Autograph Bryant Kobe

Admin | December 27, 2011 | Comments Off

Autograph Bryant Kobe

Autograph Bryant Kobe

The debate about who is the greatest NBA player of all time is as close to unanimous as any debate in the history of sports. From the casual spectator to the season ticket junkies, say Michael Jordan and not a whisper of objection would pass through the room. But as the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers prepare for the 2010 NBA Finals, Kobe Bryant seeks to add doubt to that debate.

Kobe/Jordan Comparison Not Far-Fetched

Though Kobe’s number change from 8 to 24 was officially attributed to his Lower Merion days, most speculators agree the change exposed his intentions to the entire NBA, alerting them that he was daring enough to try the impossible; to be one better than the legendary number 23. Statistically, Kobe can compete with Air Jordan; his 11 all-star game appearances to Jordan's 13; his almost 26,000 career points (and counting) to MJ's over 32,000. And competitively, Kobe also shares Jordan's passion for winning. He is a leader who demands excellence not just from himself, but from his teammates. Kobe has never been afraid to get in a teammate's face when he feels they are not performing up to standard, an act Jordan regularly practiced himself. And like Jordan, Kobe's demand for success is most present at the end of games, where he has made 24 game-winning shots in his career, including 6 this year, which puts him just behind MJ who finished his career with 33 buzzer beaters.

Championships Are What Matters

Individual achievements aside, Kobe knows that to be mentioned in the same breath as MJ and ultimately in a category of his own, that championships are what matters. The truly rare athletes-The Magic Johnson's, and Larry Bird's- don’t just put up numbers, they bring home trophies. And though Kobe's 4 rings put him one ahead of Bird and only one behind Magic, you get the feeling his eyes are fixed on the 6 championships that Air Jordan has to his name. And after signing a 3 year contract this year, possibly the last contract of his career, Kobe has given himself the opportunity to reach that milestone.