New Zealand Family First Time Watching KOBE BRYANT NBA Career Highlights! RIP Black Mamba
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I was so lucky to be at Kobe's final game. The whole building was so electric. R.I.P to Kobe and Gigi...❤
i was lucky to witness his finals game as well via highlights on youtube. Legendary player and my generations Michael Jordan.
I was at the Lakers game in Minneapolis when he beat MJ's record in 2014. I feel so lucky to have seen him in action. Strangely I was close by when the accident happened as well, I saw the smoke from my balcony and at first, I thought it was just another LA fire.
I was there too!! 😊
RIP Kobe bryant, not only a good player but a good person
Good people don't get arrested for rape.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobe_Bryant_sexual_assault_case
Do good people cheat on their wives?
@@Rockhound6165are you free of wrong doing?
@@jacobscott2828 Did you seriously just equate rape as "doing wrong" like he stole a candy bar?
According to court documents, an examination of the woman at a hospital revealed a bruise on her neck and tears in her vaginal wall. Both her underwear and Bryant’s shirt were bloody. Bryant told the police he had not explicitly asked for consent.
It wasn't until he settled the civil case and she signed an NDA that the charges were dropped because she wouldn't testify.
A good rapist as well ❤️
RIP Kobe & Gia ❤💔
Hard to watch without crying.
I cried. I live here so those Lakers days were so exciting, even if you’re not a big sports fan. Cannot believe what happened to him and everyone on that chopper 😪
@@Facetiously.Esoteric I don’t believe that every man accused of rape is guilty…..
@@mchotsie4723
I'm from PA....about 20-30 minutes from where Kobe went to high school. When they show his reaction to Eagles winning Superbowl, I get so emotional. The whole crash was such a tragedy. ❤❤❤❤
Yea same and I'm a Cavs fan and I teared up seeing his family. He was such a good dude and it was so sad the day he passed away.
RIP to the great Kobe Bryant and all who passed away that day. Hero’s come and go. Legends are forever ❤
Who passed away that day? You such at speackes my man.
@@ginger_nosoul 🤣
@@ginger_nosoulol.. in think they're referring to Kobe and his daughter and everybody else in the helicopter
@@ginger_nosoul Huh??
What about the rape of a woman
The Black Mamba is my favorite player of all time, he and his family will forever be missed. RIP
As an American, watching any tribute to Kobe hits us different,,,,RIP Kobe
What a brilliant young lady!!! “You’re only seeing their highlights”!!!! Wonderful children you’re raising!! Critical thinkers are our best shot for the world!
Love how Denzel called him out for traveling at the very beginning. Lol
Kobe was a combination of pure talent from hard work matched with an amazing determination and a philanthropic heart he was so loved by the whole of American public because of these characteristics.
I’m from Los Angeles. Born and raised. I cried so many days, when we lost Kobe
It was devasting when he, his daughter, and the others passed away. Any sudden accident like that really hits harder. It reminded me of Aaliyah and those on her plane. She was a young singer, I believe 21 at the time when her plane went down after shooting a music video.
Bill Russell does not get as much credit in the talk of being the best by many people because he played way back when there were much less teams in the NBA. However, it depends how you look at it. Less teams means less chances of making the league; which also means the competition of each team might be fierce.
I'm a Southern California native and watched his last game on local TV. Without a doubt, the most exciting thing I've ever seen. You hit it right on the head when you said it was the greatest last game of all time.
Kobe gave himself the "Black Mamba" nickname after he saw kill bill. When Beatrice goes into her killing mode and you hear the music, Kobe explained that was what happens to him when he gets serious on the court. That was the birth of "Mamba Mode" and "Mamba mentality".
The way he played in every game is a great honor that you all are watching him. MAMBA 💛💜
'I thought you weren't allowed to run with the ball.' Very astute observation from the young man. Refs in the NBA are hesitant to call traveling violations on star players.
