Well it wasn’t long before another media outlet came out with a “Top 50 players” list for the NBA. This time, Laker fans were hoping that they finally get it right after that slight typo Slam Magazine made by misspelling “Kobe Bryant” as “LeBron James.”
This time, Sporting News came out with their own Top 50 players and this one will have the Laker fans nodding in agreement. Why? Well, only because they finally got it right and put the Black Mamba on top of the list, like he should be. Yes, this time he wasn’t snubbed for Scottie Pippen LeBron James.
Sporting News asked 76 NBA types, from NBA legends Elgin Baylor & Lenny Wilkins to coaches Stan Van Gundy & Doc Rivers (the complete list of voters is under the Top 50 Players list). Kobe won by a landslide, as he got 49 first-place votes compared to Delonte Jr. LeBron getting 22 first-place votes.
Both Kobe and Queen LeBron had teammates that made the Top 10. For the Lakers, it was Pau Gasol that accompanied Kobe in the Top 10, ranked 10th after being ranked 17th last season. The leader of the Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade, was ranked 3rd on the list just as he was last season.
Also, Andrew Bynum (whom has yet to play a game this season) deserves an honourable mention, as he was ranked 41st on the list, jumping up 9 spots after being ranked 50th last season. Laker fans are eagerly awaiting his return to the court so Drew can prove himself to be worthy of being a Top 25 Player (well, in my opinion he can be).
Kobe was ranked 1st last season too, so the consistency presented from Sporting News in making these lists is respectable. They haven’t failed to recognize true talent, because Kobe didn’t take his to South Beach like #2 did. The other media outlets can learn a thing or two from SN.
Recent Comments