Kobe or LeBron: Jim Jackson's unique insight expels the NBA's biggest myth | FIRST THINGS FIRST 

Has LeBron James cemented himself as the greatest player ever?

Did anyone else's jaw drop when Jim Jackson said 'Kobe shoulda had the MVP in the back to back years that Nash won?!' I clearly remember Jim Jackson playing with Nash back then & as a Kobe fan, hearing that made me feel like Kobe finally got some RESPECT !!!! Nick Wright's stock just fell after this one

Nick Wright has a Lebron Vibrator

" I was on the team when Steve Nash won back to back MVPs, Kobe was the best player in the League- Jim no bs Jackson" I respect you for that, straight facts.

Respect that he stood up for bean before he passed RIP

Jim Jackson was kinda implying that LeBron is a stat padder

Kobe in the discussion is laughable????? Bro people that played against and with Kobe have repeatedly said kobe over lebron that’s what should matter, not the opinions of nick wrong 😪

lakers starting 5 vs the suns in 06: smush parker kobe bryant luke walton lamar odom kwame brown the fact they even won 3 games is a testament to kobe

Did that talking nose just say Kobe being in the GOAT 🐐 conversation is laughable?!

"I was in Suns team when Nash won back 2 back MVPs.. and the best player in the League was Kobe Bryant. He should of won" -Jackson

Let’s be real after the Denver situation Kobe lost out on 2 MVPs I’ll admit as a fan of both

Did dude just say "Kobe in this discussion is laughable".Wow, these writer are blind.Give me Kobe, thank you.

Wouldn’t a player who actually played in the NBA have a better insight than a analyst who’s never played a professional sport?🤔

Nick doesn't understand that Jim is trying to say people aren't afraid of Lebron like they were Kobe and MJ. It was a different animal when you faced those guys. The intensity was different.

Players choose Kobe over lebron

Kobe played against way tougher competition to get to the Finals than Lebron ever did also Nick never wants to address that!!!!

This is my first time seeing nick...and will be the last. Wow.

Players always pick Kobe

“Kobe was the best player for 1 year” OH MY GOD people love to hate Kobe lol

Imma agree with the dude that played at the highest level for years over a journalist

Lebron James literally said Kobe was the best player in the league in 2009

Someone tell Nick to go play with smush Parker and see how far he gets in life😂😂😂😂

Nick Wright has a crazy case of Kobe hate. Jimmy Jackson played and Nick didn't. End of conversation.

Tell em' J.J.! Kobe was a BEAST. As great as his numbers were, they actually would've been even better, had he not been held back his first couple seasons, and forced to share so much of the offensive load with Shaq. As far as raw ability and competitiveness, Kobe's definitely on par with MJ. MJ knows this, and has admitted this.

Kobe has a winning record of 5-2 in the Finals, A Dynasty and a 3peat Lebron = has a losing record of 3-6 including 2 sweeps in the Finals, No Dynasty and no 3peat Lesson: Stats and Analytics don't equate to Winning Championships

People just listen to Nick Wright instead of taking context into account. The year the Lakers missed the playoffs, Kobe played only 66 games but averaged 28 pts, 6 rebs, and 6 asts. The second leading scorer was Odom who averaged 15 pts, but only played 64 games. The next year, Kobe averaged 35 pts, 5 rebs, and 5 asts and led the Lakers to 45 wins in a conference with TWO 60 win teams. If Anthony Davis, Westbrook, or Lillard averaged these numbers and were the 7th seed, everyone would say they have no help and consider them for MVP. People keep saying LeBron never lost in the first round in that time period, but he had home court advantage with his team ONLY having 50 wins or less because he plays in the EAST. Kobe was the seventh seed because the West was and is too stacked for one player to lead a team to get a top 4 seed. Also, Nick Wright keeps saying Kobe blew a 3-1 lead. People keep forgetting that the Lakers were the 7th seed that year. Yes, the 7th seed. They led the 2nd seeded Suns 3-1 thanks to Kobe averaging 28, 5, and 6 and Amare being out till game 5. However, when Amare, one of the best players in the league, came back, the Lakers had no shot. The thing that angered me the most is when Nick Wright said Kobe was only the best player for ONE YEAR. If that is so, how come Kobe was the highest rated player for SIX nba 2k games? How come he made THREE straight finals in the WEST and won TWO and won TWO Finals MVPS? How come he averaged 27.8, 5, and 5 from 2001-2013? How come he was voted FIRST TEAM ALL-DEFENSE 9 times in that span? How come he was the highest paid player in basketball? How come he averaged 32, 7, and 6 against the Magic in the Finals, the team that beat LeBron in the ECF?

