Kobe named #1 player in the NBA

• Trueblue23

  

  http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/The_Baseline/entry/view/46066/nbas_top_50_players_all-star_panel_picks_kobe_bryant_no._1_over_lebron_james
• Trueblue23

  

  SN's Top 50 breakdown
  
  By team
  5: Lakers
  4: Celtics, Spurs
  3: Hawks, Nuggets, Rockets
  2: Cavaliers, Grizzlies, Jazz, Magic, Mavericks, Pistons, Raptors, 76ers, Suns
  1: Bulls, Bucks, Clippers, Heat, Hornets, Nets, Pacers, Thunder, Trail Blazers, Wizards
  0: Bobcats, Kings, Knicks, Timberwolves, Warriors
  
  By position
  Point guard: 11
  Shooting guard: 12
  Small forward: 11
  Power forward: 10
  Center: 6
  SN's TOP 50 PLAYERS
  1. Kobe Bryant, SG, Lakers
  2. LeBron James, SF, Cavaliers
  3. Dwyane Wade, SG, Heat
  4. Dwight Howard, C, Magic
  5. Tim Duncan, PF, Spurs
  6. Chris Paul, PG, Hornets
  7. Kevin Garnett, PF, Celtics
  8. Dirk Nowitzki, PF, Mavericks
  9. Carmelo Anthony, SF, Nuggets
  10. Paul Pierce, SF, Celtics
  11. Steve Nash, PG, Suns
  12. Deron Williams, PG, Jazz
  13. Tony Parker, PG, Spurs
  14. Brandon Roy, SG, Trail Blazers
  15. Yao Ming, C, Rockets
  16. Shaquille O'Neal, C, Cavaliers
  17. Pau Gasol, PF, Lakers
  18. Chris Bosh, PF, Raptors
  19. Amare Stoudemire, PF, Suns
  20. Chauncey Billups, PG, Nuggets
  21. Kevin Durant, SF, Thunder
  22. Manu Ginobili, SG, Spurs
  23. Jason Kidd, PG, Mavericks
  24. Tracy McGrady, SG, Rockets
  25. Joe Johnson, SG, Hawks
  26. Derrick Rose, PG, Bulls
  27. Ray Allen, SG, Celtics
  28. Gilbert Arenas, PG, Wizards
  29. Ron Artest, SF, Lakers
  30. Vince Carter, SG, Magic
  31. Danny Granger, SF, Pacers
  32. Baron Davis, PG, Clippers
  33. Devin Harris, PG, Nets
  34. Ben Gordon, SG, Pistons
  35. Al Horford, C, Hawks
  36. Carlos Boozer, PF, Jazz
  37. Nene, C, Nuggets
  38. Rajon Rondo, PG, Celtics
  39. Andre Iguodala, SG, 76ers
  40. Josh Smith, PF, Hawks
  41. Rudy Gay, SF, Grizzlies
  42. Hedo Turkoglu, SF, Raptors
  43. Lamar Odom, SF, Lakers
  44. Shane Battier, SF, Rockets
  45. Elton Brand, PF, 76ers
  46. Richard Jefferson, SF, Spurs
  47. O.J. Mayo, SG, Grizzlies
  48. Charlie Villanueva, PF, Pistons
  49. Michael Redd, SG, Bucks
  50. Andrew Bynum, C, Lakers
  
  SN's PANEL
  Gene Banks
  Rick Barry
  Elgin Baylor
  Butch Beard
  Walt Bellamy
  Travis Best
  Otis Birdsong
  Muggsy Bogues
  Jeff Bower
  Bill Bradley
  Terrell Brandon
  Allan Bristow
  Dee Brown
  Hubie Brown
  Mike Brown
  P.J. Brown
  Marcus Camby
  Rick Carlisle
  Bill Cartwright
  Tyson Chandler
  Phil Chenier
  Doug Christie
  Archie Clark
  Jim Cleamons
  Wayne Cooper
  Bob Cousy
  Dave Cowens
  Mike D'Antoni
  Don Delaney
  Joe Dumars
  Mike Dunleavy
  Mark Eaton
  Craig Ehlo
  Mario Elie
  Gar Forman
  Harry Gallatin
  Dick Garmaker
  Mike Gminski
  Cliff Hagan
  John Hammond
  Tim Hardaway
  Tom Heinsohn
  Rod Higgins
  Bob Hill
  Lionel Hollins
  Bob Houbregs
  Bailey Howell
  Eddie Johnson
  Marques Johnson
  Bobby Jones
  George Karl
  Steve Kerr
  Bob Kurland
  Frank Layden
  Tim Legler
  Ronnie Lester
  Earl Lloyd
  Donyell Marshall
  Bob McAdoo
  Rodney McCray
  Dick McGuire
  Brad Miller
  Earl Monroe
  Daryl Morey
  David Morway
  Tracy Murray
  Tom Nissalke
  Norm Nixon
  Kevin O'Connor
  Will Perdue
  Geoff Petrie
  Bob Pettit
  Randy Pfund
  Scot Pollard
  Gregg Popovich
  Kevin Pritchard
  Jack Ramsay
  Frank Ramsey
  Arnie Risen
  Oscar Robertson
  Scotty Robertson
  Jimmy Rodgers
  John Salley
  Flip Saunders
  Charlie Scott
  Bill Sharman
  Purvis Short
  Jim Spanarkel
  Steve Stipanovich
  Ed Stefanski
  Rod Thorn
  Jay Triano
  Kelly Tripucka
  Jack Twyman
  Dick Van Arsdale
  Kiki Vandeweghe
  Stan Van Gundy
  Dick Vitale
  Chet Walker
  Bobby Wanzer
  Mark Warkentien
  Slick Watts
  Bill Wennington
  Jerry West
  Lenny Wilkens
  Pat Williams
  Brian Winters
• devil1197

  Lakers best team proven by dominance and NBA Finals 2009
  
  LeBron best player proven by dominance and MVP in 2009.
  
