Magic Johnson is the greatest Laker ever period.

[swag2011]

I don't know why people act like this isn't debatable. We are talking about Greatest LAKER not greatest PLAYER.

As a laker, they BOTH were apart of bringing 5 championships. while kobe has 2 FMVP, Magic only has 3 so let's not act like he has so much more FMVPs than Kobe. It only takes one more for Kobe to tie him in FMVPs and one more ring for him to surpass him in rings total.

MVP awards imo have more to do w/ the greatness of a player and less of what they did for the franchise.

In terms of a LAKER, both were drafted by Lakers (yes, Kobe pretty much was). Both played their entire career for the Lakers. Except Kobe holds just about every Laker record possible for him to have. He's been with THE lakers for the longest and has kept them relevant and competitive for so long. To sit here and act like he doesn't have an argument just shows how much haters he has.

Magic may be the better player, but in terms of who did more for the LAKERS, it's clearly debatable. (i'll go w/ Magic for now, but kobe by the end of his career)

[ThaRegul8r]

I don't know why people act like this isn't debatable. We are talking about Greatest LAKER not greatest PLAYER.

This makes no sense when both players played their entire careers with the Lakers. It's illogical to say that one player could be the better Laker and the other the better player when neither ever played for another team.

And for factual accuracy, no, Kobe wasn't drafted a Laker. He was drafted a Hornet and refused to play there. His agent said that under no circumstances would be play for the Hornets. He was traded to the Lakers.

[DatAsh]

I don't know why people act like this isn't debatable. We are talking about Greatest LAKER not greatest PLAYER.

As a laker, they BOTH were apart of bringing 5 championships. while kobe has 2 FMVP, Magic only has 3 so let's not act like he has so much more FMVPs than Kobe. It only takes one more for Kobe to tie him in FMVPs and one more ring for him to surpass him in rings total.

MVP awards imo have more to do w/ the greatness of a player and less of what they did for the franchise.

In terms of a LAKER, both were drafted by Lakers (yes, Kobe pretty much was). Both played their entire career for the Lakers. Except Kobe holds just about every Laker record possible for him to have. He's been with THE lakers for the longest and has kept them relevant and competitive for so long. To sit here and act like he doesn't have an argument just shows how much haters he has.

Magic may be the better player, but in terms of who did more for the LAKERS, it's clearly debatable. (i'll go w/ Magic for now, but kobe by the end of his career)

Seeing as how they both spent their entire careers in LA, whoever is the better player is also the better Laker.

[joeyjoejoe]

Both alltime greats but i think magic will and should be remembered as the greatest laker

[swag2011]

And for factual accuracy, no, Kobe wasn't drafted a Laker. He was drafted a Hornet and refused to play there. His agent said that under no circumstances would be play for the Hornets. He was traded to the Lakers.

except once again that was proven wrong time and time again. nearly everyone stated that this little theory was false yet people still run with it like it's true. The Hornets and Lakers already had a deal in place that they would draft Kobe and trade him to the Lakers, point blank. It still does not change the point that he never put on another team's jersey.

Seeing as how they both spent their entire careers in LA, whoever is the better player is also the better Laker.

Once again not true. Kobe has done just as much, if not more for the lakers franchise than magic. Magic has done more for the NBA as a whole (whole Bird/Magic Boston/LA rivalry), but talking STRICTLY lakers franchise, i don't see how is blasphemous to think Kobe is the greatest Laker, when he has just about every Laker record there is.

I know most of yall hate Kobe, but hate doesn't change facts.

[DatAsh]

Once again not true. Kobe has done just as much, if not more for the lakers franchise than magic. Magic has done more for the NBA as a whole (whole Bird/Magic Boston/LA rivalry), but talking STRICTLY lakers franchise, i don't see how is blasphemous to think Kobe is the greatest Laker, when he has just about every Laker record there is.

I know most of yall hate Kobe, but hate doesn't change facts.

I think we may trying to answer two different questions. I'm looking at it as who is the greatest or best Laker, not who did most for the Laker franchise. It's essentially the same question as who is the greatest or best player, the only difference being is that longevity is determined by number of years played for the Lakers, as opposed to number of years played for the league.

[ThaRegul8r]

except once again that was proven wrong time and time again. nearly everyone stated that this little theory was false yet people still run with it like it's true. The Hornets and Lakers already had a deal in place that they would draft Kobe and trade him to the Lakers, point blank. It still does not change the point that he never put on another team's jersey.

Evidently you missed the paragraph preceeding the one you quoted in which I said Kobe never played for another team. That isn't, and wasn't in question, so if that was the reason for replying to me, you wasted your time. The fact is that he wasn't drafted by the Lakers, not that he played for another team. And he wasn't drafted by the Lakers.

