Kobe Bryant had the reputation of being a ball hog – this stat refutes that claim and shows him in a different light.
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Hero ball, a minimum of 3 people surrounding him but the shot still goes in. That is exactly how one would describe Kobe Bean Bryant and his highlight reels. But that could not be further from the truth, because he just wanted to win, any way possible.
Until James Harden overtook him, Kobe was the highest-ranked Shooting Guard on the All-time list. With 6306 assists, the Black Mamba finished higher than Jerry West. Always known as the one to score, Kobe was a low-key great passer. Towards the end of his career, yeah he started taking like 30 shots a game, but his career average never really dipped below that 4.5 assists a game mark.
Kobe is probably one of the few people who averaged the same in both the playoffs and the regular season, 4.7 APG. He did so, leading the Lakers 4 times in his 5 championships for assists. A shooting guard leading the assists category? Not bad for a guy known for not passing.
Kobe Bryant is 1 of 5 players in NBA history to lead their team in assists in the NBA Finals for 4+ championships.
But I thought Kobe didn’t pass the ball lmao. #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/WvaTmJ3j33
— Laker’s fan burner (@Lakers17xChamp) April 10, 2022
Kobe Bryant won 5 championships – he was not averse to winning, solo or as a team effort
The extreme competitive spirit that Kobe showed could be construed as selfishness by some – he only wanted to win, it didn’t matter how. Empty stats do not matter unless the fingers get their jewelry. What’s the point of scoring 30 a night if you can’t even make the play-in? (*Cough cough* LeBron James *Cough Cough*)
Much like Michael Jordan, he demanded the best from his teammates, and that is not a bad thing. Competitive sports have one goal – to be the best you can be, over the rest. Certain great players have ended up without a trophy, but those are exceptions. Cos they played when Jordan was ring-blocking them, that’s why – it’s only logical.
All said and done, Bryant had an amazing career. He ended on the best note possible, and the fans in LA had a connection with him that transcends regular fan connections. He was one of them, and they were with him through and through.