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Los Angeles Lakers: Comparing Kobe Bryant as 8 and 24

By Leandre Ochoa

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 6: The Los Angeles Lakers Hall of Fame player banners are seen at STAPLES Center on April 6, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 6: The Los Angeles Lakers Hall of Fame player banners are seen at STAPLES Center on April 6, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Lakers
LOS ANGELES – DECEMBER 18: Tracy McGrady /

Tracy McGrady: Easily considered as one of the toughest players Bryant ever had to guard. McGrady, cousin of Vince Carter, was a one-man offensive machine, won NBA scoring titles in 2003 and 2004. The Lakers had ran into McGrady and his Rockets in 2004, with the former prevailing against the Rockets en route to the NBA Finals and being shocked by the Detroit Pistons. McGrady, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame, received the biggest of compliments from Bryant on twitter saying:

"“Well deserved Tmac. You were a beast in every aspect of the game. I hope your kids know and appreciate how cold their pops was #HallOfFame.”"

Head to Head in wins:  Kobe – 14/ McGrady – 7

Allen Iverson: Ok, I know that Iverson and Kobe didn’t play the same position, but in trying to determine which version of Kobe had a tougher set of competition, leaving Iverson out would be unfair to this article.

While the stats of either man can be easily Googled, a main stat that can be universally used to compare these two was the “leave-it-all-on-the-floor-, -dive-for-the-ball-like-it’s-your-meal-ticket” attitude towards the game.

Kobe and Iverson rarely met throughout the year, and it was truly a gift from the basketball gods to have these two meet in the 2001 NBA Finals, which, by the way was the year Iverson won MVP. Sometimes I wonder how great Iverson would be if he were a couple inches taller, and if we would’ve ever gotten that infamous “practice” conference if he weren’t drinking.

Head to Head in wins: Kobe – 16/ Iverson – 13

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