The last couple of seasons it’s seemed like every time Kobe dunked he ended up on the injured list. Last year his season famously ended after a seemingly harmless two handed dunk turned into a torn rotator cuff. This season he missed more games after another throw down.
Honestly, while some might find ways to make jokes, it’s actually not that surprising to me Kobe might hurt himself dunking. I mean, over the course of his career, Kobe has been one of the more violent dunkers the league has seen. Dunking the way that he has puts wear and tear on the body and, after the sheer number of times he’s assaulted the rim a shoulder or wrist injury shouldn’t surprise.
I was reminded of this earlier today when Max Frishberg, aka @MaxaMillion711, posted a clip he put together of Kobe’s top 100 dunks of all-time. The video has all his greatest hits and, honestly, I’m surprised he hasn’t torn his shoulder right out of its socket at least a dozen times. See for yourself:
I have no qualms with this list and love the dunk he put at #1 overall. Anyways, enjoy the video above. Kobe may be most remembered for his technical skill, fundamentals, and scoring outbursts but as seen in Max’s video he was also one of the best in-game dunkers the league has ever seen.
Fern says
Well, Kobe was sonething else back in the day, those dunks were a normal thing for us. We were spoiled like a Kardashian lol. Good video Darius im keeping that. Since it looks like we might keep the pick ( there is no guarantee we keep it even woth the worst record) im going to throw my hat in the pick talk and say that i hope we draft Ingram, not Simmons. Here’s why: http://thesixersense.com/2016/01/11/76ers-draft-brandon-ingram-ben-simmons/
Todd says
Fern we disagree about virtually everything. However, I am also intrigued by Ingram. A KD in the making. If you believe that the three point wave in the NBA will only get stronger than we need to add someone who can hit them. Ingram has NBA 3pt range.
I was originally in favor of Simmons as I have a co-worker who is an LSU alum and he made me watch every Simmons game. Don’t get me wrong Simmons us awesome — it’s just that he’s not a greatest fit on the Lakers.
My fear is that Simmons and Randle can’t space the floor. And if you add a Whiteside as your center then you’ve got three guys who score virtually all of their points in the paint.
bluehill says
We have been spoiled. Good times. The elevation and hang time always stood out to me. I can remember Kobe blocking some shots where it seemed like he was almost reaching the top of the backboard. Kobe had a lot of talent but also took advantage of it through hard work and ambition. Rare combination and we got to enjoy it for 20 years.
R says
Darius, thanks for posting, made my morning!!
Fern says
Todd if we get Simmons I wouldn’t be surprised if they trade Randle or something, Randle and Simmons games are redundant to each other. Ingram fills a gaping hole in the wing and in contrast with Simmons, he can play defense and can shoot, Simmons outside game is worse than Randle and is as bad or worse in defense. I think Ingram is the best player and has played against better competition. Would fit like a glove with the Lakers.
rubenowski says
Beautiful. I knew the one against Brooklyn would make the top 10…and to think that was the season he injured his achilles!
matt says
1:10 on video kobe got mashed in the face while dunking
Renato Afonso says
Loved those dunks. And that “Josh” Howard baptism was something else…
On the pick I’ll just say that maybe we don’t have to choose (we lose the pick or we don’t get #1).
matt says
Sorry its dunk 81, kobe gets fouled in the face, dunk 82 looks like an alley oop from gary peyton
matt says
Dunk 48 i bet sabonis pooped himself
Vasheed says
I would probably rather get Simmons, but Ingram would be a very nice consolation prize. I agree with Fern that Ingram would fit in better with the players the Lakers already have. However, I think you draft the better player and make trades if you have to. I haven’t seen Ingram yet, but, according to nbadraft.net his defense is a weak spot.
matt says
38 looks like nowitski tries to get some
Vasheed says
I’m persuadable on Ingram/Simmons. I need to see more really. Although, I feel like I’m counting eggs that haven’t hatched yet until those ping pong balls come up.
rr says
The Lakers need to go for the BPA, period. If the Lakers win the lottery and the FO thinks that Ingram is the BPA, then they should take him. Same goes for Simmons. When you are 11-44, you don’t sweat fit and worrying about fit in the top 1-3 picks is usually a bad idea. Sidney Moncrief fit better with Norm Nixon than Magic Johnson did. Tim Duncan was not a perfect fit with David Robinson. And of course, most famously, Michael Jordan was redundant if you already had Clyde Drexler.
Also, while Julius Randle was a very reasonable pick at 7 given who was on the board and has some nice elements to his game, I do not think that the general consensus is that Randle is the type of guy who has such great talent that you start thinking through which potential All-Star you are selecting at the top of the draft would work best to address Randle’s many weaknesses and accentuate Randle’s strengths. You take the guy that you think has the best shot to be the best player on a contending team, and you try to fit Randle with him or decide that you can’t—not vice versa.
Fern says
vasheed, Ingram is a better defender than Simmons the knock on him is that he is too skinny, he still need to fill that body he is like a year and a half younger than Simmons. But is a better defender with a freakish wingspan…
Matthew Hunt says
Seriously, how many players regularly dunked with so much force that the ball would hit the ground and bounce back up higher than the rim. Just unreal. I’m going to miss this so much.
Fern says
@rr i prefer Ingram because i think he is the better player that happen to fit seamlessly into the Lakers. Plus he is putting good numbers in a better team against tougher oposition. That being said i take either Simmons or Ingram in a heartbeat. But there is a lot of basketball to be played and there is the little matter of how the ping pong balls bounce. Just speculating…
matt says
44 a 360 dunk in the all star game
matt says
If they did lebron james top 100 dunks would it look like this
matt says
Big what if,
What if the lakers get pick #3 and simmons and ingram are off the board
matt says
Matthew dunk 68 bounced really high
matt says
43 one handed alley oop dunk
anon says
What if the lakers get pick #3 and simmons and ingram are off the board
It has to be Jaylen Brown of Cal. This guy isn’t showing as well as he should be right now, but he is a stud. Elite athlete, great NBA ready body. Size and skills, plays either wing spot. Would like to see him as a 2. Russel and Brown are the starters, Clarkson becomes the third guard. Look out.
LKK says
The thing about Kobe is that he dunked on people. He dunked on guards and he dunked on centers. What’s amazing to me is watching those hundred dunks, you’d be hard pressed to find one where he travelled.
A dunk can be a lot than two points. It has a psychological effect on the opposition when it’s done with the flair and certitude and arrogance that Kobe often displayed. Those dunks took the heart from his opponents. Kobe was like a great strikeout pitcher in baseball. A great pitcher knows that strikeouts are more devastating than groundouts. Same with a dunk vs. a layup.
Thanks D…and thanks for the memories, KB!
harold says
How many players do we have left that has those low-res highlights? It’s amazing for how long he has been a fixture in this game, to see highlights spanning from really low-res real media type stuff to the current high-res stuff…