People always talk 2 way players and forget Kobe was all nba defense 12 times,9 first team 3 second team. LeBron 6.

FROM A PLAYER/ATHLETE'S POINT OF VIEW..it is KOBE!!! it is not about numbers and statistics, but quality of play, ethics, honesty, integrity, focus, competitiveness, innervstrength and determination....what else is there? Kobe is the greatest!

The fact people used the Suns series against Kobe without providing context was always crazy. Kobe took Luke, Smush and Kwame to 7 games against the 1 seed, Nick's acting like they were favorites to win or something. It's actually one of his great accomplishments to even make that a series!

Players always choose Kobe.

Is no one gonna mention the fact that kobe was in the tougher western conference

It's so frustrating to watch someone clearly more qualified to discuss how good a player was and explain how it's a nuanced conversations that should have a lot of names in it because of the eras and peoples biases and just not hear it over the screaming of his own priveledge.

9:33 he clearly contradicts himself then because LeBron didn’t even make the playoffs his first year in LA....

This dude nick doesn’t like Kobe which the dude said from the beginning people don’t give Kobe credit because they don’t like him

I would LOVE for Kobe to guest star on FTF. Lol. Let's see if Nick will reiterate his points when the Mamba is next to him

The fact you said Kobe amongst the 3 is laughable.... Everything that comes out of your mouth from that point on doesnt matter

Nick Wright gets so personal and emotional when debating about LeBron lmao

Nick is unbearable especially regarding his wet dream LeBron

I turned it off when this clown said that Kobe being in the conversation is laughable. Who let this guy in front of a camera?

“Losing in the first round with the best player in the world is an anomaly” - nick Wright... Hmm 🤔 wonder what he says now

"The team with the best player in the world got bounced in the first round. That's an anomaly in NBA history." Except when it happened to Jordan against Bird. Nick Wright is a cloooooown.

"Kobe Bryant was only the best player for one season"...that is one of the most stupid and ridiculous statements ever made. He's lost all credibility..

Kobe is hated by the media and especially ESPN haha

Kobe wasn’t letting anyone off the hook. He was protesting ownerships assembling of the team he had. He wanted help and showed them by not shooting he had none

His Argument: best player in the world couldn’t get out the first round. My argument: had trash players and entire starting lineup was never 100% healthy. This guy forgets it’s a team game 1 guy can’t do it by himself.

That guy doesn't know the sport of basketball, fire him

What's up with everybody hating on Kobe ??? Why does nobody bring up 81 points why does no one bring up Kobe Bryant outscoring the Mavericks single-handedly....does anyone know any other player whose outscored a team by himself. Yes LeBron James is probably a better team player and a more likeable person than Kobe so he gets all the glory from the media. Kobe Bryant is not the one passing the ball at the end of the game forcing his teammate to shoot free throws

Steve Nash, Joe Johnson, Amare, Shawn Marion Vs Kobe &.....Kwame Brown with Smush Parker....Up 3-1 wit No help & they played like the team Kobe really had the rest of the series. Stopped shooting to show management his team was all Him.💯

LeBron's two first mvps should have been Kobe's especially 09 Lakers beat cavs twice and had the same record

Laughable that a writer can debate an actual athlete who played the game against all 3 of the guys in question😂 This can’t be life🤦🏽‍♂️😤

Kobe Bryant in 06 had his laker team up 3-1 to the best team in the west (suns) with smush Parker as is starting point guard, Luke Walton as his starting small forward, and Kwame Brown as his starting center... if Lebron has done this nick wright would have called it a great accomplishment on Lebrons part.

Thank you for giving Kareem the proper respect he earned, Jim.

