Would Kobe be an even better player...?

Q: If he spent 4 years in college? Kobe is clearly the best player in the NBA, but would he be even better if he had learned more of the fundamentals of the team game in college? Kobe's career stat line (25.0 ppg) is diminished because he barely got off the bench in his first year and really only started getting playing time until his 3rd year (when he was a starter). Kobe's average would be about 28.8 ppg (very close to Jordan's 30.0 ppg), if Kobe had gone to college for 4 years and then started getting the statistics he's accumulated since 2000-2001. Then again, Kobe wouldn't have played against NBA players and learned veteran secrets of the trade early on... Anyway, discuss...

A: That would be a good point to discuss... but like you said yourself, we need to think of the other side also and remember that he wouldn't have gotten the much needed early experience in the league if he spent time in college. Kobe was drafted 13th overall and YEA, maybe he would had more hype entering the league if he had some accomplishments in college basketball! But then he may not have gotten the opportunity with LA and wouldn't win those championships back in the day... The argument of staying in college would only benefit his career stats, which I don't think concerns him much at the moment! I think the 4 years that may have been spent in college were well used up on his career as he got off learning all the aspects of the game and consistently got tips and advice from big coaches and all-star players like Byron Scott, Shaq, and Phil Jackson... In most cases you would rather have players going through college to learn the game properly, but in Kobe's case I don't think there is much room to argue his early draft to the league! College would have given him some other benefits but playing big games early in his career made him the player he is today.

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