I think you would enjoy watching a video on the Harlem Globetrotters, and about The Dream Team - basketball greats that played in the Olympics.
We were visiting LA, doing Disneyland etc with our kids when we heard fire engines one morning. Had just arrived at an outlet mall and then the breaking news on everyone’s phones…billboards were quickly up ‘RIP KOBE’, it was very surreal, everyone, incl us, were just stunned. A very sad day. Then we returned home early Feb and the world shut down 😳
Los Angeles probably has around 100 painted Kobe murals around the city. You can actually find a map of all of them online.
The man who made me watch and play basketball. His killer mentality and swag was captivating. Steph may be my favorite ever but Kobe will always have a special place in my heart. Rip Mamba
RIP Kobe I’m from the generation who really watched every game.. My 2nd favorite player all time
U have a beautiful family, sending blessings from an indigenous tribe of America..❤
It’s crazy because as I finished the video the time was 8:24 pm it was meant to be!! R.I.P Kobe and his daughter Gia and all of the other passengers on that helicopter. Love your content keep it up love my New Zealand family 🇳🇿
I saw Kobe Bryant's Last Home game in Los Angeles before he retired, I still have the ticket. R.I.P to him, he was an incredible player, definitely one of if not the best that ever played. And R.I.P to his daughter as well
Man I can’t even watch a Kobe video without tearing up
Rest easy Kobe 🕊️🙏🏾
So sad…the world will never recover from his death😔
I had the great honor of watching Kobe play against my Sacramento Kings at Arco Arena in my hometown of Sacramento before they tore Arco Arena down. Kobe played great that game but the Kings still won. I saw Kobe make some great plays at that game. I feel so lucky and honored to have witnessed Kobe at least once before he was tragically taken from us. RIP Mamba!
I remember back in 2006 -2008, Kobe was so dominant that ESPN would regularly interview players from other teams in their locker rooms who were getting ready to play their own games and they'd be at the lockers with eyes glued to the television trying to find out what amazing thing Kobe pulled off that night. He was simply unguardable. It was criminal the team Jim Buss surrounded Kobe with when he took over. Smush "G League" Parker, Kwame "Biggest NBA Bust of All time" Brown, & Luke "How the Heck Do I actually have an NBA job?" Walton. Those 3 couldn't even make it as role players on any other team, yet Kobe was so dominant that he was able to drag that cast of misfits into the playoffs and came withing 30 seconds of the greatest upset in playoff history. Greatest work ethic in the history of all sports. The guy literally use to push himself so hard in workouts that he would actually blackout, then when the trainer would give him smelling salts to wake him up, he'd continue working out more. Dislocated his finger in a game and doesn't even bother going to the locker room, but instead has the trainer pull it back into place, tape it to the next finger, and go right back out and continue playing. A ruptures his Achilles tendon and still limps to the free trow line and hit a free throw, then refuses to be carted to the locker room, but rather walks off limping dragging his foot. Definition of a true warrior!
Kobe was such an incredible player and one of the greatest winners of all-time. He did whatever he could to win and was arguably the most dedicated NBA player ever alongside MJ.
RIP Kobe. The NBA lost a light on that dreaded day, but thankfully we have footage of you to look back on whenever needed ❤
I can’t stop crying…an Amazing talent super god man!!! Miss you! RIP
You dont even have to hoop to see his game was like poetry. So smooth, every little details so carefully refined through hours and hours of practice.
I miss Kobe. His mentality and approach to the game was like none other, besides maybe Jordan. He was deadly on the court, super competitive, strikes fast and hard, hence the nickname. Kobe, to me, is the best scorer that's ever lived. RIP
R.I.P Mamba youll always be remebered
Good player, Good Person, every kid’s hero/icon, but more importantly, all time legend.
