Kobe or Shaq? Who would you pick?

I was reading that story because that roundtable thing is always an interesting read. It got to the Kobe or Shaq question, and I wondered what you guys would think. No circumstances, no limits on when to pick someone, and everyone's entitled to their opinion. Who do you pick?

12 months ago bengalithugg13 39 comments 0 recs |

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not sure what that question is asking

if they are talking about the 2004 offseason decision, than Kobe is the easy choice.

Shaq was starting to decline at that point. And when you take into account his injury history, the ridiculous contract demands, and poor conditioning, Buss made the right call. Also Kobe was a FA then. You would have got nothing in return if you cut him loose. With Shaq, you could, since he had a few years left on his deal.

"Shaq finished his career 1-22 from 3-point range, which would have made him one of the better shooters on this year’s Laker playoff squad." - D4P

twitter

by shaqfor3 on Jun 3, 2011 9:05 PM PDT reply actions

What about in their primes? Who would you build the team around?

I’m pretty sure they just meant like a “Kobe or MJ?” question, not necessarily the 2004 decision..

"The only yardstick for success our society has is being a champion. No one remembers anything else." – John Madden

by bengalithugg13 on Jun 4, 2011 7:00 AM PDT up reply actions

oh

in that case, I’d go with Shaq.

He was arguably the most dominant player in the NBA since Wilt.

"Shaq finished his career 1-22 from 3-point range, which would have made him one of the better shooters on this year’s Laker playoff squad." - D4P

twitter

by shaqfor3 on Jun 4, 2011 6:07 PM PDT up reply actions

I'll take Kobe

just as that decision was made in 2004. At the time it sucks that he was gone because who knows how many titles the Lakers could have won. However, the Lakers got rid of Shaq at the right time. I know he won a title in Miami, but after that there was nothing and he was declining the rest of the way.

Floyd Little: HOF Class of 2010.

2009-10 back-to-back NBA Champions L.A Lakers
2009-10 NBA Finals MVP Kobe Bryant

by weazel on Jun 3, 2011 10:29 PM PDT reply actions

bunch of haters...

Always Lurking. Always. Yes.

Tim Duncan wins championships. Vince Carters fills the arenas.
Kobe Bryant does both. -- from some Yahoo! column, I think it was Steve Kerr.

The ideal way to win a championship is step by step.
-Phil Jackson

by imposibol on Jun 4, 2011 6:33 AM PDT reply actions

What the hell are the ESPN guys smoking?

Shaq was a better entertainer? WTF? Are they supposed to make decisions based on what players do off the court? That’s a reason for picking Shaq?

I’m sorry, but that just seems like another nitpick at Kobe. I’ll take the guy that I KNOW always gave me his best 365. And not only that, he is/was the the superior player in his prime.

"I was just letting the shots fly. You know, I don't leave any bullets in the chamber."

"Everything negative- pressure, challenges- is all an opportunity for me to rise."

-Kobe Bryant

Chris Mortensen: "You know it's the 'Show-Me' State right Sam?"

"Pshh, 'Show Me.' (smirking) Yeah, I've heard that."

-Sam Bradford

by TrojanRam on Jun 4, 2011 10:13 AM PDT reply actions

Trust me, that's the reason I asked this here.

If entertainment was the shit, Ron Artest and LeBron James would be the best players on the planet, and Shaq would still be “in his prime.”

I honestly can’t make a choice, because I was too young to even see Shaq do his greatest. I started following the NBA, and mostly the Lakers, during the 03-04 season. By default, I have to say Kobe, but if I ever have the time to see what Shaq did during those prime years, I might reconsider. But Kobe’s ‘05-06 season was undeniably one of the greatest regular season campaigns in recent memory. I want to go out on a limb and say that season was one of the best since maybe Jordan’s seasons, but I bet someone here can prove me otherwise..

"The only yardstick for success our society has is being a champion. No one remembers anything else." – John Madden

by bengalithugg13 on Jun 5, 2011 10:07 AM PDT up reply actions

Shaq of course

cuz he funny and nice guy and always fun to be with and not always serious and he raps

by Beko on Jun 4, 2011 12:26 PM PDT reply actions

lmao

love the reasoning.

