5'6 Aquille Carr --- The Future of the NBA

At just 5'6 Aquille Carr is tearing up high school basketball. In his freshman season with Patterson High School he averaged 25 points, 8 assists and 5.3 steals per game. That was good enough to get him freshman of the year honors. His best game came against Lake Clifton when he was being guarded by current Memphis Grizzlies bench player Josh Selby. Carr scored 39 points along with 19 assists while being defended by the 7 inches taller Selby. In his sophomore season he lead Patterson High School to a 25-2 record and to the Class 4A state championship game. That season Carr had an incredible 57 point game against Forest Park, where he broke the school's 50 year record for most points in a game. In his junior year he just kept improving as he averaged 31.3 points, 5.6 assists and 4.5 steals per game. His senior year was very similar to his previous two, and it ended with leading his school to a Class 3A state championship. In that game Carr had 28 points, 8 assists, 6 steals and 3 rebounds.

Carr's success is being noticed all around the world. CBS Sports called him "one of the most explosive scorers in the country". ESPN wrote that he's "one of the quickest and [most] explosive players in the country, regardless of class." Sports Illustrated wrote, "He has explosive speed, electric ball handling and court vision that could rival Steve Nash's."

A 5'6 140 pound kid scoring 57 points in a game with a 48 inch vertical leap and the ability to dunk is certainly going to get peoples' attention. He was reportedly offered 26 scholarships at the start of his sophomore season. As well, after averaging 40 points a game with the U.S. junior team in the Junior International Tournament in Italy he was offered $750,000 to leave school and go play professionally for the Italian team Lottomatica Roma. He has decided he will graduate high school (this is his final year) and he has verbally commited to playing for Seton Hall next year. Here are some videos to show just how explosive and talented this young man is.

Why Stoudemire Stands In the Way of a Knicks Postseason Run

The Knicks are hoping to surprise some people and make a deep run in the post season. There is just one thing standing in their way. His name is Amare Stoudemire. Amare was most at fault for the Knicks struggles earlier on this season, and the same problems will likely occur in the postseason. Since Mike Woodson's arrival Stoudmire has barely played because of his injury, and when he does return the Knicks are destined for trouble. Here's why. 

The low point of the season for the Knicks came after losing to the Bulls on March 12th. They were 18-24 which was an embarrassing record for a team of such talent. Two days after that loss D'antoni resigned, and since then the Knicks season has been revived. They're winning a lot more under Mike Woodson and are playing with more passion and effort than they were with D'antoni. Even with the success of the Knicks under Woodson, as I look back at the first 42 games of the Knicks season I realized the Knicks struggles were even more Stoudemire's than D'antoni's.

Up to that point the Knicks had been a tale two teams. One team that is 10-23, and one that is 8-1.

The 10-23 team is an unexcited and unenerergized group that is stagnant on offense and plays minimal defense. This is a team with chemistry problems and with guys that just don't play well together. This is a mix of egos, between Amare Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler, and even at times Jeremy Lin.

The second team, the team that went 9-1, is a completely different story. This is a team that is very willing to share the ball, and that plays great team defense. This team features a lot of Jared Jeffries, Billy Walker, Steve Novak and Iman Shumpert, and even with the lack of star power these guys work great together. These guys are easily excited and show emotion after virtually every play.

There was tons of blame going around about why the Knicks weren't able to play to their potential (which they're now doing). Some of the blame was on Carmelo Anthony for not passing enough and some was on D'antoni for poor coaching. Both of these men were at fault for the Knicks struggles, more D'antoni than Carmelo, which has been proved by the success the Knicks have had since D'antoni's resignation. The real blame though should have been on Amare Stoudemire.