R.I.P
15:52 Bill Russell won 11 championships (8 in a row) in 13 years, mostly because there wasn't a lot of competition. There were only 8 teams in the league in the late 50s and only 10 teams in the late 60s (versus 30 teams today), so the playoffs boiled down to basically the same 4 teams every year and Boston's team was the most talented. That said, Russell and his Celtics still had to deal with the most dominant player of the era in Wilt Chamberlain, and were only able to do that because Russell was such a great defender and team player.
Bill Russell's name was prominent in the GOAT conversation up until Michael Jordan laid claim to the title.
Giannis Antetokounpo (also known as The Greek Freak) is a current top basketball player known for massive slam dunks and crazy athleticism.
For baseball, you might want to watch a compilation of greatest catches, home plate collisions, or inside the park home runs. Those are some of the most exciting types of plays that happen in baseball games.
I remember when I got the news, I was at a family gathering at the park. Sitting in the car and scrolling on ig and see the news. I instantly started bawling, full blown crying.
A class act on and off the court! RIP Kobe & daughter ❤️🇺🇸
A class act? He was a rapist.
According to court documents, an examination of the woman at a hospital revealed a bruise on her neck and tears in her vaginal wall. Both her underwear and Bryant’s shirt were bloody. Bryant told the police he had not explicitly asked for consent.
It wasn't until Kobe settled with the victim that she told prosecutors she would no longer testify because of a NDA.
It was actually Kobe Bryant himself that came up with the nickname Black Mamba. It was during a time when he was going through some personal issues off the court (marital indiscretions) that became very public. He got the name from the movie Kill Bill and used it as an alter ego to separate his professional life from his personal life. An idea for another reaction video would be Wayne Gretzky. Like Michael Jordan in basketball, he is basically universally considered to be the greatest hockey player of all time.
Charles Barkley being 6-6 and what he did was amazing.
I recommend watching the very short film "Dear Basketball" that Kobe had a part in. It's literally like 5 minutes. It will bring a tear to all y'alls eyes.
Dang I wish you guys had a better highlight reel! That one didn’t truly show you how good he was especially in his prime! He was unreal and made basketball look like poetry! Didn’t do him Justice!
Now that you are doing the NBA greats, you need to watch the "best all-around ball player in NBA history" who had the highest IQ of the game than anybody! Watch the Larry Bird Ultimate Mixed-Tape. Shooter, passer, play maker, trash-talker, clutch player, the list is long. Larry Legend! Nobody could stop him!!
It’s actually insane how history this night was. Going on at the same time was the golden state warriors beating Jordan’s record for the most wins a season. Both of these historic games were happening simultaneously it was amazing to witness
I still get teary eyed watching Kobe videos he has always been my favorite player and someone I looked up to RIP
I was at Kobe’s final game! Amazing! I haven’t high fived and hugged so many strangers in my life!!
Kobe was great, but you will be highly impressed with Larry Bird! A passer like no other!
Lie again 🤦🏾♂️ Kobe is a goat a legend. Larry the legend was a great shooter but who was a great player was magic fasho
I highly recommend on the NBA You Tube channel the Larry Bird ultimate mixtape. He was another amazing player who played for the Boston Celtics in the 70s and 80s.
I think Kobe will always be my favorite. Grew up watching him and in my mind will go down as the most clutch player of all time. Countless fadeaway jumpers at the buzzer to win it. Kobe’s fadeaway jumper is like Griffey Jr’s swing in baseball.
I stopped watching and playing basketball all together because of kobe, grew up watching him in LA ❤ watching this got me teary
Kobe’s death has been the only celebrity death (so far) to make me not only cry, but weep …which didn’t happen till late at night after finally coming to the realization that him and his daughter (as well as everyone else on the helicopter) were gone
*GUYS LOVE YOUR CHANNEL AND FAMILY* !! Been SUBSCRIBED since it was just Kiwi Kicker.! Your next should 1000% be *Larry Bird* ! Do his ultimate mixtape.! Trust me on this.......
