Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers has been chosen as the top player in basketball by The Sporting News for the second year in a row by a panel of 76 former NBA coaches, players, executives, and broadcasters and I find it hard to disagree with that assessment, even as a die-hard Celtics fan.
Do I think Kobe always makes the right decision? No. Do I think he sometimes forces shots and makes the game that much harder for himself by not operating within the offense? You bet.
But is he the very best all-around player our league has right now? Absolutely.
Over the years Kobe has grown from a raw, athletic high-schooler to the most well-rounded offensive force in the game. Like Jordan he has developed an impressive array of back-to-the-basket moves and continues to play excellent defense. I was not one who felt that Bryant deserved All-Defensive honors based on his gambling nature back in the day but he might be playing the most mature, disciplined defense of his career as he ages.
Check out the entire story HERE.
According to a Western Conference scout:
“Every year, we look for ways that he has lost a step and you look for ways that younger guys like LeBron or Kevin Durant have caught up to him — and maybe in the middle of January, you can find some of those,” a Western Conference scout told The Sporting News. “But Kobe is always going to make a smart play, he is always going to find a way to get a good shot, no matter what stage of the game or how deep in the playoffs, and I don’t think the younger guys in the league are there yet.”
And yet more Kobe love from Hall of Famer Rick Barry:
“It’s all about winning in professional sports, and no one in the game has done that the way Kobe has. I don’t doubt for a second that winning is the most important thing to LeBron, and that’s why he went to Miami even though he will have to sacrifice individually. But he is still trying to figure it out. Kobe has already been there — and he has a great supporting cast, too. But he is also just not going to let them lose if he can help it.” * * While ranking Kobe Bryant first overall is fairly easy I find many of these selections/rankings a bit odd. For instance, is Shaquille O’Neal really better than Carlos Boozer right now? Would you choose Hedo Turkoglu over Gerald Wallace? How about Russell Westbrook ranking lower than Zach Randolph?
Here are the top twenty players on the list (Please visit the SN site to view the rest and the panel that selected them):
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Kobe Bryant, SG, Lakers
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LeBron James, SF, Heat
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Dwyane Wade, SG, Heat
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Kevin Durant, SF, Thunder
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Dwight Howard, C, Magic
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Carmelo Anthony, SF, Nuggets
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Dirk Nowitzki, SF, Mavericks
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Deron Williams, PG, Jazz
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Steve Nash, PG, Suns
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Pau Gasol, PF, Lakers
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Tim Duncan, PF, Spurs
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Amare Stoudemire, PF
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Chris Paul, PG, Hornets
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Paul Pierce, SF, Celtics
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Chris Bosh, PF, Heat
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Rajon Rondo, PG, Celtics
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Brandon Roy, SG, Trail Blazers
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Joe Johnson, SG, Hawks
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Derrick Rose, PG, Bulls
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Kevin Garnett, PF, Celtics
In honor of Kobe’s achievement I present to you a few clips to enjoy:
Kobe’s very first game in the NBA - Check it out HERE.
Here is a clip from game four of the 2000 NBA Finals - Check it out HERE.
How could we forget Kobe’s 81-point masterpiece? Check it out HERE.
Here is an outstanding career highlight clip - Check it out HERE.
By the way, it was nice to see five Celtics up there! Also, kudos to CelticsBlog.com for noticing that Shaq is indeed the LOWEST paid player on this list.
Until next time…