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The Untold Story: Why Kobe Deserved More MVPs
Why did Kobe Bryant, one of the most legendary figures in basketball history, walk away with only a single MVP award? Many fans and analysts have been baffled by this, and we're here to unravel the mystery. Could his brilliant performances during the 2005 and 2006-07 seasons have been overshadowed by media narratives favoring others like Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki? We’re tackling the controversies and providing a fresh perspective on Kobe's MVP snubs. By analyzing his statistics, his undeniable two-way prowess, and his monumental role with the Lakers, we'll make a compelling case for why Kobe deserved more of those coveted MVP titles.
Adding another layer to our discussion, I challenge the notion that Kobe was just a sidekick to Shaquille O'Neal. Was their dynamic more of an equal partnership than the media let on? I also highlight specific seasons where Kobe's MVP potential was eclipsed by bias and past controversies. Considering how his legacy might have changed with multiple MVP awards, we conclude with a thought-provoking proposal: should players and coaches have a say in award voting?
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Speaker 2:All right, let's jump into the game, To be the best, you have to win, and that's who drives. Who drives who?
Speaker 1:drives, he's the best player in the game. It's just that simple. There's nothing that Kobe Bryant can't do. He will defend your best player. He will shoot from the perimeter. He will get all in your mug. He will do whatever it takes. He is the most complete basketball player in the game today bar none. He has an assassin's mentality. I said this week, I said this when the tree went down.
Speaker 1:Welcome in. Welcome in to the Third Down Conversation, your place for sports and entertainment. I am your host, d Turnip Seed, and on today's episode, why does Kobe Bryant have only one regular season MVP? Kobe's one of the greatest, but one MVP. That's odd. Well, we're going to break that down and remember. I keep it real, I keep it authentic and I put it in proper context. Let's jump in.
Speaker 1:Kobe Easley is one of the best basketball players ever. To me, kobe Bryant is a top two player, so it does bother me that he's not here anymore, and it seems like people have forgotten just how great he was and speak about him in a way that, in my opinion, diminishes who he was. As a player. He's clearly one of the best to ever play the game. You're talking about a five-time champion, a two-time finals MVP. He was ranked number 10 in the top 75 list, but somehow in the regular season he only has one MVP. I believe he should have at least three MVPs, but, like Chris Broussard, I wave the pom-poms for no one. Based on Kobe's body of work, he's easily top two. All time Sports media downplays my guy. I think that level of hate has a lot to do with the fact that he doesn't have the MVPs. When you look at Magic Bird Braun, mj Kareem Wilt, all those guys have multiple MVPs. When you look at Magic Bird Braun, mj Kareem Wilt, all those guys have multiple MVPs. And you got my guy with just one. Why is that? How is that? It doesn't make sense. But we're going to break all that down and then we're going to put it in context. So Kobe won his first MVP the 2008 season. For that season he averaged 28 points, six rebounds and five assists on 45% shooting. He was first team all NBA and first team defense. So that's our baseline as far as what Kobe needs to be an MVP contention.
Speaker 1:So we're going to start with the 2005 season and that season is significant because many people believe sports, media people, casual fans. They believe that Kobe should have won either both or one of Steve Nash's MVPs both or one of Steve Nash's MVPs. The one that really comes under fire is the 2005 season. Steve Nash wins his second MVP. He's going back to back the 05 season. Steve Nash averaged 18 points, 10 assists, four rebounds on 43% shooting. He's first team all NBA and the Suns finished with the number six correction with the number three seed in the Western Conference. Kobe, for that season, averages 35 points, 4 assists, 5 rebounds on 45% shooting. He's first team all NBA, he's first team all defense and the Lakers finished with the number six seed in the Western Conference.
Speaker 1:Now, if you just look at the raw numbers, steve Nash led the league in assists that year. Kobe Bryant led the league in scoring that year. Both made first team all NBA. But Kobe was first team all defense. Kobe's putting in work on offense and defense.
Speaker 1:So in my opinion, the meter moved towards Kobe. The Suns won 52 games. The Lakers won 45 games. So we're talking about a nine game difference, 45 games. So we're talking about a nine game difference. And winning doesn't matter, but a small portion of this conversation. So if you just look at it on its face, kobe had the better season.
Speaker 1:But if that's not good enough, let's dive a little deeper. If you look at the Suns roster, they had Leonardo I can't say his name, but his last name is Barbosa. So they had Barbosa. They had Sean Marion, they had Amari Stoudemire. They had Rajah Bell. Like that's a quality team. That team can still make the playoffs without Steve Nash, lamar Odom, smush, parker, devin George. That team is drafting Cooper Flagg with the number one overall pick. It's going nowhere without Kobe. So if you look at the numbers, if you look at team record, supporting Kaz 05 should have been the first season that Kobe won the MVP.
