Give Kobe His Due

I recently brought someone in to cover the NBA, because, admittedly, I don’t give the league the attention that it deserves.   In his second piece he named Chris Paul the 2008 MVP.  Ok, that’s fair enough; the guy put the Hornets on his back and carried them from the depths of NBA hell into the upper echelon of elite teams.  He leads the league in Assists (12.5) and steals per game (2.67), and has become the best point guard in the world.  He has the perfect pedigree to be named MVP.  There’s just one problem, though.  He’s not Kobe Bryant.

Which is a little ironic, because the opposite is true for Kobe. Kobe isn’t going to win the award.  Not now, not ever.  Why?  Because he’s Kobe Bryant.  He’s the Barry Bonds of basketball in terms of media relations.  He’s cold and withdrawn.  He doesn’t care if you meet your deadline or get an electric quote.  If he doesn’t feel like talking, he’s not going to talk.  He’s a crybaby.  He’s selfish.  He puts himself before the team.  Simply put, he’s not Chris Paul.   

None of these things should matter, but it’s become apparent that his media relations are clouting the vision of the voters.  At least the baseball writers have the self-respect to keep things in perspective and only allow the results to influence their decisions.  Even as Bonds became more withdrawn and surly the voters gave him the honors he deserved. 

These people blantanly hate Kobe.  There’s no other explanation.  How else can you you possibly justify not once giving this player the MVP award when he’s the best player alive?  This was never more evident than in 2006 when Steve Nash won the award over Kobe.  Nash put up a nice line of 18.8 points, 10.5 assists, 4.2 rebounds, 0.8 steals, while Bryant had one of the greatest seasons of all-time.  If averaging 35.4 ppg (the eighth-highest average of all time), 5.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.8 steals, as well scoring 81 points in a single game, and being on the all-defensive NBA first team, doesn’t do it, what will?

Scoop Jackson made a very interesting point about this in a recent ESPN article.  He believes that because the Maruice Podoloff trophy has eluded Bryant for so long that there is no way that they could possibly give it to him this year, or any other year for that matter.

“How is [the] hate justified? Easy, by being consistent. Which is why this year will be no different than the past two. Because if we are honest, if we look at what Kobe Bryant has done in the past two seasons without winning the MVP, there should be no way he can win it this year,” Jackson explains.  “So yes, there is an “earned the right” clause that goes on in all MVP voting, just as there is that same “clause” that exists in all professions and walks of life. But it will not apply to Kobe Bryant. Not this year or any other year. He’s not Denzel, and this isn’t ‘Training Day.’”

I agree with that statement whole heartedly.  If he doesn’t get the award in 2006, and again in 2007 when he averaged 31.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 5.4 apg, and 1.4 spg; became the second player to score 50 points in a game ten times, and was first team all-defense, in a season in which many felt he made the transition into more of a team player, how could they give it to him now?  His numbers aren’t as spectacular as they were in years past (28.5, 6.3, 5.4, 1.9), and he’s not going to lead the Lakers to the best record in the West as Paul will.

Second just won’t be good enough, if Kobe is ever to win the award, he is going to have to absolutely force the voter’s hands.  It’s not exactly his fault, though.  I give Dr. Buss credit, Pau Gasol was a nice addition, but there isn’t a single player on the Lakers’ roster that can compare to David West.  If Kobe had an adequate running-mate any time in his career post-Shaq. there isn’t a doubt in my mind that the Lakers would have been raising banners every fall.  It’s a shame that so many of his golden years have been squandered away on the likes of Lamar Odom and Luke Walton.

Then again, the roster situation is largely of his own doing, but I don’t blame him for pushing Shaq out of town.  Could you imagine how Jordan would have reacted if he came into the league as a complementary player to an already established superstar?  What if the Lakers would have drafted him and he was forced to play second fiddle to Magic Johnson?  Think he would have been able to handle it, or would have given the front office an ultimatum where one of them had to go so he could shine?  Thought so.

Just forgive already.  He was a kid, he wanted the fame and recognition he deserved.  Now all the guy wants to do is win, personal statistics be damned.  He’s paid his debt, suffered through some rough years, and came out the other side a better player because of it.  When he changed his number he started anew, he’s become a team player.  His numbers are down in the scoring department because now he gets his buckets within the team concept instead of trying to win games alone.  Isn’t his selfish play what every criticized him for anyway? 

So what is it now?  Is it because he didn’t meet the ever important criteria of leading his team to the best record in the West? 

Oh, you didn’t know?  It seems that there is some kind of mandate that the award is to be given to the best player on the team with the best record.  That’s how Nash won two in a row, and Nowitzki got it last year.  At least that’s how I justify the snubs.  There’s no other way.

If the voters have any credibility they will realize that he has done so much more with so much less.  He’s kept the Lakers in contention all year, and he has them poised to make a serious run at a ring for the first time post-Shaq.  It’s time, he’s taken that next step, he now makes his teammates better, and he’s the best, and most talented, player alive.  What else is left?

“You can’t just continue to take what Kobe is doing for granted,” Joe Dumars explains. “The guy is one of the truly great players and he should be recognized as such.”      

I couldn’t have said it better myself Joe, the time is now.