Kobe announces retirement

[pearljammer10]

PLEASE don't make people have to defend Kobe and praise him by ranking him below inferior players.

There were some other guys I didn't really get around to.

Scottie Pippen
Karl Malone
John Stockton
Jason Kidd
Charles Barkley
Patrick Ewing
David Robinson

Now you're just reaching.

I have a hard time imagining Kobe dragging the Nets to the finals twice or the Suns with Kevin Johnson and Dan Majerle.

He was busy winning 5 championships.

[SHAQATTACK]

Great player ...shooter offense minded first.    Top twenty ..one of the best ever...but

Rest of his game always below the other legion s.   

Lots of better players on teams without the support to win rings.

All around greatest , he falls way down my list .....Dr J, Moses , Bird , MJ .....etc
 
I think the true basketball comparison , MJ is still far ahead of Kobe .  ......sorry Kobe ......MJ still the number one baller of all time.

[soap07]

I would've taken Caron Butler in his prime over Kobe.

[JSD]

What's Kobe's win/loss and playoff record without Shaq or Gasol? Does anyone know?

[Eja117]

PLEASE don't make people have to defend Kobe and praise him by ranking him below inferior players.

There were some other guys I didn't really get around to.

Scottie Pippen
Karl Malone
John Stockton
Jason Kidd
Charles Barkley
Patrick Ewing
David Robinson

Now you're just reaching.

I have a hard time imagining Kobe dragging the Nets to the finals twice or the Suns with Kevin Johnson and Dan Majerle.

He was busy winning 5 championships.

On the coat tails of better players.

[Eja117]

He was just another overhyped selfish player that happened to play with Shaq.

When he had a chance to lead a team it flopped.

Then they got him enough help to have a decent team again and he won one whole ring. Whoop de doo.

well, by your logic, the same can be applied to our own Paul Pierce.

when Pierce had a chance to lead a team it flopped.

Then they got Pierce enough help to have a decent team again and he won one whole ring. "whoop de doo".

stop the unnecessary hate on Kobe. it's making you look really stupid right now.

But what happened when they had even teams and went head to head?  Exactly.

[JSD]

What's Kobe's win/loss and playoff record without Shaq or Gasol? Does anyone know?

 Kobe without Shaq or Gasol (Not counting 2015 or this season):

Overall Record 121-125

Two 1st round knockouts. Missed the playoffs

[SHAQATTACK]

Kobe .....coming out














Has secretly been a closet "Celtic Fan"

His entire life.

[GreenFaith1819]

Celtics-Lakers games won't be the same again, for a long time....or at least until we get our next star and they do the same.

With Danny's strategy so far, the next Star (or 2) is right around the corner, thankfully.

Kobe Bryant carried on a LONG tradition of Laker stars that went head to head with BOS - Mikan-Wilt-West-Kareem-Magic-Worthy-Kobe-Shaq.

Personally I classified Kobe as being the "Villain" if you will, in the more recent installments of Celtics-Lakers..

But anyways I wish him the best. History will put him in his appropriate place among the greats and it can/will be debated forever, but I will miss Kobe Bean Bryant.

I would have NO qualms whatsoever about him changing his mind...

[Big333223]

I have 14 of my top 15 decided with Kobe in one of those slots.

Five guards = Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant
Two forwards = Larry Bird, LeBron James
Seven centers = Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O'Neal, Wilt Chamberlain, Tim Duncan, Moses Malone

Now that's a good list.  I think I'd add Karl Malone as the 15th.

I'll also cosign this list, except I'd rank either Julius Erving or Elgin Baylor as my #15.

[PhoSita]

How many times was Kobe the best player on a title contender?

2008?

I think that might be it.


Also, I just realized:

Kobe is retiring, so the NBA has to get the Lakers another star.


You know this means the Lakers are getting Ben Simmons in the lottery, right?  He'll be heralded as Magic Johnson 2.0 and the Lakers will be fun and relevant again.

[LarBrd33]

Kobe's last 5:  18.2 points, 5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.2 steals 47%/37%/87% in 28.8mpg

"The last five games I've felt great," he said. "I don't feel like I felt at the start of the season; I feel good. I'm moving well, I'm not sore after games, anything like that. From the challenge of where I started at the beginning of the season to where I am now, I feel good."

What's the chances that he continues to play decent basketball and changes his mind at the end of the year?  He wouldn't be the first player to announce his retirement and change his mind... I mean, his idol did it twice, right?  Didn't Barkley change his mind for like 5 years straight and keep coming back? 

I still figure he breaks something this season that ends his career for him... but would you be totally shocked if that drama queen decided to stick around?

http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/lakers/post/_/id/42398/kobe-bryant-discusses-why-his-play-has-dramatically-improved

[tarheelsxxiii]

How many times was Kobe the best player on a title contender?

2008?

I think that might be it.


Also, I just realized:

Kobe is retiring, so the NBA has to get the Lakers another star.


You know this means the Lakers are getting Ben Simmons in the lottery, right?  He'll be heralded as Magic Johnson 2.0 and the Lakers will be fun and relevant again.

Quoted simply because it's a great post.

[Celtics4ever]

What's the chances that he continues to play decent basketball and changes his mind at the end of the year?  He wouldn't be the first player to announce his retirement and change his mind... I mean, his idol did it twice, right?  Didn't Barkley change his mind for like 5 years straight and keep coming back? 

zero, Father time beats all men.

[moiso]

Kobe's last 5:  18.2 points, 5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.2 steals 47%/37%/87% in 28.8mpg

"The last five games I've felt great," he said. "I don't feel like I felt at the start of the season; I feel good. I'm moving well, I'm not sore after games, anything like that. From the challenge of where I started at the beginning of the season to where I am now, I feel good."

What's the chances that he continues to play decent basketball and changes his mind at the end of the year?  He wouldn't be the first player to announce his retirement and change his mind... I mean, his idol did it twice, right?  Didn't Barkley change his mind for like 5 years straight and keep coming back? 

I still figure he breaks something this season that ends his career for him... but would you be totally shocked if that drama queen decided to stick around?

http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/lakers/post/_/id/42398/kobe-bryant-discusses-why-his-play-has-dramatically-improved

If he started the season playing like he has been of late he never would have said he was retiring.  I'm not sure if he would change his mind, but I was thinking the same thing about another injury sealing the deal.  It's possible that right now may be the last stretch that anyone sees a good Kobe Bryant out there.