Really, ESPN? Your NBA writers ranked Kobe Bryant as the 25th-best player in the league?
That’s just plain egregious.
I’ve talked to both Lakers fans and haters, and it’s nowhere close to where everyone thinks he currently stands. They all had trouble naming even 10 players better than him.
I’ll concede that James Harden has surpassed Bryant as the best shooting guard in the NBA, but is Marc Gasol really better than Bryant? How about a banged up, hurt Dwyane Wade? Even Al Horford?
There’s no doubt Bryant will be much slower and will be much worse defensively following his Achilles tear, but anyone who watched Bryant closely the past three years or so knows he hasn’t been relying on athleticism much.
By the way, Bryant’s 2012-13 statistics are better than some of his championship years. Look 'em up.
The logic in the rankings is ridiculous as well.
While Bryant got punished for his injury, Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose were ranked fifth and ninth, respectively, even though both are coming off major knee injuries as athletic point guards.
The most logical way to react to these stir-ups is to not regard them at all. But there’s a small thought that maybe these rankings are a subliminal way to motivate Bryant.
And we all know how he’s always hungry to prove doubters wrong.
Reach the columnist at jnacion@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @Josh_Nacion
