January 6, 201610 yr Best player or most important player? Kareem was the best player but Magic was the most important.
January 6, 201610 yr This is a super hard question. For reference I never got to watch Jerry West play but I did watch Kareem and Magic growing up and we all know how I feel about Kobe. That being said...... I go with Kobe. Out of all them he did more with less at one point. He went to the NBA Finals with Pau Gasol as his right hand man. He's arguably the best athlete to ever wear the purple and gold and he is easily the better athlete amongst these four choices. Kobe is the best scorer out of all of them and arguably the best defender out of all of them. If Kobe doesn't have the first 15 years of his career where he was hated then I bet Kobe wins this argument. Too many people just started liking him this year. Magic had Kareem, Worthy, Byron Scott, AC Green, Rambis and Michael Cooper coming off the bench, Mychal Thompson and Jamaal Wilkes as teammates while he was there winning titles. I also think his career being cut short makes a slight difference. It would be easier for me to choose Magic had he played a couple of more years. What's really crazy is saying that overall Kareem is a better player Han Kobe but not a better Laker. :lol2: I believe this to be true.
January 6, 201610 yr It would have to be Magic or Kareem. You can't have Kobe and not put Shaq. Three of Kobe's rings he played Scottie Pippen to Shaq. How can it be Magic or Kareem when one of them had to play Scottie Pippen to the other playing MJ for their rings the same way Kobe and Shaq did?
January 6, 201610 yr How can it be Magic or Kareem when one of them had to play Scottie Pippen to the other playing MJ for their rings the same way Kobe and Shaq did? I'm going to ignore this and just say Kobe sucks.
January 6, 201610 yr I'm going to ignore this and just say Kobe sucks. :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: I'm going to miss this next season when Kobe is gone. :lol2:
January 6, 201610 yr Kareem is the greatest, but my dad says he didn't work hard enough on defense. And he says that lots of times, he didn't even run down court. And that he didn't really try, except during the playoffs. This is excellent. :lol2: :lol2:
January 7, 201610 yr Quote from Mitch Kupchak got me thinking, and having a spirited conversation over lunch. Has to be one of these four, right? * Magic * Kareem * Jerry West * Kobe I could make a hearty case for any of them, to be honest. Thoughts? Who did you choose?
January 7, 201610 yr Author Who did you choose? Can't choose West because he was long before my time. Can't choose Kareem because while he was clearly dominant, the end of his career just seemed like a guy trying to accumulate. When you ask Joe Fan for the best big of all time, most would name 4 or 5 before even getting to him, so he is out. I wouldn't choose Magic, even though I can passionately make a case for why he should be. A lot of what makes him among the greatest ever is intangible. Saving the league with Larry. Playing center in the Finals. Showtime. All special. However, I do have a little numbers-guy to me, and honestly, his don't bowl you over. Saying all of that, begrudgingly, I'd choose Kobe. I've, from day 1 (way before the Denver stuff), been anti-Kobe. I was an Iverson guy. I was a Shaq guy. Kobe always seemed like a spoiled brat when he was coming into the league. I'm also a Duncan guy, so it is hard to be both. However....I think Mitch may be correct that Kobe is, in fact, the greatest Laker ever.
January 7, 201610 yr Can't choose West because he was long before my time. Can't choose Kareem because while he was clearly dominant, the end of his career just seemed like a guy trying to accumulate. When you ask Joe Fan for the best big of all time, most would name 4 or 5 before even getting to him, so he is out. I wouldn't choose Magic, even though I can passionately make a case for why he should be. A lot of what makes him among the greatest ever is intangible. Saving the league with Larry. Playing center in the Finals. Showtime. All special. However, I do have a little numbers-guy to me, and honestly, his don't bowl you over. Saying all of that, begrudgingly, I'd choose Kobe. I've, from day 1 (way before the Denver stuff), been anti-Kobe. I was an Iverson guy. I was a Shaq guy. Kobe always seemed like a spoiled brat when he was coming into the league. I'm also a Duncan guy, so it is hard to be both. However....I think Mitch may be correct that Kobe is, in fact, the greatest Laker ever. I like it.
January 7, 201610 yr Can't choose West because he was long before my time. Can't choose Kareem because while he was clearly dominant, the end of his career just seemed like a guy trying to accumulate. When you ask Joe Fan for the best big of all time, most would name 4 or 5 before even getting to him, so he is out. I wouldn't choose Magic, even though I can passionately make a case for why he should be. A lot of what makes him among the greatest ever is intangible. Saving the league with Larry. Playing center in the Finals. Showtime. All special. However, I do have a little numbers-guy to me, and honestly, his don't bowl you over. Saying all of that, begrudgingly, I'd choose Kobe. I've, from day 1 (way before the Denver stuff), been anti-Kobe. I was an Iverson guy. I was a Shaq guy. Kobe always seemed like a spoiled brat when he was coming into the league. I'm also a Duncan guy, so it is hard to be both. However....I think Mitch may be correct that Kobe is, in fact, the greatest Laker ever. The proper response was "Kobe sucks".
January 7, 201610 yr Quote from Mitch Kupchak got me thinking, and having a spirited conversation over lunch. Has to be one of these four, right? * Magic * Kareem * Jerry West * Kobe I could make a hearty case for any of them, to be honest. Thoughts? Wilt Chamberlain? Elgin Baylor? Yeah, I know, I'm old!
January 7, 201610 yr I go with Magic. Magic not only made the team better because of his talent, he made every PLAYER on his team better because of the way he played. For those that say Kobe...ask him to guard the 4/5 spot in the NBA finals and see what happens. Also, I'm not convinced Kobe makes those around him better. Makes his team better just from the standpoint of his amazing individual talent, or at least he did in the past. But Magic had that rare ability to lift all those around him. And I have said for years that he was probably the toughest matchup for other teams overall in NBA history. The only hesitation I have saying this is that he wasn't the greatest offensive threat ever, that's for sure...and Kareem was. And if someone said Kareem was the greatest Laker, I wouldn't put up too much of an argument because they would have a LOT they could point to to back up that decision.
January 7, 201610 yr Voting for Magic here. I will say, had he wanted, Shaq had the chance to be this award winner. In my time of watching basketball, he was the most physically imposing unstoppable force I have seen. Let's be honest though, Shaq never fully committed to the sport in the way it takes to be an all time great.
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