These things happened. They were glorious and they changed the world... and then we fucked up the end game. - Charlie Wilson

The key to championships = SIGN LUTHER HEAD!!!!!!!!

by Marty Mart on Jun 4, 2011 5:47 PM PDT up reply actions

easier to build a supporting cast around shaq, i choose shaq

"Losing feels worse than winning feels good." -Vin Scully

by Tkuang on Jun 4, 2011 1:31 PM PDT reply actions

This is easy.

Adam Morrison.

Kelly Dwyer is without a doubt one of the worst sportswriters in the world. The only reason I say he's "one of the" and not "THE worst" is because I haven't read enough of the Russians' coverage of the NBA to make a fair assessment.

by Derek Fisher's Intangibles on Jun 4, 2011 2:48 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs

2 tittles in 2 years.

’Nuff said.

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take"-Wayne Gretzky"-Michael Scott.

by SharksFanEst.1994 on Jun 4, 2011 3:43 PM PDT up reply actions

Most importantly,

Once he left, the Lakers didn’t win a championship. AMMO, MVP of the Lakers ’09 and ’10 championship seasons.

"The only yardstick for success our society has is being a champion. No one remembers anything else." – John Madden

by bengalithugg13 on Jun 5, 2011 10:08 AM PDT up reply actions

Overall, I'd prolly take Shaq in his prime 1999-2000

over anyone from the past two decades

These things happened. They were glorious and they changed the world... and then we fucked up the end game. - Charlie Wilson

The key to championships = SIGN LUTHER HEAD!!!!!!!!

by Marty Mart on Jun 4, 2011 5:42 PM PDT reply actions

Kobe

Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose. - Bill Gates
Yes, I'm smug, withholding, and judgmental, but at least I'm better than you. - Anonymous
Tweetness: @SoCalGal64

by SoCalGal on Jun 4, 2011 9:52 PM PDT reply actions

Thank you!

Is this a Laker blog? Did people miss Kobe’s prime or something?

For starters, if you take Kobe’s best 5 point per game years and stack them up against Shaq’s, Kobe wins with a 30.75 average over a 29.06 average for Shaq. Shaq never scored more than 30 points a game in any of his seasons and was always a liability on offense in crunch time.

I look at Kobe as a player with no weaknesses, especially in his prime. Name it. There wasn’t a thing he couldn’t do and do exceptionally. That makes him more dominant in my eyes.

"I was just letting the shots fly. You know, I don't leave any bullets in the chamber."

"Everything negative- pressure, challenges- is all an opportunity for me to rise."

-Kobe Bryant

Chris Mortensen: "You know it's the 'Show-Me' State right Sam?"

"Pshh, 'Show Me.' (smirking) Yeah, I've heard that."

-Sam Bradford

by TrojanRam on Jun 4, 2011 11:34 PM PDT up reply actions

you're forgetting

how good shaq was in his prime. Also, ppg isnt a good metric for comparing players.

"Shaq finished his career 1-22 from 3-point range, which would have made him one of the better shooters on this year’s Laker playoff squad." - D4P

twitter

by shaqfor3 on Jun 5, 2011 10:31 AM PDT up reply actions

on its own

"Shaq finished his career 1-22 from 3-point range, which would have made him one of the better shooters on this year’s Laker playoff squad." - D4P

twitter

by shaqfor3 on Jun 5, 2011 10:34 AM PDT up reply actions

Hell NO.

Those championship seasons are my FONDEST memories. Shaq was about as awesome as I’d seen up until that point (besides Jordan) and it was even better because he was on my team. I know it might sound like I’m forgetting considering how strongly I am on the Kobe side of this issue (as a player, nevermind all the other off court BS), but I’m not.

I watched Shaq in his Laker prime and I watched Kobe in his. Kobe’s run of 50 point games, his 40 point run, 81, 65 on the Blazers, 61 at the Garden, etc. That’s the most dominant I’ve ever seen anyone play. Plus, in the clutch, it was Kobe throughout all those championship seasons. That always bugged me about Shaq, that we couldn’t quite dump it off to him when it mattered.

"I was just letting the shots fly. You know, I don't leave any bullets in the chamber."

"Everything negative- pressure, challenges- is all an opportunity for me to rise."

-Kobe Bryant

Chris Mortensen: "You know it's the 'Show-Me' State right Sam?"

"Pshh, 'Show Me.' (smirking) Yeah, I've heard that."