This aging superstar has never been a fit in New York. He was the main reason for the stagnant offense which has cursed the Knicks all season. He's also liability on defense. Opponents intentionally target him as a guy to score on, which has been done successfully many times this year. The lack of defense and the stagnant offense he brings to the Knicks are the two things that have killed the Knicks all season. Since Stoudemire's recent injury the Knicks have looked like a new team, just like they seemingly do every time Stoudemire isn't playing. That's why the Knicks made a huge mistake not trading Amare at the trade deadline, and they should trade him in the off season.

You may be asking; But who will become the team's power forward? Jared Jeffries. Jeffries is a very unselfish passer who plays unbelievable defense and always hustles. He's almost the very opposite of Stoudemire. You may also be asking; But you have no proof the team struggles because of Stoudemire!!? Wrong. The Knicks are 5-18 when Stoudemire shoots more than 12 times in a game, and 4-15 when Stoudemire plays more than 35 minutes. On the contrary when Jared Jeffries plays more than 20 minutes in a game the Knicks are 12-6. If the Knicks want to make a run in the postseason, they need to play Jared Jeffries and Steve Novak a lot more than Amare Stoudmire. 

Why Nash Could End Up in Orlando Next Season

According to CBS sports and Sports Illustrated during Dwight Howard's weeks of indecision about whether to re-sign in Orlando or not he asked the Orlando Magic front office to pursue 38 year old 2 time MVP Steve Nash.

Both Nash and Howard stayed with their respective teams, but a Nash to Orlando move could be in the horizon. This summer Nash is a free-agent. He has stated that he wants to win a title right now, and that he won't be returning to the Suns if their isn't significant improvement to their roster (which isn't likely). Nash would be a very good fit in Orlando, with a team similar to Phoenix just many, many times better. Just like phoenix the Magic are a team of sharp shooters, and have a dominant center. Nash would fit in right away, and would likely take this team from a mediocre playoff team to a serious title contender. 

Nash has averaged the most assists per game in the NBA thus far, and has made guys like Jared Dudley and Marcin Gortat look spectacular (though Gortat is pretty good). Nash's passing ability and Howards finishing ability would make them a 1-2 punch no defense would want to play against.

The team Nash ends up with will be a big part of this years off season, and Orlando seems like the best possible fit for the future hall of famer. 

Thunder Wrong to Decline Trade for Dwight Howard

Brian K. Schmit, a Magic insider recently tweeted that the Oklahoma City Thunder have recently turned down a trade that would send Dwight to OKC and James Harden and Ibaka to the Magic. There may have been other players or cash involved in the trade to bring the Thunder below the salary cap, but if a trade involving mainly these players was purposed and declined by the Thunder as Schmit suggested, than the Thunder may be regretting this decision for a long time. There are lots of positives and negatives for the Thunder about this trade, here they are.

Positives: Dwight Howard is much better than any other center in the NBA. His incredible size and shot blocking ability makes it very difficult to drive the lane, and Howard's defensive ability is shown by his 3 defensive player of the year awards in the last 3 years. Dwight also has incredible scoring and rebounding abilities. That has been shown by his seven 20 rebound 20 point games this year, and his incredible 23 rebound 45 point game against the Warriors. Dwight would give the Thunder what no other contender has, a consistent offensive presence inside. Dwight would give them the very important edge inside over most teams, especially the Heat and Bulls.

Negatives: Right now the Thunder have a great core of players with Durant, Westbrook, Harden and Ibaka. They have some nice depth as well with Thabo Sefaolosha, Nick Collison, and Eric Maynor. This team has been one of the best this year, and has the looks of a being contenders for the next decade. This trade would send two of their talented young pieces to the Thunder for a Dwight Howard. This would give the Thunder three superstars who demand the ball and who demand to get their fair share of shots. That isn't always always a bad thing, but adding Howard to the mix could mess up the chemistry in Oklahoma City.

Analysis: Adding Howard would turn the Thunder from contenders for many years to come into favorites for many years to come. Harden is likely to leave Oklahoma City when his contract expires (because he's too good to be a career 6th man), and Ibaka's shot blocking wouldn't be missed because of Dwights inside presence. This trade could result in the Thunder to struggle with chemistry in the short term, but in the long run this Thunder team would figure out how to play together and would become a multiple championship winning team.

