It seems players have gotten away from the fundamentals of the game.  If you score 81 points in a game, like Kobe, does that really make you great?  And what about dunking, a dunk is still worth two points?  And if you shoot too many threes you could cost your team a win.  Don't you need to be good at other things besides scoring to be considered great?  Jordan scored a lot of points, aside from that what else made him a great basketball player?  And if you're great, don't you at least need to be able to shoot free throws?  Shaquille Oneal i think is very overrated.  He is just big so he runs over people and knocks them out of the way.  What skill is that?
120946
There are different things that make basketball players great.  When you look at a player like Jordan, he was a great scorer and a great defender.  He also made players around him better.  With a player like Shaq, he gets a bad rep because of his free throws, but in reality there has never been a big man of his size that was so good with the ball.  He is a great passer, he is very quick for his size(he has slowed down with age), he runs the court very well, and he has great hands.  He is the most dominating player in the league right now.  Most people that big can't walk and chew gum at the same time.  Shaq is also very unselfish.  If you ever listen to him speak, he always praises his teammates and coaches and not himself.  Kobe Bryant on the other hand still has to learn how to become great.  He needs to improve his defense and learn how to pass the ball a little better.  You are right that scoring 81 points does not make you great, but he did do it against an NBA team.
135655
Dirk Nowitzki is not over rated.  He is a seven foot forward who is virtually unguardable because he can post up on small men, drive by bigger men, and hit threes and mid-range jumpers over anybody.  He has also developed as a rebounder and dishes out a decent amount of assists per game.  I think he is first-team all NBA caliber.
15530
They are good at ball tricks. Some of the very best at that. Not good in the sense of best NBA team or anything like that.
139953
critics say the nets have too good of a trio. who cares bout rj, j kidd, and vc. the pacers got their own trio. jermaine oneal, peja, and stephen jackson. tell me which player on the nets were ever close to winning a mvp race? tell me which nets player can single handedly take over a game like JO. the pacers play a half court set, that the nets do not like. just watch for the pacers to play great defense and slow the ball down, and pound it down low to jermaine oneal. oh ya, jamaal tinsley is back. go pacers!
283508
Kobe is really ridiculous, he sucks. Yea he can score 81 points which is impressive, but he had like 2 assists. All that means is that he is a ball hog, thats it.
371973
It's silly to make such comparisons anyway. If you argue that Wilt Chamberlain was the best, I'd argue that the game wasn't as developed and the league was less athletic. Also, he commonly played against much smaller centers, including Bill Russell who was only 6-9 and about 215 lbs!\n\nThe game is just different in every era.  But, if I'm going to make an argument about why I think Jordan may be the best, I suppose I'd have to start with his 6 championship rings in 8 or so years during the 90s.  Of course, you'll say something like without Pippen and Phil Jackson he never won a title, in which case i'll list his incredible stats over the years and point out that he was typically a better-than-fifty percent shooter from the field to go along with his million ppg, but then you'll point out how Chamberlain averaged over 50 ppg during one season alone!\n\nThere's really no point because it's all about context.  Jordan did things that no one else had done and he revolutionized the game.  Is he the greatest? It's an irrelevant discussion that people tend to take overboard in my opinion.
159267
Kobe is BETTER then michael jordan, maybe not in stats but if you play michael jordan in his best season and kobe in his, Kobe would win the game.... People say kobe is a ball hog and the reason for that is his teammates cant score, michael was also a ballhog....  also kobe wasnt born with basketball skills he had to work through it lebron and jordan were. Kobe worked hard to become as good as he is.. Also if lebron has shaq right now he wouldnt be avering these numbers. Kobe had shaq when shaq was at his bestt!!!
13979
I think he is  a very good basketball player. He is one of the best basketball players today. People get to stop judging his playing abilities on what he does off court and what his does on court.
268211
right now he is about as good as jordan was in his prime....but he is only 21! give him two more years and no one will even ask this question anymore.
111532
To answer this question correctly, the key phrase is "good chemistry."  To achieve this, you need 4 "go-to-guys" surrounded by other "role players" and athletic big men.  Here are my 12:\n\n1. Lebron James -- Hands down the best all-around player in the league.  He's a no-brainer.\n2. Kobe Bryant -- Another excellent scorer off the dribble with the ability to defend the perimeter.\n3. Dwayne Wade -- Once again, he can just flat out score the basketball and defend.\n4. Allen Iverson -- He might be everyone else's favorite pick, but he's turned into quite the team player these past few years.\n5. Chauncey Billups -- Great floor leader with the ability to keep stars under control\n6. Shawn Marion -- Excellent rebounder and defender with the ability to guard four positions on the court\n7. Amare Stoudemire -- Perhaps the most dominate player in the paint when healthy\n8. Dwight Howard -- Freak of nature who can rebound and defend perimeter post players\n9. Chris Bosh -- Similar to Howard with a great mid-range game\n10. Michael Redd -- Shooters were needed the last time the USA entered international competition\n11. J.J. Redick -- One more shooter.  It's tough to include him on this list, but he's the best I've ever seen.\n12. Greg Oden -- Still in high school, but he gives the US one more athletic big man.  I know I'll take criticism for the fact that he's not proven yet, but if the NBA didn't change their rule, he'd be an NBA player next year.\n\nSo there it is... the last two picks are questionable, as they could be filled with NBA veterans.  However, I feel that this young squad gives the United States the best chance at victory.
