Kobe versus Jordan

[J_V]

I was just listening to the Dan Patrick show on ESPN radio, and he suggested that Kobe is better at 25 than Jordan was at 25. I believe that this to be true - and hardly debatable.

I personally think that Kobe at 25 is more physically talented than Jordan at any point in his career.

He is taller.

He jumps higher.

He goes to the basket as well as Jordan ever did.

He has the turn around jumper Jordan didn't have till he was 29-30 and not nearly as quick.

He has better 3-point range.

He is a marginally better free throw shooter.


If I was a scout, I think Kobe's specs match up favorable versus Michael Jordan in his prime.


While Michael Jordan is arguably the toughest mental competitor in the history of sports, Kobe is not exactly mind-putty. If Kobe can ever reach Jordan's mental plane, he may be considered the greatest ever one day (after he wins a few championships w/out Shaq).

Comments?

[M2d]

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While Michael Jordan is arguably the toughest mental competitor in the history of sports, Kobe is not exactly mind-putty.

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Kobe, however, seems to take quite a few trips to mental never-never land. at the beginning of his career, MJ was a ball hog, but it partially came from not having any supporting cast and no system to rely on. Kobe has Shaq and Phil, but seems to often want to do it all himself. sometimes to amazing results, but often to his and his team's detriment.

[Boris]

I don't know how you can even begin to compare Kobe with Jordan. So Kobe has as much or more physical talent than Jordan. So what? Lot's of guys had more physical talent than Jordan. How about Dominique Wilkins in his prime? Or even Tracy McGrady?

Jordan not only was a better athlete, he was a better team player and he was more valuable to his team. The Laker's will still be a force next year if they get rid of Kobe. They can give Shaq a better supporting cast and maybe force him to get in shape and they will contend for the NBA title again. You can't say the same for Kobe. Even if he ends up with the Knicks, they will still not compete for the eastern division championship.

[J_V]

Didn't Jordan spend have his career trying to do all himself. The 63 against the Celtics is one of the better examples. Jordan put up 50 and lost in the playoffs on a seemingly regular basis. It was not until he started to distribute the ball that he won championships.


I don't think that in entirely a function of how talented his supporting cast was either.

[Boris]

Well if Kobe can put up 63 points in a play-off game now would be the time to do it. I'm sure the Lakers would win any game against the Pistons where Kobe had plus 40.

[Easy E]

as in, it had better be on 19-20 shooting (40) or The Diesel might put a size-gargantuan up his yahoo.

[J_V]

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I don't know how you can even begin to compare Kobe with Jordan

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A better question is how can you NOT. Rings, talent, physical similarites....


Dominique Wilkins was not a more talented basketball player than Michael Jordan. Tracy McGrady is close, but I'd say no again.

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Jordan not only was a better athlete

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This is bogus. You have to refute my point that Kobe does everything a little better than Jordan did it in his prime. The only reason Jordan was a better team player than Kobe was because he was on a team where he was the man. Just wait till Kobe gets the ball in his hands ever possession w/out Goliath clogging the middle. He'll be putting up many more assists than Jordan's paltry career average.

If Kobe goes anywhere in the East, they will compete for the title, even the Knicks.

The current Lakers w/out Kobe would be flat out awful.

[Josh W]

It amazes me how otherwise intelligent people can be so ignorant regarding the mental aspect of the game.

Forget 'mental toughness' for now. Kobe is a bad decision maker. The classic case was last year, when they were playing the Magic (yeah, I know, it was last year, but still a pertinent example, as he still shows these tendencies)...

T-Mac posterizes Kobe on a baseline spin/dunk move. Kobe quickly grabs the inbound pass, pushes a 1-on-4, and as Brian Shaw said later (I'm paraphrasing) "As soon as Kobe took the inbound pass, we all knew he was about to do something stupid". He pushed the 1-on-4, and either turned it over or forced a stupid shot with no rebounding help, essentially turning it over.

Kobe needs to be better than T-Mac before he can start seriously being compared to Jordan. He is less athletic, a worse decision maker, and less coachable than T-Mac. And you wanna compare him to Jordan??

Josh

[bosoxfan]

I don't follow the NBA as closely as i used to but i'll give my opinion anyway. The thing that made Jordan so great was, I know it's a cliche, he made the players around him better. He was the ultimate team leader and had the respect of his teammates. When he spoke the team listened. I don't see the same qualities it Kobe. Not to say he won't develope them I just don't think he's there right now.

[adios]

Jordan turned 29 in during the 1989 season. Here's a link to his career stats:

Jordon Career Stats

Here's a link to Kobe's career stats:

Kobe's Career Stats


As I like to say the record's speak for themselves [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img].

I realize that Jordan had college years under his belt but slice it and dice anyway you want Jordan's stats indicate that he was a better player than Kobe at the same age, at both ends of the court.