A detailed look at Kobe Bryant's on-court impact | Greatest Peaks Ep. 10
Support at Patreon: / thinkingbasketball
Find classic games at: usasportsondvd.com -- They have thousands of old NBA games, many of which were purchased for this series and were used to create this video.
Shot charts in this video from www.pbpstats.com
This video looks at Kobe Bryant's strengths and weaknesses on the court at his peak. How did his studiousness help him as a scorer and a playmaker? Was he the best ever at making crazy hard shots? And how good was Kobe on defense?
This is the 10th episode in a series on the greatest peaks in NBA history (focusing on 1977-2020), featuring detailed scouting reports and film breakdown on the best players in NBA history at their best, along with analysis of their impact using historical data & stats to size up the highest peaking players ever.
-----
Book: www.amazon.com/Thinking-Baske...
Podcast: player.fm/series/thinking-bas... or at www.stitcher.com/podcast/ben-...
Website: www.backpicks.com
Twitter: @elgee35
Ben Taylor is the author of Thinking Basketball, a Nylon Calculus contributor, creator of the Backpicks Top 40 series & host of the Thinking Basketball podcast.
Stats courtesy:
www.pbpstats.com @bballport
www.basketball-reference.com
stats.nba.com
For more, see the Thinking Basketball stats series: • NBA Stats 101 Series
-----
Footage in this video is owned by the NBA and its partners. It is intended for critique and education.
*SERIES MUSIC*
Bames Jond by Mikey Geiger
csus (instrumental)
Hair (fairlight)
Our Imperfect Place by Strength to Last
Lost by Alter Ego
Restless Knight by Greg Collins
Empire Season by Dan Henig
Confronting the Void by Cody Martin
Bloom by Bryant Lowry
Nemesis
#ThinkingBasketball #GreatestPeaks #NBAGoat
"While he didn't gamble as much as someone like Jordan..." To be fair, not many gambled as much as that man did.
Just so we're clear he meant on steals lol
haha good one
floored
@@samuel2pac72 woosh
lmao this is good
It seems like Kobe's offensive philosophy was "The best shot is the one the defender doesn't expect"
In a pod (Real Ones), Raja Bell said Kobe was practicing a mid range fade away for an hour straight during warm ups. He torched them with that move during the game.
More likely "the best shot is the one I take"
It doesn't really seem like Kobe's philosophy had anything to do with the best shot. He got the ball and pretty much decided at that point whether he'd shoot a terrible shot over 3 guys to tie/win the game or not. That's why his teams were so much worse the more he shot and why he was so bad in the "clutch".
I mean Kobe usually got to his spots and tried to beat you that way. Thing is he's like elite top percentile with this strategy along with MJ. If it wasn't so special you would see other wing players replicate it and get 20 easy points off just spots. Which is why Kobe is so amazing with it because he can rack up 20 points ez by getting his preferred spots and looks and then flex another 20 off momentum and difficult shots.
@@NicolasAlcalde i wouldnt say Kobe was unsuccessful just because he shot alot lmao the rings tell the story
"An offensive virtuoso" - a fantastic way to put it. Kobe just had so many weapons in his arsenal.
95% from watching MJ
Nigga even copied mjs signature celebration lmaoo
@@abhijithashok2564 If you're gonna copy somebody...
@@SomeGuy-zl1kp Always steal from the greats in whatever field you choose 👌
Every player has done that from Kobe, LeBron, and Curry.
“He’s not the next Michael Jordan, he’s the first Kobe Bryant!” Thank you for stating this. Im sick of people using the excuse of comparing players to belittling newer players. Can’t we just appreciate the game.
yes, but humans need familiarity, which is why we do it, so it's very natural comparing things that are similar, so getting annoyed that people keep comparing new players to old ones is dumb
@HipHopTalk yeah he took a bunch of Jordan's moves(just like Jordan did from other guys like David thompson), and he really was obsessed with chasing Jordan's legacy as you have to be if you want to chase the GOAT title.
people compare him to mj, because kobe himself wanted to play like MJ and compared himself to mj.
Compare him to mj is an honor dont see it the wrong way
I disagree. Im never sick of comparing. Belittling I agree with you though. Comparison is inherently part of sports. You appreciate the game through comparison. Statistics are literally available for the purpose comparison. It’s what is fun when comparison and assessment are done properly I really dislike the mentality of ppl who say “can we just stop comparing and appreciate blah blah blah”. Comparison IS a form of appreciation. Use your brain brah
The thing with Jordan is that, if he couldn't get his shot, he could always use his freakish leaping ability and large hands to get to the rim. With Kobe, he didn't really have Jordan's presence in the paint, so he had to rely more on those tough circus jumpers Jordan would normally pass up. And that made things WAY more entertaining.
