Kobe.

After the 2004 NBA Finals he was a free-agent and made it known he wanted the team to himself. So the Lakers traded Shaq to Miami, the coach Phil Jackson walked out because Kobe "un-coachable", Gary Payton wasn't re-signed and Karl Malone didn't initially re-sign (Malone & Payton were considered Shaq guys, Payton confronted Kobe in practice that season about his selfishness).

Malone entered the 2004-05 season still a free-agent and around mid-season was considering re-signing with the Lakers then a story was leaked that Malone either hit on Kobe's wife or liked her or something and when that blew up in the media he quietly slipped into retirement instead. No points for guessing where that leak probably came from.

I followed all this pretty closely and to this day I still consider Kobe's performance in the 2004 NBA Finals to be disgraceful in that I think he intentionally threw that series because if they had have won everyone would've called for Phil, Malone & Payton to come back the next season and try and go back-to-back.

Kobe did more than shoot the team out of that series. He intentionally ignored Shaq rarely throwing the ball into him and kept shooting over double teams and sometimes even triple teams. Once the Pistons realised what was going on they didn't even bother doubling Shaq and just left the comparatively tiny Ben Wallace on him straight up. It was pretty painful to watch those last 3 games in Detroit and it didn't help Malone getting injured about halfway through the series and taking no further part either.

Keep in mind after Phil Jackson quit the Lakers hired Rudy Tomjanovich as their new coach. He signed some big 4 or 5 year deal. In his playing days Rudy T was an alcoholic but had kicked it by the time he became a coach and led Houston to those back-to-back titles in the mid-90's.

The 2004-05 season Kobe went nuts with the jacking up everything no longer having Phil, Shaq etc to reign him in and Rudy T only lasted half a season before quitting reportedly turning back to the bottle.

Yes Phil came back the following season when the Lakers desperate after watching Kobe chuck them out of that season not even coming close to making the playoffs but Phil had all the leverage and asked for a cool $12 million a year.

The excuse Kobe used to use for getting Shaq traded was because he didn't like Shaq's work ethic. The reality was he wanted the spotlight to himself and was jealous of Shaq winning those three Finals MVP's when the Lakers won those three championsips in a row from 2000-2002.

*the coach Phil Jackson walked out because he considered Kobe "un-coachable" (that's what he called him in his book).

Kobe is clearly the more difficult personality, and there are countless stories supporting that. Reminds me a bit of Willie Farley in a way.

Doubt his body of work would be anywhere near as good otherwise. Likewise, there are countless stories of his discipline and sheer determination.

Thanks, Zodiac.

Was that around the time he got caught with another woman?

It was a bit more than being caught with another woman. But he paid her to make it go away and bought his wife a $4 million diamond ring so it's all good. I think that was the season before.

That's another thing he lost a lot of respect around the league when he ratted out Shaq in his police interview when he was arrested.

Shaq was known for sleeping around with a few other women and when Kobe was doing his whole 'it was consensual' spiel to the police he said something about Shaq cheating on his wife and basically he gets away with it so why can't I?

On the day that news first broke about Kobe's arrest I read on a Lakers forum before the posts were deleted about what supposedly really happened in Colorado that night by a guy who said his brother was one of the policemen that arrested Kobe.

I won't say much more other than a couple of things he said eventually went on to become public knowledge so I believe the guy was legit. I don't know how anyone could cheer for the guy, wear his singlet, want his autograph etc after that.

What a load of crap!! In the end his style of play won the lakers 5 championships and apart from the Spurs no other team has come close to winning that many while Kobe has been in the league!

These little doubt that Kobe is a all-time MVT of probably the entire professional sports world. He is certainly a poster child for the effects of having been a self-entitled sports prodigy in the US educational and professional sports system.

You can love his jump shot , and envy his bank balance, yet still fervently pray to all the deities in every spiritual belief system know to ancient or modern humanity that your children never adopt his attitude or values.

Kobe is a stand up human being if imperfections like us all.

As a kid growing up wanting to be like Michael and play like Michael, it's amazing to see another kid achieve that and do it at such a high level.

Kobe has a different persona, wave of thought and sense of presence many commoners simply cannot understand.

To be great you must be polarizing. Those hating are just doing their part in building his legacy as a god like basketball player, a role model and one of the greatest minds and competitors the world has ever witnessed.

Yeah, come on. Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.
So he's an arsehole and a rapist. Geez it's not like he killed someone. Let's keep things in perspective here. Don't pretend you all didn't do something a bit silly when you were younger.

I think Kobe's character is less offensive than Jordan's. From all accounts, Jordan is a bit of a dick. Kobe seems like a social oddity.

I'd take black sheep with prodigal talents in my child over blending in with the pack. Granted, in saying that, I'm chalking the assault thing up to the territory of celebrity/power males more than his personality.

"To be great you must be polarizing."

Tim Duncan would like a word with you.

Duncan is polarizing... people hate him for the boring sod of a person he is. Shoulda been a swimmer.

So how would you rate Durant against Duncan? Does he polarise people?

Durant isn't Westbrook. Polarised. Next.

Read this thread with interest....and I have to say there's some complete shite in here.
2 massive superstars
2 massive egos
You really expected them to co exist peacefully and defer to someone else? It's not in either of their natures
The fact remains though that these 2 are the last 2 team mates to win 3 consecutive championships together
Kobe VS Shaq.....I think not
History will show that Kobe AND Shaq was a dynamic double act and great days for the Lakers. Deep down I know they kinda know it and like each other