Disrespecting a legend; Bryant deserves higher ranking

The man who some have compared to the modern version of Michael Jordan is ranked as the 25th best player in the league. 

Wait – that must be a typo. Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, the winner of five NBA championships and the fourth-best all-time scorer, should not join the company of anyone other than the top 10 players in the league. 

Bryant has 17 years of experience in the NBA and has averaged less than 20 points per game only three times in that career, according to ESPN.com. Those three times occurred in his first three years, and he improved upon his average in each of those seasons. 

The Lakers’ shooting guard is constantly refining his game, whether he is showing up hours before games to shoot the ball or watching film to steal moves from the all-time greats. 

Jordan himself said earlier this month that he probably could beat many of the game’s best players in a one-on-one match.

“I don’t think I would lose, other than to Kobe Bryant because he steals all of my moves,” Jordan told Ahmad Rashad in an interview.

Other than perfecting his skills in his craft, Bryant has done it all with a slew of injuries working against him in everything he does on the basketball court. The reason he has fallen from last year’s No.6 ranking relates to the uncertainty of his availability for the first game of the 2013 season. 

This year just presents a new challenge for Bryant: coming back from his ruptured Achilles tendon. 

Before the 1999-00 season, Bryant broke his wrist, which caused him to miss some time. He went on to play in 66 games that year and averaged 22.5 points per game. 

In the following season, Bryant dealt with several injuries, including problems with his hip, elbow, pinky, and shoulder. He still posted his highest scoring total yet, with 28.5 points per game to go with 46.4 percent shooting. 

The 2004-05 season didn’t bring much happiness to the Lakers’ team, but Bryant averaged over 40 minutes in 66 games. He scored 27.6 points per game in a year in which the Lakers did not make the postseason. Despite missing time because of a sprained ankle and a dismal team performance, Bryant continued to dominate. 

In later seasons, he has overcome injuries to his back and index finger. Yet, he still plays in a high volume of games and records a large amount of minutes, despite his aging body. 

Kobe’s resilience speaks to his tolerance for pain and that he truly does not have an Achilles heel in terms of weakness. 

Although Bryant may be unable to start the first game of the season, expect the Lakers’ superstar to return to the court ready to not only play, but to perform at a high level once again.