Overall: The Thunder definitely should have accepted this trade, and will likely be regretting declining this trade in the future.

Why The Raptors Will Be A Force in the East Very Soon

The Raptors are one of those teams that people don't pay much attention to. At first glance they seem like one of the worst teams in the NBA and a relatively untalented team with many losing seasons ahead of them. Those people are right and wrong. The Raptors right now are pretty untalented. Their best player has been injured for most of this season and is a seven footer that barely rebounds, and struggles to defend (although he is improving). Other than Bargnani, Calderon, and Derozan the Raptors are a team full of role players. In terms of raw skill, they are the worst in the NBA (yes, worse than the Bobcats). But unlike the Bobcats the Raptors have found a way to get their players to work well together, and have a bright future ahead of them.

This year the Raptors have actually been a good team. With Bargnani the Raptors are 6-7, which if continued throughout the whole season would likely have gotten them a playoff birth. Bargnani's injury forced the Raptors to learn how to play without him though. They struggled at the start but have since figured out how to play without the big seven footer. In the last 16 games the Raptors are 6-10. During that span the Raptors have not lost by more then 7, and have lost in the last seconds to the Knicks, Lakers, Celtics, Magic and Spurs. They have been very close to winning every one of the last 10 losses.

They've had success with great passing, but mostly with great team defense. The Raptors coach, Dwane Casey, who was the genius behind the Mavericks' championship winning defense last year, has been an incredible coach. He's gotten this team from worst in the NBA in team defense to the middle of the pack in the defensive rankings. The more time Casey's had to coach these guys the better they've gotten. This whole season they've only given up more than 100 points 5 times. Last year at that point it had happened 23 times!! The only thing that must improve is the offense.

The Raptors are clearly missing a consistent scorer, a reliable center, and a solid wing player. The consistent scorer is already on the team roster, Andrea Bargnani, and though plagued by injuries he's shown huge improvements this season. The reliable center, Jonas Valanciunas, is tearing up the Lithuanian Leagues and getting ready to join the Raptors next year. The solid wing player will come out of next years draft. The Raptors will likely have a high pick in the draft, and this is a draft packed with small forwards. There are many options, including Perry Jones III, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Harrison Barnes, and Terrence Jones. In my opinion, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is the most likely pick. If he was picked by the Raps this would become their 2012-13 starting lineup.

PG: Jose Calderon
SG: Demar Derozan
SF: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
PF: Andrea Bargnani
C: Jonas Valanciunas
This offensive minded group will work perfectly with Dwane Casey's defensive ingeniousness, and as a result this team will be a force in the east for many years to come.

Michael Jordan Punched Teammate During Practice -- Teammates Explain

Michael Jordan was loved for his competitiveness. His competitiveness was why he always wanted the ball, and demanded that he was the one taking the final shot to win or lose the game for his team. His competitiveness was not loved by everyone though, as his teammates were often on the other side Jordan's raging anger. In this video Jordan and his former teammates discuss some of Jordan's angriest moments, including when he punched teammate Steve Kerr in the face during practice.

Why Chris Paul Has The Edge Over Than Derrick Rose

The NBA is currently stacked with talented point guards, including Deron Williams, Rondo, Nash, Parker, Westbrook and many others. The best two point guards though, without much dispute, are Derrick Rose and Chris Paul. I recently did a poll asking who was better between the two point guards and the results were 47% voted for Chris Paul and 53% voted for Derrick Rose. I decided to figure out myself who was better between the point guards. Here's the comparison in all the main aspects of being a point guard.

