07-20-2004, 03:08 AM
|
#34 (permalink)
|
|
Junkie
|
Quote:
Originally posted by Cross-Over
Perhaps I am too anal about statistics some times, but for the record, Jordan was 28 at the end of the 90-91 season when he won his first title.
Kobe turns 26 next month. That makes Jordan, about 2 and a half years younger "when he actually started winning championships" than you stated (5).
Check out HERE, HERE and HERE for verification.
Kobe was younger when he first won, and has 3 to boot, but Shaq was the driving force and the NBA Finals MVP all three title years. Kobe was his Pippen. Out of all the years Shaq and Kobe played together, Bryant outscored Shaq twice, and they lost to the Spurs and the Pistons in the playoffs of those years.
Now about the comparisons:
Kobe has yet to win a League MVP or Defensive player of the year award. He has never shoot 50 percent from the field for a season. He has only averaged over 2 steals per game once in his career. He has only averaged 1 block per game once in his career. He has not yet averaged over 7 rebounds a game or 8 assists per game. He has not averaged over 30 points per game for a year.
This is through the age of 26, including 2 more years of NBA experience than Jordan had by the age of 26.
Jordan, by the time he finished the 88-89 season at the age of 26, had won a League MVP and Defensive Player of the year award. He shot over 50 percent from the field 3 out of 5 seasons. He averaged over 2 steals per game every season. He avearaged over a block per game 3 out of 5 seasons. He avearged over 7 rebounds and 8 assists per game for a season
(8 and 8). He averaged over 30 points per game 3 out of 5 seasons.
For the record, Jordan's second year he only played 18 games due to injury. His scoring and field goal percentage don't favor the statistics I posted, but his steals and blocks averages do. It's about a push, so I included that year anways
Statistically they don't compare at similar ages. As far as the intangibles that make a player great, I think others in this thread have commented very well on what makes Jordan a better player than Bryant.
Scoring was up in the league when Jordan was early in his career, but unfortunately there is not a consensus on how to draw fair comparisons in such situations. Regardless, the League MVP and Defensive Player of the year aren't a product of a high scoring league, more so, they were great accomplishments achieved at a time when Bird and Magic were also in their prime.
|
As far as I'm concerned Kobe pales in comparison for all the reasons you enumerated. Kobe has the physical talent however legend transcends the physical and becomes emotional and will driven. The inability for a player to settle for anything less than winning... no matter what it takes. That's Jordan's mystique and legend. Kobe has no of that yet. Again it's a matter of heart and will which Kobe hasn't shown he possesses yet. I hope he , if not-guilty, gets the opportunity to prove what his game is really about. |
|
|