Why Kobe was Ranked 25th

 
    OMG DID YOU HEAR? - never mind of course you've heard, everyone has and boy are people upset. ESPN ranked Kobe Bean Bryant as the 25th best player. The Kobe Bryant, the 5 time NBA champion, 15 time NBA All-Star, 2 time NBA scoring champion, and a whole list of other accomplishments, that guy. He's consistently been one of the best if not the best players in the league. And the audacity of ESPN to list him as number 25.

     Oh.... Wait... This is the ranking for the 2013/2014 NBA season? Well then that makes sense, does everyone else know this? HEY LAKERNATION IT'S ALL COOL, THESE RANKINGS ARE MEANT FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON.

     All jokes aside, this ranking for Kobe isn't pretty and it's hard to see, but so was watching him tear his Achilles. And that is just the reality of where Kobe is right now. Kobe is injured and old, which is never a good mix. It isn't the mid 2000s, Kobe isn't young and in his prime. If anything a ranking of 25 shows respect for one of the greatest competitors to play this game.

    Vino, that is what he's calling himself these days, because he was getting better with age and its true. Last season he played exceptionally well, dragging his star studded team to the playoffs. Unfortunately however, he was hit with a serious injury. Without ripping off from this deadspin post, I suggest you read it to try an understand the severity of the injury and what Kobe faces. http://deadspin.com/how-an-achilles-tear-affects-nba-players-or-why-kobe-472944871


    As you've read, this injury isn't kind to players and has ended many careers and hindered others. Dominique Wilkins was the exception to this, he like Kobe was on the wrong side of 30 when hit with the injury. Kobe may only be a couple of years older than Wilkins was when he suffered the tear, but Bryant has logged nearly double the amount of playing time. Despite getting finer with age, the amount of mileage on Kobe's legs can't be helping his recovery. The article mentions another star player in Isiah Thomas. Isiah was the same age as Wilkins when he tore his achilles, however Thomas had many more minutes than Wilkins under his belt and he unfortunately never returned from that injury.

      All this is not to say that I think Kobe is done and should retire. I don't believe that, I believe that Kobe can be a top 25 player in the NBA next season. But that is a huge feat for a 35 year old coming back from such a severe injury, no one else would be ranked so high. So, instead of seeing the ranking as disrespect I see it as a testament to Kobe's greatness.

      I understand the fandom freaking out at lesser players being ranked ahead of an all time great, it is odd to see Kobe so low. And no Chris Bosh isn't better than a healthy Kobe Bryant. But Kobe Bryant isn't healthy, Kobe doesn't have a concrete timeline for his return and Kobe is old. Chris Bosh is healthy and ready to contribute. So, if I had to pick between the two for the upcoming season it would have to be the young healthy stud that I know will play from opening night and what level he'll play at. It's really that simple.

All the best to Kobe though, I do hope he comes back looking more like a top 5 player, where he was last year.

Tanks and Dynamite

     DUCKKKKKK, SHES GONNA BLOW!!!-  nothing like a cheesy quote to start off my first blog.
      I'm imagining tanks and all kinds of explosives entering the raptors training camp as I type this, with Masai Ujiri leading the way ready to pull the trigger and blow this squad up. Clearly I don't watch many movies with explosives because that would make a horrible scene. But I've got it on replay in my head and really it's quite entertaining. Just picture Valanciunas in a camouflage getup and Rudy Gay running somewhere for cover, using DeMar DeRozan as his shield. Ok, now its getting kind of creepy. End scene.

      If you haven't guessed already, I'm pro tank, I have been for awhile now. I was part of the fan base that was quietly praying for the Rudy Gay trade rumours to not come true. And with a little more volume, praying that Andrea Bargnani wouldn't be traded for Carlos Boozer or Amare Stoudamire or any of the other players named at that time. But that was last season.
      This season Rudy Gay is on our team and Bargnani isn't. Bargnani was traded for a nice little haul - cap relief, an elite sharp shooter in Steve Novak (who does nothing else remotely well) and not 1, not 2, but 3 DRAFT PICKS (gotta love new york and their detest for picks). Along with Gay, this raptors starting squad features Kyle Lowry who is looking slimmer, Derozan who has been beast in preseason, Amir Johnson who is everyones favourite, and the bigger and bulkier Jonas Valanciunas. Besides the fact that this group seriously lacks 3 point shooting. And all the other problems a Demar/Rudy wing duo creates (something I'm sure, I will write about). It is a decent starting unit, there is potential, its a young unit with room to grow and the talent to do it as well.
     The question is, how much can they grow? Can this starting unit grow to be one of the best in the east? I'd argue no, especially with this bench behind them - theres a turnover joke I want to make here, but someone just stole it ( haha that was horrible, don't hold it against me)  which is the simplest explanation for why I'm calling for a tank.
    I know, I know, most of you guys are rolling your eyes and saying that that isn't a good explanation, but it is. It's just the beginning and I plan to write all my reasoning in detail in later posts. So if you're not already on board the tank, you might want to make sure you're carrying your boarding pass because who knows, I may just convince you.