First: Mike is Mike. Show me all the 2 guards with lists like Kobe's and titles to boot and then we'll talk. Also, show me all the players with a 17th season like this, where he's basically putting up prime numbers. In fact, show me all the players with a 17 year career that do not have major statistical deviations along the way, because Kobe doesn't have it.

>Bird
>2× NBA Finals MVP (1984, 1986)
>3× NBA Most Valuable Player (1984–1986)
>12× NBA All-Star (1980–1988, 1990–1992)
>9× All-NBA First Team (1980–1988)
>All-NBA Second Team (1990)
>3× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1982–1984)
>NBA All-Star Game MVP (1982)
>3× Three-point Shootout champion (1986–1988)

So far as Bird, LOL. Seriously, if you were going to do this, you8 should have at least looked at Bird's list first. Let's see.... Bird never lead the league in any major category if this is his correct list. Never lead in rebounds, assists or scoring. Does he have even ONE defensive first team appearance, let alone 9? Actually, outside the 2 extra MVP's, this list isn't really fucking with Kobe's.

Kobe's got more:

-All Star appearances
-Titles
-All NBA First Team appearances
-Defensive First Team appearances
-All Star MVP's
-Scoring titles

So, I mean... no on Bird. Kobe wins most of these categories, some of them handily. Bird got two more MVP's, Bean got 2 more titles. Which do you think LarrY legend would rather have? Which trophy do you think HE thinks is more valuable? Either way, Kobe's list is the better list. I notice you leave the titles out of it.

>Magic
>3× NBA Finals MVP (1980, 1982, 1987)
>3× NBA Most Valuable Player (1987, 1989–1990)
>12× NBA All-Star (1980, 1982–1992)
>2× NBA All-Star Game MVP (1990, 1992)
>9× All-NBA First Team (1983–1991)
>All-NBA Second Team (1982)
>4× NBA assists leader (1983–1984), (1986–1987)
>2× NBA steals leader (1982–1983)

Pretty similar. I don't see a single all defensive team appearance, but Kobe has 9. At most you could argue... 3 of those, which would still put bean at 6-0 to Magic.

Kobe also has more All-NBA first team spots and All Star MVP's, and two scoring titles. So Magic clearly wins there with two more assists (two more titles than Kobe's scoring titles, don't play dumb. I know what you were about to say) and steals titles..... except those steals titles are dwarfed by ALL those damned Defensive Team appearances. That's a LOT. Like I said, even if you knock a few off, the gap is still huge.

So, at best, you could say they're roughly even based on these lists. Worst? Kobe wins, based on these lists. Magic shows zero recognition for his defensive abilities, while Kobe racked up so many and did so well in his prime he got residual awards based on rep alone. Or did you forget there are two sides of the ball?

Basically, Kobe belongs in that category and you're MAD.
What's worse for you is you can't play the "B-b-b-b-b-but Kobe had SHAQ!!!!" card with Magic and Bird, considering how hilariously stacked their teams were in comparison to Kobe's title teams.

Or did you forget to check the teammates each had on their title squads? I mean, add a prime James Worthy to those Kobe/Shaq years and we could be talking about 4-5 straight. Throw in Silk and Scott and Cooper while you're at. Give them those four guys it instead of Fish/Rob/Fox/Rice. Lol.

The fourth best player on the Celtics was.. who... Dennis Johnson maybe? Weren't Mchale and Parrish there to shore up Bird's defensive inadequacies?