Kobe vs. MJ: is it time to start the debate?

OK. So when I tried to do a similar thing before, I caught a lot of heat for being "bandwagoner". Before I start doing it this time, I want to address these haters by saying that they completely misread and misinterpreted the post; I wasn't saying that I was a fan of the 2007 New England Patriots, I just enjoyed seeing them dominate. Also, for those who sit here today and argue that Super Bowl XLII has made me eat my Pat-praising words: go back and carefully re-read my post, where you will find the following sentence:

The 2007 New England Patriots, whether they end up in the record books or not, have put together a season so far like none I've ever seen in my near 20 years of knowing what football is.

In other words, I was praising their on field accomplishments and their string of dominant outings during the regular season, regardless of whether they won a championship or not. Furthermore, I am not apologetic about my admiration for transcendentally dominant teams or players in sports because I enjoy seeing history as it is made. However, my admiration is just that; it will never rival nor replace my loyal fanship to Baltimore and Baltimore-area teams (For the record, I was rooting for the Giants in that Super Bowl, both because my dad is a long-time Giants fan and because I felt at the time that the Most Dramatic Upset Ever would be more historically significant than the Second Undefeated Season).

But, I digress. The object of this post is a professional basketball player named Kobe Bryant (you may have heard of him), who is, by himself, about polarizing as the Patriots were as a team. Just so you know: this post reflects my admiration for his game and his unfair treatment by the media. I wouldn't call myself a fan, and I definitely don't have a man-crush on him (nullus). Specifically, I want to compare him to Michael Jordan, who is a much more universally respected and loved athlete. We're so quick to revere Mike and to vilify Kobe, but are they really that far apart? Let's start with the facts:

Both men:

- Played for Phil Jackson
- Stand roughly 6'6" in height
- Had another Hall of Famer, or future Hall of Famer on their team for all championships to date (Pippen with MJ; Shaq with Kobe)
- Acheived the legendary three-peat (Kobe once '00-'02; MJ twice '91-93 and '96-'98)
- Won MVP awards (Kobe once in 2007; Jordan 5 times: '88, '91, '92, '96, '98)
- Selected for multiple All-Defensive Teams (Kobe 8 times; MJ 9 times)
- Annually selected to the All-Star teams of their respective conferences
- Played for large market teams (Kobe in LA, MJ in Chicago)
- Known to be unfaithful to their wives
- Kobe was accused of rape (and later acquitted); MJ was accused of domestic violence
- Display hyper-competive persona on the court
- Reputed to be selfish teammates


Of course, I could go on further, but I'll stop there for now. Now for some key differences:

- Kobe is the son of a former NBA player and grew up in Europe; MJ was raised in North Carolina
- Kobe was a high school phenom who skipped college; MJ begun making his name at UNC Chapel Hill
- Kobe ascended to greatness while on championship teams; MJ had several great individual seasons before winning it all
- Kobe has scored 81 points in a single, regulation game; MJ topped out at 69 in an overtime contest
- Kobe played with a bigger star (Shaq) than he was at the time; MJ was always the alpha dog (when his teams were relevant, at least)
- Kobe's self-over-team antics are well documented (e.g. Shaq rivalry, trade demands); MJs were kept on the sneak (e.g. alleged bullying of Steve Kerr, Luc Longley that never got press)
- Kobe, other than his 2003 transgressions in Denver, is thought to live a reasonably wholesome life; MJ is a known gambling addict
- Kobe has played most of his career during the heart of the Internet age; MJ did not (more on this later)
- Kobe won his first MVP award at age 29, in his twelfth year in the league (2008); MJ won at age 25, in his fourth year (1988)
- Kobe plays in an era where there is more apparent parity in the NBA (no back-to-back champions during his career other than his own Lakers from '00-'02, and the Bulls from '97-'98); MJ's entire career was defined exclusively by dynasties (Lakers/Celtics/Pistons in '84-'90, his own Bulls in '91-'93 and '96-'98, Rockets in '94-'95)
- Kobe has played on several mediocre Olympic/international competition teams; MJ played on both Dream Teams


Again, there are infinitely more, but I'll stop there for the purposes of this post.

Having been so fortunate as to watch both, it's hard to say that I've seen any individual look more impressive than these two while playing a team sport. I will never forget how Jordan made the impossible seem easy while he had the rock in his hands. He found ways to score that nobody would have ever imagined, and nobody will ever duplicate. He was an incredible passer and a frightening defender. His basketball intelligence was unparalleled. Perhaps the most incredible thing about him was that his already excellent skills multiplied in big moments, when his team needed him most. There will never be another player quite like Michael. Kobe, however, is a legend in his own right. All things considered, he is the most prolific scorer to ever pick up a basketball. His game is essentially without flaws, as he can shoot, drive, pass, rebound, and defend at the highest level. With him on the court, any team would have a chance to win, because he can take over a game to the point where everyone else on the court - teammates and opponents alike - can do nothing but watch in awe as he puts on a show.

As it stands, one must conclude that MJ still has the edge on Kobe in terms of on-court dominance. Kobe, however, who will be 30 this August, still has PLENTY of time to catch up. Also consider that at age 30, MJ was just winning his third championship; Kobe is well on his way to a fourth, in an era where many would argue that multiple championships (especially with the same team) are harder to come by. Also, while MJ was praised for his defense, Kobe has become a staple on the All-Defensive team, and could conceivably end up with double digits in that category before it's all said and done.

However, where Kobe gets most cheated in comparison to His-Airness is public reputation, which stems largely from the way he is portrayed in the media. Neither man lives a saintly life, but there seems to be less tolerance for Kobe's character flaws. A possible reason for this is that Kobe's every move is put on blast not only on TV and in the newspapers, but also through the Internets and the "blogosphere", both of which give his haters an unmuffled voice. People seem to hang on his every move and every word. Because we know Kobe better, we are frequently reminded that he is human, and that he cares more about winning basketball contests than he does about saying "the right thing". MJ was a man of few words, who shrewdly passed the mic when conversation strayed from the hardwood. This helped him maintain an aura of untouchability that allowed him to cross the line between acclaim and worship. Because we already know Kobe as enigmatic and flawed, I think that line will be much harder for him to cross.

Reputation plays a role in legacy, now more than ever did because of how close the media lets us get to celebrities. Babe Ruth, by all accounts, lived far from an exemplary life off the field, but nobody cared then because there weren't media outlets and bloggers picking apart his personal life. Perception of character also has a tangible impact on credentials in that individual awards such as MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and All-Star invites are determined by subjective human beings. If Kobe was thought of as a role model off the court, could he have beaten out Steve Nash for the MVP award in 2006?

What makes it interesting, though, is that Kobe is on the verge of his fourth title (with all due respect to the Celtics, I think the Lakers are the superior team). I don't want to get ahead myself, but if he can win it, his name can at least be taken seriously when put in the same sentence as Jordan's. The implications of this are strong, because not only is MJ widely considered the greatest basketball player of all time, but some will also support his cause for Best Athlete of the modern era. While Kobe has plenty of work to do before his resume is as impressive as MJ's, he is still young, even by basketball standards, and within shooting range of the mark. The problem is, I don't think people are ready for Mike - who was nothing short of a deity when I was a kid during the 90s - to be duplicated (or worse, replaced!), especially by a figure as controversial as Kobe.

Fortunately, Mr. Bryant has taken some weight off his back by respectfully admitting that he can never be Michael, and that he would never try to be. "Just let me do me," he says, with compelling sincerity.