Speaker 1:He's clearly more valuable to his team than Steve Nash. Steve Nash might have been more deserving, but that's not the name of the award. It's most valuable it was Kobe Bryant. The following season, 2006-07, dirk Nowitzki won the MVP that season. Dirk averages 24 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists on 50% shooting. He's a power forward. So 50% shooting, you know that sounds about right. He's first team all NBA.
Speaker 1:The Mavs finished number one in the Western Conference. Kobe averages 31 points, five assists, five rebounds on 46% shooting. He's first team all NBA. He's first team all defense again. So he leads the league in scoring again. He's first team defense again. So we still have a guy in Kobe Bryant that's giving in on the offensive end and the defensive end At this point, clearly the best two-way player in the game.
Speaker 1:How does he not win that MVP? Oh, that's right. I guess it comes down to team wins. The Mavs are first in the west. Kobe is eighth. That particular season the Lakers win 42 games. The Mavs won 67. There's a bigger gap there. I get that, I get that. But again, look at the supporting cast. Kobe's got his same team Lamar Devin, george, smush Parker I don't know why I keep throwing Smush under the bus, but it is what it is but that's his team while Dirk has Josh Howard, jason Terry, jerry Stackhouse another team that can make the playoffs without him, while the Lakers they backdraft in top five, probably top three this time. Know, back-to-back losing seasons without Kobe. So, like, how is Kobe not getting that MVP? He's clearly more valuable Now.
Speaker 1:This next season it's the 2010-2011 season. Derrick Rose wins it. I like Derrick Rose. He came into the league on fire. But that particular year Derrick Rose averaged 25 points, 7-6, four rebounds on 44% shooting. He's first team all NBA. The Bulls win 62 games that year, number one in the East. Kobe averages 25, 4 assists, 5 rebounds on 45% shooting. He's first team all NBA. He's first team, all defense. The Lakers finished number one in the West. So again you have a player in Kobe Bryant that is dominating on offense and defense.
Speaker 1:I don't think people understand just how hard that is. How is that guy not winning the MVP? I get it, derrick Rose was 22 during that season, but Kobe has shown a level of consistency and he's coming off of winning a MVP. I get it, derrick Rose was 22 during that season, but Kobe has shown a level of consistency and he's coming off of winning a championship, but isn't getting any love when it comes to the MVP. That's just odd to me. That particular season Kobe only got one first place vote, yet him and Rose their numbers very, very similar and Kobe was performing well offensively and defensively but gets only one vote for the MVP, as far as you know, first place votes.
Speaker 1:So just to recap 05-06, I think Kobe should have beat Nash for the MVP. 06-07, I think Kobe should have beat Dirk Nowinski for the MVP. 2010-2011, I think Kobe should have beat Dirk Nowinski for the MVP. 2010 to 2011,. I think Kobe should have beat Derrick Rose for the MVP. I believe Kobe should have won the MVP those three years because his numbers were better or, in D Rose's case, just as good. He was the focal point on offense, yet still very, very disruptive on defense. So he was the more complete player and he was able to make the playoffs with far, far lesser teams. If that's not most valuable, then I don't know what is. But what about those years with Shaq? Shouldn't Kobe have a chance to win some of those as well? Or did he have a chance to win some of those as well? Or did he have a chance to win some of those as well? When I come back we'll look at two seasons where I felt like Kobe could have won the MVP.
Speaker 1:But first, I hope you guys enjoyed that first segment and if you haven't had a chance, go ahead and hit that like button. Go ahead and hit that subscribe button, and a five-star review will sure help a brother out. Remember, shows will drop every Tuesday and follow me on socials at the Third Down Conversation. Now let's continue the show and jump into segment number two. So for this second segment, we're gonna look at a couple of seasons where kobe and shaq were playing together. But before I jump into that, there's something I need to address.
Speaker 1:This narrative that kobe was shaq's sidekick is flat out just ridiculous. He wasn't shaq's sidekick. They had a clear 1A, 1b situation, no sidekick. If you want an example of a sidekick, look at Scottie Pippen. Scottie never averaged more than 21 points while playing with Michael Jordan. Another good example would be Paul Gazal. Gazal never averaged 20 points while playing with Kobe Ever. Those guys are sidekicks. Kobe, for sure, averaged more than 20 playing with Shaq A lot of their seasons together. Kobe's numbers were either equal or his numbers were better Doesn't sound like a sidekick to me, or his numbers were better.
