NBA TV Disrespects Kobe Bryant, Puts Carmelo Anthony On Top In All-Decade Teams

NBA TV may have disrespected one of the greatest players of all time with their selection of NBA All-Decade teams.

Arguably the best player to ever represent the Purple and Gold, Kobe Bryant may have been disrespected by the NBA. In a recent 2009-2019 selection revealed by NBA TV via Instagram, Bryant was included in the “Third Team All-Decade.” The network then revealed the “Second Team All-Decade” in which Carmelo Anthony was placed as Bryant’s counterpart in the Third Team.

While the comparison of stats of the two NBA superstars in the given time span are quite close, some believe that NBA TV “disrespected” Bryant by putting Anthony over the legendary Laker.

According to Lakers Daily, Bryant should have been named to the Second Team in place of Carmelo Anthony even though the former only played for seven seasons during the said decade.

In those seven seasons, Bryant averaged 24.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.3 blocks per game. He also played seven All-Star games and was included in four All-NBA teams.

During the same period of time, Bryant earned two of his five NBA champsionships. He won his fourth in 2009 against Orlando Magic, and in 2010, the Lakers icon sealed his fifth and final NBA title after defeating Boston Celtics.

Anthony on the other hand, was named to eight All-Star teams and three All-NBA teams from 2009-2019. During that stint, the former Knicks star averaged 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. He also led the league in scoring during the 2012-13 season.

Evidently, Anthony have played 10 seasons compared to Bryant’s seven, but it is also a fact that Anthony lacks the NBA titles and cultural impact Bryant has.

In fact, after being released from the official roster by the Houston Rockets, no team seemed convinced that Anthony is still a great player.

As for Bryant, the biggest hurdle that kept Bryant from having an even greater impact this past decade was his torn Achilles. The devastating Achilles injury and knee injuries which he sustained in 2013 have kept him off the court for several months. He was only able to play in 398 out of a possible 574 games because of the said injuries.

The debate for the greatest players in the NBA is timeless. However, there are players who really made such a great impact that it is kind of hard to determine where they really belong in the NBA’s GOAT list.