Kobe Bryant vs. Michael Jordan: An Honest Analysis from a Die-Hard Lakers Fan

I was tempted to digress on my last article, and dive right into this one, but I knew that a topic of this caliber requires more than a half-assed report on statistics. Not only will I draw a lot of heat and criticism, but this is a timeless debate that will continue even after Kobe’s name is immortalized in the Hall of Fame.

Frankly speaking, I didn’t want to write this article for just that reason. Too many haters. But it’s inevitable. Kobe is on the verge of surpassing Magic Johnson as the greatest Lakers of all time, and with that, he is now treading in the territory of simply the greatest of all time in basketball history. And as there are as many Kobe and MJ debates flooding the google search engines, what perspective can I share with you that you haven’t heard already?

It’s that Kobe never will be the Greatest of All Time.

Did I hear right? From a Lakers blogger?

This should raise some red flags among fellow Lakers fans. Before you crucify me at the stake, allow me to finish my thoughts.

Every debate has been played out. Kobe will never match Jordan’s stats. But then, Kobe fans will retaliate by arguing that Kobe’s first two years were spent coming off the bench. It’s unfair to compare. Another heated argument will spark as to the number of championships, and how Kobe’s first three are nullified by Shaq’s presence as the leader in the team. Then others will say Shaq couldn’t have done it without Kobe. It’s an endless cacophony of verbal disagreements.

It’s true. Kobe never will match Jordan’s numbers. No matter how hard he tries from now until the day he announces retirement, he can’t compensate for the seasons where he didn’t score as much, assist as much, steal as much. That’s why Kobe gave up the MVP race. It’s foolish at the age of 32 to chase a sco...