In a post on his Instagram today, NBA legend Tracy McGrady came to the defense of his old friend and NBA competitor, Kobe Bryant. As he argued why Bryant is a top 5 NBA player ever, he explained why playing with Shaq should not be held against him.
"'[Kobe Bryant] played with Shaq’… Didn’t Magic Johnson play with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? And you wanna sit here and talk about Kobe playing with Shaq? You gotta play with great players to win championships. Why are we excluding Magic from playing with James Worthy, Michael Cooper, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? You want to associate Kobe with Shaq but then Shaq leaves and he wins two more. They are so disrespectful when it comes to Bean. You ask anybody [who] has played against [Michael Jordan & Kobe], they would tell you [he’s] top 5."
Kobe Bryant was drafted back in 1996 and it took him years to fully develop his game. I'm his first four seasons with the Lakers, he averaged just 15.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game on 45% shooting. Fortunately, he also got to play alongside Shaquille O’Neal, who happens to be one of the greatest centers in NBA history.
During most of their time together, and especially during their three-peat, Shaq was the best player on the Lakers and he’s got three Finals MVPs to show for it. Since Kobe was still so young at the time, you can hardly blame him for not reaching his peak but it’s something people still hold against him when discussing the all-time leaderboard.
And while every superstar has needed help to go all the way, Kobe’s reliance on Shaq early on hurts his GOAT case and if not for his convincing championship wins in 2009 and 2010, Bryant’s legacy might forever be tied down to the Diesel. But after going back-to-back with Pau Gasol as his sidekick, Bryant proved that he didn't need Shaq to win and it elevated his standing to another level. As a 5x champion, Kobe answered all the doubts and his habit for victory put him squarely in the conversation as one of the greatest players in basketball history.
Is Kobe Bryant Top 5 All-Time?
Tracy McGrady had a front-row seat to Kobe’s career and he has a profound respect for his game to this day. While most fans and analysts would have Bryant on the edge of their top 10, T-Mac has always been adamant that Kobe belongs no lower than fifth.
While his exact place on the NBA all-time rankings is still up for debate, Kobe has just as good a case as anyone. While Michael Jordan is widely considered the greatest player ever, Kobe Bryant is arguably his closest imitation in modern times.
Besides being an expert scorer, elite defender, and naturally gifted leader, Bryant had an unlimited skillset in his arsenal which he perfected through sheer hard work and willpower. Over 20 years in the NBA, Bryant averaged 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game on 44% shooting.
In 2016, Bryant retired as a 5x champion, 1x MVP, 18x All-Star, and 15x All-NBA player. He's also the third-leading scorer in NHA history. So when it comes to the numbers, accolades, and overall success in the sport, there isn’t an area where Kobe falls short and his career holds up to some of the very best in basketball history.
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