Jan 15, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers forward
LeBron James(23) in the second half of the NBA game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
1. Kobe Bryant
Who else? Kobe Bryant has played all 19 seasons with the Lakers, and may end up playing a few more. Bryant entered the league in 1996 as an immature teenager, and within a few years showed he had what it took to be great. Well now he is 36 and is still playing at a higher level then 80% of the league. Bryant’s will to win and competitiveness has made him the king of Los Angeles for nearly 20 years.
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Bryant’s five NBA titles, two finals MVP’s, 16 NBA All Star appearances (likely to become 17 in a few weeks), and 11 All NBA first team selections give him a resume unlike any other Laker player. The only one who can match that would be Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who spent a good amount of his time with the Milwaukee Bucks.
This is what separates Kobe from the rest of the Lakers: the Mamba is first in franchise history in games played, minutes played, field goals made, 3-pointers made, free throws made, steals, and of course, points. Bryant is even third in franchise history in total rebounds. In a recent article , I listed Bryant ahead of Magic Johnson in the all time greats list for one reason, defense. Bryant and Johnson are too different on the offensive end to compare, but both were equally great in their own ways. The defensive presence and intensity of Kobe Bryant in his prime, is on a different planet compared to Magic Johnson.
Even Bryant at 34 years old, when the Lakers had Dwight, would take the other team’s best player, while managing to still lead the team in scoring.
Nothing against Magic Johnson, as he was a great player in his own right, but in my opinion, Bryant’s ability to be a star on both ends of the floor gives him the slight advantage over Magic.