June 26, 1996 - Drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in the 1st round (13th pick) of the 1996 NBA draft.

I don't know why people are arguing facts now. Kobe isn't the first player in NBA history to be drafted by a team and never play for them. Three years earlier, Chris Webber was drafted by Orlando and traded to Golden State before ever playing a game for them. Still doesn't change the fact that he wasn't actually drafted by Golden State.

*waits for the inevitable anonymous "neg," as people don't have the guts to be a man and put their name to something they have to say*

[Kovach]

It's common sense that Kobe is.

More like uncommon nonsense.

[Kobe 4 The Win]

Magic was in the NBA Finals almost every year of his career in an era full of stacked teams and legends. He beat better teams in the finals. He had more signature moments in the finals (Game 6 1980, Skyhook in 87). He had more impact on games. He was super efficient. More MVPs, more Finals MVPs. Greatest ever player at his position. He had more impact on the league as a whole. He was the ultimate team player who made his teammates better.

Love Kobe but Magic is the GOAT Laker.

[swag2011]

Evidently you missed the paragraph preceeding the one you quoted in which I said Kobe never played for another team. That isn't, and wasn't in question, so if that was the reason for replying to me, you wasted your time. The fact is that he wasn't drafted by the Lakers, not that he played for another team. And he wasn't drafted by the Lakers.

June 26, 1996 - Drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in the 1st round (13th pick) of the 1996 NBA draft.

I don't know why people are arguing facts now. Kobe isn't the first player in NBA history to be drafted by a team and never play for them. Three years earlier, Chris Webber was drafted by Orlando and traded to Golden State before ever playing a game for them. Still doesn't change the fact that he wasn't actually drafted by Golden State.

*waits for the inevitable anonymous "neg," as people don't have the guts to be a man and put their name to something they have to say*

LOL what is your point! I said that he was BASICALLY drafted by the Lakers, which he BASICALLY was. Still doesn't change the fact that Hornets have every intention on trading whomever they drafted to the Lakers regardless, in exchange for Vlade. So that's why at the beginning i said he was BASICALLY drafted by the lakers, since they chose Kobe. Fine, he was formally drafted by the Hornets. Does that make you feel better?

I don't neg, you're being a little bitch about something so stupid. should've never responded to me in the first place. it's really not that serious bro.

[9erempiree]

All that needs to be said is, Kobe holds a lot of Lakers' records and played for the Lakers for his entire pending career.

Don't know why people think Magic is greater and I love Magic.

Perhaps Kobe wasn't lucky enough to be born before Magic.

[9erempiree]

Also,

Magic has a lot of ASSISTS and assists are subjective. Guy can do a couple moves, spin and shoot and they call it an assist. It's usually judged by the statistician.

Kobe is 5th in scoring and it's not subjective. Ball don't lie when it goes into the hoop.

Get my point.

[Kobe 4 The Win]

Also,

Magic has a lot of ASSISTS and assists are subjective. Guy can do a couple moves, spin and shoot and they call it an assist. It's usually judged by the statistician.

Kobe is 5th in scoring and it's not subjective. Ball don't lie when it goes into the hoop.

Get my point.

If you are looking to discredit assists you are barking up the wrong tree when it comes to Magic Johnson. I can tell you with certainty that Magic Johnson created wide open shot for his teammates. To a man they will tell you that he often found them before they even knew they were open.

Magic really managed the game and knew where the ball needed to go. He knew who was hot, who was cold and who wasn't getting enough touches to keep their head in the game. He knew when to push the pace and when to slow things down and thow it in the post. He was a decision maker and a coach on the floor. In my opinion the best of all time at that.

[alleykat]

Also,

Magic has a lot of ASSISTS and assists are subjective. Guy can do a couple moves, spin and shoot and they call it an assist. It's usually judged by the statistician.

Kobe is 5th in scoring and it's not subjective. Ball don't lie when it goes into the hoop.

Get my point.

The definition of assists do not originally entail that a person dribble first before scoring. That's where subjectivity roles in, and assists are either counted or discounted. Yet nowadays they are included more so than they were in the 80's.

Assists per field goal awarded are up almost 10% than they were in the 70's and 80's, up to around 60%.

That means in the modern era magic actually has more assists than what is on paper, because those that included passes that were dribbled wouldn't have been discounted.

Yup, he's even better than we thought...

[stallionaire]

Also,

Magic has a lot of ASSISTS and assists are subjective. Guy can do a couple moves, spin and shoot and they call it an assist. It's usually judged by the statistician.

Kobe is 5th in scoring and it's not subjective. Ball don't lie when it goes into the hoop.

Get my point.

Wow look at you dishonor the assist. Dumbass.