most valuable player: "the player judged to be the most important to the team or sport."King James as most of you know was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers, the record of the team the year they drafted him was a shocking 17-65, his rookie season he averaged 20 points per game while Kobe only averaged 11, Kobe was drafted to an already playoff ready team with several all-stars around him. Lebron had one all-star for one year around him during his whole career at Cleveland, yet he took the team (single handily) to the NBA finals and an NBA best regular season record. Now here is the rub (and why I don't care for the NBA) Laker fans will jump on here and say "the regular season doesn't matter"
First to Worst
The fact of the matter is (in my opinion) if Kobe Bryant were to leave the Lakers they would still make the playoffs. If Lebron left the Cavaliers (oh wait he did) they would be the worst team in the NBA (oh wait they are...). For the first time in NBA History a team went from the best team (judging by regular season record) to the worst team in the NBA in the span of just one season, that isn't because of bad luck, it isn't because they are struggling. It's because the best player in the NBA left because he got tired of carrying a city on his back with no one offering to help.
Most would say that Kobe is a better team player that's why his team is better, to those i would say Lebron averages more assists. Lakers fans would say Kobe is better because he has more rings, to those i would say Lebron will end his career with more now that he is on a good team.
Team
The Lakers are an amazing dynasty, i truly believe the most important person within the Laker organization is Phil Jackson, NOT Kobe Bryant. Kobe Bryant, Paooooo (or however you spell it) Gasol, Andrew Bynum... etc. Are all a product of the system, the Triangle Offense should be considered one of the wonders of the world and having Dr. Phil running the show is what has brought LA so much success.
Moral of the Story
“When a team outgrows individual performance and learns team confidence, excellence becomes a reality.” - Joe Paterno
Very well written. You make some excellent points here.
ReplyDeleteYou're arguments are pretty weak to be honest.
ReplyDeleteYour moral to this story actually is:
"Kobe should be considered less of a player because the talent around him (that he helped get better) restricts how much of an effect he has on a given game."
Honestly, minus the Gasol signing (when, who really considered Gasol a "great" player when he was on Memphis. He was just another good player without surrounding help) the lakers are full of players that Kobe helped make them better, by the oppotunities he created for them. And dont tell me that Lamar Odom didn't become better because of Kobe. Lamar played on 25 different teams before he landed in LA and blossumed under Kobe's wing. Bynum? Bynum was a young, skinny punk before Kobe forced him to toughen up. Fish? Fish has those open looks because Kobe draws the double and triple teams and Fish has the open shots to hit.
And It may not be my opinion, but the argument must be brought up that Phil Jackson has NEVER proven himself on a team that wasn't STACKED. He has been fortunate to coach the best 2 players in the last 20 years. He may be the common factor of success, but you can't make the argument that he iws the primary reason. He always has had (arguably) the best player in the league on his team
Regardless! Lebron was put on a team with NOOONE on it. Was asked from day one to take over and lead the team. It was his team, with noone around him. Kobe was traded to an already successful franchise in LA who already add a star player (Shaq). For practically 2 seasons, Kobe was a young kid, with raw talent, who contributed a portion to the team, coming off the bench. He was not asked to take the team over and be the leader from his rookie year. Therefore, you cannot evaluate these 2 players fairly.
That'll be it for now. Let that soak in and I will relax before you make me really have to go in depth on why your arguments are erroneous.
And what is lebron a "King" of??? The fact that you refer to him as "King James" is preposterous..
ReplyDeleteMy argument is that Lebron James is the best player in the League, and the Cleveland experiment is a direct reflection of that. i'm glad someone finally commented but occhiot, can you really argue with the fact that Lebron left and Cleveland became the laughing stock of the NBA... do you or do you not agree with the fact that IF Kobe left the Lakers, they would still make the playoffs?
ReplyDeleteDon't get me wrong, I do agree with that... But the fact is that that has less to do with the difference between Kobe and lebron, and more to do with the difference between LA and Cleveland. Plain and simple.
ReplyDeleteRealistically, you just can't take how bad Cleveland is right now, and compare it to a hypothetical situation in LA. Because noone knows. and between now and the end of the season, the cavs could improve. Either way, it involves comparing teams, not Kobe vs. lebron..
Seriously, Stick to NCAA. I KNOW I watch 10x more NBA than you...
Which goes back to what I believe the "moral" of your "story" is:
ReplyDelete"Kobe should be considered less of a player because the talent around him (that he helped get better) restricts how much of an effect he has on a given game."
Whats even funnier, make this argument in a few years when lebron leaves Miami! You cant talk about how good LA would be without Kobe, if you dont also consider: Would Miami make the playoffs (with bosh and wade) if lebron weren't there??!?!? Exactly! Probably - but we simply dont know!
Ether. Ya done son...
I'm saying that comparing Lebron and Kobe on Rings (which is what you've always done) is as fair as comparing Lebron and Kobe on the Tallent around them... A World Championship is a Team effort, yes even in the egocentric NBA here it's all about the big play and the high profile stars... Teams win Championships, Players Win MVP's... so the best player would be the one with the most MVP's not the most Titles right? p.s. us arguing has made this the most viewed blog on my page in one day haha, which is why i wrote it. I am an NCAA guy because it's about teams not players :)
ReplyDelete"which is what you've always done"
ReplyDeleteThank you for incorrectly identifying my argument as the unintelligent, mindless, incompetent "rings" argument. Don't confuse me with all the other idiots you talk to. I don't go that route, because for 10 years, that's the only argument that retarded Jordan fans make, is the "rings" argument. If you want my detailed analysis of why Kobe is a better individual player than lebrick, I would oblige, since you still wanna come back at me with your (loosely defined) "argument."
And as a more enlightened NBA fan like myself would acknowledge, that MVPs mean NOTHING nowadays. The NBA has chosen the redefine the MVP award to mean "the Best Player on the Best Team," see: Steve Nash 05 & 06 and Dirk Nowitzki in 07, when in those 3 seasons, Kobe clearly, stats-wise was the most talented player in the NBA, but due to controversy and his team sucking balls, the NBA decided not to give it to the best player, but rather award the MVP to the best player on the team with the best record; and has done so ever since..
The reason I may have ever brought up any kind of "ring" discussion regarding lebron, is because not only has he not helped a team win a single NBA title, in my honest and informed opinion, but his style of play has actually prevented his teams from winning rings. Now that he has 2 other super stars next to him to mask his deficiencies, a possible NBA title (not that it will really happen) in Miami will have much less to do with him, than his TEAM. Had he won a title with the shitty team in cleveland, he would be deserving of all the glorious praise that Kobe-haters want to give him..
The fact of the matter is, neither rings nor MVPs nor stats tell the whole story of how good a player is. Due to it being a team sport, ALL 3 OF THOSE MEASURES ARE SKEWED BASED ON HOW GOOD YOUR TEAM IS.
/Argument over.