104736
Before I answer your question \n\nI agree with you when you said Kobe is a great player\n\nI disagree when you say he is Like MJ on the Wizards. \n\n       Kobe was way better than MJ on the Wizards. On the wizards MJ averaged 20 points with a losing team. \n\n         Kobe averages 35 carrying a 7th seed team. He has no one to help him. \n\n         1.   I am not sure about the other young players but Andrew Bynum is nice. He used to live near me. And I would play with him at the park. He will be a great help to the Lakers.\n\n         2.   Maybe Jim Jackson when they need shots but other than that no. Aaron Mckie is too old he should retire. Being a 76er fan I have grew up watching Mckie he was only good at two things defense and a fadeaway. He has ok defense now but that is it.\n\n          3.    If Odom played like a star when he was on the heat he would relieve Kobe with scoring. I believe Kobe does not give him a chance sometimes. Smush started out great and finished poorly. He started the season with 20 and ended with 12. But he is young so he will get beter. Kwame was never good and Mihm will probaly continue to put up his 10 when he comes back next season. \n\n         4. They need to get a star without trading Kobe. The only player that has a brighter future than Kobe is Lebron.  But Cavs would not do that. Or sign one over the offseason.  Andrew Bynum steps up Smush Parker steps up Lamar Odom steps up. Kobe stays healthy and out of Colorado.\n\n        Just build team chemistry no one notices how much talent they have I just noticed from your last couple of questions. Im not a Laker Fan but I have become one recently because I am tired of people hating on Kobe. And it all started with the courtcase. I think that Kobe is trying hard to ffix it. Helping that kid at the ALL Star Break becoming friends with everyone passing to all the ALL Stars.\n\n    I hope you pick this answer it took a long time to write.
654435
Because most NBA GM's and coaches don't think street ballers can cut it playing organized basketball, so they don't even give them a chance.  They thinking that if that guy on the street is really that good then why ain't he go to college, or why didn't he just go over seas or something.  Its a form of stereotyping.
303701
Maybe you should learn and tell your friends something important: The purpose of basketball is to make baskets and not dribble!\n\nI've never heard of that need to play basketball, it's just silly. If your guys dribble to much then they just suck at playing basketball and you should play elsewhere pal.
355445
bill russell was a winner in grade school, high school, college and the nba....maybe its because he belongs to the era long time past but these people who think of others as the greatest never bother to look up russell's winning accomplishments.... and to those of you who chose chamberlain, you might want to check how russell dominated their encounters to wilt's frustration and you have the gall to choose wilt over rusell...and remember michael jordan did not win his first title until he was six years in the league and bird, magic and kareem were fading or away from the battles....11 rings in 13 nba campaigns says it all and he even played in 12 finals....no player ever has ever achieved 12 finals in 13 seasons and to say no one will ever again is a safe bet....being great should never be about personal records, flashy plays, or scoring many points...it should be about winning and there is no bigger winner than the great Bill Russell
234423
Basketball is a team sport, not a lone ranger sport.  Steve Nash is the leader of his team, and his success is clearly apparent through the improvements his players have experienced this season.  Kobe has to consciously try to be a team player, but he is a "me first" player and always will be.  I have said enough on this subject and will let game 7 speak for itself.  \n\nAll you Kobe lover boys should keep your mouth shut when the Suns hand you the pink slip on Saturday.
597368
I totally agree with you! When you think of NBA "Greats", who is it you think of first? MICHAEL JORDAN--not Dwayne Wade..! I am in no way putting the man down (he is one HECK of a basketball player), but it is waaayyy too early in his career to tell! Michael Jordan was a legacy almost immediately, but it was AFTER he retired (for the last time) that he became a legend! Let Dwayne grow and age, and maybe in a few years we'll know for sure whether he can be compared to MJ....! =)
297864
Kobe has major issuses as a player in this leauge.   Ol' boy commented that people criticize Kobe when he has 81 and tries to do it all--- and those same people criticize him when he has 1 pt in the 2nd half and tries to get everyone involved/  that's exactly Kobe's problem.  Thats not how the game is played; look at LeBron,  you dont see him either score 50 or get score 10 and get everyone involved, he goes out every night and plays an all- around game like he should--- like everybody should.- Why is Kobe the only player who has problems with these kinda decisions? He isnt the only super star player who has ever played with sub par teammates in the history of the league... but its always something with him;  I thought he had matured a few years back= thats what analyists were saying right