@Curly Que the student is never greater than the teacher.
@@maxpiatetsky3513 It’s, “the pupil surpasses the master.” I don’t think Kobe was better but he did do things better
@@maxpiatetsky3513 isn't it the job of the student to expand on what he learn from his teacher
@@Gimmithat491 Of course he did things better, he also did things worse
@Curly Que "he was much better from the perimeter." No he wasn't, Donyell Marshall hit 12 threes in one game as well, is he "much better" from the perimeter than Jordan? Zach Lavine hit 13 threes in one game, is he "much better" from the perimeter than both Jordan and Kobe? Marcus Smart hit 11 threes in one game, is he "much better" from the perimeter than Jordan? "because Kobe took so many more contested shots" That's not a positive, that's poor shot selection. "The only reason his field goal percentage is lower than Jordan is because ... [he] took more shots in general over a 20 year career compared to Jordan's 14 years" Lol, Jordan has 9 seasons above Kobe's career high in eFG% while scoring at a significantly higher rate. He's just a more efficient player, we're not just comparing career efficiency. Take Kobe's best 14 seasons and he's still significantly less efficient than Jordan. Your "explanations" are nonsensical. "but Kobe at his peak was as good as anyone." Did you even watch the video? Or are you one of those Kobe cultists that casually ignore facts and every meaningful metric like you did above and try to shoehorn the uncorroborated narrative that he has a GOAT-level peak? Kobe's worse than Jordan/Lebron on both ends, how is he "as good as anyone"?
If you look at 2008 Olympics were he didnt carry all that offensive load he literally looks as the best defender ever, amazing
That was by design too. Kobe told Coach K in their training camp right before that he would sacrifice offense for defense. Though obviously he still had his moments offensively like when Spain kept getting close in the gold medal game and he hit shot after shot in the 4th quarter.
Yea I remember an interview bwhere Kobe talked about finding spots while your playing to rest I'm sure he did that a lot on off ball defense. Like you said in the Olympics he's defense was some of the best ever but also in the 3peat with Shaq his defense was ridiculous.
Kobe, Bron and Wade were so damn fun to watch that summer. It felt like they all had a lot to prove and play for.
@@geordiejones5618 That team is better than the 1992 Dream Team and faced tougher competition.
@@1992Prodigy harder competition yes, but better? BRUH 1992 team didnt have a single player that isnt top 3 all time on their position. magic >>>> cp3 MJ > kobe bird < bron malone >> KD (at least 2012 KD, who was basically a rookie) and most importantly robinson/ewing >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> tyson fucking chandler
A year removed from Kobe's passing. This was a nice way to continue cementing his legacy. Thank you.
It still feels like it's just yesterday
As All Ego, ball hogging average shooter with no end to the drama.
@@johnsmith1474 Okay, Napoleon. Showcase your hate more. 🙄
Kobe's legacy is cemented. He's top 10 a time. Not many can say that. N noone will ever knock him off that spot
@@330wiz7 💯
The reason why I respect Kobe's game so much is because he didn't have a monster 48 inch vertical like MJ, or superhuman strength like LeBron, and he wasn't 6'11 like KD. He honed his skills and developed his footwork to the point that he was still one of the best scorer's of all time based on basically skill alone
Facts 💯💯
U acting like Kobe don’t got hops😪
He had a 42" vert big dif 😂😂
@@330wiz7Kobe had 38/39" vert. Wdym
@@leovaldez6280 Where did you get his vert numbers from because LOOKING at him play he got up as high as anyone I ever saw play
As a Celtics fan, I always "hated" Kobe, but I could never hate his game.
I feel like being a fan in the 2000s meant that you "hated" Kobe
@@tnk4me4 except if you were a laker fan
@@deseanmccullough6438 I refuse to believe that there are actual Lakers fans. They're made up by the government like Birds, Australia, aglets and NASA.
@@tnk4me4 lol
Because it wasn't that good.
The fact that this is coming out around the week of his passing feels perfect
It's intentional. If he'd followed the chronological order like he had until now, the Duncan and KG videos would have come out first
@@whateverreally1347 Robinson and Hakeem were also out of exact order. He's doing it mostly chronologically with a couple switches.
Mozart would hand write sheet music in perfect penmanship, with no cross-outs, no ink stains, ready to be played. That was Michael Jordan. Beethoven's handwritten sheet music was absolute chaos, hard to decipher, full of scratched on sidenotes and scribbles, but it worked. That was Kobe Bryant.
you're a poet
fantastic quote.
Great analogy
The disprespect! If you followed kobe, you would have understood just how surgical he was when breaking down his defender.
