“Michael Jordan was the best defensive player in the league but he was also the best offensive player,” said West. “It wasn’t a one-year fluke, he proved it over time.
“LeBron James will do the same type of things because he’s getting better. He’s a much more effective shooter. When’s he’s making his shots from the outside, you can’t play him.
“He’s just too big, too strong, too quick. And he has incredible body control. But more than that, he’s a great team mate. You can see his team mates love him.”
James averaged 28.4 points this season and was named the NBA’s most valuable player. But Bryant, a three-times NBA champion and 2008 MVP, still remains a force, said West.
“If I had to have somebody make a last-second shot, it would be Kobe Bryant,” said West, architect of the great Lakers teams from Magic Johnson years in the 1980s through the Shaquille O’Neal clubs of the early 2000s.
“But even though it’s hard for me to be objective, because I brought Kobe to Los Angeles, I do think LeBron has surpassed Kobe as a player.”
May 19th, 2009 at 1:00 am
I think Jerry West is losing it. Kobe is battle tested, LeBron has not been. Kobe has dealt with adversity LeBron may never have to deal with. Kobe has played through injuries that would make LeBron sit out massive amounts of games because of the pain and/or recovery time from surgery.
This has to be one of the most outlandish things a person could say. Though LeBron is a great player, and can be the best ever, he isn’t there yet.
May 19th, 2009 at 8:39 am
[...] At Binary Basketball there is also a piece about LeBron never being as good a Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant. I don’t know about Kobe, but I know one thing, as a Tar Heel, LBJ will never surpass MJ in my eyes. On the other hand, from a post at ballerblogger, Jerry West believes that James as already passed Bryant. [...]
May 20th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
There is no GREATEST ever. Since basketball, for all practical purposes, is a five man team sport with each man playing a specific role: objectively, from my perspective, one can only rank and categorize the “best” players that played/play the POSITION by their personal/game specific orientation.
For instance:
POINT GUARD
Off- Magic
Def- PAYTON
combo- STOCKTON
SHOOTING GUARD
OFF- BRYANT
DEF- JORDAN
combo- OSCAR
SMALL FORWARD
OFF- BIRD
DEF- PIPPEN
combo- DR.J
POWER FORWARD
OFF- MALONE
DEF- RODMAN
combo- DUNCAN
CENTER
OFF- KAREEM
DEF- RUSSELL
combo- SHAQ
Once you gather a pool of the “best”, then it’s a matter of SELECTIVITY and personal preference as a FAN of the game as to who your
FAVORITE is, NOT WHO IS THE GREATEST IS. Lebron is not in this conversation, YET. He’s not even close to BIRD, PIPPEN OR DR.J.,
YET. When he’s been in the league for 10+ years and still “one of the best” in the game he will be a topic of discussion. In the words of one of the BEST, KRS-1: “it’s not how long you can rhyme- it HOW long you’ve been rhyming.
Note all these players are “HALL OF FAMERS”. My FAVORITE “Great” of all time is MAGIC. But, if we use the HALL of FAME criteria (college and pro)– Kareem is hands down the best of the best EVER.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWDCN-un2vE
May 20th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
I agree somewhat with you heh8meN!, however I think when people talk of who the greatest player is in any sport they are basically saying “who would you pick first”. There are a lot of great players, and no one can do it on their own, but your first pick defines the type of team you’ll be.
Your first pick will also determine who your other picks will be as your first choice will create opportunities for others in other positions. IE, a great quarterback can save a receiver from taking a harsh hit, a great driving guard opens up three point opportunities, etc. The fact that most great players have more than one dimension to them, like when Magic played center when Kareem was out, like Kobe can go from forward to guard, etc, and still be not just effective but great really lifts that player to a new level.
That new level is where most people, I believe, are choosing who the greatest player is. You choosing Kareem shows where your focus is and where you think you will win games. As the game goes on however you’ll get these man-child players like LeBron who can do everything a big man can do and still move quickly, pass effectively and jump over people basically tripling the effectiveness of that one position.
The reason I think Kobe is the greatest (even over Jordan) is not only does he have talent, but he has overcome so much (from injuries to personal problems to team chemistry) that I haven’t heard happening to either Jordan or LeBron. When you have to handle those issues beyond just the actual game, and you’re still a dominant player, that’s absolutely incredible!
May 20th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
Greatest ever is too hard for me to judge. But on the KB vs. LBJ discussion I would say the following: KB has a better mental game. He finds a way to score in the midrange most of the time because he is a smart player who knows how to play his defender, not just make shots. He is phenomonally gifted physically, but it is his mental game that is off the charts and carries him. LBJ only, at this point, plays with his physical gifts, which are probably better than KB’s. Add in the heart/determination factor and I would take KB every time.
May 22nd, 2009 at 11:33 am
[...] Jerry West: LeBron Has Surpassed Kobe (BallerBlogger) [...]
May 23rd, 2009 at 5:18 pm
lol if an nba legend and lakers gm tells you lebron is the best…any of you who dont agree or even worse disagree by a long shot…are a dumb motherfucker who knows nothing about basketball…lol how else do you want it handed to you(the truth)? you are watching the best ever in progress…reason being he is so unselfish yet is the most dynamic well rounded player weve ever seen…doesnt have one weakness..is the perfect player in every category not even including the fact he is likeable and without ego…what else can you try and nit pick? just cuz he doesnt score a 100 cuz hes not a ball hog…even though he would still manage to get 5 assists doing it…we are watching the g.o.a.t. next to jordan…whether youre a hater or lover of lebron or a lakers fan delusional motherfucker…this is the truth..
May 24th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
When LeBron gets some championship’s (plural) under his belt,can overcome serious injuries and still win, and play with other great players on the same team while holding his own then it may not be delusional. There have been a lot of “in progress” types that didn’t amount to much later on. LeBron is a great player, and his time is soon, but it isn’t now.
January 19th, 2010 at 11:05 am
Kobe has never had a season when he had 6 rebound and 6 assists.
Lebron has 7 rebounds and 7 assists for 3 years and this year should be the 4th.Case closed.
When Kobe had no Pablo or Artest he had no victory.Lebron has worst players on his team then Kobe had on his worst teams.