GOAT Index

Two legends at a time. Thousands of votes. One ranking.

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Kobe Bryant: the case for the GOAT

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    Kobe Bryant: the case for the GOAT

    Guard · Lakers · Born 23 August 1978, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA · Died 2020 · Career 1996–2016

    A fierce, skilled shooting guard who spent 20 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, famous for his footwork, tough shot-making and 'Mamba Mentality'.

    Career highlights

    Why Kobe Bryant could be the GOAT

    Kobe won three titles alongside Shaq and two more as the clear leader, proving he could win both ways. His 81-point game is the second-highest total in history, and his work ethic inspired a generation. Among Jordan's heirs, none came closer to matching his skill set and killer instinct.

    What fans say

    Kobe Bryant is #4 of 30 in the fan ranking, with a 3–2 head-to-head record from 157 NBA votes. See the full NBA GOAT ranking

    Kobe Bryant head to head

    How the ranking works. Every head-to-head vote is a result, like a game. The standings use a Bradley–Terry model, the same idea behind chess ratings: beating a highly rated legend counts for more than beating a long shot. Ratings are shown on a chess-style scale centred on 1500.

    One vote per matchup per person. If you see a pairing again in another session your new answer replaces the old one, so nobody can stuff the ballot by repeating a matchup.

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      Photos come from Wikimedia Commons under the licenses listed. Each links to its source page.