Jeff Teague questioned Kobe Bryant’s 12 All-Defensive Team selections, claiming the Lakers legend wasn’t a top-tier defender later in his career.
Former NBA All-Star Jeff Teague didn’t hold back when discussing Kobe Bryant and his defensive reputation during a Club 520 podcast, raising eyebrows across the basketball world.
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Position: SG
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Height: 198 cm
Weight: 93 kg
Birth place: Philadelphia, United States of America
In particular, Teague challenged the legitimacy of Bryant’s 12 All-Defensive Team selections.
“And I’ma tell y’all something about All-Defensive teams — they just put anybody on them after a while,” Teague said. “Like, if you made it once or twice, three times, they just start putting you on there.”
“Like 12 times? I played Kobe, bro. He wasn’t guarding like that. He wasn’t, bro. Yeah. Maybe the first four or five years he was. After that, he wasn’t guarding like that, bro. Go look. Paul Pierce and them used to cook. Joe Johnson used to cook,” he added.
Bryant, who spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, was known for his relentless competitive spirit and two-way impact.
His résumé includes 12 All-Defensive selections — tied for the second-most all time — and five NBA championships.
Over his career, Bryant averaged 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game. He shot 44.7% from the field and 32.9% from beyond the arc.
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