationship).

@ 3 kings- Clearly you don’t pay much attention to the Lakers. Ron Artest? Not a good player anymore. Pau Gasol? He has to be constantly reminded to play with aggression and not let people make him slink into the background. Andrew Bynum? He’s always injured. Derek Fisher? Old and worn out. Now…. you tell me who’s had a better supporting cast for the last 4 years, LeBron or Kobe.

And that’s obvious.

He has a clear defensive advantage. And he has a clear size advantage. Other then that the differences are minuscule but it’s pretty clear which player would be easier to build a winner around (imo)

Kobe is the toughest player to build a winner around because of his attitude.
Isiah took a decently talented team fir his era and molded it infos championship contender for at least half of his career and a two time champ. And the defensive difference is minuscule and the only offensive difference is in Isiah’s favor.

Allen, the Bad Boy Pistons were “decently talented”? They had 3 HOF players (Isiah, Joe D, Dennis Rodman) at the height of their abilities. It basically took a perfect mix of player to get Isiah his championships. Defensive geniuses, a stretch 4 who could bang down low (Lambeer), an offensive bomb on the bench (Vinnie Johnson) and the perfect 2 guard too play next to a shoot first PG (Joe D). Maybe Kobe was harder to “build around” in the sense that he couldn’t deal with inferior guys, but he was easier to win with when he was happy.

Sorry, y’all. Don’t mind me. Was having troubles with comments not showing up is all…

I mean I can admit zeke was a better leader, maybe

Damn, y’all still on this page arguing?
nbk, I also had Zeke ranked 2nd. I think the argument was “who was a better ball-handler” between Stock and Zeke and it was between BC and JT.
It’s obvious that Maniac started watching the NBA after 1991 because the way he laughs off AllenP’s comment on Zeke being better than Kobe shows he knows little about the history of the game and reeks of fanboyism.

And cosign what you said about Maniac, although a lot of his comments have made that pretty clear.

Your clearly a fanboy, clearly. You do know basketball history, you just seem to have a loose grip on it.

Fanboy of Kobe.

Oh sweat yall had him #1 the last 3 years? Wow. I remember the Kobe vs. Lebron Slam issue. I felt like Slam was leaning w/ Kob. I remember one writer saying the only Kob has the keys to the best bball player in the world car and is not giving them up anytime soon. I think based off last year it was still Mamba. When you look at his reduced minutes (around 32) and the wat Phil kinda tried to hold him back, he was making the most use of his minutes.

Dirks got to be top five

I have to say this List is better then The ESPN NBA RANK…