MJ on Kobe Bryant: "I'd Say He's A Top 10 Guard"

[ProfessaPackMan]

Hopefully(HOPEFULLY)we can discuss these two without this thread having to get locked because of certain individual(S)like to do their "usual thing" when it comes either or both of these two.

Now, that being said:

What MJ Said:

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gamehunters/post/2010/10/michael-jordan-and-2k-sports-talk-nba-2k11-/1

Of course, there's always the comparison of you and Kobe Bryant. Where does Kobe stand in the status of NBA players through history?
It's so hard to say. I think he is always going to be within the conversations of some of the greatest players who've played by the time he is finished. Where does he rank among those, if you are talking about positions? If you are talking about guards, I would say he has got to be in the Top 10.

Kobe's Response:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=mc-bryantlakers101810

“It’s an accurate statement,” Bryant said. “I’m definitely one of the top 10 guards. It could mean two, it could mean one, it could mean four or five. I’m definitely one of the top thousand. Look, I know how he feels about me.
“There have been a lot of great guards to play the game. For me to sit here and say, ‘He should have said top five,’ that’s disrespectful to the other guards that I’ve watched…
“I don’t look at it as motivation,” said Bryant, who hasn’t talked to Jordan since the Lakers played at Charlotte last season. “I’ve never given it thought that I wanted to get six to catch Michael. His six and my six are different. That’s not to say that his were more challenging than mine because I had to play a different role and do something out of character my first three. They’re just different.
“It steps into a territory that only a select few have ever been to. I understand. That’s what special to me, that I’m this fortunate to have this opportunity. So, let’s try to make the most of it.”

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Re: MJ on Kobe Bryant: "I'd Say He's A Top 10 Guard"

Hopefully(HOPEFULLY)we can discuss these two without this thread having to get locked because of certain individual(S)like to do their "usual thing" when it comes either or both of these two.

Now, that being said:

What MJ Said:

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gamehunters/post/2010/10/michael-jordan-and-2k-sports-talk-nba-2k11-/1

Kobe's Response:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slu...ntlakers101810

lol i was gonna say basically Kobe's statement. He's right. He's definitely a top 10 guard. I really don't think this is a big deal at all, but I like the way Kobe handled it considering a lot of people are like "OMG MJ's TAKING SHOTS AT KOBE!!!"

[st0rmb11]

Re: MJ on Kobe Bryant: "I'd Say He's A Top 10 Guard"

The media needs to let this go.

I've seen ESPN and other channels, as well as internet sites try to blow this way out of proportion.

What did Jordan say that wasn't true? Kobe is a top 10 guard. Jordan is a top 10 guard. He at no point specified where in the top 10.
and what was he supposed to say? if he says "he's number 2.", then he sounds conceited and sounds like he's saying "I'm #1." if he gives a specific number, then that opens up speculation as to who he has ranked higher.

I think Jordan handled this the best way he could have. and I commend Kobe for not viewing it was Jordan taking shots at him.

The media needs to take this for what it's worth and stop trying to blow anything between Jordan and Kobe into a who's better contest.

[NDAlum]

Re: MJ on Kobe Bryant: "I'd Say He's A Top 10 Guard"

What discussion is there to be had?

He said "he has got to be one of the top 10 guards"

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: MJ on Kobe Bryant: "I'd Say He's A Top 10 Guard"

If you are talking about guards, I would say he has got to be in the Top 10.

Not really that much different. But that's just me.

[dragonyeuw]

Re: MJ on Kobe Bryant: "I'd Say He's A Top 10 Guard"

The media needs to let this go.

I've seen ESPN and other channels, as well as internet sites try to blow this way out of proportion.

What did Jordan say that wasn't true? Kobe is a top 10 guard. Jordan is a top 10 guard. He at no point specified where in the top 10.
and what was he supposed to say? if he says "he's number 2.", then he sounds conceited and sounds like he's saying "I'm #1." if he gives a specific number, then that opens up speculation as to who he has ranked higher.

I think Jordan handled this the best way he could have. and I commend Kobe for not viewing it was Jordan taking shots at him.

The media needs to take this for what it's worth and stop trying to blow anything between Jordan and Kobe who's better contest.


