"Alright guys, lets settle this."
The debate over who is the best player in the NBA has been raging recently and knowledgeable NBA fans know that it comes down to two guys who most people recognize by their first names; Kobe and LeBron.
The debate grew especially heated after Kobe dropped 61 points in Madison Square Garden against the Knicks and then LeBron came one rebound short or a triple-double the next night in the World’s Most Famous Arena and dropped 52 points.
Important Facts
1. Kobe has obviously won more. He’s won three championships and the Lakers nearly always have a better record than the Cavaliers. That said, Kobe has always had a strong supporting cast, from Shaq (big props to the big fella for his dancing at the All-Star game) to Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum (who is out hurt right now). This year LeBron has another player on his team who can take some pressure off of him, Mo Williams, for the first time in his NBA career.
2. This year LeBron is averaging more rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks per game than Kobe. LeBron has a higher points per game average than Kobe, 28.37 to 27.37. Not only does LeBron average more points per game, he does it with a better field goal percentage, 49.1 to 47.2
3. Playing for the USA in the 2008 Olympics LeBron outscored Kobe with 124 total points to Kobe’s 120. Virtually no difference there you say? LeBron did it on 21 less shots. In the Olympics LeBron nearly doubled Kobe in rebounds and assists – 42 to 22, and 30 to 17. LeBron doubled Kobe in blocks – 8 to 4, and more than doubled him with 19 steals to Kobe’s 9. Kobe fans might try to argue that LeBron got more playing time, but PT was virtually even. Kobe got 188 minutes while LeBron got 198 minutes.
4. Both brought their teams deep in the playoffs last year. But both lost to the three-headed dragon that is the Boston Celtics. (That dragon is growing a fourth head these days in Rajon Rondo, who joins Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen.) LeBron’s Cavs lost to the Beantown Triad and company in seven games, while the Kobe’s Lakers lost in six games.
5. This in the past, so it’s not as relevant to this argument as the other points, but it counts. Both Kobe and LeBron came to the NBA straight from high school. LeBron was the #1 overall pick in 2003. Kobe was drafted #13 overall in 1996. From the “Did you know?” category – Kobe was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets (remember them?) and traded to the Lakers for famous flopper Vlade Divac before he played his first NBA game. LeBron had an immediate impact as a rookie in 2003-04, averaging over 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists while helping the Cavaliers win 18 more games than they had in 2002-03. Kobe averaged 7.6 points per game and less than 2 assists per game as well as less than 2 rebounds per game in his first season.
Irrelevant Comparisons
1. LeBron is funnier. He is in some commercials that rival Peyton Manning for the best athlete commercials on TV these days. LeBron also hosted Saturday Night Live. I hesitate to bring this up, but Kobe’s commercial appeal has been shot since the rape allegations against him in 2003.
2. Kobe has two NBA scoring titles to LeBron’s one. But LeBron’s came last year in 2008, while Kobe’s were in 2006 and 2007. LeBron is poised to win another this year.
3. I believe that when LeBron gets isolation and decides to take his man to the basket he will score almost 100% of the time. That said, if my team was behind by one point with six seconds left in the game I would much rather have Kobe take the last shot to win the game.
4. Though LeBron looks like he’s 50 years old and Kobe looks like he could still be 18, Kobe is 30 and LeBron is 24.
5. Kobe won the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest. LeBron has never participated in a Slam Dunk Contest, but hinted that he may participate next year.
Verdict:
A) A random poll of people drinking Bud Light in my apartment found that LeBron is favored 4:1 among five slovenly college guys who watch too much ESPN. The Kobe vote came from a die-hard Lakers fan, so that one comes with a cascading cordillera of salt.
B) There has been a void in the NBA since Michael Jordan retired – from the Bulls. (MJ with the Wizards was like Joe Montana with the Chiefs or more recently Brett Favre with the Jets.) If anyone is the heir to His Airness it’s King James. He has commercial appeal and can will his team to wins, night in and night out. If that’s not enough, his recent statistics are recognizably better than any other player. The only knock on LeBron is that he has not earned any championship jewelry. But Kobe has never won a title without Shaq Daddy Diesel. LeBron will get a few titles after he signs with the Knicks in 2010.
I welcome all angry, profane responses from Kobe fans and look forward to a debate. Leave a comment if you have an opinion – but make sure you can back it up. (Read: Don’t say, “Fuck you. Kobe is better.” Support your statement.
-Andrew Sagarin
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