Lee
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With all due respect, Lee, I’m a lifelong (36 years old) Lakers fan who likes to lurk this forum and your assessment about Kobe being 5th of 6th best player on the Lakers and now behind LeBron is absolutely absurd.
Whether you like it or not, Kobe is a legend here in Los Angeles. Despite his past mishaps, and he’s had many, I admit, he was a young man in the early and mid 2000’s and made some dumbass mistakes. I don’t think anyone denies that.
But in terms of his pure basketball genius, you had to witness some of his greatest performances at Staples Center to understand why we here in LA will always think of Kobe as either the greatest, or second greatest Laker to ever don the purple and gold.
He was either a close second option, or first option to 5 titles, 3 consecutive on one occasion, and two on another, for this franchise.
If LeBron wants to be a part of the Laker great pantheon, he needs to win at least one championship first. Even the great Wilt Chamberlain, the man who scored 100 points in one game, was only able to lead the franchise to 1 championship.
Granted, the majority of us are absolutely ecstatic that we now have LeBron. I mean, come on, this is LeBron James we’re talking about. The best player in the league without question. The man who has redefined the game of basketball. Cleveland and Miami legend. Imagine he wins a title for the Lakers....that would be 3 franchises that he would have done that for. Unmatched.
Ultimately, how could you not be excited about having the two most dynamic, and arguably popular players in the NBA in the last 20 years playing for your team?
We are blessed as a franchise, and our fan base isn’t filled with just the band wagoners that yes, we do unfortunately have. We have some of the most hardcore diehard fans in the world. And being a part of that die hard fan base includes being a fan of Kobe for 20 years, which includes the ability to criticize him when he deserves criticism.
But please, just try to be impartial and look at it from a viewpoint that isn’t so blind sided. I’m not arguing that Kobe was or is better then any other player he played against. I’m simply stating that he provided 20 years worth of memorable moments for us, and that making the claim you made is simply not accurate based on that fact alone.
You are proving my blind spot theory. As far as players who played in a Laker uniform, he isn't top 5.
You now have Lebron, Magic, Kareem, Wilt. Not much debate those are better players than Kobe, maybe not Lakers, although Magic and Kareem are better Lakers too, but then you have Shaq who most rank ahead of Kobe and won the first 3 MVP's for the titles, so there is that, then West, Karl and Elgin who I have behind Kobe.
I could see a case for Kobe to be 9th or 10th in uniform, I have him 6th, but only Shaq is debatable not better than Kobe for his career....not Laker career, but career.
That is my point, you have a Kobe blind spot, all Laker fans do for some reason.
Oh and I am a 46 year old sports fan and not a Laker hater at all, loved Magic and many other Laker players. I just love basketball. I remember Magic's rookie year. I remember Magic playing center as a rookie in the finals and the Lakers winning the game. I remember when Kareem set the all time scoring record...as a Laker.
As for Lebron, he is the GOAT, but worst case, he is 2nd to MJ, and Wilt, well that is before my time, trusting the experts on that one.
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