For some NBA fans, to ask whether Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant is "overrated" as a basketball player would be similar to asking music fans whether the Beatles were overrated as rock group, or Jimi Hendrix as an electric guitarist, questions which would be considered absurd and ridiculous by most rock music aficionados given their bodies of work, innovations, achievements and contributions to their respective crafts.

Bryant is certainly an amazing basketball talent, that much is undeniable. He may already be one of the 20 greatest NBA players ever to play the game. But with conversation this summer after Bryant won his fifth NBA Championship turning to him challenging basketball legend Michael Jordan as the greatest ever basketball player period, perhaps for the first time in his career Bryant has been elevated to a status that is undeserved, even when considering his many great achievements.