Why Kobe Bryant Will Never Be Called the GOAT

 

Five NBA championships, two scoring crowns, a league MVP award, and many flashy plays and shots are all part of Kobe Bryant’s illustrious career. Indeed, it has been a good voyage for now, a 33-year-old veteran.

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Bryant arrives in Los Angeles with one of the two best franchises ever and a city used to generate championship teams. As luck would have it, Kobe was a rookie when Shaquille O’Neal was in the midst of his dominant season in Los Angeles. Shaq has already made it to the Finals but lost. He yearned for a ring.

 

After four years of collaboration, Shaq, Kobe, and the company won the world championship.

 

Bryant was at the pinnacle of basketball. In charge from 2000 to 2002 were the Lakers. Without Shaq, the Lakers returned in 2009 and 2010. Kobe’s TRULY BIG TIME in the spotlight came during this time. Thrilled Lakers supporters hailed KB as a potential GOAT worldwide (Greatest of All Time). Then 2011 occurred, and the conversation slowed to virtually a stop.

 

In their moment of ecstasy, Lakers supporters turned their backs on their team, dismissing Kareem, Magic, West, and other legends in favor of their new pick for the team’s all-time best player.

 

The discussions are now getting more grounded in reality as more people understand that a player must be nearly faultless throughout their career to be considered the best player ever.

 

Because the NBA has produced some outstanding players, the criteria for determining who is the greatest single player ever must be stringent. Here are the top 20 reasons why Bryant will never qualify as the GOAT, regardless of how many championships the Lakers purchase, um, or win in the future.

 

• Field Goal Shooting

 

The greatest player of all time would at least occasionally make 50% of the shots he took, but Bryant has never had a field goal percentage higher than 46.9% in his 15 seasons of playing. Never once! And he won’t begin now. His career average is 45.4%, and he shot 45.1% last season. Sorry, but you cannot be considered the greatest player if you miss 55% of your career shots. Respect the professional game of basketball, folks.

 

• Three Poin t Selection

 

The best player in history would rarely attempt three-pointers since they should only be attempted under pressure and as a bonus tool. The game aims to gain score points, yet three-point shooting legends only shoot 40% from beyond the arc, which won’t help you win games.

 

In his 15 seasons, Kobe shot 4185 threes. The issue is that it is too much to handle when you only make 33.9% of them. Kobe made 1418 three-pointers, making his career total of 2767 three-pointers missed.

 

The candidate for the title of GOAT would have abandoned so many of those threes in favor of a safer bet.

 

• Assists

 

The GOAT would understand that this is a five-man game and that utilizing the other team members is essential for success because they are the finest of all time. Guard Kobe Bryant averaged 4.7 assists per game throughout his career.

 

That the greatest person to ever live would also create possibilities for everyone else makes reasonable. Bryant falls short in this area because he missed many superior passing opportunities while shooting 45% and handling the ball so frequently.

 

• Turnovers

 

The GOAT should have excellent ball-handling abilities to the point where he does not frequently lose possession of the ball due to poor passes, stolen balls, or being blocked.

 

Bryant has sadly committed numerous turnovers over his career. Bryant appeared to have significant turnover problems during his early career and after Shaq left. Bryant has lost the ball 3228 times in his career, albeit as he grew older, he did so less frequently.

 

• Actual Defensive Output

 

A player with the title of “GOAT” would likely need to excel the most in defense. The best player of all time would undoubtedly excel at both offense and defense. Bryant was a capable defender for the whole of his career.

 

He averaged 1.5 thefts and 0.5 blocks a game throughout the course of his career. Excellent, although several other players were significantly better on defense.

 

The GOAT would do even better in the playoffs, but Kobe averaged 1.4 steals per game throughout his career. Has Bryant ever been able to TAKE OVER a playoff game DEFENSIVELY? The answer is simple if we ask the same question of numerous other defensive greats.

 

• Finals 2004 vs. Detroit

Let’s look at how the Lakers of 2004 permitted themselves to lose the NBA finals against a starless Detroit team rather than focusing on the numbers and metrics. The simple response is that none of the four major celebrities could be the GOAT. The GOAT could never, would never, and shouldn’t ever lose in the Finals in such a manner. The person who would have stepped up in that series and taken over would have a compelling argument for being the greatest, but it never happened, and history was made.

