I would put Kobe top 10, top 5 is tough
I actually had this conversation with someone today at work who is a BIG Lakers fan, and even he's denied putting Kobe up there.
However he's in the elite list now, you say top 10 and maybe that's the best ranking for Kobe, you put him over Shaq now automatically I think:
In no order:
Wilt Chamberlain
Michael Jordan
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Magic Johnson
Shaquille O'Neal
Isaiah Thomas
Larry Bird
Brian Russell
Jerry West
Kobe Bryant
And arguably you could include Oscar Robertson, Bob Cousy, John Havlicek, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Julius Erving, Tim Duncan, Clyde Drexler... the list goes on
But those 10 are my top 10, elite players, Kobe is the hands down #10 AT LEAST for anyone... I still put him > West, Bird, Thomas, O'Neal and = to someone like Magic... he's one title away I think from being potentially one of the three best ever.