@@saiwaqa2573 well beethoven>>>mozart so it is a compliment
The Waltons are the channel's unofficial mascot
Love 💕 the Waltons
lol "look walton's back!!!!... sort of" 😆
Bahahaha true
Kobe Bryant’s relentless work ethic helped him build on his fundamentals and level up his skill set. He was not one of the most physically gifted like other star players but he had more skilled moves than most players. Watching Kobe play was like watching a skilled assassin do his job to the best of his abilities!
I feel like Kobe's defensive peak was during that 3peat with Shaq. He was more active as a defender and still had those jumpy feet to keep up with quicker guards. Not to mention, he didn't have to carry the scoring load as much as he did during 07-09 hence the better motor.
Bingo. But the mere fact that he demonstrated elite defense and elite scoring for a great sample size shows how well rounded he was
@@Shemzinho FACTS
100%.. most the defensive teams he made after this point in his career were nonsense. He was much better with youthful legs.
I think part of why later on when he ranks them kobes peak is "low", mostly because everyone else's defensive peak and offensive peak overlapped
@@airgordo4 False prior to the 2012-2013 season the NBA All-Defensive team selections were voted on by NBA head coaches who were restricted from voting for players on their own team. Furthermore Kobe in 2009 allowed the lowest FG% at his position defensively. Kobe has always been an elite defender until age and attrition caught up post achilles injury. at the age of 34 Jordan mentioned he was just as cursed as he was going to the extreme defending elite point guards. R.I.P. Kobe Bryant.
the most underrated part of kobe's and mj's game were there off ball movement.
They don't get enough credit for that. Kobe has the reputation of a ball hog, but he can score within the flow of the offense better than most.
MJ's offball game is what makes him put him ahead of Lebron otherwise i would put Lebron ahead of him
@@user-bw6pt9dy6f does lebron even have an off ball game other than cutting to the basket? he always has the ball in his hand top of the key or he sits in the high post
@@aaronli8376 Lebron showed his offball game in the first 2 years in Miami but hasnt used it since. Fact is Lebron doesnt need an offball game so much as Jordan or Kobe cause they coundn t create as much as Lebron does.Jordan had a great offball game to make up for his relative weakness in creating for others when compared to Lebron
@@user-bw6pt9dy6f what? Mj and Kobe were the most skilled players to ever play the game and both had a a ridiculous arsenal. Tf you mean they can't create like lebron unless you mean creating for others then you have point but lebron wasn't a better shot creator than mj or kobe or even kd. He is better creating for others tho
Kobe understood the psychology of the game. His ability to hit shots through doubles, hand in the face, etc. Added so much value to his team, built his gravity to free up a lot of mediocre teammates through his career
He didn't even go much into this there's a game vs portland I think where he makes a turnaround fadeaway three from the corner his ability to make those crazy shots
Its funny how Kobe got a reputation for also being a difficult shot maker because Iverson also had that reputation and it was a pretty good one to try build a chip strategy to. Along with a thought from Kobe himself that how would the league deal with a 6'5"ish bigger wing sized Allen Iverson ( that can still play with crackhead energy at 40+ minutes).
@@t4d0W Iverson was fortunate to have a supporting cast that did everything else for him, but it wasn't a viable championship building strategy in the 2000s. For the most part, almost all the championship winners of that era had a dominant low post threat. Even Kobe, whom you described as a bigger Iverson, was incredibly lucky to have played with Shaq, and then Gasol/Bynum.
@@spiidey1 mutombo?
@@iwhite111 Mutombo's 10-12 ppg doesn't make him a dominant low post threat. Come on now.
I’ve always respected Kobe for his work ethic. He was one of the most talented players of his generation but he understood that talent alone wasn’t enough. A lot of young players coming into the league should follow Kobe’s example. If you don’t work hard at your craft, talent alone can only get you so far.
Kobe made scoring a science and am art. He could score from anywhere in any way. He was one of a kind. RIP Mamba
If it was an art and a science, why'd he have a lower shooting % than jordan on higher volume, lower assists, all while scoring less?
We only got to see Kobe's "true peak" during the '02-03 season. He had the skill set of '06-09, combined with the athleticism of '00-02. After 2003, the injuries piled up and you can see his athleticism deteriorate quickly. By '06, despite averaging 35 ppg, he lost his ability to change the game with dunking prowess & vicious first-step basket drives. Don't get me wrong, he still flashed it in short bursts ('06 dunk on Nash, '07 game against the Jazz, '08 Hornets reverse dunk), but he couldn't sustain it for entire games.
Fucking love 03 Kobe his shooting was crazy that year
I wish we saw more of 03 Kobe honestly.