I've been watching the NBA since I was a little boy. I've played the game. I understand the game and how it has changed. The argument about stats in today's era is that it is an era in which it is easier to score. Defense is not what it was, and players had to work harder in the paint to score. In fact, I've seen more uncontested shots in today's game than ever before. I also see WAY more fouls being called for grazing an opponent,. It's ridiculous how many players are flopping. In old school ball the floor was not spread as wide and there were more guards crashing the boards and posting up. Analytics today favors getting an easier layup or the kick out for a three pointer. Teams focus on big men stroking threes. The game is very different. We can't forget or lose sight of the latter. Now, with all that being said, what has not changed is what a killer instinct is, what tougher competitiveness looks like, or what it means to be more clutch. Kobe was tougher, was an assassin, and was more clutch. Stop focusing on stats because again stats look different when comparing eras; 90's ball was about the big men and/or working the ball in the paint, and today is the opposite--working the ball around the perimeter (including big men) to get the three ball or a mid-range jumper with the floor more spread and softer defense because it is now much easier to get a trip to the FT line. It's a matter of opinion, and mine is that I got Kobe over LeBron. LeBron is a better passer/facilitator, but Kobe was a better two-way player and was more dangerous with his killer instinct that the game hadn't seen since Jordan or Bird.

Nick Wright is the biggest Kobe hater ever.

Nick Wright should not be allowed on set with real men. And that series against Phoenix, Kobe played the greatest, most complete offensive basketball I've ever seen in my life, bar none.

The last time Lebron was in the Finals didn’t he get swept???? What GOAT gets swept????

We talking about Kobe getting robbed of 2 MVPs and at least 1-2 more rings thanks to a commissioner and still doesn't change the narrative that players feel he is the BEST or Top 3!

Kobe was the best player for 1 year? 😁😂 Nick Wright's ignorance precedes him.

jason terry outplayed lebron in the finals when the heat lost to the mavericks...that automatically disqualifies lebron from EVER being considered the GOAT

Maybe this is a stretch, but maybe Kobe doesn’t have the numbers because the conference he was in. The western conference during that time was way better than the eastern conference. The Spurs were a super tough team to go against

I'm a Lebron and Kobe fan and a great player fan period. But Lebron has been doing it and has done it with the NBA's help. If they called the push foul every time Lebron drives to the basket or pushes off to pull up for a shot he'd only average 10 points per game. And it's much easier to bounce around and form an instant all star team to win championships than it is to stay with one team and go through the ebb and flows ups and downs with one team. Kobe has been doing and did his despite the NBA's interference. Cp3 veto is unprecedented. Steve Nash has more MVP's than Kobe. What else needs to be said about the level of Kobe hating out there? Great players know the difference in great players.

Kobe is the far more dangerous scorer, and Lebron has benefited greatly from playing in an era lacking in dominant defensive big men. Let me explain. Think of the teams Lebron had trouble winning against: Pistons with Ben Wallace, Spurs with Duncan, Magic with Dwight Howard, Mavericks with Tyson Chandler, Warriors with Andrew Bogut. All of these big men were defensive minded, clog the paint players. That means it's hard to score in the paint against them, and therefore you need a midrange or 3 point game as a scorer. The reason Lebron's overall FG% is so high is because most of his shots come at 0-3 feet. In the midrange, he is worse than Kobe at every distance: 3-10 feet: Lebron 42.4%, Kobe 44.8% 10-16 feet: Lebron 36.7%, Kobe 43.9% 16 ft

Nick Wright would be LOST in any basketball conversation without a stat sheet.

Lmao when facing Bogdan Bogdanovic for 4 years makes you better than someone who dropped 55 on Jordan himself.

I love this debate. It reminds me of the silly argument that Wladimir Klitschko would have beaten Ali and is the best heavyweight ever. It's a debate of here and now and who you grew up watching more than who was the best. What is totally incorrect is when a non-athlete tells a pro who competed at the highest level that one player is better than the next. Now that's trash.

He has an argument though. People who played basketball and watched Kobe or MJ or played against them know the deal. They were both incredible defenders most of their careers, Kobe's jumpshot was perfection and he had the greatest footwork I've ever seen to this day. The writers and sports talk people will never revere him as highly as other guys because they care about off the court and personalities and also only look at stats. MJ and Kobe were both way better than even what their stats might tell you. Lebron is great, but as far as straight basketball skills are concerned, MJ and Kobe were on a completely different level. If I was training a young kid to play basketball and build his skillset, I would tell him to watch MJ and Kobe instead of Lebron. Lebron's size/strength allows him to accomplish more on the court, while the other guys didn't have that advantage so they had to be more skilled to compensate.