"I thought you weren't allowed to run with the ball." What a great observation. Referees have been so lenient on the traveling call. The move was illegal. Yet the refs don't call it. It is one of the reasons that I don't watch professional basketball any longer. Bryant was one of the worst at traveling with the ball. Yet he was almost never called.
Now, I think he was a great person. When he and his daughter died in the crash, I wrote something like, "What a great way to end it. He was having a Daddy/Daughter Day. I have loved those moments with my daughters. I never want it to end this way. But he was being a wonderful father."
If you want basketball greatness, look at Larry Bird. I remember coach Red Aurbach saying, "When Bird is on the court, 4 other players are better." That was when Bird was starting a championship game while at 90% due to injuries. Bryant was good. Bird was awesome.
I'm a spurs fan since i was born, but that suns shirt is incredible and I'd wear it. Class
I watched Kobe his whole career live. He was unreal. The world lost something big too early. Gianni would have put the sad WNBA on another level too.
Yea but unfortunately he got died just weeks after receiving 3+billion credit card to start his own bb league
Larry Bird “The Legend” has got to be on your list.
Love that you're going back with your family and watching these great players. You should really consider watching Kobe's most difficult shots video in a reaction video like this.
Thanks for this video. I'm around his age and grew up in LA. Needless to say, I idolized this guy.
The Black Mamba nickname is really from the movie Kill Bill. A black mamba is a dangerous poisonous snake that can repeatedly strike and without provocation.
He honestly gave the nickname to himself back in the mid 2000's. At that time, he had this web page with a fan club you could join. If you joined, you could access these forums on the website. He, or some of his people, just started spreading that nickname around on the forums at that time and it stuck.
Another great video guys. Really enjoying the basketball reaction!
Another player I would recommend is the great Wilt Chamberlain who played in the NBA for 14 seasons from 1960-73. His scoring feats are unmatched as he once averaged 50 points a game for a season, the same season he scored an NBA record 100 points. He is widely regarded as the single most athletic player in history as he stood at 7'1" and could touch the top of the backboard in his prime. A lot of his career isn't on video (less than 5% is on video), but there are still many clips from his career. Because he played so long ago, his moves weren't as flashy as today since the rules of the era didn't allow between the legs moves and cross overs, but his sheer prowess was and still is unmatched.
RIP Kobe Bryant and Wilt Chamberlain
Simone Biles in women’s gymnastics is someone to definitely check out! Best gymnast of the modern era.
Awesome guys! Great seeing people being introduced and appreciating the Mamba. He is the peoples champ!
RiP Kobe! Before basketball became what it is today. Players weren't being paid that well. Then there was the greatest rivalry between Magic Johnson of the Lakers and Larry Bird of the Celtics. They changed the game. You really should check out Larry's highlights. He is very entertaining and there is much about him.
As great as he was on the court, His greatest achievements were still ahead of him. RIP Mamba
You should really check out Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics
He was great !!! Even Ervine Magic Johnson said Larry Bird was the greatest player ever in the NBA
Kobe’s daughter was a beast on the court too!
Im blessed i got to grow up a lakers fan in southern california in the 90s. Kobe was a superhero to me. He will always be a legend. And he will always be missed by millions
R.i.P Black Mamba, his daughter, and everyone else who was in the helicopter!🙏
Some legendary basketball players, magic Johnson and Larry bird. The two people who saved the nba. A boxing legend, someone who has never lost is Floyd mayweather
Kobe
To be in the building that’ day was phenomenal
It was an out of this world / out of body experience.
Wow, I get goosebumps everytime I see this game
Not taking anything away from Kobe or Labron but they are competing in a much softer and easier league than the GOATs of old. Jordan is of coarse the GOAT of GOATs but don't sleep on Larry Bird. That man is a true legend on just about the same standing as Jordan and both of them played in a much more competitive league. Larry also played several times through injury, even bring the Celtics back from a deficit to win a game after fracturing his cheek bone.