Huh? What are you even talking about? I don't recall any legitimate injuries between '03 and '06, outside of shoulder surgery in the offseason. Kobe missed games in that span because of off court troubles (I.e. constantly being in court for his rape trial) mostly. He might've sprained his ankle once, but I didn't notice any fall off in athleticism.
@@morganlee2806 The two major surgeries were the Torn Shoulder Labrum and right knee arthroscopic surgery he had during the '03 off-season. Yes the same off-season that he incurred his legal troubles. That first knee surgery sapped his explosiveness. By the time he got the 2nd knee surgery in '06, his first step was gone. The jumping ability was still there, but it wasn't sustainable for entire games. He re-aggravated that same surgically repaired shoulder in '04, and then missed a month in '05 with a major ankle sprain.
the only thing u got right was 03 being peak. everything after that was insane lol
What I realized in this video is that many people said that Kobe was the closest thing to MJ but this shows me that Kobe is an entirely different beast than MJ. MJ perfected the fadeaway midrange J and more athletic but Kobe can do it all and was a better shooter outside the arc. I remember Billups talking about how kobe as more skilled than MJ and this video validated his statement.
Yet his shooting percentage was consistently lower than MJ’s because he took worse shots.
@@amostlyreasonableguy more difficult shots
@@ryanr20091 yes, he made less of his difficult shots than Jordan did of his difficult shots… just like Iverson did as well. It doesn’t mean they’re not some of the best and most explosive scorers of all time, but Jordan’s ability to shoot at, above, or just a hair below 50% for his career is another thing that separates him from other perimeter player scorers. He took crazy double and triple pump shots all the time but he was better at making them than Kobe, Iverson, Melo, etc.
This series is so good it has become a part of my routine basically. I can't wait for the next chapter. Keep em coming!
Agreed, and, no matter my positions on him, rip Kobe, it still seems like yesterday. What a tragedy.
Yea I was never a big kobe fan being from NE Ohio. But nevertheless what a horrific tragedy to an all time great. So sad for their family to lose a father and a daughter.
He was so skilled that he ran outa things to learn so he started shooting 3s with his off-hand lol There was also a stretch after the all-stars game where he exclusively bank every shot after having a conversation with Duncan
bruh he couldnt shoot 3s with any hand
@@neocarlton508 Yes he could, he made a 3 left handed against Dallas after his right shoulder injury.
@@neocarlton508 Really? He was a league average three point shooter, despite taking significantly more difficult shots than the average catch and shoot three point shooter. He shot league average from three when 85% of his threes were with 0 space or over a double team
@@lik7953 Which today would be called a foul. I guess he is the hardest player to evaluate if we just looking at pure stats and never watched him play.
Yeah that's horseshit fed to you by shoes companies. His lifetime shooting % were average for both 2s & 3s.
Been waiting for this
*Ben waiting for this
@@IamTheSuperGinger no
@@kawhileonardsburner6792 But yes though
Kobe's brilliance goes misunderstood by the younger generation that didn't see him as much. His shot selection was bad but the fact he could hit tougher shots than anyone and how creative and relentless he got meant defenses had to pressure him like nobody else in history which over the course of a series would wear any team down. But his ability to play through injuries is also something else, 3 knee surgeries, broken finger, countless, ankle sprains this guy really should not have made 7 Finals in 11 seasons. And that's with the West being basically a different league than the East LeBron faced. 2010 playoffs in particular he had knee tendinitis that was so severe he barely got to the rim, and his broken index finger meant he had to completely change the way he released the ball. Yet his efficiency up until G7 of the Finals was crazy, from his 1st of several knee drain up until G6 of the Finals he averaged 30.7 ppg on 59.7% ts and even including that one awful shooting performance he still averaged 30.3 ppg on 58.3% ts. The 5 games before the knee drain he averaged 24 ppg on 48.6% ts. His chemistry with Shaq (despite their off court differences) and Gasol was amazing and goes understated. I do agree his motor on defense wasn't always there but the way he could read opposing offense's sets and on-ball defense was spectacular. In the 1st threepeat he was the best option to guard guys like Iverson, Bibby, and Kidd, and during the 2nd of three trips to the Finals he had to guard guys like Parker, Westbrook, Williams, Rondo because Fish didn't have the footspeed for that.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
exactly. even Phil Jackson said about Kobe not having as good fg% as Jordan wasn't bc Jordan was just a better player Jordan just worked within the offense and took smarter shots. Kobe took pride in making impossible difficult shots and that naturally lowered his fg% which now stat nerds use as evidence to say Kobe wasn't that good.
