Kobe Bryant joined the 30,000-point club Tuesday, becoming the youngest of the five players to do so.
A question arising now is, “Is Kobe the best Laker ever?”
He won five championship rings, a regular season MVP award and many other achievements. While Kobe is without a doubt one of the greatest players of all time, he is not the best player to wear purple and gold.
That award goes to Magic Johnson.
Either side can be argued for, but Johnson made every player on the court better. He played all five positions, and played them well. Standing at 6-foot-9, he was a huge point guard, but he was more than that.
Johnson won five rings, three MVPs and averaged 19 points, 11 assists and 7 rebounds in his career.
Bryant averages 25, 4 and 5 in those respective categories.
Bryant is a pure scorer and the best closer in the game. That is where the two differ, but being a ball hog will not make you the best, even if you win games.
What’s confusing is, Bryant is a better individual player than Johnson, but Johnson is a better team player.
Feel free to argue.
