Kobe Bryant was 2nd all-time on making the all-defense 1st team, but he never won a DPOY!

Kobe Bryant was amongst the best defensive players in the league, not guards, players. Yet, the Lakers legend never got his flowers. 

Advertisement

It can often be a very underwhelming thing to see your favorite player not get the praise they deserve. For some that just doesn’t happen.

We think that Kobe Bryant never got the applause he deserved for being an all-time great defender. In fact, we think Kobe got credit for being a good defender in general!

Advertisement

Yes, people around the league don’t give Kobe enough credit as a defender. The general opinion is centered around the fact that he was a scorer first, passer second, and defender third.

We would like to make an argument today. Kobe Bryant was one of the league’s best defensive players, ever. Not guards, players.

Also read: “I’d like to thank Kobe Bryant first, he was the NBA 2K legend cover athlete before me”: Shaquille O’Neal had a funny way to announce himself as the cover star 

Statistics reveal startling things, Kobe Bryant was 2nd all-time on making the all-defense 1st team!

So, exactly how many times did Kobe make the NBA all-defense team? A whopping 12 times, which is only second to Tim Duncan.

The Lakers legend made it to the team as many times as Kevin Garnett, a power forward who is known solely for his tenacious defense.

Advertisement

Yes, he also never won a DPOY, despite making the team several times. In fact, in the last twenty-odd years, Marcus Smart is the only one to make the team.

This clip is proof enough that Kobe was an all-time great defender.

2009 was a legendary season from Kobe, winning everything possible except the MVP and DPOY.

Will we ever see anyone else like the Mamba? We don’t know. But is he an all-time great defender. Absolutely.

Also read: Vanessa Bryant could’ve received $75 million from Kobe Bryant in 2011 after Lakers legend’s failure to sign a pre-nuptial agreement

Advertisement