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

[LosScandalous]

When your talking about the G.O.A.T. list, money making never finds its way on there for some reason. Gotta respect the guys that bring in revenue for the league to keep it running for us fans.

I don't think there has been a better candidate ever besides Jordan

+He's handsome
+He owns 2 video games (NBA Courtside Kobe Bryant 1 & 2)[On the cover of a few others including 2k10]
+Eye pleasing game that attracts fans
+Owns China
+accomplished music career
+Has his name branded on the best ballin shoes today
+Sells a ton of jerseys. Go to Laker games. You still see plenty of people wearing #8 Kobe jerseys, hell some of them even wear his #33 Lower Merion high school throwback.

most marketable players are IMO
1. Jordan
2. Kobe
3. Shaq
4. Wilt
5. Lebron
6. Magic
7. Tmac
9. Bird
10. Iverson/KAJ/DR.J

[L8kersfan222]

Have you seen the price tag on Lebron's shoes?

[RoundMoundOfReb]

Playing for the lakers doesn't hurt.

[TonyMontana]

Iverson should definetly be higher than 10th.

Back when Iverson was a stud the dude had stans that rival those of LeBron and Kobe stans today. Kobe/LeBron/Iverson are the three most popular guys since Jordan.

I guess Shaq is "marketable" since he is universally known by everyone, but him/Duncan just never had the stans. You have to be a perimeter player to have the hardcore stans IMO.

[Yankstar]

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.

[JtotheIzzo]

that rapey thingy kind of ruined it.

[Yankstar]

that rapey thingy kind of ruined it.

Even mambas get tempted...

[thabisyo]

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.

You are picking dwight over Lebron? who does that

[ripthekik]

most marketable players are IMO
1. Jordan
2. Kobe
3. Shaq
4. Wilt
5. Lebron
6. Magic
7. Tmac
9. Bird
10. Iverson/KAJ/DR.J

I see a lot of things wrong with this list. First of all, big men just aren't that marketable. Shaq is popular and well known, but ain't no one buying his shoes. Wilt is the same. Tmac? He was semi-popular, but he never got around to Iverson or Kobe's level.

After Jordan, the next 2 has got to be Kobe and Iverson. Those 3 are the most marketable NBA athletes in history.

[PieceOfFelt]

I see a lot of things wrong with this list. First of all, big men just aren't that marketable. Shaq is popular and well known, but ain't no one buying his shoes. Wilt is the same. Tmac? He was semi-popular, but he never got around to Iverson or Kobe's level.

After Jordan, the next 2 has got to be Kobe and Iverson. Those 3 are the most marketable NBA athletes in history.

Being marketable is about more than just selling shoes. For a long time Chamberlain and Russell to a lesser degree were the NBA. Chamberlain was also an interesting figure, Shaq to a much lesser degree.

- Felt

[PieceOfFelt]

In terms of marketability

1. Jordan









2. Dr. J/Wilt/Magic/Kobe/LeBron

[FiveRings]

Yes. He is the second most marketable behind MJ. Why? His skill level. You can argue that guys like Shaq, TD, and Bron are better than him, and I respect those opinions (even if I don't agree, you can make a respectable argument for either side and it's hard to rank them because they all play different positions) but the reason I admire and respect Kobe more than those guys is because he's earned that respect. Kobe's working at a big disadvantage by being smaller than these guys, but because of his amazing work ethic and skill level, he's on the same level as these guys or at least close to it at worst.

I don't understand how the Kobe's haters can respect a guy like Shaq so much more than Kobe. All Shaq had to do to get his size was have his parents have sex. Kobe had to work ten times harder than Shaq, and he even ended up accomplishing more in his career than Shaq despite Shaq's huge size advantage.

[No_Look604]

<<<<<<<<<THE GREAT ONE. Nice performance tonight.

[Timmy D for MVP]

I suppose just going by absolute reasoning.

But I would argue that Dr. J was more marketable than Kobe. He changed the game. The difference is Kobe came AFTER a number of factors that made the NBA a true global market. Dr. J came before.

But his influence on the game, on the marketing of the game, the whole package, I would consider him the more marketable player. You always hear it but Jordan before Jordan is not a bad way to put it.

[6 for 24]

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