There are a lot of players that can shoot as well as Kobe... the difference is that the group of players that can shoot as well as he did AND are his size AND s

There are a lot of players that can shoot as well as Kobe... the difference is that the group of players that can shoot as well as he did AND are his size AND share his athleticism AND are willing to sacrifice as much as him is a very, very short list. It's a nice contrast with Steph, who is objectively already the best shot-maker ever at the NBA level. The group that shares his size and athleticism is relatively large, but his shot-making sets him apart. At one time, Kobe's career arc looked like it might topple MJ's. I think he cloned his game after MJ to a fault. He copied many of his moves and his intensity, but he also copied his shot selection. It turns out he wasn't quite as good at making shots as MJ, so this is what you end up with. If he had been a more willing passer and a better teammate, he might have been the GOAT.