Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant is the most skilled player ever

The Los Angeles Lakers have had some all-time greats during their franchise history, but Kobe Bryant is the best amongst them.

The Los Angeles Lakers have had some of the best players in the history of the game to lace them up. It’s arguable that Kobe Bryant is the best to ever suit up with the purple and gold.

Many experts and ex-players have stated that Kobe is a top-five player of all-time with reason. Players like Shaquille O’Neal and Magic Johnson have stated that he is the greatest Laker ever and they are right.

Kobe Bryant (20 years) is the only player in NBA history besides Dirk Nowitzki to have played an entire career of at least 20 years with the same team. For a majority of those 20 seasons, he was a dominant superstar who not only put up big numbers but a proven winner. Bryant helped the Lakers win five titles in his playing career.

When the Lakers traded Vlade Divac for the 13th pick (Kobe Bryant) in 1996 many fans didn’t know what the Lakers were getting. They saw a cocky, and ultra-talented guard with a ton of athleticism. The truth is he was only 17-years-old and was only scratching the surface.

In his rookie season, Bryant showed signs of greatness while also having some growing pains. Those pains including a few airballs in crucial moments in the playoffs against the Utah Jazz.

Those failures against Utah helped fuel Bryant throughout the offseason. He came into his second season ready to roll. In year two he made the All-Star game despite coming off the bench the whole year. He averaged 15.4 points in 26 minutes.

Shortly after his early struggles, Bryant became a household name and he was barely entering his prime.

His true run as a superstar began in his fifth season when he was only 22-years-old. That season he averaged 28.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.0 assists. In the playoffs that season he averaged 29.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists. His stellar play led the Lakers to their second of three titles in their three-peat.

The success he had in his fifth year didn’t come as a surprise. In the Lakers’ title run, the season before Bryant’s heroics in the playoffs, was the big reason the Lakers won the title.

In a pivotal Game 4 against Indiana in the finals with the Lakers up 2-1 in the series, Bryant took over. The superstar scored 22 points in the second half and he took over the game in overtime after Shaq fouled out. Keep in mind that Kobe missed the previous contest with an ankle injury.

Kobe Bryant became widely known as the best player in the world for a little over a decade. Over the next 13 seasons, he averaged at least 24 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. (Most of those seasons he averaged in the 30 point range.)

Throughout his career, Bryant had some of the best games we will ever see in not just basketball but in sports. Games like his 81 points (2nd most ever) against Toronto or 62 points through three quarters against a great Dallas Mavericks teams will never be forgotten.

Every game you tune in. What kind of shot is he going to make today? Or what player will he dunk on tonight? While most say Michael Jordan is the best player ever, I’d argue Kobe is the most skilled to ever do it.

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As skilled as Jordan was, Kobe will have a slight edge. Bryant also went up against the much better competition at the guard spot. Guys like Dwyane Wade, Allen Iverson, Gilbert Arenas, Ray Allen, Vince Carter, and Tracy McGrady matched up with Kobe a lot. At guard, Jordan matched up with guys that weren’t on that level. Guys like Allan Houston, Reggie Miller, Joe Dumars, and Clyde Drexler.

You can argue Bryant had more range, a more controlled handle, and had a more well rounded offensive game. Kobe can post up even bigger plays or bury you with an outside shot. While Jordan can do the same he relied on his freakish athleticism and it helped that his hands were a lot larger than Kobe’s.

If you’re an early 90’s guy and you want to argue that Jordan is more skilled go ahead, I won’t fight you, but the one that’s clear is that nobody else is on their level skill-wise. As good as LeBron is, he is a walking mismatch who isn’t quite as polished, and players like Larry Bird and Magic don’t have the complete package on both ends. People forget how great of a defender Kobe was in his prime.

Since his rookie season, he made the All-Star game 18 times. The only season he didn’t make it was in 1999 and that was because there was no All-Star game. He made 15 All-NBA teams, a 12-time Defensive selection, and has a league MVP (2008). One of the biggest arguments in sports is why Kobe Bryant doesn’t have at least three or four MVP awards.

You’ll hear about Kobe nowadays as he is coaching his daughter’s basketball teams and producing films. He already won an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for “Dear Basketball”.

Kobe’s success on and off the court won’t be matched and neither will his drive.