Kobe named NBA 'Player of the Decade'

[chemist]

Lakers guard and 2009 NBA Finals MVP Kobe Bryant is Sporting News' NBA player of the decade, the team announced in a release.

Said former teammate Shaquille O'Neal of Bryant: "The thing about Kobe is that, over the course of my career, I have never played with anyone who was as fierce as he is. By fierce I mean just having that extra killer instinct that you know when the game is on the line he is not going to shy away from the big shot, he is not going to make excuses. If we would go into the fourth quarter, playoffs or just some game in the season and we were within a little bit of the other team, Kobe was not going to shy away from the challenge of getting the win. He was going to take the shots."

The honor is part of a 14-page tribute to the athletes, coaches and teams of the 2000s in the new issue of the magazine, which arrives this week at all Barnes & Noble, Borders and Hudson Retail outlets. SN honored one athlete in each sport and enlisted the help of teammates, coaches and legends to make a case for both the winner and runner-up.

Bryant was SN's player of the year in 2008. But 2009 was his favorite. "This year meant a lot," he told SN. "We won a championship. It was satisfying, very satisfying, because we put in a lot of time and effort to fix things and get better. It's a great memory. I feel that we just had such a great team, such a fun team, from our chemistry to the way we executed. We went through some years and years of frustration to get to that point."

Bryant also made SN's NBA all-decade team:

FIRST
G Steve Nash
G Kobe Bryant
F Tim Duncan
F LeBron James
C Shaquille O'Neal

SECOND
G Allen Iverson
G Dwyane Wade
F Dirk Nowitzki
F Kevin Garnett
C Yao Ming

The numbers say...

Bryant: 28.2 points per game, 5.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists, one MVP, four titles
Duncan: 21.2 points per game, 11.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, two MVPs, three titles

You say...

SportingNews.com voting
Bryant 55%
Duncan 45%


Source 1

Source 2

 

[alexw]

Steve Nash over Iverson is bullshit

but he did get two MVP's

and Duncan over Kobe

When Duncan finishes, he'll be the greatest to ever play that position

 

[king_country]

Not a Kobe Stan but well deserved congrats.

 

[SickMyDuck]

Sounds about right to me.

 

[MistaFlynt]

Truth.com.

Congrats, Bean!

 

[CaliChampNo.1]

Props to Kobe.

 

[destrehan]

how in the livin fuck does nowitzskee make this team? and how the fuck does nash make it over AI? everybody knows stern personally picked that cac to get 2 mvp's. no white man on earth could ever be the best nba player for one season let alone 2.

 

[Black Limey]

Sounds about right to me.

 

[alexw]

Steve Nash over Iverson is bullshit

but he did get two MVP's

and Duncan over Kobe

When Duncan finishes, he'll be the greatest to ever play that position

Damn when I really think about it

it should be Duncan in a landslide

Kobe spent the majority time as Robin to Shaqs Batman

Tim did most of that shit on his own

And like I said before hes the GOAT at PF

 

[MrBee]

Props to Kobe.

Word!

 

[Ming Fei Hong]

"In today's forecast I see a hate storm brewing... And this one looks to be a doozy"

 

[zantislin70]

Damn when I really think about it

it should be Duncan in a landslide

Kobe spent the majority time as Robin to Shaqs Batman

Tim did most of that shit on his own

And like I said before hes the GOAT at PF

i disagree. even with shaq there, shaq called kobe the greatest player, and called himself the most dominating player. kobe wasn't nobodies robin. believe me, i don't like kobe at all, but you are really reaching right now. kobe deserves it.... gratz to him,

 

[SickMyDuck]

"In today's forecast I see a hate storm brewing... And this one looks to be a doozy"

No doubt...they're coming!

 

[alexw]

i disagree. even with shaq there, shaq called kobe the greatest player, and called himself the most dominating player. kobe wasn't nobodies robin. believe me, i don't like kobe at all, but you are really reaching right now. kobe deserves it.... gratz to him,

Shaq also said Kobe was a pussy

oh yeah, he also told Kobe to tell him how his ass tastes

Shaq word doesnt mean shit....


And Kobe was definitely a Robin

Shaq did the dirty work and drew the triple teams

it allowed kobe to shine and made it virtually easy for his game to grow

now tim duncan always been doubled and tripled and he still dominated

he has more mvps
he has more final mvps
He has more defensive player of the year titles
he won rookie of the year

kobe hasnt done this
dude is the goat of this generation

 

[chemist]

No doubt...they're coming!

"WE HATE KOBE, WE HATE KOBE"

 

[qt1234]

Props to Kobe.

co-sign.

 

[Chase Bannon]

I think Dirk or Garnett has an argument of being on the first team over James

 

[Gemini]

Duncan.

 

[alexw]

I think Dirk or Garnett has an argument of being on the first team over James

Lebron shouldnt be on either team....yet

I didnt even notice that shit

 

[Nitsuj18]

Kobe over Duncan is Straight BS.
Not just by the numbers or the MVP's but the Lakers where on a decline before everyone started sucking kobe's beans.
Duncan has never been on a sub par team and has been the MOST consistent player in the league for the last 10 yrs. PERIOD.

Although Kobe has better shoes, commercials, highlights and jersey sales - that usually sways the vote in his direction.
But DC did Love the Foamposites - mmmhmmm

 

[alexw]

Kobe over Duncan is Straight BS.
Not just by the numbers or the MVP's but the Lakers where on a decline before everyone started sucking kobe's beans.
Duncan has never been on a sub par team and has been the MOST consistent player in the league for the last 10 yrs. PERIOD.

