At 33-years-old with over 15 years of NBA mileage on his body, playing with countless injuries through more than 1,300 games and with the weight of Los Angeles on his shoulders, Kobe Bryant is still very much a part of “The Best Player in the NBA” conversation.
NBA analysts, bloggers and fans have been quick to write off Bryant. Even Lakers diehards have shown a strain in their pride and support.
Bryant’s local popularity has declined after the Los Angeles Clippers acquired perennial All-Star point guard Chris Paul in December. With the emergence of Blake Griffin, the second half of the duo that’s been dubbed “Lob City,” the Lakers have a competitor to the LA throne they’ve always owned.
But the Clippers haven’t won a title yet. Paul hasn’t won a MVP or a championship, and neither has Blake Griffin. So why has Bryant been pushed to the back of the crowd of the NBA’s elite?
It could be the maturation of LeBron James as a post player. Or it could be the infatuation with scoring machine Kevin Durant.
Maybe it’s the sheer greatness of Derrick Rose or the never-before-seen athletic prowess at the center position by Dwight Howard.
What I find hard to believe is the claim that Bryant isn’t even in the top three anymore. Those spots have been said to belong to James, Rose and Durant.
Now, I’m not the biggest Bryant fan. I disagree with his playing style, and I often despise half the shots he takes.
But his leadership, whether it’s vocal or by example, his fiery passion, his drive and his arsenal of moves are something to be praised, not overlooked by age or the emergence of younger stars.
There is no other star in the NBA that demonstrates the killer instinct that Bryant does. We all wish LeBron had it, and we saw glimpses of it in Dwyane Wade before his injury-plagued season in 2006. We’ve seen flashes from Rose, and it will be exciting to see how he will be able to get over what will be his career-long obstacle: the Miami Heat.
Nevertheless, Bryant is enjoying one of the best seasons of his career. At 30.4 points per game, Bryant hasn’t averaged that total since 2006 when he tallied 31.6 ppg.
Kobe is finding open teammates with his 5.7 assists per game the highest since 2004. His rebounding is even up to 5.5 rebounds per game, his highest since 2007.
Statistically, Bryant has been excellent. He is outperforming his championship seasons from 2000-2002 and 2008-2010.
Bryant’s best overall season was at 24-years-old in 2003, when his stat line read 30.0 ppg, 5.9 apg and 6.9 rpg. Nine seasons later, Bryant is averaging 30.4 ppg, 5.7 apg, and 5.5 rpg. How similar do those stats look?
It’s eerie to think a player can dominate at such a high level for so long and be that consistent.
