HYPOTHETICAL: What if Kobe had focused on playing PG?

[Annyong!]

Teams play him as a scorer. If he focused on passing, teams would play him to pass and those guys wouldn't be as open.

Exactly. If he played looking to pass, defenses would play him as a guy looking to pass. The strategy against Kobe was always "make him pass" so of course he was able to get some good passes in.

[Lebron23]

He's a decent passer. But Magic passing skills is just out of this world.

[bizil]

In today's game, MOST of the best PG's are ACTUALLY score first kind of PG's. Back in the day, guys like Magic, Isiah, Big O, etc. were pass first PG's who could ALSO dominate scoring when needed. CP3 is of this cloth in today's game.

Kobe could have been great at PG, SG, and SF. But like many of today's PG's Kobe would be a score first PG. Scoring is what Kobe does best, and he's 6'6. So while he could have been a great PG from a score first mindset, he's BETTER OFF at the SG or SF.

However, Kobe was ACTUALLY the best passer on his team most of the time. So at times, u need an epic scorer like Kobe to be the primary playmaker. BUT being the primary playmaker and ACTUALLY being listed as a PG are two different things.

[tmacattack33]

Kobe either shot too much or passed way too much (and this usually occured in defined stretches of like 5-10 games where got angry about all the ball hog talk and he wanted to prove that he can pass). There were a few stretches like this in his career. There are youtube videos of it too for proof - where he would overpass...passing up on layups to try to rack up assits.

There are also stats out there that show that Kobe did not have the ability to both score and pass. You can search for 30+ points and 10+ assist games for him and see he has very little of them (or any other combination...such as 25 + points and 10 + assists or whatever). It's because he did not have the vision to try to beat his man off the dribble while at the same time seeing the floor.

[bizil]

People have to keep in mind that the MAIN REASON guys like Curry, Westbrook, and Rose play PG is due to size. Their size is just right for a PG. But for an SG, they would be undersized. They could still dominate from the SG ala Iverson, but a team would have to be built just right for that to happen. CP3 on the other hand is natural pass first floor general. EVEN IF CP3 was 6'5 or 6'6, he would still be a PG.

Kobe was an awesome all around player. Capable of playing and defending PG, SG, and SF. And at times (like MJ) Kobe actually played the PG flat out. BUT why would u have guys like Kobe and MJ play the PG when they were such prolific scorers. AND were score first players to begin with. They were the most dominant at the most premium asset in the sport AND THATS alpha dog scoring.

Only guys in NBA history who averaged 30 points from a pass first perspective are Big O and Bron. And maybe Tiny, even though I thought Tiny was of an AI than Isiah-CP3. With guys like Kobe, I want them off the ball and scoring the rock. BUT Mamba was so versatile, he could move to PG or SF when needed.

[ralph_i_el]

In today's game, MOST of the best PG's are ACTUALLY score first kind of PG's. Back in the day, guys like Magic, Isiah, Big O, etc. were pass first PG's who could ALSO dominate scoring when needed. CP3 is of this cloth in today's game.

Kobe could have been great at PG, SG, and SF. But like many of today's PG's Kobe would be a score first PG. Scoring is what Kobe does best, and he's 6'6. So while he could have been a great PG from a score first mindset, he's BETTER OFF at the SG or SF.

However, Kobe was ACTUALLY the best passer on his team most of the time. So at times, u need an epic scorer like Kobe to be the primary playmaker. BUT being the primary playmaker and ACTUALLY being listed as a PG are two different things.

I'm not a fan of Kobe, but I agree with all of this.