That transitions into the final argument perfectly. Wade may have lost votes because of the inclusion of James on his team and on the list as well. It’s rare to see two players from the same team earn first team All-NBA honors, but it’s not impossible. In fact, Bryant and former teammate Shaquille O’Neal both were named to first team All-NBA back in 2002. It happened again in 2007 when Phoenix Suns’ teammates Steve Nash and Amar’e Stoudemire were both named first team All-NBA. The argument that Bryant deserves it over Wade because the Heat already have a representative on the first team squad is voided because of the voter’s decision to ignore that aspect in the past.
Every sport has proven that many of the annual awards are based on reputation. You see it in All-Star voting, and in nominations for All-NBA teams each year. Many of these awards are voted on by players, coaches and fans, and many times there are just a few names that jump off the page. Those names, such as Kobe Bryant, are so transcendent that the voters feel there is no way that particular player can be left off the list.
Bryant has had a great career, and will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest players of all time. But this year he was not the most effective player at his position. Wade was more productive overall and defensively. There were countless occasions when Bryant’s defense failed the Lakers. While he was certainly strong defensively at times, the majority of the time Bryant became a liability on defense. He can no longer guard the best player on the opposing team while still producing big numbers on offense. This isn’t a knock on Bryant, but just a realistic look at his career.
Kobe Bryant is still one of the best players in the NBA. He’s still one of the most productive guys in the league. But this time the voters got it wrong. Bryant may have deserved to be listed on the second team or at least third, but he was not worthy of the first team All-NBA nod that he received today.
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