Playground Pick ‘Em: Was Vince v. Kobe really ever a thing?

from Sports Illustrated, 2001.

Think about why you like Vince Carter. It’s about game, and how he runs it. Not saying that substance completely trumps style, but if Vince was all style and substance-free, we’d be over him by now. So would you. Instead, he resides in that rare space where style and substance share top billing.

–SLAM magazine, May 2001.

So do you remember when there was a question whether Vince Carter or Kobe Bryant was best?

In 2016-17, nineteen seasons deep, Vince was still hanging around the league. Kobe had moved out.

But the verdict was pretty well unanimous: Kobe Bryant was the better player when both players’ careers are taken in entirety. The rings end the conversation. And Kobe got them early, mostly because of “Big”, also known as Shaquille O’Neal.

Related: Eli Manning v. Phil Simms

In 2001-2002, there was still a question in the air between the two. Was Carter as good, or better, when both were at their peak?

Carter was averaging 27.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists by his third season.

Kobe’s stats ramped up by season five, at age 22. He was collecting 28.5, 6 and 5 per game.

Kobe’s points per game rose above thirty points three different seasons. He simply took more shots and made a lot of them. Other than that, he and Vince had similar numbers at their best.

Over their careers, Carter had fewer assists, and also committed fewer turnovers. Kobe handled the ball so much more. When Carter had the ball he was usually about to shoot. That was true of Kobe, too, of course—after he handled the ball, so much more.

Kobe scored 81 that one time. Sometimes it’s obvious. Sometimes, there’s no need to even say something is pleasing and good.

But Vince Carter dunked over a seven-foot-two French player. That leap was equal to an 80-point

NBA game. Remember that Vinsanity came and went before Linsanity, starring Jeremy Lin.

Sports Illustrated talked about this fledging rivalry in the December 18, 2000 issue. “Who needs the next MJ when the NBA may have Bird-Magic II?” said the subtitle.

“Every few years the NBA trots out another beta version of Michael 2.0, the latest contender for the title of Next Jordan. So far none have lived up to the billing. Now, though, the NBA
finds itself with not one but two players, Kobe Bryant of the Lakers and the Raptors’ Vince Carter, with claim to the title—and with it the responsibility of carrying David Stern’s tattoo-scarred league to another golden age.

“Both are prolific offensive players, bother are young leaders on contending teams, and both are capable of acrobatics most players couldn’t pull off on a Nerf hoop. Most important, each possesses star quality.

“Bryant and Carter have become, along with Allen Iverson (Isiah Thomas to their Magic and Bird?), the game’s most compelling players not named O’Neal. A sure sign of their grassroots appeal is how often you hear Who’s better? debates among fans. No less an authority than Jordan stoked the fire last spring when he proclaimed that Bryant was better all-around because Carter ‘doesn’t play defense.’”