Kobe Bryant vs. Zone Defense
- 00:05:15
- YouTube
Kobe Bryant vs. Zone Defense
This video details the superior defenses that Bryant and other superstars have to go up against in the modern era of basketball. Unlike he 80's and 90's isolation brand of basketball, Kobe is the most doubled-teamed perimeter player in the history of the NBA. Zone is effective because it plays the percentages. It forces dominant players out of the paint and into lower percentage shots. It also forces great players to distribute the ball to the perimeter - where their role players will become forced into volume three point shooting. Zone is the most effective method of defense and is used around the world at almost every level. Zone is used in college basketball (NCAA) by most teams, and college is considered to be the 'purest' form of basketball. Zone defense is also used by most international teams and it was effective in beating the more athletic USA in the 2006 International Fiba games. If you don't take my word for it, why don't you take Bryant's. Here is an article from 2007 in which Bryant talks about modern zone defenses: "The rules are completely different now,'' said Bryant, comparing his era to Jordan's. "I've always been able to shoot the ball, but the rules have changed since he played in terms of playing a zone defense. You have to be a jump shooter now because there's no way you can get to the basket -- particularly myself because they just stack guys up. I wish we had the rules they had back in the day where you could isolate guys and you could go to the basket anytime. But now you have to be able to shoot.'' Link: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/ian_thomsen/11/29/kobe.longevity/1.html *Zone was legalized prior to the 2001-2002 season in order to contain Shaquille O'neal. *I made this video with my personal archives of Kobe/Laker footage. I made this video in 2 days - I will make a more detailed version and comparisons to Jordan's era when I have more time.
YouTube | June 18, 2008
