Magic Johnson speaking at Albany University:
“Everybody’s always asking, ‘Who is better between Kobe (Bryant) and LeBron?’ I’m like, Are you kidding me? I’m like, you’re kidding me … Kobe, five championships; LeBron, zero.”
Magic on comparisons to the great Michael Jordan:
“Come on, man, six championships for Jordan. You know that Michael averaged over 30 points every playoff series? Don’t try to touch that,” he said.
{ 1 comment }
Yes – the Black Mamba could become the Nero Mambismo. For those of you who doubt this story, take note that Kobe lived in Italy when his dad played there.
Also Kobe is > fluent in Italiano.
{ 0 comments }
Couldn’t agree more with basketball superstar Kobe Bryant on why someone should love Barcelona:
“I’ve always loved the way that they play. They play as a unit. They play together. They play creatively. And they play hard.”
So true. I especially like the last line – that they play hard. People forget that. They forget about Barcelona’s work rate and forget about tough guys like defender Carles Puyol.
Barcelona has during the last year been unfairly branded as a diving team – an accusation orchestrated by the shameless and manipulative Real Madrid manager, Jose Mourinho – but nothing could be further from the truth. The truth is that Barca players cannot help but go to ground when their opponents resort to physical and illegal tactics. And the other truth is that – as mentioned above by Kobe – the team would have won nothing without being tough and playing hard.
It’s a beautiful and unbeatable combo in soccer: skill and toughness. It’s the combo that in my opinion has made Barcelona the best team in the world and one of the best teams of all time.
Hey wait – those are the very things that for so many years made Kobe Bryant the best basketball player in the world.
Kobe and Barcelona – a beautiful match.
{ 0 comments }
Kobe with Puyol and Busquets
It’s the off-season and the NBA has locked-out it’s players, so what’s a player to do? Well, if you’re Kobe Bryant you go into fan mode and do a few interviews.
Kobe was front and centre - actually on the field – on Saturday as his beloved Barcelona faced Manchester United in a friendly at FedEx Field in Washington.
And he was in ESPN’s studio’s for an interview in which he was asked his opinion on Lebron James. His response? The world needs to lay-off of Lebron and “let him play”. I guess that Kobe has forgotten about “the Decision” and all of that nonsense that Lebron heaped upon himself. And I guess he wants the world to forget too. I guess that’s to be expected during a time of player union solidarity. Wonder if he’ll go as easy on Lebron when the league resumes?
The other interesting notion that comes up in the interview is that Kobe expects his team to win next year. So typically Kobe but can the squad do it? And can he? While he’s had a superb career, he seems to be less and less part of the best player debate as he ages and the days pass.
{ 0 comments }
Deadly Black Mamba shoes which defeated Lebron
There was a moment in yesterday’s NBA All-Star game which – for now at least – settled the argument of who may be the best player in the world and which may be the best basketball shoes in the world.
It was the third-quarter and the West’s Kobe Bryant had taken off alone on a fast break – with the East’s Lebron James in hot pursuit.
Kobe seemed to have enough of a step on James – and enough speed – to just keep going but he seemed to slow-down a bit and let James just about catch-up.
It seemed like a tease.
Because an instant after he let James gain enough ground to go for a block, Bryant finished off a tight but deadly dunk.
It was kind of eerie – and maybe cruel.
Was that the Black Mamba at work?
For those of you who don’t know, that is the name and persona of the new Nike Kobe VI basketball shoe.
And it was the Black Mamba shoe which Kobe was wearing as he was pursued by Lebron – who was hauling ass in his Nike Air Max LeBron 8 V2 shoes.
Nike Lebron 8 v2 All-Star Shoes
A Black Mamba is actually a snake – an African snake which is one of the most feared – and fastest – snakes in the world.
Black Mamba: One of the deadliest snakes in the world
And on that fast break at the Staples Center in LA, the Black Mamba seemed to first tease and then deliver it’s quick, deadly poison.
Kobe’s East team went on to win the game over the West and Kobe himself was – for the fourth time in his career – named All-Star Game MVP.
Kobe was so Kobe in this game. So competitive. Not behaving the way most players do in All-Star games. Maybe it was because the game was being played on his turf in LA and he wanted everyone to know that he was the master of his domain, the King of his court. Not King James (Lebron). Not the LA Clippers’ Blake Griffin who wowed LA with his dunking prowess on Saturday night.
No – Kobe. The Black Mamba. His town. His court. His game. His MVP. You could tell he really wanted it.
And when has he not wanted it? Wanted to win? Wanted to be the best?
You gotta be careful with a Black Mamba – because they are mean and quick and deadly. And they like to win every battle.
This is yet another lesson for Lebron I guess – every basket matters, every game matters – if you want to become the best. The very best.
Kobe knows that, believes that – and that’s why even at his age, he remains the best player in the world and – can we say it – the Black Mambas are the best basketball shoes in the world?
{ 3 comments }