Although Kobe has better shoes, commercials, highlights and jersey sales - that usually sways the vote in his direction.
But DC did Love the Foamposites - mmmhmmm

are you using logic

theyre(the stans) going to call you a hater bruh, be prepared

 

[CaliChampNo.1]

"WE HATE KOBE, WE HATE KOBE"

"In today's forecast I see a hate storm brewing... And this one looks to be a doozy"

 

[massdagod]

I agree....

I look back @ the old playoff games from 2000-2002 in the west and Kobe used to bury teams....

as we know, the best teams in the NBA were in the western (Kings, Portland, Lakers, Spurs) during the 3peat era.

If it wasnt for Kobes 27pts (12 in the 4th), 11rebs, 6asst and 4 blks in game 7 of 2000 con. finals including being involved w/ that last six points to put us over the top from that 15 point 4th quarter deficit we wouldve lost and the 3peat wouldve never happened.

If it was for Kobe mutilating the western conference playoffs going 11-0 he wouldve have won in 2001...

Same goes for 2002.

"ive been sacrificing my game for shaq for YEARS" - KB


I believe he's been the most talented this decade no question

BUT

I even still, I wouldve expected them to give it to Shaq or Duncan.

But I aint complaining.

Duncan fell off, Shaq fell off... Kobes been the most consistant during this decade basaically.

 

[massdagod]

Interesting Stat:

Since Kobes been a Starter 98-99, he's been in the Finals More times than Not.

Finals Appearances (6). Not in the Finals (5)


Amazing.

that's Bill Russell-esque

 

[Amajorfucup]

Wow. Flash wins over substance again. How can he win player of the decade honors over Duncan? Are we supposed to simply throw away the seasons in which Kobe was THE go to guy and couldnt do squat without another all-star or all nba player on the team? If memory serves me correctly didnt he even miss the playoffs twice this decade in a league where more teams actually make the playoffs than dont? Should we ignore the fact that Duncan has mulitple league AND finals NBA trophies in THIS decade?

 

[zantislin70]

Shaq also said Kobe was a pussy

oh yeah, he also told Kobe to tell him how his ass tastes

Shaq word doesnt mean shit....


And Kobe was definitely a Robin

Shaq did the dirty work and drew the triple teams

it allowed kobe to shine and made it virtually easy for his game to grow

now tim duncan always been doubled and tripled and he still dominated

he has more mvps
he has more final mvps
He has more defensive player of the year titles
he won rookie of the year

kobe hasnt done this
dude is the goat of this generation

ummmm duncan had david robinson for his 1st title, and always had a squad. if you argument is true then who was being triple teamed this year for kobe to shine? i guess we will just disagree on this topic.

 

[Amajorfucup]

...Duncan fell off, Shaq fell off... Kobes been the most consistant during this decade basaically.

When did Duncan fall off?

As for consistency, Kobe's teams were pedestrian for a three year span. While NO professional sports franchise has been as consistently competitive as the Spurs have since Duncan came in the fold. The team has yet to have a "down" season with him at the helm. Kobe cant say that.

In order for Kobe to win this award we would almost have to throw away 3years, while forgetting a forth year in which he singlehandedly tanked the finals and caused his team to lose to the Pistons.

He's a great player but i just dont see how anyone (who considers himself a serious follower of the sport) can give him the nod over Duncan in this one.

 

[Amajorfucup]

ummmm duncan had david robinson for his 1st title, and always had a squad. if you argument is true then who was being triple teamed this year for kobe to shine? i guess we will just disagree on this topic.

Drob was a shell of him all nba self when Duncan arrived. Unlike Kobe who played with a Shaq in his prime, Dunca never played with a ceritifed Hall of Fame player in his prime. Without googling, Drob was a 15 and 9 defensive specialist during their title run. Hardly the force he was in his prime and certainly not the one two punch that LA had during their run.

Also, Duncans second title had no other all-star on the roster. Drob was down in the single digits, parker was either a rookie or second year player who Greg Pop hated and i dont think anyone else on that team put up more than 10,11 points the entire season. What he accomplished that year was flat out amazing! His third title was similar, Parker wasnt yet who he is now and Manu was just a unexperience, out of control Euro with limited contribution.

 

[smokeon2006]

I agree but would not be mad if it were Duncan.

 

[smokeon2006]

I agree but would not have been mad if it were Duncan.

 

[Nitsuj18]

Wow. Flash wins over substance again. How can he win player of the decade honors over Duncan? Are we supposed to simply throw away the seasons in which Kobe was THE go to guy and couldnt do squat without another all-star or all nba player on the team? If memory serves me correctly didnt he even miss the playoffs twice this decade in a league where more teams actually make the playoffs than dont? Should we ignore the fact that Duncan has mulitple league AND finals NBA trophies in THIS decade?

Flash over Substance always wins -- unfortunately
Jordan over Bill Russell any day and mainly because Air Jordans have sooo much HYPE and soo much Cultural Clout that we actually believe MJ used to FLY and he actually played in slow motion like his highlight vids.
When the last time you heard anyone talk about how good Russell Wwas? or even better what shoes did he wear?

 

[Upgrade Dave]

I would say Duncan over Kobe but I won't complain, it's either/or.

 

[A to Dah K]

steve nash is the most overrated player ever!

 

[Amajorfucup]

steve nash is the most overrated player ever!

He really is man. And its unfortunate because it really isnt his fault and hes a heck of a player. I truly believe that white sports writers with a desire to root for a perceived underdog played a huge part in this guy winning back to back MVP titles. All those guys responsible for giving him those awards should lose their vote. Especially in year one when Shaq was flat out robbed.

 

[Nobody]

If you like Tim Duncan over Kobe, it wont be an issue. Either one of those could have won the award. The thing with duncan is that he came into a team that was already good, they just had an injury to the franchise player and got lucky in the lotto. If Kobe was in that position he potentially have won rings much earlier.