There are two myths about Kobe that need to stop now.
1) Kobe's a "shot Jacker":
This is simply untrue. FACT. Kobe averages 19.6 shots per game for his career, less than Lebron, Jordan, wilkins, iverson. Kobe has led the league in fga averages only 3 TIMES in his 18 year career. 2005-2006, 2006-2007, 2011-2012. While Jordan, in only 12 years with the bulls, led the league in fga averages a whopping seven times. IMO Jordan is the greatest of all time. Yet he led the league in fga averages 7 times, more than double compared to Kobe (in his long 18 year career). Does that take away from Jordan's greatness? No. Should it take away from Kobe's greatness? No.
2) "Kobe rode Shaq for three rings." This is so unfair to Kobe it's ridiculous. Let's put things into perspective here. Starting from the lakers 1999-2000 season (first
championship of the 3 peat) to last final appearance with Shaq, 2003-2004, Kobe averaged 26 ppg 6 rpg and 5.4 apg during the regular season. Now really, are those sidekick averages?
lol. Just imagine if Shaq wasn't there, what do you think his numbers would look like than? Some might say Shaq carried the team during the playoffs. Kobes playoffs averages from those years, 26 ppg 5.4 rpg and 5.1 apg. Shaqs averages during the playoffs from 2000-2004? 27.5 ppg, 14.2 rpg 3 apg.
The 1999-2000
championship run is where Shaq completely dominated across all statistical categories and was clearly number #1. Still Kobe put up 21 5 and 5. And in the first round against the kings, Kobe averaged similar numbers to Shaq in terms of scoring, averaging 27.8 ppg 4.5 rebounds 3.6 apg on 50% shooting. And in the finals, let's not forget Kobe injuring his ankle, leaving him out one game (which they lost) , playing only 9 minutes in the game he injured his ankle, and playing 3 final games on a sprained ankle. And still people completely under estimate Kobe's importance during this final series. Everyone SEEMS to forget his GAME 4 Takeover with shaq on the bench who fouled out. They won by a meager 2 points in overtime. If the lakers lost this game and Indiana won game 5 like they did, the Lakers would be DOWN 3-2 in the finals. Think about that for a second and realize how important that game was.
In 2000-2001 nba playoff run it becomes MORE apparent that Kobe Bryant was a top dog. BEFORE the finals, Kobe averaged 31.6 ppg on 49%from the field along with 7rpg and 6.2 apg. The best teams that they faced that year in the playoffs was not the sixers, It was the KINGS AND SPURS, the best two teams besides the lakers in there conference (kings 55 wins number 3, spurs 58 wins number 1). Kobe played even better against them averaging a crazy 34.1 ppg on 50% shooting, 8 rpg and 5.6 apg. Shaq was no scrub either. Shaq averaged 29.3 ppg 15.3 rpg and 2.5 apg before the finals in 2000-2001 playoff run. Against the spurs and kings, Shaq averaged 30.1 ppg, 15.1 rpg and 2.4 apg. All incredible statistics. But during the playoff run KOBE was the best player on the team. Only when it came to the finals Shaq took over, averaging 33 ppg 16 rpg 5 apg and a crazy 3.4 blocks along with that. On the other hand Kobe averaged 25ppg 8rpg and 6 apg along with 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks in the finals. Compare this to Lebrons final statistics this year against the spurs where he won finals mvp. They are BASICALLY the same exact stats except for a difference in 2 rebounds. But Shaq was so dominate in the finals that Kobe was overshadowed and underappreciated. And seriously, besides iverson, who did philly have? And who could stop shaq? A old and skinny dikembe motombo? Shaq got the finals MVP but in reality, against BETTER teams, Kobe showed up more in the playoffs. But let me guess, since kobe didn't get that "finals MVP", hater's are still going to think Kobe as a sidekick? Huh?
In 2001-2002, last
championship in the Kobe-Shaq era, Shaq averaged 26.4 ppg with 12.7 rpg , 2.6 apg, 2.5 bpg and .5 steals. Kobe, before the Nba Finals, averaged 26.6 ppg, 6 rpg, and 4.4 assists along with 1.4 steals and 1 bpg. Was Kobe a sidekick during this run too? It looks like kobe equaled Shaq in output besides in rebounds.. again. And then the Lakers faced the nets, where Jason Kidd was their leading rebounder.... lmao. And there big man was Todd MacCoulloch and Kenyon Martin....ohh and lets not forget Jason Collins! Shaq averaged a ridiculous 36.3 ppg 12.3 rpg and 4 assists along with 2.8 blocks in the finals. Kobe again averaged some exceptional stats in the finals, 27 ppg on only 17.5 fga per game along with 6 rpg and 5.3 assists going 52% from the field, 54% from the 3, and 80 from the line. What's funny about that is, kobe shot 17.5 fieldgoals a game during the finals, Shaq shot a ridiculous 17 FREE THROW ATTEMPTS a game during the finals, almost attempting more free throws than kobe attempted shots. And again, in a ridiculously easy finals matchup for Shaq and the lakers as a whole, the Big Diesel got another finals mvp.
In all honestly, if you're unbiased, you would see how valuable Kobe was during that 3 peat run and know he definitely wasn't a sidekick, and even in some cases, outperformed Shaq on the biggest stages. This myth that Kobe "rode shaq for 3 rings" comes from Shaq receiving 3 finals mvps against ridiculously easy matchups in the finals. But on the way there, Kobe usually played as big or if not bigger than Shaq. And lets not forget Kobe's Defense when he was younger. Shaq, a subpar defender, could easily just hold his own because of his size. Kobe on the other hand Was on the first team all defensive in 1999-2000, and 2001-2002, making a second team all defensive in 2000-2001...