Kobe Bryant is the greatest and most legendary of all these players. Bill Russell is a winner, but Kobe is a better player than him, being dominant on both sides of the floor throughout his career (Bill Russell was primarily a defender).

Why is Kobe considered the greatest of all time?

Kobe Bryant has some amazing achievements in his career, including a legendary 81-point performance and countless game-winning baskets that provided iconic moments in NBA history. But perhaps the greatest achievement in Kobe's careers are his 5 NBA titles.

Who is the number 1 greatest basketball player of all time?

Tim Duncan. Tim "The Big Fundamental" Duncan is the greatest power forward to ever play in NBA history. He was selected first overall by the San Antonio Spurs in 1997 and would play his entire 19-year career with the Spurs. Duncan wasn't a flashy player but he was incredibly efficient both offensively and defensively.

Who is better Kobe or LeBron?

Kobe has won the league's scoring title twice, LeBron has led the league in scoring just once (though it must be mentioned LeBron narrowly missed out on his second last year, when Kevin Durant edged him by just . 4 points per contest). Yes Kobe once scored 81 points in a single basketball game.

Who is the greatest athlete of all time?

20-11 summary

• Wayne Gretzky (ice hockey)
• Usain Bolt (athletics)
• Michael Phelps (swimming)
• Babe Ruth (baseball)
• Jim Thorpe (athletics, American football, baseball and basketball)
• Bo Jackson (American football and baseball)
• Pele (football)
• Roger Federer (tennis)

Is Kobe better than Bird?

Kobe Bryant's playoff PER average is exactly at 22.0, while Bird's is only 21.4. Again, Kobe's Player Efficiency Rating is higher, despite coming into the league much earlier than Larry Bird and having limited minutes in his first three years.

Is Kobe the greatest Laker?

Because of this, Bryant is one of the most accomplished players of all time. For over 20 years, Bean sacrificed his blood, sweat and tears to the city of LA. And according to an all-time NBA and LAL legend, Bryant is the greatest Laker ever.

Who is considered the greatest Laker of all time?

Kobe Bryant is the greatest player to have ever donned an LA Lakers jersey. Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal and Jerry West acknowledged him as the greatest LA Laker of all time.

Who's the greatest Laker ever?

Kobe Bryant is simply one of the greatest players ever, tangibly and intangibly. He finished as the highest scorer in Lakers' history. The Black Mamba gets the starting nod alongside Magic in the backcourt.

Who is better Kobe or Magic?

While Magic's intangibles place him ahead of Kobe, Kobe's tangible qualities put him ahead of Magic. Magic Johnson is one of the best all-around players of all-time, as he averaged 19.5 PPG, 11.2 APG, and 7.2 APG. However, one can argue that Bryant's on court play is even more impressive.

Who is better Kobe or Duncan?

Bryant beats Duncan in terms of scoring, assists, steals, three point percentage, and free throw percentage, but Duncan beats Kobe in rebounding, blocks, and field goal percentage. Yet, when putting everything together in terms of awards, championships, and winning teams, the winner in that category is Duncan.

Did Shaq and Kobe play together?

The Shaq–Kobe feud was the conflict between National Basketball Association (NBA) players Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, who played together for the Los Angeles Lakers from 1996 to 2004.

Is Larry Bird a goat?

But Boston Celtics legendary small forward Larry Bird has a claim to G.O.A.T. status as well, with The Hick From French Lick (as he is sometimes called) deserving inclusion in any discussion on the greatest player of all time in the NBA.

Is Kobe the second best basketball player ever?

Kobe was not the greatest basketball player of all time. But he's in this observer's top 10, alongside Wilt Chamberlain, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Shaquille O'Neal, and Oscar Robertson.

Who is better LeBron or MJ?

LeBron James' statistics indicate that he is a much better overall basketball player. While Jordan scored more overall, LeBron is a more efficient player, shooting better from two and three-point range. LeBron is also a much better passer and rebounder than Jordan ever was.

Is LeBron the best player ever?

LeBron came in at No. 2 on The Athletic's list, trailing only Michael Jordan. LeBron is, according to The Athletic's voting panel of NBA experts, the second-greatest player ever. Which makes him, arguably, the greatest ever.

Did Kobe win without Shaq?

Kobe won his 4th ring and his first without Shaq. He became the first player since Jerry West in the 1969 NBA Finals to average at least 32.4 points and 7.4 assists for a Finals series. He also became the first since Michael Jordan to average 30 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists for a title-winning team in the Finals.

Did Kobe 3 peat?

Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers were on top of the NBA world and earned a well-deserved break after completing a three-peat in 2002. But Bryant was never one to rest on his laurels, not when there's a basketball court to be found.

Is Kobe better than Shaq?

O'Neal averaged more blocks, and Bryant averaged more steals, just a small indication that their defensive strengths lay in different places. Additionally, O'Neal has won four titles, while Bryant has won five. Even though O'Neal was with another team, the two took some time to win a title after the three-peat.

What were Kobe's last words?

Kobe shared some last words of wisdom and motivation before his heartbreaking death. “Hello everyone, I'm so sorry can't be with you tonight,” he said in a video posted on Twitter.

Why is Kobe better than Duncan?

With all due respect to Duncan, Bryant had the better career, partially because Duncan had more stability with the Spurs around him. TD played for the same coach his entire career in Gregg Popovich and had his core of Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker always around him.

Who was better than Tim Duncan?

But on defense, it's Duncan who really shines. His 93.5 career defensive win shares have been bettered by just four other players in NBA history: Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon and Wilt Chamberlain. Bryant resides behind those players and 41 other ones.

Is Magic Johnson better than Jordan?

Overall, Magic was not just a better teammate than Jordan was, but also the better player as he saved the NBA along with Larry Bird, redefined the point guard position, was the greatest team player ever, had the best performance of all time, dominated the league's best era and was the best player on the league's ...

Who's better Lebron or Magic?

When it comes to individual accolades, James has won more than Magic and that is mainly shown by the number of MVP awards and Finals MVP awards. But it is also fair if Magic wins the argument for having a better team career because he was the architect for a Lakers team that won 5 NBA titles in 9 years.