“Kobe Bryant doesn’t pass? Then explain how he leads the finals in assists?”: The Black Mamba is one of five people in NBA history to lead their team in the dimes category

Arun Sharma | 13/04/2022
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Kobe Bryant had the reputation of being a ball hog – this stat refutes that claim and shows him in a different light.

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.

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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.

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Post Edited By: Arjun Julka
Assists leader Black Mamba Kobe Bryant Los Angeles Lakers

About the author

Arun Sharma

Arun Sharma is an NBA Editor at The SportsRush. A double degree holder and a digital marketer by trade, Arun has always been a sports buff. He fell in love with the sport of basketball at a young age and has been a Lakers fan since 2006. What started as a Kobe Bryant obsession slowly turned into a lifelong connection with the purple and gold. Arun has been an ardent subscriber to the Mamba mentality and has shed tears for a celebrity death only once in his life. He believes January 26, 2020, was the turning point in the passage of time because Kobe was the glue holding things together. From just a Lakers bandwagoner to a basketball fanatic, Arun has spent 16 long years growing up along with the league. He thinks Stephen Curry has ruined basketball forever, and the mid-range game is a sight to behold. Sharma also has many opinions about football (not the American kind), F1, MotoGP, tennis, and cricket.

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