Could Kobe Bryant Be the Most Overrated Athlete in Sports History?

For someone whose name comes up in such discussions like "Who is the best player ever?" and "Who will be the next Michael Jordan?" Kobe Bryant still has a long way to go. Sure, I'll admit Bryant has been a prolific scorer throughout his career, but he has shown me nothing that would have me compare him with Michael Jordan.  Let's take a look back to the year 2000, the year L.A. won its first championship with Kobe. During the regular season, Kobe averaged almost 29 points and five assists per game. How did these stats translate over to the NBA Finals? They lowered to 15 points and four assists per game. Shaquille O'Neal, on the other hand, raised his scoring average, from 28 in the regular season to 38 in the finals.  The next year, 2001, the Lakers once again won the NBA Finals. Any thanks to Kobe? Sure, but his scoring average dropped in the clutch once again, forcing Shaq to step up and raise his scoring, from 27 per game in the regular season to 33 in the finals.  ... (link)