@@cjvaye99Kobe shot long 2s that were contested that was the only hole in his game of you are arguing and Jordan never encountered zone due to defense rules in NBA.
You said something I recently came up with too while watching some old Kobe highlights: the average degree of difficulty on his shots was unparalleled and you never knew which shot or move he was gonna pull out next. An absolute magician.
I miss Kobe Bryant. My best years growing up were spent watching his whole career. Now I’m going to be a dad and my son won’t get to hear and see Kobe contribute to the game of basketball today. 😢 thanks for this video, a lot of those clips brought back a lot of good memories
Feel same way bro he was apart of my youth I’m 80s baby so I watch almost all of his career 20 years is a very long period of time of watching one player then boom retire then boom again pass away after 20 strait years of watching him dominate the game of basketball great career and no matter how old I’ll get I’ll always remember I watched the Great Kobe Bryant play the game of basketball for 20 years and they’ll never b another
His game is just...flowing. He doesn't have a moment of stagnation and always keeps the defender guessing.
lol its funny you say that when kobe's teammates would lose focus and fall out of the game because he was commandeering the ball/game so much.
@@aaronli8376 and? He often was trying different moves on the ofher team to probe them and see the help. He is not lebron james who generallu looks to pass first. Those players should have set off ball screens and cuts in case kobe needed bail outs. Reality for kobe haters, is the lakers record between all hi healthy years was always decent until he rupture his achilles. Aka his methods worked.
@@notatrollll you contradicted yourself there buddy. just like your username nice.
@Avocaza well I mean he still won, so the fact he won even 2 with just a decent roster in the most difficult conference ever tells you how good he was
@@aaronli8376 Good NBA players don't lose focus that often, just tells you who he was working with.
Bruh Kobe was a master at getting to his spots , that base line turn around drive in transition for instance . Real Kobe fans know
its not like he was good at getting into his stops, everywhere was his spot
Gilbert Arenas: Kobe isn’t a Lambo but he works so hard he can compete with them
That's probably Kobe's greatest strength: his work ethic. He wasn't as physically gifted as Lebron/TMac/Vince but he managed to have a nearly 20 year career, while being one of the league's top players for more than a decade.
@@spiidey1 Kobes also more SKILLED than all of those players and thus has MORE RINGS than all of them COMBINED. Kobe > Lebron > Tmac > Vince.
@Buff kobe Kobes better than Bron. Period.
Kobe was a true pleasure to watch on the court. As a Blazer fan, I booed him at many games over the years, but always still had to admire and marvel at his dominance. Versatile on and off the ball and on D as well, he was truly one of greats. It's now been one year since that horrible day. RIP to the legend KOBE 🐍
Pierce gets clowned on nowadays, but his defense was no joke in those finals. His dominance in the 2000's gets downplayed way too much
he was good but dont forget that the guy who was the primarily kobe defender was tony allen, arguably the best guard defender after payton
Dominance is an overstatement tbh
@@axilleas0114 Sidney Moncrief, Alvin Robertson, Michael Cooper, Joe Dumars, Paul Pressey, Mookie Blaylock. All of these players are as good as Tony Allen.
@@chillspot331 dude averaged 25/7/4 for the entire decade. All star 8 out of 10 years. All NBA player 4 years. Top 5 SF for that long is dominant. Not all time good, but the next tier down
@@axilleas0114 Tony Allen is a better defender than GP
I honestly think he’s a lot more complete than he’s given credit for in this, he had great defensive years pre-peak as well. Overall phenomenal video as always, Walton is still my favorite video so far.
Kobe was an extremely underrated passer, and he was the primary playmaker on ALL his teams. Furthermore the Triangle supressed his assist numbers due to it not being an Iso drive and kick offense like the one's James Harden, or Lebron James played in for the vast majority of their careers. He was dubbed "Magic Mamba" by Lakers commentator Stu Lantz during the later half of the 2012-2013 NBA season playoff push when D'Antoni was the head coach. Kobe was having triple doubles and near triple doubles.
As an avid and hardcore Kobe fan, I love this breakdown. This is an amazing series! Great work
What's unique (and scary) about #GreatestPeaks is it's like peeling back the curtain and truly meeting your heroes for the first time. I'm always curious to see whether your brilliant analysis confirms or reshapes the greatness that my eyes perceived/appreciated over the years.
Kobe had more ways to score than any player who ever played the game. From pulling up from 30+ feet on you, to getting in the low post and perfectly executing a dream shake. He had every shot in the game.
Kevin durant
@@pavaopsihistal6989 No! Just bec KD is 7 feet with a crazy wingspan doesn't mean he's one of the most skilled offensive player. Pulling up with them long arms is NOT A SKILLSET is a gift he was born with to use. Learn the difference!