For basketball I love Larry Bird.
❤😢😂🎉 much love and respect for you guys from Oklahoma, USA!❤
In a 2018 story by Kent Babb for The Washington Post, Bryant explained how he happened upon the black mamba for his alter ego when he was watching Quentin Tarantino's movie, "Kill Bill," during which an assassin used a black mamba to kill another character. Thats Why Hes Called The Black Mamba. R.I.P MAMBA
PLEASE react to Larry Bird's "Mixed Tape." BOTH Magic Johnson & Michael Jordan have called Larry Bird the greatest NBA player of all time!
Dear NZ Fam, *(Links Below)* who's the Goat 🐐 of Basketball 🏀??? Just a suggestion since you're introducing the family to Kobe (RIP😔). Though Kobe isn't on this list below, I think y'all will enjoy them.
Here are 8 great videos that make suggestions to who is the greatest. Of course everyone is going to have their opinion/favorite. So that you don't have to track them down.
All 8 of these videos are great and about 3 years old. Lebron has the most views and Larry Bird is 2nd out of the list👇.
I personally enjoyed Larry Birds the most. Not only is he in the conversation of who's the goat 🐐. He won Gold 🥇 *(with his NBA Rivals like Magic and MJ)* at the Olympics, became a Head Coach, then went upstairs to the head office.... running everything!! *Larry's GENUINE friendship with Magic Johnson was awesome to see, on and off the court.*
"Making the Case" by Clayton Crowley
Tim Duncan; Feb 2020, 495k 👀's - czcams.com/video/1sRSpQ78Y3c/video.html
Larry Bird; Feb 2020, 632k 👀's - czcams.com/video/Pxf4RzocHN8/video.html
Magic Johnson; March 2020, 304k 👀's - czcams.com/video/sp3qAXOzY5k/video.html
Wilt Chamberlain; April 2020, 323k 👀's - czcams.com/video/Ybm_ql373GM/video.html
Kareem Abdul-Jabar; May 2020, 429k 👀's - czcams.com/video/ddVb8U4UhZ0/video.html
Bill Russell; June 2020, 252k 👀's - czcams.com/video/WHT8x-AO290/video.html
Michael Jordan; July 2020, 428k 👀's - czcams.com/video/vqq5d_4umFM/video.html
Lebron James; Sept 2020, 839k 👀's - czcams.com/video/gk2F3dKb1uQ/video.html "
MJ is my goat but Kobe is easily my fave player ever. Grew up in LA and watched his entire career 🐍♾️
Bill Russell was an amazing player!!
Never cried over a celebrity death but man i cried like a baby when i saw Kobe passed. R.I.P Mamba 🐍💜💛
Did you cry for young girl the koby raped, do your homework you goof
1992 DREAM TEAM… OR LARRY BIRD….please
Kobe was the GOAT.
RIP 🙏
His talent was as unmatchable as his determination. He tore his Achilles tendon during a game, walked out onto the court to make his free throws before he went back to the locker room for medical. He was and forever will be the Greatest of All Time. Lost too soon!
everything you named, Jordan has on him in spades.
Please do Steph Curry next from the same channel. It's called "Steph Curry Baby Faced Assassin ." I think you and your family will be amazed at the greatest shooter of all time!
Michael, Kobe, then LeBron in that order of greatness. But don't forget the 4 most dominant centers. Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem, & Shaq, in no particular order. Those deserve to be mentioned for greatness. It's hard to mention who is the greatest. Every position has their great ones. I love Kobe for his work ethic that no one else has. First to practice, last to leave. No other player does that today.
Olajuwon?
@@adamstevens1204 only reason I left him out was the other won multiple championships. Would include him, and a few others
@@rayfujimori9833 Olajuwon won back-to-back championships
@@jesuswantfreebobux8848 sorry my bad, only after MJ's first retirement. Who knows what would have happened. Burnout or career ending injury. What's done is done. Aleem deserves being mentioned.
as someone that grew up eating and breathing basketball… i still tear up when i watch his highlights….
