In the NBA GOAT conversation, it’s usually a debate between LeBron James and Michael Jordan. But for former Lakers swingman Trevor Ariza, the answer is actually Kobe Bryant. Speaking on Club Shay Shay with Shannon Sharpe, Ariza explained why he has Kobe at the top of his list, and LeBron James right underneath at 1B.
“For me, he’s the best player ever. That’s my favorite player, Mike is in a completely different conversation. But if I had to say, Kobe is the best player ever. Kobe 1A, LeBron is 1B.”
“Kobe Bryant is the best player ever. … @KobeBryant is 1A, and @KingJames is 1B.”@TrevorAriza stops by the club this week to drop a lot of NBA Hot Takes. Catch his episode now on Club Shay Shay YouTube and wherever you listen to podcasts. pic.twitter.com/4YDSUi15Kv
— Club Shay Shay (@ClubShayShay) November 29, 2023
Shannon was taken aback by Ariza’s reply, but any student of the game knows that Ariza has a history with the Black Mamba. In November of 2007, he became Bryant’s teammate for the first time in a two-team trade that involved Brian Cook and Maurice Evans. While his stay in Los Angeles didn’t last long, it was enough for him to witness Kobe winning the MVP in 2008 and to help Bryant win his fourth title in 2009. Apparently, that brief stint as Kobe’s teammate was enough to convince Ariza of his GOAT status.
Kobe Bryant Is Underrated
While Bryant is often recognized as one of the all-time greats, he’s rarely considered in the same tier as LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and Magic Johnson. Unlike those players, Kobe had a stretch where he was a sidekick to Shaquille O’Neal and it’s something that is held against him to this day. But Bryant proved himself as the ultimate leader in 2009 and 2010 when he led the Lakers to back-to-back championships and cemented his place as one of the most accomplished players in league history.
By the time he retired in 2016, Bryant was a 5x champion, 18x All-Star, 15x All-NBA player, 1x MVP, and 2x scoring leader. While not as efficient from the field as other all-time legends, Kobe was a strong leader and held his own on the defensive end against the NBA’s biggest stars. With a combination of natural talent, aggressive work ethic, and a killer mentality, Bryant found a way to succeed even when the odds were stacked against him.
Is LeBron James 1B?
With 20 years of greatness under his belt now, LeBron James has changed the conversation around the GOAT debate and he’s actively building up his case with each game. As a 4x champion, 4x MVP, and the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, LeBron has arguably a better GOAT case than anyone in the NBA, including Kobe Bryant. While the two legends never faced off in the postseason, they are always compared to each other, given their importance to their respective generations.
For Ariza, who watched Bryant’s career personally, nothing will ever top what he witnessed in Los Angeles and it makes sense why he holds Bryant in such a high esteem. Of course, depending on who you ask, the answer will change on who is the greatest player ever but more players than just Michael Jordan have an argument in their favor. Over the past 20 years, arguably no players have had a bigger impact than LeBron and Kobe and they both deserve to be recognized as one of the best to ever do it.
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