 

• Average Career Score

 

Bryant has averaged 25.3 points per game on 45% shooting in his short career. From here, it will unavoidably fall. That career shooter is inferior to The GOAT. Bryant is currently No. 10 all-time in terms of points scored per game, trailing only Wade, Robertson, Pettit, Iverson, West, Baylor, James, Chamberlain, and Jordan after 15 seasons.

 

• Shaquille O’Neal

It’s not like Shaq took three MVP awards from other people. The big guy deserved them, but THE BEST EVER could never be surpassed by anyone in the Finals by definition. Every time, they would have to win MVP. It cannot be argued that this is what GREATEST means. If you are the best, no one can surpass you.

 

• No College Experience

 

College is not a requirement for GOAT status, although it certainly assists. Why? A player who enters the league at 18 and bypasses college has little possibility of matching the level of performance of the greatest players ever. By doing this, Bryant took his fourth season to reach 20 points a game.

 

The best player of all time would not, in fact, average 7.6 points, 15 points, or 19 points each season. If players did, they would not be considered the greatest ever because they had to improve as professionals. The GOAT would be a monster from start to finish. Kobe started poorly before improving.

 

• Games started

 

Bryant started seven of the 150 games he appeared in over his first two seasons combined. The greatest player in history would, by definition, start every game since they are the best. Why would history’s best player participate in a contest for only 15 minutes?

 

The athlete might have been 18, but would that give them a pass for a shaky start? Nope. Kobe was in good shape, but the GOAT wouldn’t have to fake anything and would never have to sit on the bench unless seriously injured. There is no justification.

 

• Finals vs. Boston in 2008

The Lakers advanced to the Finals without Shaq for the first time, suffering a crushing defeat by a margin of 39 points. Yet, this team did lose by 39 points on the grandest stage, and Bryant was present to see it happen. If this team had the greatest player ever played on it, he would not have allowed his team to lose in the finals like that. GOAT?

 

• Magic Johnson

In one of the two greatest franchises ever, Magic is the embodiment of the Laker’s legacy, and he wisely enlisted the help of everyone. When the leader relied on passes to win it all and succeeded, it took a whole team effort.

 

• MVP Awards

 

A man might be named NBA MVP if he has a great season and his team wins at least 50 games. The BEST EVER would win a lot more in both categories, and many players did, but if they dominate in the NBA Finals and win a title, they might be Finals MVPs. Bryant did win one NBA MVP in 15 seasons, and in five championship wins, he is a two-time Finals MVP.

 

• Abdul-Jabbar, Kareem

Is it necessary to explain why six-time champion Kareem stands in the way of KB being the GOAT?

 

• Attitude

 

Every prospective GOAT has an attitude. He might have consumed too much, too soon, and without cause. Kobe does not exhibit humility and never has. Have you ever witnessed someone whine so loudly in court? I now present Rasheed Wallace.

 

• Larry Bird

Although Larry Bird didn’t run or jump high, he had a unique method of playing the game that made him the greatest of all time. The team effort came quickly to the person with exceptional shooting talent. We discuss the Lakers franchise as one of the top two franchises in history. The best of the others was Bird.

 

• Future

 

Will Bryant get better or keep getting worse? Let me put it like this. We all become older, which is terrible in basketball. LA must enlist new all-stars’ assistance if they win any other championships. Is that fair to you? 

 

• Wilt the Stilt

 

He holds the second-highest scoring average of all time after scoring 100 points in a single game and averaging 50 in a season. The Big Dipper was the epitome of dominance and a defensive stopper. He wasn’t as dominant when he played for LA, but he was the center they needed to win the championship, much like Shaq, Gasol, Bill Cartwright, and Luc Longley. Oh no, Cartwright and Longley were terrible.

 

• Finals against Dallas in 2011

Did you see the 2011 NBA Playoffs Dallas/LA series? Have you seen the GOAT? Sweep? Yes.

 

• Michael Jordan

Greatest of all time.

