“Y’all can debate the rest”: Kobe Bryant’s sister doesn’t hold back on the Lakers legend’s disrespect in new ranking amid backlash

After Bleacher Report placed Kobe Bryant 11th on the list of top 100 NBA players of all-time, the internet went berserk, with plenty crying disrespect against the Black Mamba. Bryant’s sister, Sharia Bryant, also joined in and pushed back against the disrespect of her brother.

The Lakers legend’s sister made a series of posts on her social media, featuring the five-time NBA champion. She posted a picture of Bryant and Michael Jordan on her first IG Story.

“The only TOP 2. Y’all can debate the rest!” she wrote in the caption.

In the second IG Story, Sharia posted a picture of Bryant shooting over LeBron James, who was second on the list.

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In the next post, she posted a picture of Bryant in his Lakers' 8 jersey, acknowledging cheers from the crowd.

In a list released by Bleacher Report, Kobe Bryant was ranked 11th. Perhaps the biggest issue most fans had was Steph Curry, at No. 10, being ahead of the Lakers' star.

Gilbert Arenas reacts to Kobe Bryant being ranked 11th all-time

Former NBA player Gilbert Arenas, who is one of Kobe Bryant's biggest fans, weighed in on Bleacher Report's all-time NBA players ranking list. The former All-Star player turned to history and seemingly agreed with the list.

Before going deep into why Bryant was rightfully placed at 11th, Arenas maintained that it was impossible to argue with people's opinions about sportsmen. He also added that a few years ago, when he compared Kobe Bryant and Steph Curry's accolades, he had anticipated Curry and Bryant's fans going into a "war."

The former Washington Wizards player then went into a chronological exploration of Bryant's placement on the all-time list.

"In 2004...Even though he has three rings, he has no accolades at that time because he was young when he got it," Arenas said. "So, those three rings, he wouldn't have been a top 30 player yet. If you start looking at that like that, the next person to jump in would have been Tim Duncan."

Arenas added that Kobe's placement outside the top 10 was because Steph Curry and LeBron James got on the list.

"So Kobe would have been the following when he won his fourth or fifth ring. That's when he would have actually physically got into this list...He was top 10 in 2011...(and then) he got injured, so he hasn't moved, he wouldn't have moved past anyone."

"The only people who came into the list since then, would have been LeBron James and now Steph Curry, that's it," he added.

Michael Jordan topped the list, followed by LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson.

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About the author

Nandjee Ranjan

Nandjee Ranjan is a journalist covering the NBA and WNBA at Sportskeeda whose passion for basketball dates back to his childhood when he enjoyed playing the sport in school.

Nandjee finds his heart divided between two NBA powerhouses: the LA Lakers and the Golden State Warriors. He idolizes LeBron James and his leadership, while he appreciates the Warriors' dynamic and team-oriented style of play.
Basketball, for Nandjee, isn't just a sport but a holistic approach to fitness and well-being. He's been drawn to team sports, finding fulfillment in the physical engagement basketball offers.

With years of following basketball, Nandjee contextualizes historical events and player performances. He believes in conducting thorough research before writing, only taking information from reliable sources. He doesn’t mind taking more time to write an articles, as long as it is 100% accurate for his readers’ benefit.

During his leisure hours, Nandjee finds relaxation by reading books.

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