  Pretty simple if you ask me.
• Trueblue23

  

  devil1197 wrote: Lakers best team proven by dominance and NBA Finals 2009
  
  LeBron best player proven by dominance and MVP in 2009.
  
  Pretty simple if you ask me.

  Okay so if we add your vote to those of the panel, Kobe only wins by a vote of 62-35
• wes_mantooth

  

  Don't agree, but Kobe has the rings, so I won't argue.
• KnightXC1

  

  At this stage, Kobe is a better overall player than Lebron. Could very easily change in the near future but Kobe should be at the top right now.
• royal_k

  

  The way I look at it is who would you build your team around if you were starting one.
  
  Pretty simple....Lebron
• newarkcatholicfan

  

  I am quick to say James is a better player at the moment but Kobe has turned into a better “team player” and he is a leader who has led his team to the promised land and once there he and his team has won.
• SportsAndLady

  

  You're a fucking moron if you actually think Lebron is anything but the #1 player in the world.
• newarkcatholicfan

  

  SportsAndLadies wrote: You're a fucking moron if you actually think Lebron is anything but the #1 player in the world.

  To whom may I ask are you speaking too?
• royal_k

  

  The only thing Kobe has on Lebron is a mid-range jump shot. Lebron is a better finisher at the rim, he is a better passer, rebounder, and he shoots the 3 as well.
• 2quik4u

  

  this doesn't surprise me
• SportsAndLady

  

  newarkcatholicfan wrote:

  SportsAndLadies wrote: You're a fucking moron if you actually think Lebron is anything but the #1 player in the world.

  To whom may I ask are you speaking too?

  Um to anyone who thinks Lebron isn't the best player in the world.
• sleeper

  

  Lebron is #1
• elbuckeye28

  So they don't know if and when Yao Ming will play, yet he is the 15th best player in the league? I like Shaq and glad he is on the Cavs, but the 16th best player currently? Seems like this is more of a career rating rather than a rating of a player's current ability.
• sleeper

  

  elbuckeye28 wrote: So they don't know if and when Yao Ming will play, yet he is the 15th best player in the league? I like Shaq and glad he is on the Cavs, but the 16th best player currently? Seems like this is more of a career rating rather than a rating of a player's current ability.

  Very good point.
  
  And no Mo Williams? I think this list should be renamed, "50 most known players in the NBA" and its clearly more accurate.
• hoops23

  

  lol, Mo Williams is better than several of those players...
  
  Also, Kobe a better TEAM player than LeBron? Wow. I can't even respond to something that is as foolish as that.
• End of Line

  

  There's no way that Kobe is a better team player than LeBron. I had to laugh at that.
• Bluepride13

  There is no doubt whatsoever who gets the other players involved more in a game. LeBron...not even close. Kobe and LeBron each go down as top 10 players in NBA history. If James gets a couple rings he will be near Jordon before its all said and done.
• JakeGiant

  royal_k wrote: The way I look at it is who would you build your team around if you were starting one.
  
  Pretty simple....Lebron

  
  If one wants to win really bad, it'd be Kobe. Four rings and him putting the USA on his back during the critical moments of Gold Game against Spain tells me as such.
  
  Yep, I agree on better team player/leader as well.
• gabuckeye

  I don't like the NBA, but watching Kobe in the Olympics would make me choose him, because he is a very clutch performer, and has proven that throughout his career. LeBron is not consistent enough yet in the crunch time to make me pick him as the number one player.
• GOONx19

  

  Danny Granger out of the top 30 is ridiculous. He's better than Paul Pierce in points, rebounds, assists, and steals.
  
  Kevin Martin was averaging 31 points a game this year before he got injured. Not even on the list. Yao is.
• Heretic

  

  elbuckeye28 wrote: So they don't know if and when Yao Ming will play, yet he is the 15th best player in the league? I like Shaq and glad he is on the Cavs, but the 16th best player currently? Seems like this is more of a career rating rather than a rating of a player's current ability.

  That's what I was thinking. When I saw the Cavs had two on the list, I figured Mo would be in the 30-40 ranking area. When I saw it was Shaq and he was in the top 20, I stopped taking this list seriously as a current ranking for players. Dude's a good complementary player, but not a superstar at this point of his career.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  LeBron is #1.
  
  Two factors that get Kobe votes:
  
  1. Age--people are scared to say LeBron is #1 because he's 24, some people would say it's too early to say that.
  2. Rings--team awards that everyone judges individuals on.
  
  But whatever, my opinion is that LeBron is the better player. I could make a very strong argument for him as well but there is no point. Biggest thing is, the fact that there is a VERY strong argument to be made for him and that it's even discussed and he's 24 should tell you all you need to know.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  gabuckeye wrote: I don't like the NBA, but watching Kobe in the Olympics would make me choose him, because he is a very clutch performer, and has proven that throughout his career. LeBron is not consistent enough yet in the crunch time to make me pick him as the number one player.

  For the last 2 or 3 years LeBron has led the league in scoring in "crunch time" (last 4 minutes of the game). I also read a stat somewhere about game winning or tying shots and the percentages...MJ was something like 27%, Kobe and LeBron were both between 25 and 26%.