I stumbled across this, and I thought it was pretty neat:

 

 

Why do you think Kobe chose 24 when picking a number?

I stumbled across this, and I thought it was pretty neat:

 

 

Um ok? :lol:

Why do you think Kobe chose 24 when picking a number?

 

It was his first high school number.

It was his first high school number.

 

Did he have multiple in HS? serious question.

 

 

... and it just so happens to be one above MJ's..

Did he have multiple in HS? serious question.

 

 

... and it just so happens to be one above MJ's..

Yeah he went to 33 later in HS for whatever reason. He might have done it to be 1 over MJ but that is why he said he did which kinda makes sense, who knows really. He only had 8 because it was the numbers from the ABCD (#143) camp before he got drafted added together. 24 and 33 weren't available when he was drafted.

 

 

Now that I look back it doesn't look like 33 was taken but 24 was, which is apparently the number he wanted but who really knows.

I think it's close...

Um ok? :lol:

 

Nothing to it, I thought it was a cool video.

Nothing to it, I thought it was a cool video.

 

Oh ok I thought you were going somewhere with it.

Kobe does not even compare to Jordan on the defensive end. Jordan was all NBA defensive teams several times.

 

Kobe is great but not Jordan.

Coming from one of the biggest haters that doesn't mean much IMO. People just hold MJ to such a high level for whatever reason they are almost outraged for no reason when someone makes a comparison.

 

When is the last time I hated on Kobe? Last year? I've actually defended him in the other NBA thread but oh well.

:idunno:

 

As for being outraged I don't care one way or another which player you think is better. But in a discussion I just wish one Kobe supporter brought one valid reason for Kobe being as good or better than Jordan. You say people are lying to themselves that it's not close, but no one has brought a valid argument as to why.

The poll speaks loudly.

Kobe does not even compare to Jordan on the defensive end. Jordan was all NBA defensive teams several times.

 

Kobe is great but not Jordan.

Kobe has been first team all defense 8 times and second team 2 times. In full disclosure, I do not take the all defensive team honors as serious as some because they are often a popularity vote, but it is still quite an accomplishment.

I also love how a couple of pictures of Kobe and Jordan holding similar poses means that Kobe wants to be Jordan. I have held those similar poses a few hundred times in my life, I guess I am just trying to live up to the greatness of Jordan.

 

Jordan and Kobe are both egomaniacs. Neither wants to be compared to the other. In my opinion, that is what makes Kobe a special player and a trait a guy like LeBron (talk about wanting to be Jordan) has yet to develop.

Phil Jackson compares the two:

 

 

To summarize how I read his take in this clip (it is "Phil talk" so he doesn't clearly state too much) - he reluctantly admits Kobe has better skills than MJ and says Kobe is a better outside shooter but that Michael had the best ever interior game, his big hands were incredible and enabled him to do many of the things he did and seems to lean towards MJ as the better of the two in large part because of MJ's better shooting percentage and size.

There's only two places that I'd give Kobe the edge. Perimter shooting, he has more range. And, he has a bigger arsenal of offensive moves, IMO. I view both of those as minimal, because it's not like Kobe is a 3-point threat a la Ray Allen. And, the offensive arsenal is a non-issue because both guys can get a shot when they want it. Jordan was able to post up 15 feet from the basket and shoot fadeaway jumpers at will. If nobody can stop the moves you have, I don't think it matters if the other guy has a couple more in his bag of tricks.

 

I think Jordan is a vastly superior defender both on the ball and as a roamer. I don't recall a lot of discussions about Jordan getting an easy defensive assignment so he can save himself for offense. But, I might be mis-remembering like Andy Pettite.

 

And, I think Jordan is more clutch.

 

He's not light years ahead of Kobe. But, he is/was better. Clearly better to me.