Kobe Bryant on Michael Jordan, LeBron, winning championships, etc

[Heilige]

"It's a tough call with me because everybody wants to make the comparison between me and Michael, but our paths were just different," he says. "You almost have to evaluate our careers from two different lenses. Ultimately, I want to be known as a person who was just hell-bent on winning. If people say that about me, I'll be happy."

It's interesting Horford would call Bryant the best player in the NBA. Hasn't he been kicked out of that conversation by James, who has been anointed in the media as the reigning hoops god? Does it annoy Kobe that recent conversations have compared Jordan and LeBron while, somehow, omitting him? "I think it's a numbers thing," he says. "They look at the individual numbers Michael put up and those LeBron is putting up. My numbers are great, but I played with Shaq. So those numbers have to be looked at from that perspective. They didn't have to play with a 7-foot-1, 350-pound dominant force.

"My motivation is to win every year. When I was growing up and Magic had five and Michael was getting his [six], I decided this is what I'm supposed to do: win as many as I possibly can. [Bill] Russell had 11, so this is what it is. It does bother me that during your career, everyone says, 'Win championships.' Now, at the end of your career, they want to look at [individual] numbers. That drives me crazy a little."

Would he want to coach? "Uhhhhhh," he says, meaning no.

How about owning a team? "Only if it's in a big market," he says with a nervous laugh, knowing Jordan's chronically failing team is in Charlotte, a small market. L.A. is a big market. How about owning a piece of the Lakers? Like the idea?

"Of course, I would," he says. "Honestly, this franchise is part of me. I've been very lucky that I followed this team religiously [while growing up] and I've just happened to play for this team my whole career. I would love [ownership]. If I could be part of this organization forever, it would be very special."

Neither Jim nor Jeanie was available for comment.

"I didn't just give them advice. I sort of made demands,'' says Bryant, laughing as he recalls that version of himself. "To me, it's about one thing only -- winning. You can have all the talent in the world, but if the organization isn't making the smartest decisions, you're not going to win. Dominique Wilkins had a great career, but he never got to that [championship] level. I didn't want to be that for the second half of my career. [Management] made a conscious call to cut costs then and kind of ride their goose with the golden eggs, and I wasn't OK with that. I said, 'Hey, look, you guys have got to do something.' ''

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/90...t-running-show


If Kobe had never played with Shaq, would his numbers/stat line be similar to MJ and LeBron like he is alluding to?

[Levity]

"It does bother me that during your career, everyone says, 'Win championships.' Now, at the end of your career, they want to look at [individual] numbers. That drives me crazy a little."

great quote.

[willds09]

No matter what Lebron wud be way below mj and Kobe for being a franchise quitter

[gengiskhan]

No matter what Lebron wud be way below mj and Kobe for being a franchise quitter

In 2007, Kobe almost quit his favorite franchise aka NBAs winningest franchise that GIFTED him 3 rings. He was begging for a trade. This was after he was GIFTED 3 rings. Nobody is a bigger quitter than Kobe.

LBJ is guaranteeing himself Top 10 GOAT status as MIA. In hindsight, it is turning out to be his best decision ever.

Kobe is definitely below LBJ.

[coin24]

"It does bother me that during your career, everyone says, 'Win championships.' Now, at the end of your career, they want to look at [individual] numbers. That drives me crazy a little."

great quote.

This

[francesco totti]

winning championships should not be everything.How its been won should be taken into debate as well. second fiddle, lot of help etc etc.

This is why Kobe being 2nd fiddle to shaq, and lebron with this huge help with miami will not surpass jordan

[gengiskhan]

winning championships should not be everything.How its been won should be taken into debate as well. second fiddle, lot of help etc etc.

This is why Kobe being 2nd fiddle to shaq, and lebron with this huge help with miami will not surpass jordan

couldn't have said it better myself.

Well balanced Teams kicking on all cylinders win championships!

If you aint a leader, NUMERO UNO option, then you are just part of a well oiled machine.

Kobe can be credited for just 1 ring 2009 ring. (HINT: 6/24 in Game 7 for 2010)

LBJ can be credited for 1 ring too cuz he was clearly a leader of well oiled machine called MIAMI HEAT in 2012.

[Calabis]

No Kobe they didn't play with a dominant force which is why they didn't have instant success at the beginning of their careers as far as team wins(3 of your chips are because of Shaq) and you coming into a playoff team. And no Kobe, you would have not matched their numbers in your first two to three seasons....if that's the case you would have been more dominant early on and not sitting behind Eddie Jones.

[Rysio]

No Kobe they didn't play with a dominant force which is why they didn't have instant success at the beginning of their careers as far as team wins(3 of your chips are because of Shaq) and you coming into a playoff team. And no Kobe, you would have not matched their numbers in your first two to three seasons....if that's the case you would have been more dominant early on and not sitting behind Eddie Jones.

yea he would just look at what happened to james harden went from super role player to a superstar in just few months. kobe was way more skilled than harden too.

[RoundMoundOfReb]

He has s point. if the laker were a bad team (no shaq) he would have gotten more PT in his first couple of years so he would've had better numbers those years.

[All Net]

Can see both sides to the playing with Shaq when it comes to more spacing and less numbers stand point..can work that either way for whatever you are argueing. Without Shaq lord knows how much better Kobe's numbers would of been but yes the titles may not of been there...

[GOBB_Junior]

winning championships should not be everything.How its been won should be taken into debate as well. second fiddle, lot of help etc etc.

This is why Kobe being 2nd fiddle to shaq, and lebron with this huge help with miami will not surpass jordan

I couldn't have said it better myself. John Havlicek won 8 NBA championships, and the 1974 Finals MVP.


You don't see some of his fans ranking him over Hakeem, LeBron, Erving, West, Garnett, Barkley, Malone, Moses Malone, and Bob Pettit. He's still a top 18-20 player of all time.

LeBron won an NBA Championship last year with Bosh missing a lot of games in the post season. LBJ led his team in poinst, rebounds, assists, and steals in the playoffs.

[ripthekik]

LeBron won an NBA Championship last year with Bosh missing a lot of games in the post season. LBJ led his team in point, rebounds, assists, and steals in the playoffs.

stay banned, lebron23
lmao, the fan of lebron james is the one who says rings don't matter, then adds in "bosh was injured"

[Yao Ming's Foot]

There is no greater myth than Kobe's legacy relies on championships. Throw out everybody's post season resume and Kobe is still a top 10 player in NBA history.

[Calabis]

yea he would just look at what happened to james harden went from super role player to a superstar in just few months. kobe was way more skilled than harden too.

are you talking about...your telling me rookie Kobe was as good as Kobe year 3 and 4? No his little ass wouldn't have avg 28 ppg or 20/5/5 as the main focus.

Was rookie Harden as good as Harden this year?