Kobe and Jordan were the only two players i could watch and root for besides my home team. RIP Kobe!
I hope Larry Bird is on that list because he was amazing abd they hight basketball IQ player
It would be cool for y’all to check out Larry bird or magic Johnson
Great video! I loved your content, keep it up and continue creating. You're amazing.
Man real tears right now. I miss Kobe
Larry Bird was the greatest player ever you should react to his Mixtape
Great player, but after those three you need to watch Larry Bird too.
Being young and watching Jerry Rice and Joe Montana dominate was incredible to watch. Rice will always be my favorite wide receiver. I would have to say being from Green Bay, Brett Favre and Bart Starr are my favorite quarterbacks.
Couple of things for you guys w/ regard to the sport of basketball: 1) Kobe was indeed a special talent, but also the work that he put in to master his craft was also insane. In regard to his nickname, black mamba, it was indeed due to his style of play. He was absolutely lethal on the court, and his mentality was one of striking whenever an opening presented itself, even against established legends like MJ (look up his first All Star game, he went straight at Jordan practically the whole game). 2) Bill Russell actually won 11 championships, not 15. But the reason his championships aren't considered as impactful is because in the era he played in, there were only like 10 teams in the entire league (the NBA expanded later). Also, Russell didn't score a whole lot for his career average, but he was an incredible defender who could keep just about anyone from scoring. 3) One of the main reasons Michael Jordan is still hailed as the standard to which all other players are compared, is because of his impact on the game. Many players modeled their style of play after him. From Allen Iverson to Lebron James, and this was especially true of Kobe, who admitted that everything he displayed on the court came from MJ (he admired Jordan but wanted to surpass him as well).
Do Larry Bird next.
Luka after
@mchsnyder Have you seen any of these videos below? Larry's is AWESOME!!!😳🤯😎
Dear NZ Fam, who's the (Greatest of all time) Goat 🐐 of Basketball 🏀??? Just a suggestion since you're introducing the family to Kobe (RIP😔). Though Kobe isn't on this list below, I think y'all will love them.
Here are 8 great videos that make suggestions to who is the greatest. Of course everyone is going to have their opinion/favorite. So that you don't have to track them down.
All 8 of these videos are great and about 3 years old. Lebron has the most views and Larry Bird is 2nd out of the list👇.
I personally enjoyed Larry Birds the most. Not only is he in the conversation of who's the goat 🐐. He won Gold 🥇 *(with his NBA Rivals like Magic and MJ)* at the Olympics, became a Head Coach, then went upstairs to the head office.... running everything!! *Larry's GENUINE friendship with Magic Johnson was awesome to see, on and off the court.*
"Making the Case" by Clayton Crowley
Tim Duncan; Feb 2020, 495k 👀's - czcams.com/video/1sRSpQ78Y3c/video.html
Larry Bird; Feb 2020, 632k 👀's - czcams.com/video/Pxf4RzocHN8/video.html
Magic Johnson; March 2020, 304k 👀's - czcams.com/video/sp3qAXOzY5k/video.html
Wilt Chamberlain; April 2020, 323k 👀's - czcams.com/video/Ybm_ql373GM/video.html
Kareem Abdul-Jabar; May 2020, 429k 👀's - czcams.com/video/ddVb8U4UhZ0/video.html
Bill Russell; June 2020, 252k 👀's - czcams.com/video/WHT8x-AO290/video.html
Michael Jordan; July 2020, 428k 👀's - czcams.com/video/vqq5d_4umFM/video.html
Lebron James; Sept 2020, 839k 👀's - czcams.com/video/gk2F3dKb1uQ/video.html "
You really should check out Larry Bird, probably the most intimidating player ever. He would tell his opponent what he was going to do, and even when his opponent knew, he couldn't stop it.
