Once Kobe Bryant officially retires from the NBA, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar may hear his name mentioned a little louder in the debate over which player is the greatest of all-time.
The debate that will rage on forever with no real answer for the best to ever play the game. Bryant makes a case for the distinction after 20 years in the league with five NBA titles to his credit and seemingly endless individual accolades. Although the 37-year-old makes a strong case, Kobe believes these debates are a bit ridiculous whether it be best to ever play or best in the league today.
Before taking on the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night in Oakland, Bryant had a press conference and fielded questions like he’s done all season long. Kobe said the following about debates over the best ever via Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News:
Kobe finds the questions on who's the best NBA player "ridiculous." Kobe: "That's tough. It's like looking at two art pieces side by side."
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) January 15, 2016
With Stephen Curry emerging as a legitimate superstar over the past few years, the sharpshooter has started to get mentioned in these kinds of debates. Curry is already considered to be the best shooter of all-time by many and could be working toward a legacy that puts him in the same category as Bryant when it is all said and done for the 27-year-old.
As for Bryant, the Lakers legend has a legacy that will debated over for many years to come. Kobe is obviously in the upper echelon of players in NBA history, but where he stands among the all-time greats has been a hot topic of discussion as of late.