Scoring:
Chris Paul: Career Stats: 18.7 ppg -- .472 FG% -- .365 3P%
Chris Paul is a pass first point guard. Paul has the ability to score with his very good jumper and ability to drive, but he isn't as aggresive as he could be. When Paul chooses to he can be a huge scoring threat, but often he feels his team will do better if he passes instead of shoots, so he doesn't shoot as much as he should. Paul has the ability to take over games with his very underrated scoring ability.
Derrick Rose: Career Stats: 21.1 ppg -- .468 FG% -- .312 3P%
Derrick Rose is unbelievable at driving in the lane. He consistently cuts past defenders to the basket, and either gets fouled, makes the shot or passes it out. The only problem with Rose's game is his long distance shooting. His shooting has improved over the last few seasons, and he is now a threat to hit 3's, but is still not making them as consistently as he needs to. Rose is a very aggressive scorer, and is allways looking for the bucket.
Analysis: Chris Paul is a better shooter than Rose, but Rose is much better at driving to the hoop. Rose affects games more with his scoring and is much more aggressive on the scoring end. Rose's outside shooting has improved, and if he could become a more consistent shooter from outside he would become nearly impossible to stop. Chris Paul could put up the amount of points Rose puts up if Paul took more shots, but Paul often chooses to pass instead. Rose's aggressiveness and driving ability gives him the edge over Paul's pass first attitude about scoring.
Score: 10-8 Rose
Passing:
Chris Paul: Career Stats: 9.8 apg-- 2.5 turnovers per game 
Last season the Clippers were 32-50, this year they're 22-13. The reason for that is Chris Paul, but mostly Chris Paul's passing ability. Paul has an uncanny ability to find the open man, and even averaged more then 10 assists a game twice with a fairly untalented Hornets team. Paul makes the players around him better by consistently getting them open looks, and has been in most opinions the leagues best passer over the last five years.
Derrick Rose: Career Stats: 6.8 apg -- 2.9 turnovers per game
Derrick Rose is a good passer, but he's not a Chris Paul caliber passer . He has never averaged more than 8 assists while playing on a very talented Bulls team. Rose gets a lot of assists by driving and dishing the ball out at the last second, which can also be very risky and cause turnovers. Rose has improved his passing throughout his career, and if he can continue to improve his passing at the rate it's improving he'd become one of the best passers in the league.
Analysis: Paul has established himself as one of the best passers in the league, probably the best, while Rose is still trying to improve his passing. Paul plays a pass first version of pg, while Rose plays a more aggressive scoring style, which really affects their assist rates. Paul has gotten more assists and less turnovers with a less talented Hornets team then Rose has had with a very talented Bulls team. Overall Paul's ability to consistently find the open man and make his teammates better without turning the ball over gives him the edge over Rose.
Score: 10-7 Paul
Defense:
Chris Paul: Career Stats: 2.4 steals per game -- 0.1 blocks per game -- 104 defensive rating
Chris Paul throughout his whole career has been at the top of the steals leaders for that year. Paul is a master at picking the pocket of the opponent and using that to turn defense into offense. His 2.4 career steals per game is absolutely remarkable, and he's even had two years where he was very close to 3 steals per game. Paul has lead the league in steals 3 times, and has proved that he's one of the hardest point guards in the NBA to score on.
Derrick Rose: Career Stats: 0.9 steals per game -- 0.4 blocks per game -- 107 defensive Rating
 Derrick Rose's stats may not look too impressive but he is actually a very good defensive stopper. Rose is very quick which helps him stay in front of his man and not let opponents drive by him. Rose is great at stopping players when driving to the basket, and when they're isolation situations, but when the player starts running off picks and shooting Rose struggles to close out on the shooters. Rose plays for one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, so when Rose's defense is struggling he hears about it from teammates, and from defensive coach Tom Thibodeau.
Analysis: Chris Paul and Derrick Rose are very different types are defenders. Paul is known for being one of the best defensive point guards in the league, with his ability to pick his opponents pockets and get big steals. Rose is great at defending players like himself who are often driving to the hoop, but struggles to guard players who are great shooters. Paul's stealing ability gives him the big edge in this category.
Score: 10-7 Paul
Winning/Leadership
Chris Paul: Career Stats/ Achievements: 21.9 ppg, 11.1 apg in playoffs -- .539 reg. season win % -- .474 playoff win %
Plain and simple, Chris Paul is a leader. He's one of the most vocal players to ever play point guard, and if you watch him during the game he is ALWAYS talking. Communication is a big part of basketball and Paul is the master at communication. Whether on offence, defence, or on the bench he's allways directing traffic and telling people where they should go and why while congratulating them. Paul is also a very competitive player, and is has shown that with his clutch ability. Paul has been one of the most underrated clutch performers in the NBA, and has hit various game winners throughout his career.
Derrick Rose: Career Stats/ Achievements: 25.2 ppg, 7.3 apg in playoffs -- .585 reg. season win % -- .464 playoff win %
Derrick Rose is also a leader, but a different kind of leader. Rose doesn't lead with his talking like Paul does and instead leads with his actions. Rose has been a huge part of his teams winning, and his many clutch performances have been his way of leading.
Analysis: The playoff and reg. season win percentages for both players have been pretty equal, and have been pretty average. Though their teams haven't found enormous success in the post season, it certainly hasn't been their faults. Both Paul and Rose improved their assists and points once the playoffs came around, and both players were the reason their teams even made the playoffs. Both Paul and Rose are leaders, though in different ways, and both players have yet to make it past the Conference Finals.
Score: 9-9 Tie