@@Mercurial. are you really trying to convince me that kd isnt more that much skilled? Sorry but i would take kd all da
@@pavaopsihistal6989 Who has EVER said that KD was more skilled then Kobe that's the most hilarious take of the year 🤣🤣🤣 U sound as delusional as Nick Wright my boy 😭
The diligence and work that’s gone into this series is incredible
Haven’t saw the word virtuoso in forever, fits him perfectly. RIP VINO & GIGI💜💛💜💛
Thank you for this video! Kobe's mesmerizing footwork and shooting is the reason I started watching basketball way back when. Loving the series so far.
Really love these types of videos. Have implemented them into my routine and try and absorb and take note of all the tips/knowledge i can get.
If someone told me that Kobe had the most varied scoring skillset / tool kit for a guard I would not argue with that. He was not the most efficient, but his overall array of moves to create for himself was second to none.
100% facts
E BO Jordan : Hold my beer
@@christiansoldier77 it figures someone would try to make it about Jordan. Jordan fanboys can't let anyone else get any acclaim for anything lol.Jordan did not have a more varied scoring skllset and moves than Kobe. Jordan was more athletic, bigger hands, and more consistently efficient with his shot selection that is where his advantages on Kobe were.
Great points
@@eternalboss1046 No you are wrong . Jordan had way skills and tricks than Kobe This is why Jordan was putting up Kobe numbers in his 40s This youtube channel explains just how intelligent and skilled Jordan was kzhead.info/sun/edaffbhqo3NsoYk/bejne.html
The most skilled basketball player ever🙌🏿 RIP🐍4EVA
Friggen love it!!! Such a great vid. Really appreciate the work you put into this one. Kobe bean was my favorite since 1997 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼 8/24 rip
best series on youtube. every time i see one of these on my homepage I get so excited
Homie did not just say that "Kobe was a dangerous penetrator" 😂😂
I feel like he's completely aware when he says stuff like this haha
Lol
Get your mind out the gutter lmao driving to the basket is literally penetrating
@@pierreaoun9600 yup. Like all the gambling references for Jordan, or even the snake analogies for Kobe.
This one ain't even bad, stfu and go back to middle school
This Greatest Peaks episode hits different Thank you for this analysis/breakdown🙏🏽
You’re doing God’s Work my guy. Got me binge watching and the tune you have in the background got me feeling all the vibes.
Thanks for this. My all time favorite, forever. Miss you Bean, Mamba Out but not forgotten 💜💛🙏🏾
The Kobe "Details" series is phenomenal. Never much of a fan of him when he was a player, but his analysis of the game is top-notch
His basketball IQ was Einstein-esque.
@@ludvigwittgenstein6469 Forgot which player it was, but they said watching 10 minutes worth of game film took 2 hours with him because he was constantly pausing, rewinding and explaining what was done right/wrong in that sequence and what could be done better if it wasn't done correctly.
Kobe was one of the more intelligent guys who didn't go to college
@@beattheodds6219 to do basically anything (team sports included) at an elite level requires intelligence. Lebron, MJ, and Kobe are all very smart, which is part of what made them very successful bball players
@@beattheodds6219 Probably the most INTELLIGENT in the league who didn't go to college. Basketball IQ WINNING an Oscar Business developer Speaking 3 languages fluently Story telling A renaissance man at heart!
I just love the content you produce, best in the business
And it's not even close
Thanks for uploading it one year after he passed away. RIP Kobe... My GOAT.
This is awesome content, thank you for all your hard work on this Ben!
6:53 That's just ridiculous! And in the playoff OT too. This guy was the definition of clutch!
no
@@JohnWick-xt9fiyes
I hated and loved him. Now I miss him 😭. Great analysis, as always!!
Fantastic video, as always. Great series. Even though it probably won't classify as one of the "Greatest Peaks", I would love this type of video analysis about Steve Nash MVP seasons. Keep up the good work!
Thank you for posting this on the eve of his tragic death. This is a beautiful tribute.
Never thought i'd say this. Looks like he was actually an underrated passer/playmaker he wasn't as bad as people make it up to be. He's not a Magic, CP3 or even Lebron type of passer but he can throw some dimes in there. Nice video!
Kobe was a great passer, but a little too selfish and not trusting of his teammates at times (with good reasons)
He was never a “bad” passer. He just routinely didn’t make passes he was capable of making for the more difficult shots. And no definitely nowhere near Magic, CP3, or “even” LeBron.
This is the most complete and exquisite account of Kobe's abilities. Thank you, Sir!
