“Kobe is Michael Jordan, just on steroids” : Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes a very bold claim on the ‘GOAT’ debate
In basketball, only two players can be termed as an outright ‘GOAT’ of their sport, Michael Jordan and LeBron James. But soon after those heavy-hitters, the name of a certain Black Mamba is heard more often than not.
Kobe Bryant has inspired generations, not just because of his scoring techniques and the wide variety of skillsets he possessed in his bag, but the mindset with which he achieved his greatness. When people talk about Kobe Bryant, they talk about how he made them fall in love with basketball at a young age, while others comment on following his words to achieve something they never thought they would.
It is clear that the name Kobe Bryant is one of the few athletes in history that have transcended sports and become a worldwide phenomenon. While he is usually considered as one of the best players of all time, calling him the outright ‘GOAT’ might be a bit blasphemous, and OKC star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has done just that.
“Kobe has five rings, what’s your argument” : Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
A recent clip of the Canadian reflecting his take on the ‘GOAT’ debate has gone viral in social media. In a heated debate with young fans, Shai was dead set on the Black Mamba being his pick for the greatest basketball player ever. While the young fans could not change his mind and followed with another question of who is the best all-round player, the 26-year-old still had the same answer.
“Kobe Bryant is Michael Jordan, just on steroids… What’re you talking about? Kobe has five rings. What’s your argument? And I’m saying all around, Kobe Bryant,” said the Canadian.
The number of rings is always a huge talking point when it comes to the ‘GOAT’ debate, and Shai’s comment on Bryant having five rings may well be the only respectable take coming from the clip. Apart from this, the only other argument one can make on behalf of Kobe would be that he has been more influential than both MJ and LeBron, but that’s about it.
The Canadian’s take on Bryant being the greatest is obviously his own personal opinion. Fans on social media have already disproved this opinion, also terming it as ‘disrespectful’, just for the simple fact that MJ and LeBron James are the most complete players in basketball history. While Kobe was mainly the focal point when it came to shooting and scoring, this duo has involved themselves in every aspect of the game. Not to mention, Michael Jordan was the mentor of the Black Mamba in his initial years, the time when he decided to base his gameplay on the Chicago Bulls icon.
“He used to call me, text me, 11:30 p.m., 2:30 a.m., 3:00 a.m., talking about post-up moves, footwork, the triangle (offense). At first, it was an aggravation, but then it turned into a certain passion. This kid had passion like you would never know,” Michael Jordan about the time Kobe Bryant was trying to learn his move set (via NBA.com).
Over the years, Jordan has mentioned Bryant countless times, as the two became great friends in addition to the Black Mamba calling him as his elder brother. Jordan was one of the most important people in Bryant’s life, and played a huge part on Bryant becoming one of the greats in the industry.