OVERALL Score: 
37-33 Chris Paul

What was Expected vs. What Really Happened on Deadline Day

I wrote an article days before the trade deadline about what the active trade deadline teams were expected to do by most NBA analysts. That article is below and the trades these teams actually made is also included.
With the NBA trade deadline coming up there are tons of different rumours about what trades that could happen. The Celtics, Lakers, Clippers, Timberwolves, Nets and Magic are the teams that will be the most active as the trade deadline emerges. Here are the players that those teams are looking to trade away and looking to receive through trades.
(All this information has come from espn.com, nba.com, bleacherreport.com and deadspin.com)

Boston Celtics: 
Willing to trade away: Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett
Looking to receive: Michael Beasley Josh Smith, Chris Kaman
Analysis: Rondo has been told he won't be traded, and after his montrous game against the Knicks the odds of him being traded are very low. It seems the Celtics are willing to break up their big three though. Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen have both been in many trade rumours, with the most likely to be traded being Ray Allen. The Celtics were looking to receive Josh Smith for the likes of Ray Allen, but the Hawks were not liking the idea. The Celtics are trying to land a talented young big man but are struggling to make a deal.
What really happened: Nothing.

Los Angeles Lakers: 
Willing to trade away: Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Draft Picks
Looking to receive: Michael Beasley, Raymond Felton, Kirk Hinrich, Ramon Session, Dwight Howard, Steve Nash
Analysis: The Lakers need a point guard. Of the names above Sessions is the most likely to land in LA and is actually a very good player who's stuck behind Kyrie Irving in Cleveland. Also a Beasley for a first rounder deal was offered and declined, but LA may still end up with Beasley by the trade deadline.
What really happened: Received: Jordan Hill, Ramon Sessions Traded away: Derrick Fisher, 1st round pick (Dallas), and a protected 1st round pick.

Los Angeles Clippers:

Willing to trade away: Randy Foye, Eric Bledsoe, Ryan Gomes, Draft Picks
Looking to receive: Ray Allen, Jamal Crawford, virtually any solid SG available
Analysis: Chauncey Billups' injury left a gaping whole in the SG position for the Clippers. Ray Allen and Jamal Crawford are two guys who the Clips looking to trade for, and they might need to trade away Randy Foye and some draft picks to get either of those guys.
What really happened: Received: Nick Young Traded Away: Brian Cook and "possible draft pick"

Minnesota Timberwolves:

Willing to trade away: Michael Beasley
Looking to receive: Pau Gasol, Draft Picks
Analysis: Michael Beasley and his huge contract just doesn't fit in Minnesota. The Timberwolves are aggresively trying to shop Beasley, and could get draft picks in return. Minnesota is also looking to receive Gasol in a larger deal with the Lakers.
What really happened: Nothing

New Jersey Nets:

Willing to trade away: Anyone but Deron Williams
Looking to receive: Dwight Howard
Analysis: The Nets really want Dwight Howard. They will trade away anyone on their team except for their exceptional point guard Deron Williams, for the big Howard. The Nets are the current front-runner in the Dwight Howard Sweepstakes.
What really happened: Received: Gerald Wallace Traded Away: Mehmet Okur, Shawne Williams, future first round pick
Orlando Magic: 

Willing to trade away: Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, Hedo Turkoglu
Looking to receive: Monta Ellis, Draft Picks
Analysis: The situation for the Magic is a complicated one. They are trying to get good players in Orlando to play with Dwight so that when the summer comes Dwight will want to stay. The problem is that most teams don't want to trade any good players to Orlando because they want to receive Dwight back in return. Orlando doesn't have good enough players outside of Dwight to trade for another good player, so Orlando might end up trading Dwight to a team like the Nets, Warriors or Rockets for a number of good young players.
What really happened: Dwight decided to stay in Orlando for another year. 

The Dwight Trade That Will See Nash in Toronto

Firstly I would like to say if you have a reason why this trade couldn't or wouldn't happen, please comment and tell me. The above is a trade that I think could, and should be done before the trade deadline. Most of the players involved in this trade have been involved in trade rumors and are unhappy in their current surroundings. This four team trade would really affect all these teams, but all in a good way. Each team is recieving 3 players, and each team is recieving players they need to be a contender in the future. This trade would work with the salary cap, and is a trade these teams should all consider to make them better. Here's how the trade would go down:

LA Lakers Receive: Dwight Howard (C) Andrea Bargnani (C/PF) Jamal Magloire (C)
LA Lakers Trade Away: Pau Gasol (PF) Andrew Bynum (C)

Analysis: This trade would instantly make the Lakers one of the main contenders in the West. Kobe's scoring ability matched with Howards inside presence and Bargnani's amazing shooting would be absolutely lethal. Howard and Bargnani would be an upgrade from Bynum and Gasol, which is mainly why the deal would be done. Also although the Lakers would not receive one of their main needs, a point guard, this trade would still make their team a lot better.

Orlando Magic Receive: Andrew Bynum (C) Jose Calderon (PG) Michael Redd (SG)
Orlando Magic Trade Away: Dwight Howard (C) Jameer Nelson (PG) J.J. Redick (SG)

Analysis: This deal is a dream come true for the Magic. They get an upgrade at the point guard spot going from Nelson to Calderon, and although they trade away the best center in the league they get the second best center in the league in return. The Magic would mainly do this deal because they know if they don't trade Dwight now he would most likely sign somewhere else during the summer and the Magic would get nothing in return.

Phoenix Suns Receive: Pau Gasol (PF) Jameer Nelson (PG) Justin Harper (C/PF)
Phoenix Suns Trade Away: Steve Nash (PG) Marcin Gortat (C) Michael Redd (SG)

Analysis: It's no secret that the Suns are looking to rebuild after this season. Pheonix has actually done pretty well this year, but it's all thanks to Steve Nash. Nash is getting old and there is currently no good option at backup point guard (Sebastian Telfair is not a good option) which is a large worry for the Suns. This trade would bring in a point guard who could be a solid player for many years to come, and also brings in Pau Gasol who could really thrive if given more touches then he currently gets with the Lakers.

