Ziggy,
MJ WASN'T a very good shot when he first came into the league -- by the end of his career he was a VERY good shooter. Came from never being satisfied with his game. I don't agree that Kobe is more athletic (although he does have a longer wingspan), I don't agree that Kobe is a better defender (MJ was one of the best one-on-one defenders ever) -- pretty much the only thing I agree with Bayless is that Kobe was (and still is) a better shooter than MJ was at this point in his career.
MJ was a jerk -- he thought he was a god and most people treated him like he was -- same thing is true with Kobe. The difference is that the media is a LOT more intense these days and being in LA just makes it even more intense. At the end of MJ's career, he was hounded -- Kobe was hounded almost from the beginning of his career (mainly BECAUSE of the popularity that MJ, Magic and Bird brought to the NBA). Kobe and a LOT of other NBA players need to realize that it's the IMAGE of the NBA that will decide it's future. The NBA wasn't nearly as popular before Magic and Bird brought the NBA into the limelight. MJ increased it's status and the original dream team is the climax of that popularity and image. From the second dream team to the last two doomed teams, the NBA's image has turned to one of tarnished brass instead of gold.
Kobe and other players need to realize that their image is what is paying their salaries -- and if they don't improve that image, everything they believe they are entitled too will all burn up. Kobe needs to start realizing that while he is the teams best player -- he NEEDS the other four players on the court. He needs to learn to try and keep his business out of the press and take care of it behind closed doors -- no matter WHAT the other person does.
However, with all of that said, Kobe is getting slammed for not being a team player -- for players that "hate" playing with him -- and that isn't the proper perspective, IMO, for the most part. I have heard SEVERAL players interviewed this year and Kobe IS trying to be the leader as well as a teammate. Look at Kobe's assist per game and that will tell you he is working hard to get his teammates involved. And I can also tell you from watching several games that Kobe's assists would be MUCH higher if he had anyone else who could shoot the ball with any kind of consistency (esp. from outside).
The Lakers are rebuilding -- they will be rebuilding because at this point they don't have a big man on whom they can rely on for interior defense and rebounding. Lamar Odom isn't a PF and while he is a decent rebounder for his size, the Lakers frontcourt don't rebound the ball well and their post defense is almost non-existent!
There is a LOT that Kobe has to answer for -- but, as typical, the media loves to jump on something when it's popular (some sports "analysts" should be writing for the National Inquirer based on the accuracy of their reportings -- why are other reporters required to show "proof" but sports reporters can simply report conjectures, dreams and lies?) and Kobe is about as unpopular a player right now as you can find. I think he will rebound but it's never going to be to his former vaunted status -- and it may not rebound very high if he can't manage to keep his tits and tats out of the press every other day!
