Why are you guys even comparing the rest of the lakers to the rest of the bulls? Just look at the best two players on each team. Shaq and Kobe vs. Jordan and Pippen. Now you gonna tell me that Jordan's supporting cast (Pippen) is as good as Kobe's supporting cast (Shaq). There's no argument. With that beast in the lane, Jason Williams would be on the NBA's first-team defense. A good shot blocker and intimidator like Shaq will erase any of your perimeter mistakes for you. People are scared to drive to the whole on him.
As far as Kobe vs. Jordan specifically, wake up. In Jordan's fifth year in the league, he was averaging approx. 30pts/game. Kobe only about 28pts/game. I know it ain't fair though, cuz he's not the primary scorer. So I'll give you that, but his jump shot (if you know anything about playing the game) is not technically sound. It has too little arc. You may think it looks nice when it bullets straight at the net, but unless he changes it, his shot isn't gonna be consistent as he gets older.
Too many of you Kobe fans are caught up in the media hype. The NBA IS propagating Kobe as the next league spokesman. Adidas IS trying to develope the next Jordan with Kobe's commercials. You can't tell me you don't see it when a Kobe commercial just shows him contemplating things about life. For christ's sake, who made him the next great philosopher let alone a college grad? Just because he knows Italian doesn't mean he's smarter than the average high school kid. And just because the league's not letting Kobe hit up the party's and the strip clubs doesn't mean he's "mature." He's selling an image. The league's selling an image. Addidas is selling an image. And unfortunately, you're all eating it up.
Until Kobe goes to his own team and carries them through a whole season and the playoffs, he'll never be great. He can score all day long but as long as he's under Shaq's shadow he'll never be the best or the greatest. He'll just be another Scottie, who wasted his best years under a bigger star and had nothing left when it came time to lead his own team. Kobe needs to leave the Lakers, not because I hate the "laker dynasty" but because I want to see what he can do. So until Kobe racks up the championship rings (himself) and the MVP trophies (himself) and the scoring titles (himself) and the all nba first team defense (himself), Kobe lovers can't say a thing. Just gloat while you got him, Lakers fans but you're missing out. You talk of his potential but he'll never reach it without his own team.