Really enjoying these videos. I’m a huge basketball fan (it was probably my first love growing up) and it’s really a unique and rewarding experience to see these reaction videos and get that perspective of people being introduced to the sport and some of the legends of the game and almost get to re-live that time of my life when I was first introduced to the game and how important it was for me.
As far as rankings go, it’s always tough and pretty much impossible to compare across eras, and especially when there’s really no finite objective standard for measuring greatness. But that’s what makes it fun, it’s all subjective and different people will value different things in their personal rankings. You mentioned Bill Russell and there are plenty of people who will claim him as the best ever because they’ll use championships won as their most dispositive metric. For me, personally, my “Mount Rushmore” includes Jordan, Kobe, and LeBron but that 4th position has never truly been solidified for me. Sometimes I’ll think it’s Wilt Chamberlain (who holds the record for most points 100 scored in a single game and most rebounds 55 in a game) and was just a physical force that was unequaled in his era (he was a 7 foot plus athlete that was stronger and could jump higher than anyone in his day playing during a time when the average tallest guy on most teams’ roster was probably about 6’6”). Other days I’ll think it’s Bill Russell or Kareem. I think Steph is knocking on the door for that fourth spot for me though and could solidify it depending on how the rest of his career goes. I think I value guys who revolutionized and changed the game higher than other things in my own subjective list of criteria and the modern game’s 3 point revolution is mostly credited to him and he’s hands down the best shooter I’ve ever seen.
If pressed to rank the 3 of Jordan, LeBron, and Kobe, it’s really tough for me. Your point about Jordan being the baseline and the comparison for many modern players is an important one and worth expanding on. The biggest thing in my opinion that Michael Jordan has going for him is that there will never be a guy to have so popularized and promoted the game as he did on a global scale. What he and that 1992 Dream Team did for basketball on an international scale (but MJ especially) will never be matched. He came first and helped grow the game in such a profound way and even if you personally believe that another guy was more skilled than he was, nobody else can touch his influence on the sport and it’s growth or popularity. If I’m trying to leave that aside and rank them purely on skills or athletic ability or merit as a basketball player alone, it’s tough because he and LeBron are very dissimilar players, whereas Kobe (RIP) was like a carbon copy of Jordan. Kobe idolized Jordan and molded his game after him, had the same competitive spirit and obsessive passion to be the best, their mentality was so similar. And I think some people knock Kobe for being the second iteration of the original in their rankings, but you could argue Kobe was a more fluid and skilled version of the original. I give the nod to Jordan between them, but it’s much closer to me than most people probably have them. I can’t separate entirely the importance Jordan had on the growth of the game at large and the fact that he was the original. I don’t know if Kobe would have become the “Kobe” we got to witness if not for Jordan to chase. I think chasing Jordan was a huge motivator for Kobe and we were privileged to witness both of them play. I will say that I grew up in the Kobe era or the generation that considers Kobe “their Jordan” and I know a lot more about him than Jordan and Kobe was such a special mind and personality to the game, too, though, so I liked and revered him more than Jordan. He was a step ahead and an absolute tactician and student of the game. Constantly evolving and getting better, looking for ways to improve and get a leg up on everyone else around him. Incredibly smart (multilingual - not many American players would be as fluent and confident in their mastery of other languages to understand international opponents’ play calls or engage in talking trash with them in a foreign language). He was a really special person and was poised to be an even greater star outside of his playing days and was just a tremendous loss way too soon, unfortunately.
I personally put LeBron above them both, though, in a pure “basketball talent” list. It’s the combination of physical gifts (LeBron taller and stronger than both), longevity (this is his biggest superpower trait, no one will eclipse his longevity and how long his “peak form” lasted; even if Jordan never quit to play baseball, he would not have sustained the same level of physical fitness and success for as long as LeBron has in part due to the advances in modern sports medicine and fitness but also because LeBron has taken that more seriously than probably any NBA athlete has before), and then lastly his versatility on the court that does it for me and puts him above Jordan in my personal ranking.
