Ever since Kobe Bryant left his world, everybody has tried to pay homage to him. The Los Angeles Lakers guard became a mentor for many young guys trying to create a name for themselves in the NBA, making a big impact on each of them. Players like Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard, Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker, and more learned a lot from Kobe.
Given that Kobe shared his knowledge with all these players, comparisons are coming every now and then. However, not everybody likes to see Kobe compared to players of the new generation, especially when they’re just starting their journey in the postseason, fighting to get championships.
Let’s not forget that at 22, Kobe was already winning titles, and trying to put somebody else at his level sometimes sounds disrespectful. Or at least that’s what Shaquille O’Neal thinks. During a 2021 interview on the Full Send Podcast, the Big Diesel was asked if there was a player who could be compared to Kobe today, and his answer was pretty clear.
“Similar to Kobe? No one even close. And I don’t think they want to be compared to Kobe, I think they’re trying to make their own mark. You always ask people, ‘who you compare to Mike?’ I don’t compare anybody to Mike, but if I had to answer the question, Kobe is the closest thing to Mike. And, if there’s somebody that’s close to Kobe? No.”
Shaq then was asked about LeBron James and how he can surpass Jordan on the all-time list. O’Neal said he’s a top-3 player ever, claiming that when he passes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the highest scorer in NBA history, everybody will have to accept that he’s the GOAT.
“I don’t like having this conversation because I actually know all these guys… I think this is LeBron’s plan, he wants to pass Kareem. Because if he passes Kareem in points, we all got to shut the hell up.”
“He’s gonna have four rings, you already pass up Kobe, you already passed up Mike, now you pass up Kareem. So if that doesn’t make him the greatest basketball player, I don’t know what we’re talking about. But like, when it comes to rankings, it’s always gonna be Mike, gonna be Kobe, and then probably LeBron.”
These conversations are always hateful, especially with all the fans that defend these players against anything. You can say Kobe is the GOAT, or at least second to Mike, but others will claim that LeBron can be ranked lower than 2nd of all time. It’s a very complicated topic, but I think we all can agree on one thing: Shaq is right when he says nobody is comparable to Kobe Bryant.