Nick is the on air troll that the Sports Shows needed for us to fill the comment section on RU-vid.

No lie Nick's sports debating skills are on a different level. "Show me multiple maps, show me 3 times he was the best player on a championship team, you cant" I love kobe, but that's straight facts

LOL @ Nick . . . he didn't know that Kareem was still 1st in points? That was the dead giveaway. He's one of those sports nerds who think he knows everything. Kobe was a KILLER . . on both offense and defense.

Nick “I have never hooped ever in my life” Wright.

Today this show has no former players on it lol

Nick needs to shut up. Jim was talking with good insight we don't hear about often. Nick is doing typical banter-and-debate-to-incite-unnecessary-views/attention. We didn't need that for this segment. Jim Jackson was really into something good here

Can’t listen to Nick Wright anymore after his response to the unknown player graphic.

Nick Wright obviously has some grudge against Kobe Bryant. Clearly it has poisoned his perception and discounts his opinion totally.

I hate how people over look the fact that all those years Kobe fell short in the playoffs he had no co stars and was in the heavily competitive west and he averaged 25+ and 30 most of those post season runs and the season he missed the playoffs he finished second in scoring🤦🏾‍♂️

Kobe contributed more to his rings than Kareem did

"Kobe was best player for maybe 1 year" literally the dumbest statement I ever heard on youtube

Lmao nick loves to bring up Kobe in game 7 against Phoenix, but never brings up lebron choking against Dallas in 2011 and flat out gave up against Boston in 2010.

Jim Jackson saying how the players view the game without explaining how they view it

5:45 the exchange of looks between Cris and Jenna :-) ......priceless ;-)

Nick Wright just loves to constantly disrespect kobe.

Did nick really just say Kobe was only the greatest player on the planet for one year 😂😂 that guy is a nut job

Nick Wright implying that Kobe wasn't the best player on at least 3 of his championship teams shows 2 things... 1) He only looks at the Finals Stats and 2) He doesn't listen to Shaq (who I'm assuming Nick says was the best player during those seasons) who has already stated that Kobe was the reason they even got through the season and playoffs to even get to the Finals in the first place.

Am I the only one in this comment section that thinks Jim was extremely redundant and that his entire argument was pure emotions, every time Nick brought up a scenario or reason as to why Kobe is not in the discussion for GOAT, all Jim could say is "as a player"

Nick Wright is such a Lebron Fan the show is unwatchable...

There’s a reason why almost every former and current player all still pick Kobe over Lebron. Almost every guy that actually played basketball pick Kobe while all the stat nerds that probably never played past middle school pick Lebron. I’ve heard a lot of players with the same opinion as jim Jackson

Nick and Jim are both right, just talking with different criterias. Jim talks about the "feeling" of raw talent when on the court against a player... But in order to give awards, it is not just based on pure talent, but also with achievements.

Between Kobe and LeBron . LeBron is a better athlete and Kobe is a better basketball player.

When he said Kobe was the best player in the league for one year he lost my respect

Jim is right Kobe got robbed many years of MVP

Once Chris Carter brought up Dale Carter I was done, Hands down one of THE BEST CB's from the 90's.

Fanboys and media can't stand when actual NBA players tell the who they think was the best or most feared. It hurts them inside since it doesn't line up with what they believed. Don't take the word of a hostess over the word of an executive chef on a five star menu.

He said Kobe was the best for only 1 year??? He was the best for a good 10 years!!! 2000 till 2010..you can even argue till 2013 which I do!!!

If you saw MJ Kobe and Bron...you damm know that Bron got that third spot!

Nick wright nobody forgot that shaq left. Your arguement actually helps kobe arguement bc everybody thought kobe was done. He rebuilt his game to cater to those teams and won championships without leaving the lakers. That actually proves kobe is a monster bc those teams before the chips were horrible.

Can we just play basket ball Without comparing anybody Those players are one of the most greatest players in the nba lets just Respect them

Lakers wasted kobe's prime. Smush parker and kwaaaaame brown. Cmon.

Give Kobe 2 all stars every yr and he'll win 10 rings

Jim Jackson is a great watch on the debate shows. Articulate, knowledgeable, and tells it like it is.

I will watch this till the cows come home because this was a great debate