LA Lakers Kobe Bryant-One of the greatest?

The Lakers are riding high, feeding off a boisterous crowd that will now be in a Kobe-induced frenzy. I imagine the most popular ticket in the NBA is in Los Angeles when the Lakers play at home. Tickets are selling like hot cakes these days as many people will want to see what Kobe does every night. After scoring 81 points in one game, Kobe Bryant’s status as a player is now in the company of Wilt Chamberlain, arguably the greatest NBA player to ever play the game. Bryant’s feat is second only to Chamberlain, who scored 100 points in a game for the Philadelphia Warriors in 1962 against the New York Knicks. So, the question arises; Is Kobe Bryant one of the greatest? Well, at least he had his name next to Chamberlains’s in the record books.

Kobe Bryant says he feels a bit embarrassed about his 81-point effort against the Toronto Raptors, and that he’s not trying to eclipse Wilt Chamberlain’s long-standing record of 100 points in a game, according to a Reuters report. Bryant continues to be hounded by questions after his scoring outburst. “I’m a little embarrassed actually,” Bryant said after a Lakers practice. “I think he’s exciting for the game and the organization because of all the hype, but personally it’s a little bit embarrassing.” Kobe Bryant may have some personal issues that he should be ashamed of, but scoring 81 in a single game isn’t one of them.

He’s trying to lead the Lakers to a successful season and, ultimately, a strong showing in the NBA playoffs. Bryant leads the NBA in scoring, averaging 35.7 points per game. In January, with his 81-point game, he averaged 43.4 points per game. He joined Chamberlain again in the record books as the only other player to average more than 40 points per game in a single month. He says that winning is the most important thing for the Lakers.

“The concept is not about going out and putting on a show or going out and scoring points,” he said. “It’s to win games. I’d rather go out there and score 25 points and get 10 assists and see everybody on rhythm, everybody on rhythm.” Of Chamberlain’s mark, Bryant said: “I don’t even think about it. That’s unthinkable. Wilt did it once, and I’m not Wilt.”

One of the most controversial topics for basketball fans is whether Wilt Chamberlain is the best player in history. His incredible stats are unmatched, but the big argument against him is that he “only” won two championships. So there are several players who arguably rival Chamberlain for the title of greatest basketball player of all time, including Bill Russell, his longtime on-court nemesis, who has won a staggering 11 titles and hits regularly. to Chamberlain’s teams in the playoffs. . There’s also Michael Jordan, who won six titles and won five NBA regular seasons and six Championship Finals MVP titles; Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who also won six titles and is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and Earvin “Magic” Johnson, who won five titles and was a more complete player than Chamberlain.

Statistically, Johnson was arguably the greatest offensive producer of all time. Assuming each assist creates 2 points, he produced 54.85 points per 48 minutes, compared to Michael Jordan’s 50.98 or Wilt Chamberlain’s 40.82. Johnson also scored 17,707 points throughout his 906-game career, averaging 19.5 points per game. However, there are several arguments that support the idea that Wilt Chamberlain is the better player. In his prime, Wilt was so dominant that the NBA changed rules to stop him, including a ban on inside passes over the backboard and a ban on diving from the free throw line during free throw attempts.

The NBA hasn’t changed any rules because of Kobe Bryant’s play. However, his career fresh out of high school has taken many twists and turns with numerous well-documented off-court issues, but his game has always shown steady improvement despite various distractions. The Los Angeles Lakers became perennial championship contenders under Bryant and former teammate Shaquille O’Neal, who came together to form one of the deadliest center guard duos in NBA history. His success gave the Lakers three consecutive NBA championships in 2000, 2001, and 2002. The 2003 season saw the end of the Lakers’ run as a mini-dynasty, but it also became the defining season for Kobe Bryant. An NBA superstar at just 24 years of age, Bryant averaged more than 30 points per game and embarked on a historic scoring streak, posting 40 or more points per game for nine straight contests.

To be fair, offense is only part of the game of basketball. So trying to crown the “greatest of all time” in the NBA is an almost impossible task. To be even more fair, the game has changed radically since 1962 and so has the athleticism of the players. The NBA is awash with players who fill specific roles for their team. These “specialists” do very well what they know how to do, such as the three-point shot, defense, distribution of the ball, inside play, etc. Wilt may not have been the best, but he was certainly the most dominant player the game has ever produced. The question is, would he be as dominant in today’s game with today’s players? Kobe Bryant is an incredible athlete, a complete player. He’s still early in his NBA career, and while he has all the tools to outshine the greatest players in history, he hasn’t done it yet. Kobe Bryant… WE’LL BE WATCHING.