"Normal person fighting gods" - Gilbert Arenas makes compelling case for Kobe Bryant deserving spot in GOAT debate

The hard work and perseverance Kobe Bryant showed throughout his career is unmatched. Former NBA player Gilbert Arenas talked about the uniqueness of the LA Lakers star and what separates him from other stars.

Generational talent can usually be distinguished easily, according to Arenas. For Michael Jordan, he had a 48-inch vertical and huge hands. Shaquille O'Neal stood over seven feet tall and displayed brute strength.

Magic Johnson, the 6-foot-9 point guard, was a matchup disadvantage over most defenders.

For Bryant, he didn't have any of the features that most all-time greats had. But he still stood out as he worked on pushing his body to the limits. On the Gil's Arena podcast, Arenas reflected on how the Lakers legend made the most of what his body can do to elevate himself among the rest.

"What makes Kobe [Bryant] special in players' mind?" Arenas said. "We don't go by your stats. We don't go by the accolades. We go by how the person played, what was his attributes.

"When you think about the greatest players of all time, 90, 80 percent of them have God gift of natural talent, ability, body.

"Kobe, standard. If I give you 6'6 and took every 6'6 guard in the NBA, history. You would never find him. He didn't have big hands, he wasn't quick, he wasn't fast... We look at the normal person fighting gods."

Bryant's greatness should not be overlooked and Arenas makes a compelling argument about the GOAT debate. The five-time champion perfected his craft and beat talented stars along the way.

You might also be interested in reading this: "I told you mother******": Kevin Love recalls epic Kobe Bryant story about manifesting his 4th All-Star Game MVP in Los Angeles

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Kobe Bryant's former teammate puts him in the second spot behind Michael Jordan

The GOAT debate will always be a hot topic among fans. In an episode of All The Smoke in June 2023, Robert Horry shared his take on this topic.

According to him, the number one spot belongs to Jordan, followed by Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

"I think MJ is one, Kobe is two, and LeBron is three. I tell people that I don't think MJ had a flaw in his game...Kobe was the same way," Horry said (via NBAinthezone on X).

Horry pointed out that Jordan didn't have a flaw in his game and he viewed Bryant as someone similar to the Chicago Bulls legend.