Is Kobe the 2nd most marketable NBA player ever behind Jordan?

[dbk123]

[thabisyo]

People will never let that go

[kNicKz]

This is an excellent question!

Here in the plains of Mozambique, we have a saying, "You must be living under a rock if you haven't heard of the great Kobe Bryant." To tell you the truth, my god-parent Idowu actually does live under a rock, and even he has heard of Kobe Bryant! Hahahahahahahahaha!



Here I am jumping for joy in my brand new Kobe 2 Moon shoes. Quite an attractive shoe, wouldn't you say? My entourage certainly concurs!

Warmest regards,

Ayotunde Ndiaye

[9512]

My sentiments exactly.

[miller-time]

I don't know about ever.

He is the most marketable player of his generation and he is benefiting from playing in the information age. Magic and Bird were global icons before all of this but modern marketing strategies and technology would have limited their marketing success. I think Bird in particular would be as or more marketable than Kobe in the modern era for obvious reasons (at least in the US).

[SilkkTheShocker]

LeBron's shoes cost almost $200 per pair and rising each year.

[SilkkTheShocker]

Yes without a doubt. Lebron has a long way to go in terms of longevity to get to Kobes level of household fame.

I'm picking this guy to take on the fame legacy of kobe when he retires. Just look at that smile.

Big men aren't nearly as marketable as wing players.

[TheBigVeto]

Yes. He is the second most marketable behind MJ. Why? DAVID STERN.

FTFY

[FiveRings]

FTFY

Yes. Genius move by Stern to decide to have Kobe score 81 in a game. Brilliant marketing move.

Stern

[Dragonyeuw]

I think what makes someone like Kobe marketable to the average person is that in terms of NBA players, he's not blessed with physical gifts like a Lebron or Shaq which is pretty much god given genetics. Kobe was/is a great athlete but he's mostly a product of incredible skill and fundamentals, things which are at least *realistically* achievable to someone who wants to put in the work( of course you have to have a certain amount of natural talent as well).

[dynasty1978]

I think what makes someone like Kobe marketable to the average person is that in terms of NBA players, he's not blessed with physical gifts like a Lebron or Shaq which is pretty much god given genetics. Kobe was/is a great athlete but he's mostly a product of incredible skill and fundamentals, things which are at least *realistically* achievable to someone who wants to put in the work( of course you have to have a certain amount of natural talent as well).

This plus the fact that he sounds reasonably intelligent in interviews compared to other NBA stars.

[cavsfanatic]

this shows the youth of the people on this forum. Shaq and Lebron have more market success than Kobe. Market success is endorsements/shoe sales. I'd actually put Shaq at 2nd. He was everywhere before the rings with movies and shit. Lebron came out the gates with huge endorsement deals and still get's them although he had more market success in Cleveland.

Kobe with the woman accusing rape and Lebron with the decision caused them to lose a few market dollars from when they were at the top.

The NBA

[cavsfanatic]

I think what makes someone like Kobe marketable to the average person is that in terms of NBA players, he's not blessed with physical gifts like a Lebron or Shaq which is pretty much god given genetics. Kobe was/is a great athlete but he's mostly a product of incredible skill and fundamentals, things which are at least *realistically* achievable to someone who wants to put in the work( of course you have to have a certain amount of natural talent as well).

Jordan didn't have any physical gifts. Kobe was a amazing athlete the same as Mj. that has nothing to do with marketability

[Euroleague]

WTF? Yeah, a guy that had a rape trial............

[Dragonyeuw]

Jordan didn't have any physical gifts. Kobe was a amazing athlete the same as Mj. that has nothing to do with marketability

Jordan didn't have physical gifts? Jordan was clearly a more explosive athlete in his prime compared to Kobe. Not to forget he had hands as big and in some cases bigger than centers, which allowed him a degree of in-air ball control that Kobe never had, which aided all those creative finishes around the basket. Hell, youtube Phil Jackson comparing the two and he'll mention how Jordan physically was capable of doing things Kobe couldn't, and specifically mentioned his hands.