The disrespect of Kobe Bryant has reached an all-time high and Matt Barnes is not going to stand for it any longer. Speaking on his and Stephen Jackson’s All the Smoke podcast, Barnes said this:
“None of you guys were talking this s—t when he was here, and the would of, could of, should of, and the disrespect with the Pau should have won, its like come on man. Let’s really remember, let’s look at the numbers, to me Kobe is the 2nd best player of All Time, Period. For some reason people want to knock his greatness because he played with Shaq but they don’t knock Magic’s greatness when he played with Kareem, they don’t knock Lebron’s greatness when he played with Dwade and Bosh, they don’t knock Lebron’s greatness when he played with AD”
Barnes’ assessment is spot-on. Larry Bird, Magic, or LeBron do not get knocked for the great players they shared the court with, however when it comes to Kobe Bryant, playing with Shaquille O’Neal is used against him. These highly fallacious takes are not only grossly inaccurate but they are also a woefully pathetic attempt at taking a wrecking ball to the greatness of Kobe Bryant ( typically to build up that of LeBron James). Those who were fortunate to have seen Kobe play, and those who competed against him, are fully cognizant of the truly great player he was. The assaults on Kobe amount to a smear campaign and a repugnant and ongoing attempt at revisionist history. Just as Matt Barnes is fed up with it, so are the true fans of the game of basketball who are now forced to take up the mantle of defenders and preservers of its rich history.
