The Sporting News (SN) named Lakers guard Kobe Bryant the NBA Player of the Decade Thursday (September 24), saying he's the only player in the "history of the sport" who is has "hell bent" on improving every off-season as Kobe.
Kobe was up against the San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan for the honor, taking it with just 55% of the voting over the Texas center. However, Duncan was named Player of the Year twice by SN, back in 2002 and 2003, while Kobe only earned the honor once in 2008.
Here's the two players' numbers in comparison:
Bryant: 28.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 5.2 apg, one MVP, four titles
Duncan: 21.2 ppg, 11.7 rpg, 3.3 asp, two MVPs, three titles
Even Shaq weighed in, saying he had never played with some "as fierce" as the Lakers superstar:
"The thing about Kobe is that, over the course of my career, I have never played with anyone who was as fierce as he is. By fierce I mean just having that extra killer instinct that you know when the game is on the line he is not going to shy away from the big shot, he is not going to make excuses. If we would go into the fourth quarter, playoffs or just some game in the season and we were within a little bit of the other team, Kobe was not going to shy away from the challenge of getting the win. He was going to take the shots."
And here's Kobe's memory of the past decade:
"This year meant a lot. We won a championship. It was satisfying, very satisfying, because we put in a lot of time and effort to fix things and get better. It's a great memory. I feel that we just had such a great team, such a fun team, from our chemistry to the way we executed. We went through some years and years of frustration to get to that point."
What do you think? Is the honor deserved? Should it have been Duncan, or even another player? Sound off below.
Kobe is that ni99a right now!!! you can hate him as a person but you damn sho can't hate his game and work ethics!!!
Ant
Thats some bull shit! who the hell has the right, especially some broke down web company, to give Kobe the award for player of the decade, the man only won one championship as the Top DAWG! dont seem like it was his team when he won with Shaq! Just saying Tho!
http://www.wtnrradio.com A-Beatz of WTNRRADIO.COM
Shaq: "Yo Kobe, tell me how my ass taste". LOL! I cant believe he said that on a mic. He really did.
devon
No doubt he's the player of the decade shouldn't even be close,not only POD but he is top 5 all time with Jordan,Magic,Kareem & Bird sorry Oscar,Wilt & Russell all 5 of those guys were magical & I witnessed them play.
R.O.S.C.O.
Fo Sho My Man BlackMamba Deserve That !!!!
GEORGE
Who's best? Shaq damn sure ain't! At least he can admit ( sort of) that Kobe is the man. And Ant don't hate the man, because he told everybody he did need Shaq to win one and proved it.
http://dvsincPD.blogspot.com/ VENGEANCE IS MINE!!!!!!!!!!
JORDAN IS STILL THA BEST EVAH!!!!!
http://2DEEP@MYSPACE FRED AKA MR. DELITE
KOBE is the best in the game right now he is derserving of all the rewards he should have gotten years ago. MR. 81, before he's done may even surpas the great u know who? Labron and all the rest untill Mr. K. B 24 LEAVES WILL HAVE TO TAKE A RIDE IN THE BACK SEAT LIKE ALL THE REST.
Thuglyfe
Go Kobe! Laker's 2009 Champs. Fuck the haters! Hahahahahahaha!
Doyle
KOBE is the best of the decade and beyond. True fans with knowledge of the sport realize that he is the best in many, many, ways. Before it is over, the unfortunate years after the Layers won the three championships will be reconcilled and properly reported, elevating his statute and greatness as one the best if not the best player ever...
joeblow
No doubt! Kobe is still the best player in the league. He should have more mvps than he has.
Frank Rizzo
Kobe was named the best of the decade because his team just won the championship, had it been the Spurs who won this year they would have said Duncan was the player of the decade.
JOKER
his game is tight and you will respect his game. never slacks,never. always pulling double digets and rarely sits down. future hall of famer
RodTheMan
Tim Duncan has won 4 NBA Titles. I witnessed the first one in 1999 in the strike shortended season. The other 3 were 2003,2005,2007.
2001,2002,2003 LA Lakers
2004 Detroit
2006 Miami
2008 Celtics
2009 LA Lakers
My Opinion
Of all the players out there Kobe deserves this...I am not a Kobe fan either!
SimplyEcstasy
I'm a Lebron James fan but until he wins Cleveland a championship, not much can be said.
simply awesom
i think daron williams should've got it but i respect kobe so i guess he wins
The Sporting News (SN) named Lakers guard Kobe Bryant the 
