How is Kobe Bryant not in the top 5?

He was #7 in 2011

Personally, I would have Kobe ranked above Rose. However, I wouldn't rank him above LBJ,KD, or Dwight.

Dude Kobe in his best scoring seasons only made it to the first round of the playoffs or didn't even make it. He does not make his teammates better, played with Shaq for 3 of his rings, and Bynum and Gasol duo for the others. He might still be in my top 5, but Rose has a way bigger impact on his team, same with Dwight. Dwayne Wade too, and Kobe and Durant are like the same right now, Durant has a nice team around him. But yeah, watch Kobe from 05-07, scored hella points but couldn't handle having average to below average teammates around him. Dwight and Lebron have done that thru their careers.

It's called "Politics." Kobe is FACT is the Top 10 best players of the "NBA history" look it up if you don't believe me. This Top 5 (Rose,Durant,D.Howard,Lebron, & Chris Paul) DO NOT have Championship rings but only Lebron which he only has 1x. Not only this, have you seen the front cover of 2K NBA 2013? It's a joke that has D.Rose who even didn't play. Blake Griffin, he isn't that good Center player & he only could do is dunk! As for Kevin Durant, will he didn't win a Championship ring or MVP so I do NOT know why he's also in the front cover. I hate to say this but the only person who should be in the front cover of 2K NBA 2013, is Lebron James.

It also seems that ESPN only focus on young players instead of the best of the best players like Kobe Bryant.

ESPN NBA ranks doesn't mean anything. It's just a bunch of opinions. Popular opinion doesn't make something fact. Kobe does his talking on the floor, so next seas when he holds up his 6th trophy, he'll be laughing

I WHOLEHEARTEDLY agree with you!!!!

ESPN definitely has beef against Kobe. Why is that last offseason they played Kobe ranking him at #7 and blaming it on his lack of health and this year Rose actually missed the majority of the season and he STILL gets ranked at #6?!?!?!?!?

Now to be totally unbiased and fair, due to age, I still wouldn't rank Kobe #1 like he has legitimately been for almost the past decade. However, Kobe should still be in the top 5 at the very least.

ESPN already lost major cool points for this last year. Now they are no longer analysts I subscribe to. In the words of Stephen A. Smith...................DISRESPECTFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah for real. D-rose shouldn't be in the top 5. And I'm not sold on CP3 either. Kobe got robbed but that's okay he's gonna get his 6th ring this year

Because it's ESPN, their rankings are an absolute joke and whoever made the rankings needs to get fired. Those are joke rankings

Russell Westbrook isn't top 10 and Carmelo doesn't rank #17 either

His efficiency is bad and he mainly scores. Why is D-wade not #6??? I'm pretty sure you wouldn't say the same if he played for a team you hate right... EXCATLY!!!

LeBron James is the best there ever was at every statistic in the game. If you disagree, shut up, or I'll come to your home and make you watch videos of all LeBron's best games. (Yes, I know where you live, because LeBron told me.) Which could take a while, because that means every game he's ever played in.

As everyone but you knows, he scored every basket, grabbed every rebound, and made every steal and block in every game, even the games played before he was born. He did that for the opposing team, too, because they couldn't do it against him and he felt sorry for them. He also unofficially coaches the team himself (Erik Spoelstra being a figurehead) as well as the other team (meaning all other teams begged him to temporarily replace their own coach during the game).

There should be college courses taught on LeBron James; they ideally would be required for every major. If Kome Cryant wants to stop fooling himself and become a great player, he should start by changing his first name to LeBron. Best...player...ever. We are all witnesses. Buy whatever product or service he tells you to buy on TV or the internet.

P.S. I have a master's degree in folklore and mythology.

ESPN sucks. Kobe and Wade aren't in the top 5.