first of all kobe was drafted by CHA (13th pick) <edited for jae>, it was to be a back-up player, role player or a piece for a title with Eddie Jones, Nick van Exel and SHAQ, not to be the lead guard of LA, kobe wasn't drafted with the hype that lebron has, so year 1 for kobe is entirely incomparable to LBJ's year 1. LBJ was drafted no. 1 and everybody expects him to be a michael jordan, kobe was a work-in-progress after a mediocre year 1, that is year 1.
since kobe showed potential he made eddie expendable and build around the SHAQ and KOBE, you don't expect kobe to have numbers the way LBJ is having in his 3rd season, since kobe has shaq, i think you know what happened when kobe started scoring like LBJ? (SHAQ hated him)
that's why many people called him selfish because shaq should get the ball.
so for those years with shaq you wouldn't see kobe putting out LBJ like numbers right? and in 03-04 they even have the FAV 4, which means kobe is not the only guy who pulls shaq's numbers there's malone and payton.
So does comparison starts in the post shaq era? nope age wise you'll say kobe is too old for lebron at 26 yrs old and kobe has far more experience then, but lebron at age 18 (ROOKIE) avg's 20.9 kobe at 18 avg's 7.6ppg, see what i mean DIFFERENT, you can never compare kobe and LBJ in their 5th seasons, 2nd, 4th, and so on.
Physique! i think lebron will retire with more rebounds, points and blks than kobe, lbj is physically built, if you can see when this to guys played, lbj eats kobe in the post, kobe is no match to LBJ in the post,
LBJ stands 6'8"-6'9 240lbs while kobe 6'6"-6'7" 215-220 lbs that is 20-25-lbs difference, so they are different.
another thing is "TALENT" everybody knows how talented kobe is, but if you see lebron at 6'9" 240lbs running like hell that's unbelievable, he is like grant hill (in prime) but stronger and fierce , LBJ is so talented for that 6'9" SF position, he can pass, he can definitely score and run, when was the last guy this big and strong run so well??? and he has an outstanding court vision, the only part where kobe has the edge on LBJ is in scoring , and defensive tenacity, kobe is (IMO) the best lock-down / face-up defender in the game right now if only he doesn't have to play too much offense, just look what he did in the Olympic qualifiers... he basically shut down the leading scorer barbosa and every scorer he faces. this two guys are both good in their own way.
STATS, i think lebron is winning this like i say he will retire with more rebs and blks maybe points, and if you can see the 3-double rate, LBJ is doing a better job.
SO the only way to compare this two guys is in the Winning department, who can win more defines a good player, malone score more than MJ stat wise, stockton stole the ball and dished more passes than MJ, wilt avg's 50ppg in one season way better than MJ, oscar outnumbered MJ's 3-double by a mile,elgin baylor is one of the prolific scorers, but how come when it comes to the best player in the NBA it goes down to MJ, BILL, Kreem and MAGIC, because these guys didn't just excite the crowd, they WIN, MJ 6 titles, Bill 9 titles, Magic 5 titles, and kareem 6 titles you know why we can tell who's better of all the great players in the NBA? because some players proved that they could win and that would separate KOBE and LBJ in the future, we both know that these two can excite the crowd so it's all about winning. you know why tim duncan is great? <DELETED: i agree with benji> because tim wins.
Kobe won 3 titles but he doesn't take all of the credit since it is the SHAQ and KOBE era, unlike in chicago it was the Decade of Dominance of MJ, the Showtime Lakers of MAGIC, and the BILL Russel's CELTICS.
so i think we should stop the who's the better player argument. they are both great and different in so many ways.
BUT if i were to pick between LBJ and KOBE now... last year i would pick LBJ that's not even close, but this year the cavs are still trying to find themselves and still trying to be in the class were det and bos is, i'll pick KOBE this year, since he's winning, and he starts to know how to trusts his teammates. and when it comes to teammate talent?? last two years LBJ has better teammates than kobe, but this year bynum has improved, and the addition of the veteran fisher and so is the supporting cast of the LAL they're playing better now, some people say kobe made them better some may say kobe has nothing to do with it but i think it's how you relate to teammates that defines a great player. larry, Z, varejao, Pavlovic, gibson is not playing as well as the lakers bynum, farmar, fish, lamar etc. this year.
YOU CAN EXPRESS YOUR OPINIONS ON MY POST. THIS IS MY OPINION.