-Sam Bradford

by TrojanRam on Jun 5, 2011 11:50 AM PDT up reply actions

Shaq also had about

9 more rebounds, about 2 more blocks, and the size to make people think twice in the middle. If we were only judging offense, this would be a harder choice, but when judging big men versus little guys, big men always win unless of course they’re Shaq and they miss so many games it becomes hard to make that choice

These things happened. They were glorious and they changed the world... and then we fucked up the end game. - Charlie Wilson

The key to championships = SIGN LUTHER HEAD!!!!!!!!

by Marty Mart on Jun 5, 2011 12:47 PM PDT up reply actions

For his career, Shaq averaged 10.9 per game while Kobe has averaged 5.3.

There’s a little bit of a discrepancy between 9 and 5.6, which is the actual difference. I could easily counter and say that Kobe averaged more steals and assists, but it’s just an obvious observation that a guard will average more in certain areas while a Center would average more in others.

In addition, Kobe was arguably a better defender. Whilst Shaq’s size and athleticism made him a defensive power, he never won defensive player of the year which is much easier to win for big men. How can we explain that?

How do you explain that Shaq never made the All-Defensive First Team, chosen by coaches, while Kobe made it 9 times (or 8 if you think he didn’t deserve this last one) at the guard position?

Kobe’s prime at defense was as good as we’ve ever seen. You can’t ask him to guard the paint and block shots like a center, but as far as playing passing lanes, locking down one on one, and disrupting the other team’s offensive flow, Kobe is one of the greatest of all time.

"I was just letting the shots fly. You know, I don't leave any bullets in the chamber."

"Everything negative- pressure, challenges- is all an opportunity for me to rise."

-Kobe Bryant

Chris Mortensen: "You know it's the 'Show-Me' State right Sam?"

"Pshh, 'Show Me.' (smirking) Yeah, I've heard that."

-Sam Bradford

by TrojanRam on Jun 5, 2011 1:22 PM PDT up reply actions

I was watching "Kobe: Doin' Work" the other day..

And that’s when I realized how Kobe operates defensively. It’s no surprise that coaches vote Kobe to the All-Defensive First Team, when coaches would have to adjust their offenses to counter Kobe’s defensive IQ. Shaq can block shots, alter shots, do stuff like that, but how many times does that happen? Defensively, Kobe wins..

"The only yardstick for success our society has is being a champion. No one remembers anything else." – John Madden

by bengalithugg13 on Jun 5, 2011 3:26 PM PDT up reply actions

People need to really watch that when the "sagging off/lazy" complaints come about.

"I was just letting the shots fly. You know, I don't leave any bullets in the chamber."

"Everything negative- pressure, challenges- is all an opportunity for me to rise."

-Kobe Bryant

Chris Mortensen: "You know it's the 'Show-Me' State right Sam?"

"Pshh, 'Show Me.' (smirking) Yeah, I've heard that."

-Sam Bradford

by TrojanRam on Jun 5, 2011 3:57 PM PDT up reply actions

It really opened my eyes on that argument.

I used to be that “lazy” commenter, but damn Kobe processes so much in so little time.

"The only yardstick for success our society has is being a champion. No one remembers anything else." – John Madden

by bengalithugg13 on Jun 5, 2011 5:36 PM PDT up reply actions

I was referring to their

respective peak years. If we’re taking a look at career longevity, I would choose Kobe for playing through injury and his preparedness every season over Shaq. However, I thought this was an exercise in looking at a snapshot of their careers and looking at who we’d take

These things happened. They were glorious and they changed the world... and then we fucked up the end game. - Charlie Wilson

The key to championships = SIGN LUTHER HEAD!!!!!!!!

by Marty Mart on Jun 5, 2011 4:00 PM PDT up reply actions

Even at their peaks...

…I don’t see how one could take Shaq over Kobe. But to each his/her own.

"I was just letting the shots fly. You know, I don't leave any bullets in the chamber."

"Everything negative- pressure, challenges- is all an opportunity for me to rise."

-Kobe Bryant

Chris Mortensen: "You know it's the 'Show-Me' State right Sam?"

"Pshh, 'Show Me.' (smirking) Yeah, I've heard that."

