Kobe Bryant’s trump card over Michael Jordan is his incredible 35 ppg and first-team all-defensive season!
Kobe Bryant’s defensive prowess is rarely talked about. He once averaged 35 and made the first team totally defensive!
Five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant has had a long and decorated career. A prolific scorer, Bryant is conventionally known for his ability to score a basket.
‘Bean’ is a coveted member of the ’10 Greatest Scorers in NBA History’, ranking fourth behind only Kareem Abdul Jabbar, LeBron James and Karl Malone.
The fact is, even though Shaquille O’Neal was the star of a Los Angles Lakers team that dominated the NBA in the early 2000s, Bryant was an integral part of their success.
The Lakers three-time championship between 2000 and 2002 had the duo of ‘Shaq’ and Kobe at the helm of their success.
The pair absolutely terrified the NBA during this period.
The ‘All-Stars’ were influential in revolutionizing an entire generation of players. Their achievements and approach to the game led them to great heights.
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Kobe Bryant is one of the best two-way players of all time!
Despite his scoring prowess, the ‘Black Mamba’ often goes unnoticed in any debate that arises centered on the subject of defense in the NBA.
The Lakers legend’s love for the game of basketball made him master the craft of both phases of the offensive and defensive game. In essence, the total package.
In 2005, Bryant averaged 27 points per game (PPG), six assists, and rebounds each. However, Kobe was excluded from the ‘All-Defensive’ teams. The following season, ‘Bean’ finished fifth in the ‘All-Defensive’ team votes.
After not being part of an all-defensive team in 2005, Kobe Bryant finished fifth in all-defensive team voting in 2006.
Only player in NBA history to average more than 35 points per game being the first team All Defense. pic.twitter.com/zXyJveqgBM
— KobeFiles (@KobesFiles) September 5, 2022
In fact, Bryant would go on to make history that season. He became the first player to average more than 35 PPG while a member of the All-Defensive First Team. A season for the ages.
His impeccable understanding of player position, movement, spacing and timing made it difficult for players to score on ‘Bean’. The 18-time All-Star’s high IQ led him to receive twelve ‘All-Defensive’ selections.
Of which, nine are accredited to be members of the ‘All-Defensive First Team’. A phenomenal feat, for someone who has a reputation for simply being a goalscorer.
Do you think Kobe is underrated among the all-time greats?
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