Speaker 1:Doesn't sound like a sidekick to me. So that narrative is just. It's ridiculous. And I'm trying to use good words. I'm trying to use good words but it's so frustrating Because sports media will make you think that, oh, he was just alone for the ride. No, no, the Lakers didn't win until Kobe became Kobe, he had to do what he did for them to win championships. It's not a sidekick. It's not a sidekick. Okay, woosah. So the two seasons I'm going to point to and I don't really have a good argument for these these are just a maybe. Just a maybe.
Speaker 1:The 2000-2001 season my guy, allen Iverson, wins it that year. But him and Kobe's numbers are similar, very, very similar. Iverson, that season averaged 31 points, four assists, two rebounds on 41% shooting. First team, all NBA. The Sixers are first in the conference. Kobe 28 points, five rebounds, five assists on 46% shooting. He's second team all NBA. He's second team all defense. The Lakers are first in the Western Conference. I mean you can make an argument, but Iverson should win that one. I mean you can make an argument, but Iverson should win that one.
Speaker 1:The next season would be the 2002-2003 season that Tim Duncan won the MVP. Duncan averaged 23 points and 12 rebounds on 51% shooting. Again, he's a big man, played around the rim but he was first team all NBA and first team all defense. The Spurs were first in the league, first in the conference. Kobe averaged 36 boards, five assists on 45% shooting, but he was 38% from three. He was first team all NBA, first team all defense. They were second in the Western Conference.
Speaker 1:So those two years it's kind of tight, kind of tight, but I don't feel Kobe's argument is as strong as those later years. But you can make an argument. I guess I just wanted to highlight those seasons because it shows that Kobe's not a sidekick, that's for sure. I mean the guy's in the MVP running. He's averaging 28 points and 30 points, but he a sidekick, anyway, whatever, that brings us back to the question how does Kobe only have one regular season MVP? In my opinion it's due to sports media. Why is it their fault? Because they vote on who wins the award. They vote on who wins the award.
Speaker 1:And this is important because Scoop Jackson, who was a writer for ESPN, inspired me to look into the topic of why Kobe only has one regular season MVP, wrote an article pretty much asking the same thing and, in my opinion, came to a pretty solid conclusion as to why. In Scoop Jackson's article he writes the truth is Kobe Bryant might never win the MVP of the league. He is too hated hated by those who cast votes. As one writer said to me when the subject was brought up in conversation, kobe's electability quotient is zero. Now, now, what they're talking about here is what happened in Colorado with Kobe and a female person. I'm not going to get into all that, but if you want to know, you can, you can Google it.
Speaker 1:Scoop continues by saying a man averages 35 points per game. He gets five rebounds, four assists, almost two steals a game. He has 27 games of 40-plus points, has one month where he averages 43 points per game. He's on an all-defensive first team something not one of the other players in the MVP running is included on and leads his team to the playoffs. How does that guy not win the MVP? Scoop Jackson continues by saying that same man, the very next year averages 31, five rebounds, five assists, almost two steals a game, has 10 games of 50 plus points. He makes the all defensive first team again and his team makes the playoffs.
Speaker 1:Now, the two seasons that scoop is highlighting are the 2005-06 season and the 2006-07 season, the very two seasons that I mentioned that Kobe should have won the MVP. Scoop, then, highlights that it is so bad for Kobe that in the 2004-05 season, kobe averaged 27 points, 5 rebounds, six assists and PJ Brown. Pj Brown Most of y'all don't know who PJ Brown is, but but PJ Brown received a first place vote for MVP and Kobe received none. Let that sink in. And PJ Brown, who played for the Charlotte Hornets, his team won 18 games. 18 games, 18 games.
Speaker 1:Scoop concludes his article by saying in sports, in the end, whether we want to acknowledge it honestly or not, athletes put their legacies in the hands of those who have the power to hate them. Scoop Jackson is correct. I personally believe the players and the coaches should be voting for league awards. It shouldn't be sports talking heads or writers. Why should they have so much control over a player's legacy or, in some cases, a player's salary? Now this leads to a bigger conversation, because I believe if Kobe had more regular season MVPs, he'd firmly be in the GOAT debate. I think Kobe's already there.
Speaker 1:Many others believe that as well. Sports media don't, and the main reason why they do not is because of the regular season MVPs. Not is because of the regular season MVPs. For instance, chandler Parsons, who is a former player but now he's a part of the media, mentioned that he's got Kevin Durant ahead of Kobe. He's got Steph Curry ahead of Kobe. I like both of those players, especially Steph Again light-skinned brothers. Neither one of those guys are above Kobe and it's not even close. It's not even close.