 

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Why Kobe Bryant Will Never Be Called the GOAT

 

Five NBA championships, two scoring crowns, a league MVP award, and many flashy plays and shots are all part of Kobe Bryant’s illustrious career. Indeed, it has been a good voyage for now, a 33-year-old veteran.

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Bryant arrives in Los Angeles with one of the two best franchises ever and a city used to generate championship teams. As luck would have it, Kobe was a rookie when Shaquille O’Neal was in the midst of his dominant season in Los Angeles. Shaq has already made it to the Finals but lost. He yearned for a ring.

 

After four years of collaboration, Shaq, Kobe, and the company won the world championship.

 

Bryant was at the pinnacle of basketball. In charge from 2000 to 2002 were the Lakers. Without Shaq, the Lakers returned in 2009 and 2010. Kobe’s TRULY BIG TIME in the spotlight came during this time. Thrilled Lakers supporters hailed KB as a potential GOAT worldwide (Greatest of All Time). Then 2011 occurred, and the conversation slowed to virtually a stop.

 

In their moment of ecstasy, Lakers supporters turned their backs on their team, dismissing Kareem, Magic, West, and other legends in favor of their new pick for the team’s all-time best player.

 

The discussions are now getting more grounded in reality as more people understand that a player must be nearly faultless throughout their career to be considered the best player ever.

 

Because the NBA has produced some outstanding players, the criteria for determining who is the greatest single player ever must be stringent. Here are the top 20 reasons why Bryant will never qualify as the GOAT, regardless of how many championships the Lakers purchase, um, or win in the future.

 

• Field Goal Shooting

 

The greatest player of all time would at least occasionally make 50% of the shots he took, but Bryant has never had a field goal percentage higher than 46.9% in his 15 seasons of playing. Never once! And he won’t begin now. His career average is 45.4%, and he shot 45.1% last season. Sorry, but you cannot be considered the greatest player if you miss 55% of your career shots. Respect the professional game of basketball, folks.

 

• Three Poin t Selection

 

The best player in history would rarely attempt three-pointers since they should only be attempted under pressure and as a bonus tool. The game aims to gain score points, yet three-point shooting legends only shoot 40% from beyond the arc, which won’t help you win games.

 

In his 15 seasons, Kobe shot 4185 threes. The issue is that it is too much to handle when you only make 33.9% of them. Kobe made 1418 three-pointers, making his career total of 2767 three-pointers missed.

 

The candidate for the title of GOAT would have abandoned so many of those threes in favor of a safer bet.

 

• Assists

 

The GOAT would understand that this is a five-man game and that utilizing the other team members is essential for success because they are the finest of all time. Guard Kobe Bryant averaged 4.7 assists per game throughout his career.

 

That the greatest person to ever live would also create possibilities for everyone else makes reasonable. Bryant falls short in this area because he missed many superior passing opportunities while shooting 45% and handling the ball so frequently.

 

• Turnovers

 

The GOAT should have excellent ball-handling abilities to the point where he does not frequently lose possession of the ball due to poor passes, stolen balls, or being blocked.

 

Bryant has sadly committed numerous turnovers over his career. Bryant appeared to have significant turnover problems during his early career and after Shaq left. Bryant has lost the ball 3228 times in his career, albeit as he grew older, he did so less frequently.

 

• Actual Defensive Output

 

A player with the title of “GOAT” would likely need to excel the most in defense. The best player of all time would undoubtedly excel at both offense and defense. Bryant was a capable defender for the whole of his career.

 

He averaged 1.5 thefts and 0.5 blocks a game throughout the course of his career. Excellent, although several other players were significantly better on defense.

 

The GOAT would do even better in the playoffs, but Kobe averaged 1.4 steals per game throughout his career. Has Bryant ever been able to TAKE OVER a playoff game DEFENSIVELY? The answer is simple if we ask the same question of numerous other defensive greats.

 

• Finals 2004 vs. Detroit

Let’s look at how the Lakers of 2004 permitted themselves to lose the NBA finals against a starless Detroit team rather than focusing on the numbers and metrics. The simple response is that none of the four major celebrities could be the GOAT. The GOAT could never, would never, and shouldn’t ever lose in the Finals in such a manner. The person who would have stepped up in that series and taken over would have a compelling argument for being the greatest, but it never happened, and history was made.

