This just in, concerning Kobe.
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John ( Phx ): Bill.. Charles Barkley made a great statment a few nights ago... Michael Jordon made everyone else around him better. Kobe does not do that.. Do you agree?
Bill Walton: (3:41 PM ET ) You are talking about a Jordan who grew over a long career. When he was 24, he was just two or three years into his career. How long has Kobe been around? MJ had the extreme good fortune of playing for Dean Smith. Having a coach like that in your formative years shapes your life. It is the contributing factor to how you play. As MJ's teammates got better, he became more noted as a team player. He epitomized everyting that was good about the game. Kobe, having not gone to college, playing his formative years in an unsettled situation, I can find nothing wrong with Kobe today and he's 24. He is up there with MJ in sense of responsibility, obilgation. wanting the pressure, optimism, etc. He plays so hard, like MJ. Let's not forget that it took MJ seven years to get to that championship level. Before that he was being criticized. This is not Kobe's team. MJ's teams were built around him. The Lakers were built around Shaq. That makes it harder for Kobe in a sense. It's not his team. But Kobe has the benefit of playing with Shaq, he's on TV all the time, he has the best platform with the brightest spotlight. It's a great honor for Kobe to even be discussed in the same terms as Jordan and Wilt. For these conversations to be taking place, after what MJ and Wilt did in their careers, is a testament to how good he is.
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He actually said some things in there that I thought was pretty good.
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John ( Phx ): Bill.. Charles Barkley made a great statment a few nights ago... Michael Jordon made everyone else around him better. Kobe does not do that.. Do you agree?
Bill Walton: (3:41 PM ET ) You are talking about a Jordan who grew over a long career. When he was 24, he was just two or three years into his career. How long has Kobe been around? MJ had the extreme good fortune of playing for Dean Smith. Having a coach like that in your formative years shapes your life. It is the contributing factor to how you play. As MJ's teammates got better, he became more noted as a team player. He epitomized everyting that was good about the game. Kobe, having not gone to college, playing his formative years in an unsettled situation, I can find nothing wrong with Kobe today and he's 24. He is up there with MJ in sense of responsibility, obilgation. wanting the pressure, optimism, etc. He plays so hard, like MJ. Let's not forget that it took MJ seven years to get to that championship level. Before that he was being criticized. This is not Kobe's team. MJ's teams were built around him. The Lakers were built around Shaq. That makes it harder for Kobe in a sense. It's not his team. But Kobe has the benefit of playing with Shaq, he's on TV all the time, he has the best platform with the brightest spotlight. It's a great honor for Kobe to even be discussed in the same terms as Jordan and Wilt. For these conversations to be taking place, after what MJ and Wilt did in their careers, is a testament to how good he is.
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He actually said some things in there that I thought was pretty good.
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