Toronto Raptors Receive: Steve Nash (PG) Marcin Gortat (C) J.J. Redick (SG)
Toronto Raptors Trade Away: Andrea Bargnani (C/PF) Jose Calderon (PG) Jamal Magloire (C)


Analysis: The team that would be the most hesitant to pull the trigger on this trade would be the Raptors. They would be giving up their two best players, and receiving a 38 year old Nash as the main prize in return. I think this deal would be very smart for the Raptors though. This trade would turn the Raptors into a much younger and more skilled version of the current Suns, which could be a contender. Also Nash would be a perfect mentor for Jerryd Bayless, who is a great scorer just struggles at sharing the ball, and who would eventually turn into the Raptors starting point guard. This trade would turn the Raptors into an instant playoff team, and would give them a lot of hope for the future. Also Nash might want to be part of the Raptors to end his carer because he's from Canada, and because the Raptors have a good upcoming team.

New Starting Fives: In my opinion all these starting fives are improved from the current starting fives.

Orlando Magic:
PG: Jose Calderon
SG: Jason Richardson
SF: Hedo Turkoglu
PF: Ryan Anderson
C: Andrew Bynum

Los Angelas Lakers:
PG: Derrick Fisher
SG: Kobe Bryant
SF: Metta World Peace
PF: Andrea Bargnani
C: Dwight Howard

Phoenix Suns:
PG: Jameer Nelson
SG: Grant Hill
SF: Jared Dudley
PF: Pau Gasol
C: Channing Frye

Toronto Raptors:
PG: Steve Nash
SG: J.J. Redick
SF: Demar Derozan
PF: Amir Johnson
C: Marcin Gortat

Kobe is the Most Overrated Player in the NBA

Kobe Bryant. Fierce competitor, a winner, and one of the top 10 scorers ever. But at the same time is one of the top ten most overrated players ever. Kobe is often in the "Best Player Ever" conversation which is absolutely ridiculous. Kobe has shot too much throughout his career, which has often hurt his team. At the same time though, Kobe has a competitive edge to him which people love, and which often intimidates opponents. Kobe's a great player, but has definitave and very important negatives and positives to his game.

Positives: Notable achievements: 5 nba championships, 2 nba finals mvp, 1 regular season mvp, 2 scoring championships, 14 time allstar, 11 time all devensive team, 81 points in a game.

There are many things to love about Kobe. He's a winner. There's no one in the NBA that wants to win more then him, and that will do anything to win like he will. Miss or make he'll always demand taking the final shot, and a lot of the time he does make it. Kobe has won two championships without Shaq, showing he can win without him. Kobe can shoot from anywhere on the court, making him very hard to stop. Lastly, and most importantly Kobe puts the team on his back and gets his team succes.

Negatives: Notable Stats: Career .45% shooter, career 4.2 assists per game, since Shaq's departure Kobe's averaged 22 shots per game
Kobe's problem has been different in different years. In the Shaq era his problem was he was not clutch at all. Every time the playoffs came around Kobe's production would decrease forcing Shaq to score more, which did end up happening. Once Shaq left another problem arose. Kobe's teamwork. From 2004 to 2007 the Lakers had no supporting cast, so the team was awful. Kobe seldom passed the ball, and took a ton of shots. No one had a problem with it in those days because Kobe had no good players to pass to. In the next few years the Lakers got Bynum (all-star) Pau Gasol (all-star) Ron Artest (all-star), Derek Fisher and Trevor Ariza. As well Lamar Odom started playing to his full potential. Even with all the star power on his team in the last 4 seasons Kobe has only averaged 4.4 assists per game. Kobe does not pass enough, and even when he does he's not very good at getting open shots for teammates.

Reasons for Being Overrated: Elite players make their teammates better. Kobe doesn't do that nearly as much as other of the best players in the league. He's a great shooter but plain and simply shoots too much. For example this season generally the more Kobe shoots the ball, the less successful the team has been. Kobe's lack of teamwork takes him out of the top 10 players ever, and the top 5 players right now. Kobe is an incredible player, but is not as good as people make him out to be. It also makes him one of the most overrated players ever.