EDIT - you may want to edit the title to what Jordan ACTUALLY said. he said "he's got to be in the top 10." It just sounds better than "He's a Top 10 guard."

Agree completely, this is the media's way of trying to make something out of nothing. They're trying to get some kind of juicy quote that they can spin and twist into something that sells papers.

[dossier]

Re: MJ on Kobe Bryant: "I'd Say He's A Top 10 Guard"

professa what did you do?

I expect this to get ugly.

I agree though he's definitely in the top 10, off the top of my head I would put him at 7 TODAY

EDIT: after actually reading the previous posts, this could be really boring too

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: MJ on Kobe Bryant: "I'd Say He's A Top 10 Guard"

LOL I didn't do anything wrong man.

I just copied and pasted AND provided links from what was said and then left it up to YA'LL. But it's a slow time of the year for BBall and I'm not surprised since it's still Preseason and the Season is only, ONLY a week away. I had a few other stories I would post on here but didn't think they would get much discussion like a Kobe/MJ Thread usually gets haha.

[Moses Shuttlesworth]

Re: MJ on Kobe Bryant: "I'd Say He's A Top 10 Guard"

MJ is right. Top 10 is accurate.

[LingeringRegime]

Re: MJ on Kobe Bryant: "I'd Say He's A Top 10 Guard"

I think that is accurate, especially since Kobe hasn't finished his career yet. It's probably not something that Jordan sits around thinking about. Like people on message boards do.

The media is really trying to make a big deal about nothing as usual.

[Chrisksaint]

Re: MJ on Kobe Bryant: "I'd Say He's A Top 10 Guard"

Nothing really to argue here. I liked the way Kobe handled it tho, if someone told him that earlier in his career i could only imagine his response, guess he's been listening to KD speak lately lol

[TheMatrix31]

Re: MJ on Kobe Bryant: "I'd Say He's A Top 10 Guard"

Love how everyone on my Twitter and FB were up in arms about it.

[ybtherockstar]

Re: MJ on Kobe Bryant: "I'd Say He's A Top 10 Guard"

MJ did do a great job of answering that question and he is correct. KB is one of the best guards in NBA history and definitely in the the top 10. There is no better complement than to have the man that is considered "the greatest of all time" say you are a top ten player. I saw earlier on Around the Horn and they made it seem as if jordan had said something bad about kobe. The panelists were all bashing MJ saying he was "bitter" and "intimidated by Kobe's greatness". I just laughed because they are really trying to get something started out of nothing. MJ gave him a complement and that's that.

[AlexBrady]

Re: MJ on Kobe Bryant: "I'd Say He's A Top 10 Guard"

For me, the Shooting Guard Hierarchy looks like this:

1. Michael Jordan
2. Kobe Bryant
3. Sam Jones
4. Hal Greer
5. Clyde Drexler
6. Earl Monroe
7. Sidney Moncrief
8. Joe Dumars
9. Dave Bing
10. Dwyane Wade

Bill Sharman was excluded because I never saw him play and I consider Jerry West to be a point guard.
It should be noted that if hand checking were still permitted Kobe would be topping out at about 25 ppg instead of his usual 30 ppg. He is also fortunate to be playing in an offense with such phenomenal spacing. Oh yeah, his coach is halfway decent too.

[Bornindamecca]

Re: MJ on Kobe Bryant: "I'd Say He's A Top 10 Guard"

For me, the Shooting Guard Hierarchy looks like this:

1. Michael Jordan
2. Kobe Bryant
3. Sam Jones
4. Hal Greer
5. Clyde Drexler
6. Earl Monroe
7. Sidney Moncrief
8. Joe Dumars
9. Dave Bing
10. Dwyane Wade

Bill Sharman was excluded because I never saw him play and I consider Jerry West to be a point guard.
It should be noted that if hand checking were still permitted Kobe would be topping out at about 25 ppg instead of his usual 30 ppg. He is also fortunate to be playing in an offense with such phenomenal spacing. Oh yeah, his coach is halfway decent too.

With Kobe's post up game and strength in rising up on his jumpers, I'd say that his numbers would be the same. Also, the size of the defenders would work heavily in Bryant's favor, if we're talking about the 80s/90s. Being guarded by Hershey Hawkins, Voshon Lenard and Jeff Hornaceck wouldn't knock down Kob's average, handchecking or no.