What's Wright - Nick Wright Mailbag: WILD Kobe Bryant take, when Nick knew LeBron could be GOAT, Jaylen Brown drama

Welcome to our Friday Mailbag. Quick detour first: the Jalen Brown swirl. T-Mac hinted there’s strain with Boston, Brad Stevens tried to cool it, and Jalen hopped on stream to say he loves the city, would stay long term, and that this was his favorite season because the group grew and proved people wrong. My read? He truly sees himself as the top Celtic, feels the organization has propped up Tatum, and he’s tired of trade chatter. From the outside, it’s clear Tatum’s the better, bigger, more complete player. Wanting to be a number one somewhere is fair, but the way Jalen’s handling it feels very online; when criticism hits, he digs in instead of softening the edges privately. If there’s no Giannis move to anchor a deal, I’m not sure Boston gets equal value, so we wait and see.

As a Celtics fan, I like the commitment talk, but some of Jalen’s comments feel unnecessary, and I do wonder how Tatum takes it. This isn’t the first time he’s said something that creates noise and then stands on it, like with the Bronny remark.

Mailbag time. On the LeBron moment: when twenty-two-year-old LeBron closed out Detroit by scoring basically everything late, that’s when it felt inevitable. People forget how unreal early Cleveland LeBron was—no reliable jumper yet, but absurd speed and lift, so he’d just blow by you and finish.

How high can someone rank all-time without ever being the best player in the world?

In theory, second, if your entire prime overlaps the greatest ever. On my board, the example is Kobe. I have him eighth all-time, yet he never owned the belt. Shaq ruled the early two-thousands, Duncan took the mid-decade, then LeBron ran it for a decade-plus. The seasons people point to for Kobe either ended in a first-round loss or missing the playoffs, which undercuts the claim that he was the unquestioned top guy.

Thoughts on vote results shifting when the league delays announcements until after games?

If the NBA didn’t want outcomes swayed by fresh performances, it shouldn’t time things that way. I’d be heated if I were directly affected, but the league seemed fine with the risk.

When will an American win MVP again? My flyer is Tyrese Haliburton if he comes back fully healthy and Indy surges. Not Brunson for me.

Haliburton could get a Steve Nash–style narrative if the Pacers pop. Tatum’s in the mix, but his ceiling and possible star sharing make it tougher. My real answer shows how long this might take: Cooper Flagg down the road. Near term feels international with Wemby, Shai, Jokic, Giannis, and Luka crowding the lane.

Is Isaiah Thomas the most underrated sports figure ever?

Maybe not across all sports, but he’s on the short list for most underrated in NBA history. He won at every level, led as a true floor general, and beat Bird’s Celtics, Magic’s Lakers, and Jordan’s Bulls without a cheat-code superteam. In eighty-eight he torched a quarter on a bad ankle and nearly stole the title, then the Pistons came back and bulldozed the league. Traditional and advanced numbers miss how he suppressed stats to maximize winning, and that same math can over-elevate others like David Robinson. The film and the rings say Zeke was a killer.

You left tight end off your NFL Superstar Club. Who claims it?

Brock Bowers, but he needs either bigger stages or a longer run for the casuals to really see it. It’s hard for a non-glamour spot to pop unless you’re doing it deep in January.

Any out-of-the-box onside kick tactics, like drilling it at a hands-team player for a ricochet?

I’d try exactly that—blast it at a target and play the bounce. Programming note before we go: I’m jumping on No Gamble No Future for poker commentary this weekend on YouTube between NBA games. Talk to you soon—What’s Right.