What? Exactly.
I think too many people are obsessed with labeling things "the best ever." Especially in sports. I like basketball the best. Jordan has 6 rings, Russell has 11, but Malone doesn't have any, Magic was a 6'9" point guard, Pistol Pete had the best court vision ever. All of these arguments are silly. When you argue about music, you're making a subjective argument based on your tastes, so you're right... to you.
When you argue about the best basketball player ever, you can use championships as your measure... except Russell had 11 and Jordan had 6 and Kobe has 5 and Shaq has 4. Yeah, but Russell played too long ago, so his 11 championships aren't good enough.
You can use stats to bolster your argument. Oscar Robertson averaged a triple double, and Wilt scored 100 points in a game, and Jordan averaged over 35/game in a season, twice (but didn't win a championship in either year he did it), and Kobe scored 81 in the "modern era."
I love that. The "Modern Era". Here's some statements that will anger a lot of people. Kobe is as good as Michael Jordan. LeBron is the best player of all time. I don't buy into either of these, but walk into a sports bar and say that really loudly. Just do it.
Venom.
"Dude! What? No Way. You're an idiot, do you even know what basketball is?! Idiot!"
Why are we obsessed with labeling players? Does anybody stop to think how ridiculous it is? Even today. LeBron is better than Kobe. No way. Really? I'm better than my dad in basketball. Why? Because I've got mad skills. Also, he's twice my age and his knees are gone. Oh, and Kobe's knees are still there? And he hasn't played 7 more seasons than LeBron? Oh, that's right.
Well, when Kobe was in his prime he was better than LeBron. Yeah, well LeBron was a senior at St. V, and then a rookie in the NBA. I would the top player in the game was better than a high schooler. Yeah, but.. if you took Kobe in his prime against LeBron in his prime, then Kobe would be better. Why?
Kobe has 5 rings. What? Idiots.
Here's the point. You can't compare Kobe in his prime to LeBron in his prime, because it didn't happen at the same time. Why would Kobe be better? He has the "killer instinct" and he's "clutch" and he can score "81"... I mean, 81, it actually was 81. Kobe is the best scorer... but LeBron is bigger, and rebounds more, and averages more assists.
Kobe has 5 rings. Stop it.
So Jordan is better than Kobe. Because he's a better scorer, and had more assists, and more rebounds. And he had 6 titles. Facts. Did in his prime Jordan play against in his prime Kobe? No. Will they ever? No. We have a fresher memory of Kobe... but Jordan is like the Zeus of basketball. Nobody shall dare to be compared to him. But isn't the talent level higher now? Are players more athletic today? Aren't there better developmental programs today? Aren't the training programs, workout programs, rehab programs, and accommodations better today? Aren't the rules more beneficial to scorers today? Yes, yes, yes, yes....yes.
E) All of the above.
You can't take players out of one era and put them into another. You can't go from old to new, and new to old. You can't. There are great players in every generation. There may even be the "greatest player in a generation." But how do you compare a player from today's game to a player from 10 years ago, 20 years ago, 30, 40, 50 years ago? Or vice-versa. You can't. Deal with it.
Guess what? There won't ever be another Jordan. Or another Magic. Or another Bird. Or another Russell, or Kareem, or Big O.
Guess what else? There won't ever be another Kobe. Or another LeBron (ugh). Or another Wade. Or another Iverson. Or Shaq, or KG, or Duncan, or Dirk.
Stop it. We don't have to have greatest ever. Most people who argue these things nowadays aren't old enough to even remember all these people play. You know Shaq was in his prime 10 years ago now? I don't remember 10 years ago. I know he was good... but, 10 years ago? I'm old. I'm 24.... my memory is gone. Let's just enjoy what we have in today's game, and compare these players. These arguments are dumb.
Besides, Kobe has 5 rings...
And Jordan has 6....
And Robert Horry has 7.
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