Player ratings in the NBA 2K video game for the upcoming season are slowly being released, with a list of the league’s top 10 shooting guards leaking late this week.
In order, the top four were James Harden, Klay Thompson, Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade… with Lakers’ legend Kobe Bryant trailing the latter two at No. 5.
On the surface, it’s a defensible decision. Bryant, now 37 years old and entering his 20th season, is injury-prone and was relatively inefficient (PER of 17.7) in the 35 games he did play a season ago.
But in the eyes of Detroit guard Brandon Jennings, Bryant isn’t getting enough respect. He explains:
Blasphemy. Kobe Bryant is #5. 2k gotta chill. The Internet just let you do whatever pic.twitter.com/xffbr0wzz5
— Brandon Jennings (@thinkiminthe90s) September 19, 2015
Kobe led the league in scoring before he got hurt. https://t.co/8QUCGJsDgS
— Brandon Jennings (@thinkiminthe90s) September 19, 2015
It’s Kobe Bryant. The closest thing to Michael Jordan. Yall really don’t think that good huh? That’s crazy https://t.co/3kyKELYNQ9
— Brandon Jennings (@thinkiminthe90s) September 19, 2015
James & Klay yes top 2 SG in the NBA.
— Brandon Jennings (@thinkiminthe90s) September 19, 2015
Reading between the lines with his comments on Harden and Thompson, it seems to be the rankings of Butler and Wade that drew Jennings’ ire. Yet going strictly by the numbers, those two guards were clearly superior players to Bryant in the 2014-15 campaign.
Nonetheless, Jennings clearly feels Bryant has more left in the tank, especially if he can stay healthy. We’ll soon find out, with training camps set to begin in a matter of days.
Ben DuBose is a veteran sports reporter who has followed the Houston Rockets and the NBA since Hakeem Olajuwon was Akeem Olajuwon. He writes for both SheridanHoops and ClutchFans, an independent Rockets blog. You can follow him on Twitter.