-Sam Bradford

by TrojanRam on Jun 5, 2011 4:48 PM PDT up reply actions

I would take Kareem over Magic

at their peaks. I would always take a big guy over a little guy if we’re comparing their peaks

These things happened. They were glorious and they changed the world... and then we fucked up the end game. - Charlie Wilson

The key to championships = SIGN LUTHER HEAD!!!!!!!!

by Marty Mart on Jun 5, 2011 8:21 PM PDT up reply actions

2004- Kobe
before that- Shaq
both in their primes- Kobe

The dictionary is the only place where success comes before work. ~ a fortune cookie.

by Cup Noodles on Jun 5, 2011 10:33 AM PDT reply actions

if you have to build a team around any position

it’s usually good to start with a center because they’re hardest to find – great SGs come and go, obviously Kobe is one of the best ever but there are always more dominant SGs than C’s at any one time

by vitzeng on Jun 5, 2011 12:06 PM PDT reply actions

yeah

dominant centers are rare commodities.

"Shaq finished his career 1-22 from 3-point range, which would have made him one of the better shooters on this year’s Laker playoff squad." - D4P

twitter

by shaqfor3 on Jun 5, 2011 12:29 PM PDT up reply actions

Remaining dominant is key, though.

by SoCalGal on Jun 5, 2011 1:08 PM PDT up reply actions

well said.

"The only yardstick for success our society has is being a champion. No one remembers anything else." – John Madden

by bengalithugg13 on Jun 5, 2011 3:21 PM PDT up reply actions

he was certainly not as consistent as Kobe

but his dominance in those select years though was ridiculous. Thats why I’d take him

"Shaq finished his career 1-22 from 3-point range, which would have made him one of the better shooters on this year’s Laker playoff squad." - D4P

twitter

by shaqfor3 on Jun 5, 2011 4:53 PM PDT up reply actions

I'll take a hard worker first.

He’ll last longer.

by SoCalGal on Jun 5, 2011 5:21 PM PDT up reply actions

A dominant center is harder to come by

but a team needs a go-to guy at the end of games, and Shaq’s inability to make free throws seriously limited his effectiveness in clutch situations.

I would rather have a clutch guy and no amazing center than an amazing center and no clutch guy.

by LAMojo on Jun 5, 2011 4:57 PM PDT reply actions

haha, see 2009 finals.

Dwight Howard plus no clutch second player vs. Kobe and no amazing center. (Gasol is a PF in the Lakers system, until Drew comes out)

"The only yardstick for success our society has is being a champion. No one remembers anything else." – John Madden

by bengalithugg13 on Jun 5, 2011 5:35 PM PDT up reply actions

2004 onwards, il choose kobe

but in 98, il take shaq…its really disappointing to see that these two played together and yet only won 3…those big 3s in boston and miami cant even come close to the greatness of these two…

it never really happened, but that “what could have been” world is heaven for all laker fans…

by dilara on Jun 7, 2011 9:34 PM PDT reply actions

Kobe > Shaq

Kobe over Shaq easily.

Shaq can’t win with just an all-star perimeter player around him (Penny). He needs one of the best perimeter players of all-time backing him up: someone like Kobe or Wade in order to win titles. Sometimes even that isn’t enough for Shaq to win (LeBron).

Kobe can get it done with just a plain-old all-star big men who occasionally don’t even show up ready to play.

The odds of your team getting one of the best bigs of all time AND one of the best perimeter players of all time on the same team are extremely low. It’s far more likely you get one superstar and one or two all-stars and in that situation Kobe has proven to be the more capable of winning. Oh and Kobe also doesn’t demand something stupid like 30+ million a year so you have more money to build a solid team.

by AndyChrono on Jul 11, 2011 4:53 PM PDT reply actions

I would take Kobe hands down

I love Shaq, he is one of my all-time favorite players but in regards to Kobe and how he impacts the game on both ends of the floor is astonishing. If Shaq would of played with Kobe’s intensity then it would not be a question as to who was the most dominate force ever to play the game. I am just glad we didnt have to make that decision while Shaq was still in his prime. We got to enjoy one the greatest Big man/Lil man combos in NBA history. Hey who knows, if we didnt look so old against the Pistons in 04, maybe our championship total would be different. Its just hard to look back and say that we didnt make the right decision. We have 2 championships to back that up

Since you playing ball let me show you how I put my "D" down........ Rebound!!! Your man dropped the ball and I caught it, Im trying to Lay-up in ur body, ya Im ballin!!!

by BIGBO on Jul 21, 2011 10:29 PM PDT reply actions