“Kobe Bryant is not a top 5 player in NBA history”: Shannon Sharpe controversially explains why the Lakers legend cannot be put up alongside Michael Jordan and LeBron James

Shannon Sharpe shockingly claims that Kobe Bryant is not a top 5 player in the history of the NBA due to him having a single MVP. 

The criteria for who can be included in the top 5 of players in the all-time rankings has become muddled over the decades of constant debating. Kobe Bryant is one of the few legends that transcended the mere NBA hardwood that players play on and became a cultural phenomenon. 

The late, great Lakers legend, statistically, meets the criteria for being one of the greatest to ever lace up. His accomplishments are second to quite nearly none. Everything from the most All-Star appearances in NBA history to going 5-2 in the NBA Finals with 2 Finals MVPs; Kobe Bryant enjoyed an immense amount of success on the court.

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It’s no debating that Kobe is in the uppermost echelon of NBA greats, however, his placement amongst other greats in that stratosphere is a bit dodgy. According to NBA players like Jayson Tatum, not having Kobe Bryant in your top 3 is beyond ludicrous. Shannon Sharpe is a bit less inviting of such a suggestion. 

Shannon Sharpe explains why Kobe Bryant isn’t top 5 all time. 

Shannon Sharpe recently came out with a take that’s been floating around NBA socials for years, with that take being the Los Angeles Lakers icon not being in the top 5 for greatest of all time in NBA history. As mentioned before, the criteria for such a list is up to whoever is making that list.

Shannon Sharpe says Kobe Bryant is not a top five player of all-time

“In the history of sports, I dont know if we have ever had a guy rank top 5 with only 1 MVP.” pic.twitter.com/tuqmUxjzZ3

— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) July 10, 2021

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This criterion could be the amount of title they’ve won, the number of MVPs or Finals MVPs they have got stacked up on a shelf, or even pure statistics. Going by sheer number of titles, Bill Russell would be the ‘GOAT’ as he’s the greatest winner in the history of North American sports. Going off of statistics would mean Wilt Chamberlain is the greatest to ever play in the NBA. 

Kobe Bryant not being in someone’s top 5 because they have one MVP does not seem fair but at the end of the day, that is Sharpe’s opinion. All that matters is that if he holds the number of MVPs to such a high regard, then Kareem Abdul-Jabbar should be ‘GOAT’ over LeBron James as 6 is greater than 4.