These videos are phenomenal I can't wait to watch them all as a series to watch the evolution of the game
Kobe highlights always make me cry. He is my favorite player and I didn't appreciate him while he was here. I barely watched him play the last 2 years. Forgive me GOAT. K824LIFE
I feel like his game had grown even more by 2012-2013, despite the failures of the team itself, which is one of my favorite seasons ever by any player. Also the master of impacting the game in ways which can't be measured, of the "human" component in the game. For example, in many of his games that I've seen, he would very often start 1st quarter letting his teammates find their rhytm before progressively getting into scoring mode through second and third quarters.
Agreed, that 2013 season was like a beautiful movie that ends in tragedy..
If that Lakers team wasn't ass Kobe is in the MVP race that year no doubt. Pretty sure Kobe himself said 12-13 was his best season.
You produce high quality content. Thanks a lot
Absolutely love this series. Kobe is my favorite player of all time and this episode definitely did him justice. A cool idea after this series would be "Greatest Teams". Similar to this but analyzing the greatest teams of all time and why they were so successful.
Your content isn't amazing, its phenomenal! No one else does basketball content like this, anywhere! I've been a sub for a while and Patreon member too. Thank you!
I smile with a tear in my eye reliving him hit those impossible shots.
Great video sir. RIP Kobe ❤️
Man, your vids are some of the best out there analyzing the game and the players in depth, kudos for that! Can you do one on Iverson? I have been playing and watching basketball for decades, but yesterday yt queued me a full 76ers game and after all these years and the PG Era, Iverson still looks phenomenal. Young dudes now probably don't know how great he was and AI deserves more recognition.
oooo man. I'm always waiting for new videos from you. the best analytical videos ever.
I know you’re busy with these fantastic videos, but I’d love to see a quick ones on your 2021 season thoughts so far
Kobe is the most skilled player EVER. name another player who has MJ's fadeaway, Hakeem's dream shake, Iverson's crossover, can go to the rack in a dr. J's fashion, can shoot the three, can use both hands around the rim, a really good passer (you haven't watched full laker games if you think otherwise), and has DEFENSE. best student of the game.
Great objective breakdown man this is quite impressive
Can't believe all this content is free. Thank you very much
One of Kobes most overlooked trait is his persistence and pscholigical pressure he imposes on opponents. This factor is one of most special yet cant be quantified by "analytics". His inteligence where he picks and chooses to play spirit crushing D to swing momentum of a game was also a key factor how lakers dominated those years.
yea but what the analytics don’t show the eyes can see
My all time Favorite player, offensive virtuoso, My idol RIP Kobe
I think this is probably the most accurate assessment of Kobe’s game. I think this entire series might be the best basketball content out there right now.
Best Basketball channel in yt, this channel is highly underrated.
Kobe’s post game, footwork, passing skills, off-hand shooting, ball-handling skills, and ability to call audibles at the last second were all criminally underrated facets of his game.
Shame he was such a crap shooter.
Is an episode on Dirk coming? That man changed the game forever!
i think he'll do curry next and then it has to be dirk!
25:51 guys.. he always previews who the next episode will be about in the end. Dirk could come after KG, would kind of make sense I guess.
I'd love to see it but I don't think he will make a video on him. He isn't good enough defensively. Let's not forget that he didn't do Malone and Barkley
@@jekkt curry would have to be one of the last ones
@@arthurdiserbeau1736 that wouldn't matter tbh cause he did magic remember, charles and malones offense just wasnt transcendent hence why he didnt do them I'm just curious as to what stretch of lebron will he use cause arguably 2011 to 2018 are all geat
I can’t help but keep watching this over and over agian
I swear this series is getting better and better with each new episode.
Most skilled and practiced player to ever grace the court. The statistics will never show how damn difficult his shot selection was. Too many people want to play like Kobe, without ever putting in the work he did to get there.
SuperCatacta Kobe wasnt even the most skilled player in laker history and he damn sure wasnt more skilled Jordan
@@christiansoldier77 Uhh... Yes, he is. You need a chill pill.
@@christiansoldier77 Kobe took all of Jordan's moves. As said by jordan himself. And then built upon them to get even more creative as an offensive weapon. Was he a better overall player than jordan? Probably not because he was less athletic/explosive and had worse defense. But it wouldn't be a lie to say he had a more skilled offensive repertoire, because he practiced more than any other human being including the great Michael Jordan.
@@SuperCatacata Ummm Kobe did steal a lot from Jordan which means he is an imitation Jordan and the imitation is never better than the original Go to this youtube channel which shows just how brilliant Jordan was kzhead.info/sun/edaffbhqo3NsoYk/bejne.html
I loved this analysis of Kobe. Hakeem was my favorite player and when you bring up each players area of concern with these stars, I just kind of have a mini mental-fit, and it happened here too. All of these were true greats and there's hardly any equipoised balanced analysis/opinions of Kobe out there. Personally, I couldn't think of a better player to compete against then the Black Mamba.