Coming out of high school, LeBron’s best attribute was actually his court vision and passing and court management ability. He was a passing savant and more accurately compared to Magic Johnson than Michael Jordan. Jordan was an alpha personality wired to score and bully everyone else in his path (opponents and teammates alike into submission). LeBron was much more affable and sociable and wanted to get teammates involved and wasn’t necessarily wired to score as Jordan and Kobe were. He had the body and physicality and athleticism to take over games and just physically punish opponents all game long and rack up points if he wanted to. But I think LeBron valued playmaking for others and ball movement much more than isolation scoring like Jordan and Kobe did. All three are or were elite defenders and two way players, but whereas Jordan and Kobe were more ball dominant wing players that could play the 1-3 (1 = point guard, 2 = shooting guard and 3 = small/wing forward) but were both more apt as either a 2 guard or 3 wing forward, LeBron with his combination of physical size, athleticism and skill set can legitimately play every single position on the court 1-5 and be the best player at that position and also guard every position on the court if necessary for stretches. That holds huge value for me, personally. It’s pretty crazy to think about, but he came into the league more hyped for his passing abilities than his scoring and now he already holds the record for most career points scored in NBA history (without even really focusing or trying to be a ball dominant scorer). That’s a testament to his longevity and also his talent and skill. He’s going to finish his career as the league’s all time scoring leader and also in the top four in assists!
As far as other potential players to check out if you’re looking for suggestions, I would definitely recommend Steph Curry but also, I’m thinking from the standpoint of some of the more purely entertaining aspects of the game, for me it is both the jaw-dropping dunks that everyone loves, but also the ball handling and dribbling skills and wizardry of some players. For the former list, you’ve already seen some of LeBron and Jordan who are up there in the hierarchy of all time dunkers, but I’d recommend Shawn Kemp, Julius “Dr. J” Erving, Blake Griffin, Dominique Wilkins, Zion Williamson, and Vince Carter for dunking highlights. For the ball handling, Jason “White Chocolate” Williams, “Pistol” Pete Maravich (old school, not sure how much footage would be available or high quality), Chris Paul, Jamal Crawford, Steph Curry, Magic Johnson, Allen Iverson, Isiah Thomas, and Kyrie Irving are in my estimation the best ball handlers to play (Irving’s handles are other-worldly).
Kobe is and will always be the Black Mamba...but it's time to honor the player he was...he was truly The Ambassador. His off of the field philanthropy and his Worldwide success and persona...we need to acknowledge and accept his contribution to the sport and the League.
I don’t comment much on your videos, but this bball endeavor of yours will not be complete without a few videos of the GOAT, the Hick from French Lick, Larry Bird. After you watch a couple of Bird’s videos, find the video of his passing talents. Like no other, this video cements the claim of GOAT for Larry Legend. If your visit to the USA brings you anywhere near Indy - that’s short for Indianapolis - look me up for a complimentary golf lesson for one, two, or four. Love your videos. Tim Lewis, golf coach.
You are now ready for the Larry Bird Ultimate Mix Tape. He's the best ever, good as Michael and Koby are. Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlin are the two best centers, well Kareem too. Pistol Pete Maravich is up there with these guards. Larry and then LeBron for forwards.
You should reacted to Dwayne Wade highlights (the guy who made this Kobe video made one on Wade as well). Wade was, and still is, my favorite player of all time. His ability to get around people for easy layups and dunks was incredible.
Also, definitely do a video on Vince Carter-arguably the best dunker of all time.
Love these videos!
RIP Black Mamba 🐍 🖤
Your the reason i love watching basketball kobe I MISS YOU MY HERO 😭💔
If you want to react to the greatest basketball player that ever picked up a ball, it's 👉Larry Bird.👈 there isn't one player in the NBA right now that he wouldn't score 30 points on.