Black Cat vs. Black Mamba

[Mirkwood]

I'm bored so here we go....

If you ask people who follow basketball and ask them who's the best player ever, the answer is nearly always:
MJ, His Airness, Air, Air Jordan, Black Cat, Black Jesus.......Michael Jordan

If you ask who is the best player since MJ, answer is:
Black Mamba, KB24, Closer, Mr. 81.......Kobe Bryant

I still put MJ ahead of Kobe, but if Kobe gets his 6th ring next season (or in future), how close is he of taking the "best player ever" tag from Jordan?

I'm too young to ever seen MJ in his prime, but I have made my research.
6-time champ, 5-time MVP, 14 All-Stars, 6 Finals-MVP, 9-time All defense-team and more.
He is the best finisher ever in NBA. The mix of insane hang time and godlike hands allowed him to finish any shot he took. His midrange game is top-5 all-time. He also took pride on his defense and ofteb guarded the opponents best perimeter player. He dominated on the floor from Day 1 and the only guy who was ever somehow able to contain him was Gary Payton.
Finished his career with scoring average of 30.1 ppg

Mamba is 5-time champ, MVP, 2-time Finals MVP, 12-time All-star,12-time all defense-team selections and a bunch more.
He has the best midrange game in the history of basketball (sorry MJ, Melo), and can make impossible shot without sweat.
Kobe has lost most of the athletisim he had when he was young, but that hasn't slowed him down. An exelent defender and passer, Kobe is also the best closer in basketball today.

Michael Jordan was Michael Jordan from Day 1, but Kobe had to find a way to be succesful in the NBA in his early years. MJ's PPG in his first three season: 28, 22, 37. WOW.
Kobe on the other hand: 7, 15, 19. A little difference
That stat is one reason why I respect Kobe more than MJ. MJ was born with godlike abilities. Kobe was projected to be a good player when he became to the leaague, but no one ever thought that he would reach the floor were Michael is (and that's pretty high). I am not a very good player and I respect underdogs more than any. Michael war born legend, Kobe created his legend.

MJ's still riding the Lamborgini, while Kobe just sits next to him, listening to Justin Bieber

PS. THIS IS JUST MY OPINION. PLEASE POST YOUR AND DON'T HATE ME!
PSS. I'M NOT DISSING MICHAEL JORDAN. LOVE THAT DUDE.
PSSS.
I was just about to finish this and i realized:
LeBron
You in the backseat.
PSSSS. Sorry for bad language

Go Nuggets!

[benji]

Black Cat would beat the shit out of Kobe Bryant, and look far better in a skintight outfit while doing it. Let's not even talk about when she had special luck powers, or mind powers, or cat powers.

[J@3]

IMO Cringer, once transformed into Battle Cat, would likely defeat Kobe Bryant. Panthor however would give him a decent fight.

[Andrew]

That stat is one reason why I respect Kobe more than MJ. MJ was born with godlike abilities. Kobe was projected to be a good player when he became to the leaague, but no one ever thought that he would reach the floor were Michael is (and that's pretty high).

That's not exactly true. No one thought Michael Jordan would become the player he did either and while he put up big numbers in his early years, he certainly developed and grew as a player as his career went on. A quote from Rod Thorn I used to have in my signature:

We wish Jordan were 7-feet, but he isn't. There just wasn't a center available. What can you do? Jordan isn't going to turn this franchise around. I wouldn't ask him to. He's a very good offensive player, but not an overpowering defensive player.

We forget that because Jordan's legacy as an NBA player is signed, sealed and his place in the upper echelon great NBA players established for going on two decades. It's easy to think of him as being great (or as great as he would become) from the very start because with so many positive accolades since then, that's what people remember and talk about. Kobe's beginnings in the league were a little more humble but even in his first couple of years, there were people talking about him being the next Jordan, the next Big Thing, a future champion and all that.

As far as Kobe winning number six this season and what that will mean as far as his legacy compared to Jordan's...well, there are some who already believe Kobe to be superior, there are some who believe Jordan will never be surpassed (or do not see it happening anytime soon, or by Kobe) and sure, there are some who would reevaluate the situation if/when Kobe wins a sixth championship.

If the Lakers win it all again this season and Kobe gets his sixth ring, I would still rank MJ higher. The way the Bulls won titles in the 90s combined with the stats MJ was putting up individually, I would say that he dominated the NBA in a way that Kobe has not and at this point of his career, probably won't. I would point out that three of Kobe's titles came in large part due to Shaq obliterating the rest of the league; while Kobe was still a major factor in those championships, those were Shaq's teams. Winning title number six would put him in rare company, be a feather in his cap and all that, but as far as him surpassing Michael Jordan I would still disagree.

[IcemanOutlaw]

if handchecking was still legal. Kobe won't even reach that mark.

90's era is different than today's era, also SG's and PG's abused that no handcheck rule.

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[hova-]

No one is born with godlike abilities. That's a pretty unfair statement for each of these guys. Jordan was known to be one of the hardest working guys in the game, so is Kobe.

The only way for Kobe to pass MJ is to win 8, 9 or 10 rings being the franchise player of his team. That would give him an huge edge regarding his success. If he only manages to get close to Jordan, everyone will still say MJ was the best.

I say that although I really think most people underrate Jordan's supporting cast (especially Scottie Pippen).

[Andrew]

if handchecking was still legal. Kobe won't even reach that mark.

I still think he'd do well, though I doubt he'd get away with barking/glaring at referees the way he does if he were playing in Earl Strom's NBA.

[Mirkwood]

No one is born with godlike abilities. That's a pretty unfair statement for each of these guys. Jordan was known to be one of the hardest working guys in the game, so is Kobe.

The only way for Kobe to pass MJ is to win 8, 9 or 10 rings being the franchise player of his team. That would give him an huge edge regarding his success. If he only manages to get close to Jordan, everyone will still say MJ was the best.

I say that although I really think most people underrate Jordan's supporting cast (especially Scottie Pippen).

I'm sorry for my poor choice of words. The point I was trying to make was that it was clear when entering the league that Michael was going to be a good player. But went above and beyond of our wildest dreams. He pretty much alone sparked the NBA alive again. No one expected that. He's a living image of hard work.

Can't say was a projected as a bust, but he wasn't a surefire like MJ. A high school player who realied heavily on his athletism. He also has come a long way and worked hard to develop his game. He, in my mine, will never go past Jordan but damn, It ain't far.