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When it comes to the GOAT NBA player conversation, there are the usual suspects mentioned. Debating the GOAT NBA player is one of NBA fans' favorite pastimes and it seems like everyday there's a new debate ongoing on social media. But what do the actual players think? Well if you ask former Lakers star Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant deserves to be mentioned in the GOAT conversation as per Nick Hamilton of Nitecast Media.
“We know Kobe Bryant belongs in those conversations even today,” Johnson said. “There is never going to be another Kobe.”
There probably is never going to be a consensus NBA GOAT among fans, players and media alike, and Kobe Bryant is just one of the players who has a case for that mantle. Nobody is ever going to come up with a definitive criteria for what determines the greatest of all-time.
Michael Jordan is the name most often mentioned as the greatest ever, but as generations of new fans come into play, Jordan is but a distant memory. They're more likely to name players they grew up watching. It's the same with the current crop of players, many of whom grew up watching LeBron James and Kevin Durant and view Bryant as bit of a memory.
Kobe Bryant can definitely be the Lakers GOAT
While people may have differing opinions on Kobe Bryant's status as the NBA GOAT, he has an even stronger argument to be labeled the Lakers GOAT. Bryant played his entire career with the Lakers and retired at the time as the NBA's third all-time leading scorer. He's since moved back to fourth as LeBron James moved into first all-time.
Throughout his Lakers career, Bryant won five NBA championships, the same amount as Magic Johnson who is the other player mentioned when talking about the greatest Laker player of all-time.
Bryant left his mark on the franchise and in the hearts and minds of Lakers fans. Just recently, the second of three planned statues commemorating Bryant was unveiled outside of Crypto.com Arena.
During his 20-year Lakers career, Bryant holds averages of 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.4 steals with splits of 44.7 percent shooting from the field, 32.9 percent shooting from the three-point line and 83.7 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
Bryant was selected to the All-Star team in 18 of his 20 seasons. He only has won MVP Award to his name, but there were quite a few seasons when he was putting up MVP caliber numbers.