 

• Average Career Score

 

Bryant has averaged 25.3 points per game on 45% shooting in his short career. From here, it will unavoidably fall. That career shooter is inferior to The GOAT. Bryant is currently No. 10 all-time in terms of points scored per game, trailing only Wade, Robertson, Pettit, Iverson, West, Baylor, James, Chamberlain, and Jordan after 15 seasons.

 

• Shaquille O’Neal

It’s not like Shaq took three MVP awards from other people. The big guy deserved them, but THE BEST EVER could never be surpassed by anyone in the Finals by definition. Every time, they would have to win MVP. It cannot be argued that this is what GREATEST means. If you are the best, no one can surpass you.

 

• No College Experience

 

College is not a requirement for GOAT status, although it certainly assists. Why? A player who enters the league at 18 and bypasses college has little possibility of matching the level of performance of the greatest players ever. By doing this, Bryant took his fourth season to reach 20 points a game.

 

The best player of all time would not, in fact, average 7.6 points, 15 points, or 19 points each season. If players did, they would not be considered the greatest ever because they had to improve as professionals. The GOAT would be a monster from start to finish. Kobe started poorly before improving.

 

• Games started

 

Bryant started seven of the 150 games he appeared in over his first two seasons combined. The greatest player in history would, by definition, start every game since they are the best. Why would history’s best player participate in a contest for only 15 minutes?

 

The athlete might have been 18, but would that give them a pass for a shaky start? Nope. Kobe was in good shape, but the GOAT wouldn’t have to fake anything and would never have to sit on the bench unless seriously injured. There is no justification.

 

• Finals vs. Boston in 2008

The Lakers advanced to the Finals without Shaq for the first time, suffering a crushing defeat by a margin of 39 points. Yet, this team did lose by 39 points on the grandest stage, and Bryant was present to see it happen. If this team had the greatest player ever played on it, he would not have allowed his team to lose in the finals like that. GOAT?

 

• Magic Johnson

In one of the two greatest franchises ever, Magic is the embodiment of the Laker’s legacy, and he wisely enlisted the help of everyone. When the leader relied on passes to win it all and succeeded, it took a whole team effort.

 

• MVP Awards

 

A man might be named NBA MVP if he has a great season and his team wins at least 50 games. The BEST EVER would win a lot more in both categories, and many players did, but if they dominate in the NBA Finals and win a title, they might be Finals MVPs. Bryant did win one NBA MVP in 15 seasons, and in five championship wins, he is a two-time Finals MVP.

 

• Abdul-Jabbar, Kareem

Is it necessary to explain why six-time champion Kareem stands in the way of KB being the GOAT?

 

• Attitude

 

Every prospective GOAT has an attitude. He might have consumed too much, too soon, and without cause. Kobe does not exhibit humility and never has. Have you ever witnessed someone whine so loudly in court? I now present Rasheed Wallace.

 

• Larry Bird

Although Larry Bird didn’t run or jump high, he had a unique method of playing the game that made him the greatest of all time. The team effort came quickly to the person with exceptional shooting talent. We discuss the Lakers franchise as one of the top two franchises in history. The best of the others was Bird.

 

• Future

 

Will Bryant get better or keep getting worse? Let me put it like this. We all become older, which is terrible in basketball. LA must enlist new all-stars’ assistance if they win any other championships. Is that fair to you? 

 

• Wilt the Stilt

 

He holds the second-highest scoring average of all time after scoring 100 points in a single game and averaging 50 in a season. The Big Dipper was the epitome of dominance and a defensive stopper. He wasn’t as dominant when he played for LA, but he was the center they needed to win the championship, much like Shaq, Gasol, Bill Cartwright, and Luc Longley. Oh no, Cartwright and Longley were terrible.

 

• Finals against Dallas in 2011

Did you see the 2011 NBA Playoffs Dallas/LA series? Have you seen the GOAT? Sweep? Yes.

 

• Michael Jordan

Greatest of all time.