Speaker 1:Stephen A doesn't have Kobe as number two and Kobe should be number two, but he doesn't have Kobe number two because he states that LeBron averaged more points for his career, averaged more assists, averaged more rebounds and is more durable. Then he continues to say that Kobe does have the rings, but Kobe played with Shaq and downplays the teammates that LeBron has had made it seem like those guys were not that great. And this is just again, I'm trying to use good words. This is just so asinine because if that's your criteria points per game, assists per game, rebounds per game and durability if that's your criteria, then LeBron has MJ beat in three of those categories. But then you would turn around and say, well, mj got the better awards and accolades and championships, but Kobe can't say that because the media they ain't want to vote for him. They saw him as some arrogant guy and just didn't look at the player. I get what happened in Colorado. I get that.
Speaker 1:However, kobe's body of work on the court, his performance on the court, was clearly MVP worthy and Scoops Jackson's article backs that up completely and just. Furthermore, on what Stephen A was talking about, lebron does average more points than Kobe for his career. A lot of that is due to the fact that early in Kobe's career he didn't play. His coach didn't give him the opportunity. Kobe spoke about that on a interview with Matt Barnes and Steven Jackson. He went in depth about that. As far as like rebounds and assists, the only thing that LeBron does better than Kobe is pass period, nothing else.
Speaker 1:The belief that since Kobe wasn't asked to rebound the ball, that means that he wouldn't have been good at it is a lazy opinion, especially when we know after he got done playing basketball, that whole mama mentality. Do we really believe if the coach was like Kobe. I need you to get 10 rebounds. That he couldn't do it. Come on, man and durability. Lebron is a low manager. He rested, he sat games out. That wasn't who Kobe was, and fans like myself appreciate that. So, yeah, he broke down faster, but that's because he played, he didn't sit games out.
Speaker 1:And then to hold against Kobe for playing with Shaq just doesn't really make sense to me. It doesn't make sense Because LeBron had a prime D-Wade, a prime Bosh, a prime Kyrie, a prime Kevin Love, prime AD. He had all these guys in their prime. None of them equal Shaq by themselves, but together they're like two Shaqs, like he had them in their prime. And if you just go back and look at the rosters that Kobe played with, compared to what LeBron played with for Kobe's career, his teammates made 20 All-Star games. For LeBron's career, his teammates made 46 All-Star games. But you don't hold that against LeBron. You don't hold it against LeBron for teaming up with D-Wade and Bosh. You don't hold against LeBron that. Okay. Then he went and joined up with Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving. You don't hold against LeBron that he works something out to where AD can come to the Lakers. None of that gets hold against LeBron, but you're gonna downplay Kobe because Kobe played with Shaq.
Speaker 1:I mean, one guy was drafted to the Lakers, he was drafted into the situation, another guy out there picking and choosing. I want to go here, I want to go here, I want to go here, I want to go here, I want to go here. And, ironically, he seemed to always leave when things were starting to fall apart for that organization. Things were going bad with Miami. Oh, time for me to go. I want to go home, I want to go home. Nah, fam, if the Cavs didn't have Kyrie, I don't believe he goes back to Cleveland and then that situation start to fall apart. Okay, well, I'm gonna go to la. And now look at la. I'll make it real simple. My guy didn't need to run to miami to beat boston.
Speaker 1:He stood 10 toes and beat him in la my guy didn't need d way to teach him how to win. He learned through failure. My guy didn't need to join up with other superstars because he believed he was better than MJ Mamba mentality. But these are just my thoughts. Y'all let me know what y'all think. Leave a review. Drop a comment. Let me know something. Y'all know Kobe should have at least three MVPs. Y'all know it. But all right, peeps, Thank y'all for joining me today. Again, this is the Third Down. Conversation Shows will drop every Tuesday. Please remember to like, subscribe and leave a review.
Speaker 2:I'm D Turnip Seed. Jesus loves you and I'm out. Peace, peace. Think about game winning shots or game winning free throws.
Speaker 2:People go to the free throw line and they're nervous about it. But what are you really nervous about If you unpack that? Okay, you're nervous that you're going to miss the shot. All right, so you missed the shot. Then what happens? People are going to be embarrassed. You're going to be embarrassed because thousands of people, millions of people, see you miss the shot, all right. And then what? People are going to talk bad about you. Okay, so you're looking at it and you go. Are those things even important? You know what I mean. If that is my fear, what is? You're worried about letting your teammates down. Okay, have you let them down before? Oh, I'm sure. And practice and things of that nature right, they're still there, yeah, you know. And so when you're able to unpack it, you kind of look at it for what it is, which is really nothing, don't hide from it. You know you got to be able to look at it and you know, and and and deal with it head on.
