The legendary La Lakers speaks to the many differences between Kobe Bryant and modern NBA superstars.
Many believe Kobe Bryant is one of the most brain players in NBA history. Kobe had an immeasurable physical talent, but it was his mind that separated him from many of his peers.
Bryant is a guy of thinking and put his thoughts into every micro decision he made in court to give his rivals an edge.
Kobe will summon legends like Scotty Pippen and ask them questions about their game. It became clear early on that he wanted to focus on the finer points of the game.
And one La Lakers legend believes it is this sharpness and intelligence that made Bryant the perfect player to play under Phil Jackson.
Former LA Lakers star Brian Shaw was a guest on Byron Scott’s podcast. When they remembered to play under Phil Jackson, the show made some interesting comments.
He acknowledged that the triangle violation that Phil Jackson ran was very complicated and that a smart player like Kobe Bryant is the best player to run it. However, modern NBA stars are not smart to play on that system.
“When you’re running a triangle, or when you’re running what we call Princeton’s attack that day, like you said, you don’t need to call s.
“Because defense decides what you’re trying to do, and if you have a smart player, they will understand that s with their heartbeat.
“And like you said, if you’re going to put pressure on us, we’ll just come back. Now we’re going to hold more courts.
“So, like you said, it’s much more difficult for the team to protect you.
“I read it, I read it all. And one of the reasons why they say it’s not going well today is I think players aren’t smart enough.”
The show is within his right to praise Court Bryant for his wise and intelligence in court, but it is very unfair to do so at the expense of the modern star.
Kobe Bryant was a difficult person to impress, but some stars of the modern generation gained his respect for their plays.
It’s ridiculous to suggest that some of the brightest stars from generations following Bryant, including LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, could not flourish in the Jackson system.
This is a bigger problem with the NBA today. Past players often try to elevate themselves and their ally, but do so primarily by trying to defeat the stars that came after them.