Kobe was hated because he dared to be like Mike and actually pulled it off. One ring short, but very close. Kobe > Lebron
This is the most spot on Kobe breakdown I’ve ever seen. So fair.
This is a very accurate breakdown, I do think that 2003 was his actually prime merging his peak athleticism before surgeries with his skills..a breakdown on that season..and how added strength, burst effected his overall game would be sick. Great job bro. 🐍
2006 Kobe: #1 in PI ORAPM (by a distance) #1 in NPI ORAPM #1 in offensive on/off (+18.9...highest mark ever recorded) #1 in O-PIPM (by a distance) #1 ORPM (by a distance) #1 in O-RAPTOR (by a distance) Probably the greatest and most underrated offensive season of the post-Jordan era (outside of 2016 Curry)
You can make an argument for Mj being the goat, but Kobe is the most skilled player of all time
You can easily argue AI, Dirk, KD, Hakeem are all as or more skilled
@@hardwoodthought1213 Curry is definitely more skilled than all of those guys.
@@nickmclawhorn5559 Curry is up there, Kyrie is more skilled than Curry tho
@@hardwoodthought1213 if that’s so, then why is Curry a better offensive player, despite having no obvious physical advantage?
@@nickmclawhorn5559 Skill doesn’t equate to impact. Curry is a top 15 player ever, Kyrie isn’t top 75. But Kyrie is a better ball-handler, better finisher at the rim (arguable best ever for his size), better mid-range shooter
Kobe is my favorite player and always will be. A detailed breakdown of what made him special is very appreciated especially since fools these days love to use stats and analytics to tear him down.
Going off on the themes of your latest pod: Kobe probably had some of the best "feel" and "instincts" in one-on-one or finishing situations, but most of his 5 on 5 stuff was more methodical and reactionary, as if he'd been taught or self-learned. I don't know if Kobe had the same "anticipatory" feel like Bird, Magic, Lebron and Luka when came to all 10 players on the court. You knocked out of the park with the podcast this week, by the way. Just amazing stuff.
I cried a little bit watching this...RIP Kobe
I like how a lot of the footage here is from his 81 point game
This series keeps getting better and better
Thank you for the greatest peak series!!!!
Kobe's stats don't paint him as the most efficient player ever, that's because of the type of shots he took, no doubt. He could have passed up on those shots and his box scores would have read a lot better, but his desire to make those shots is what gave him such resiliency in the playoffs. How do you guard a guy who has spent the whole regular season taking and making incredibly difficult shots. He's one of those guys that with the championship on the line and a short clock to make something happen, you can give him the ball and he will find a way, he will take that shot and believe with every ounce of his being that it's going in. I really find it very hard to know where to put him all time, but I know that it was an honour to watch his career so closely, and that if the game was still played how Kobe played it, we would be watching better basketball.
Hardest working player in NBA history. MJ and Kobe will always be my favorites. They were both artist on the basketball floor.
great video as usual TB. RIP KB
Amazing video thank you for the effort
I think what makes kobe's efficiency more impressive is his shot selection. He consistently shot above league average efficiency, despite like 85% of his shots being heavily contested or over double teams.
Kevin Kobe wasnt efficient
@@christiansoldier77 For his era, yes.
@@christiansoldier77 If Kobe wasn't efficient neither was Michael or Lebron. Kobe shot 55 TS% for his career while MJ shot 56%. Lebron is shooting 58% TS.
@@DavidJimenez-he1tv I see your point, but what is the cut-off for what makes someone "efficient" then? 60%?
@@eternalboss1046 Above league average for the era. Kobe was definitely above league average for his era. So was MJ, and so is Bron. By saying Kobe wasn’t efficient, you’re automatically inviting yourself to call these all-time greats inefficient as well. Which is certainly not the case
Great analysis as usual. Will you also do a Wade and CP3 in this series as well? Those two are probably the best all around guards in the league for the mid 2000s to early 2010s
He won't do Dwade or Cp3 or Harden. Their advanced netrics are better than alot of players he chose but bc he doesn't value them. He won't do them
I never thought about it that way when I was younger. I did hear how he had to “evolve” his game as he got older, but throughout his career I did notice that while as a big Kobe fan, he just did...something differently than Jordan. Seeing that it really was his lack of a Jordan-like first step is a good indicator of what that was despite how quick he seemed.
In terms of evidence based cold hard basketball content there is no equal to this channel. Awesome series!!
Alejandro Romero No he makes a lot of mistakes with his analysis