I'm neutral, because I like him only as a player...I have nothing invested in him emotionally. If he got hurt and was no longer particularly effective, he'd no longer be among my favourite players because, outside of one or two exceptions here and there, I like players based only on how much I enjoy watching them play.
I've argued for Bryant and against him; it all depends on whether I think he's being overrated or underrated, or unfairly being given credit/blame, by the person I'm responding to.
My take on him is that he's a brilliant shooting guard, essentially tied with Tracy McGrady as the most talented and impactful perimeter player of his generation (although LeBron James looks poised to pass them both up). He's not a top-ten player of all-time, but he's a top-30 talent, all-time. His scoring game is nearly as diverse as Jordan's, but with a worse shot. He's an excellent rebounder for his position and a very good passer and ball-handler. His defense has generally been good, but was overrated in the years that he won All-Defense first team. He's currently the fourth or fifth best player in basketball.
