Lebron vs. Kobe: Career vs. Career
By: Jim Vassallo
Sports is an outlet for many people to voice their opinions of players and teams, debate with friends over who is the best player in the history of a specific sport, or which team is the greatest of all time. This is a blog designed partly for the reasons listed above. Now its time for me to put my two cents in regarding a debate that has become pretty heated within the past couple of seasons in the NBA; Lebron vs. Kobe. Not head to head in a game, but head to head in talent, skills, leadership, and career numbers. Lebron vs. Kobe: Who will be remembered more for their accomplishments? Who will be the most successful NBA player out of the two?
In this his 12th season in the league, Bryant has surpassed many of the expectations that fans and his franchise dreamed of when he was drafted right out of Lower Merion High School by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th overall pick. Bryant never played a game for the Hornets, who traded him to the Lakers for Vlade Divac, the then starting center for Los Angeles. Bryant was also the first guard in league history to be drafted into the NBA right out of high school.
Since his arrival in L.A., Byrant has won three NBA titles, in 2001, 2002, and 2003. To go along with the titles he has many other accomplishments on his mantle:
- In 1997 he won the slam dunk contest.
- In the 1997-1998 season he was the runner-up for the league’s sixth man of the year award while also becoming the league’s youngest all-star starter.
- He has been named the league’s All-Star Game MVP twice (2002, 2007).
- He is a two-time scoring champion (2006, 2007).
- He is a 10-time NBA All-Star (all starts and all consecutive).
- He is also the youngest player in league history to reach 20,000 career points.
Not bad for only an example of some of his accolades .
Here are some of Kobe’s career numbers:
- He has a career average of 24.6 PPG.
- He has a career average of 23.3 PPG in the playoffs (131 Games Played). The team, since Kobe’s arrival, has missed the playoffs in only one season (2004-2005).
- As a guard he has a career average of 5.2 RPG.
NBA records:
- Most three-point field goals made in one game (12-shared with Donyell Marshall).
- Most three-point field goals made in one half: 8.
- Most consecutive three-point field goals made in one game: 9 (shared with Latrell Sprewell and Ben Gordon).
- Most free throws made in one quarter: 14 (shared with five players).
- Most free throws attempted in one quarter: 16 (shared with six players).
Bryant also holds or shares 26 Lakers franchise records. Here is a small list of those achievements:
- Points in a season: 2,832 (2005-06).
- Points in a game: 81 (January 22, 2006 vs. Raptors).
- Most three-pointers attempted in a season: 518 (2005-06).
- Steals in a half: 6 (tied with three players).
- Games scoring 50 points or more in a season: 10 (2006-07).
- Games scoring 50 points or more all-time: 21.
- Consecutive games of 50 points or more: 4.
- Games scoring 40 points or more all-time: 88 (shared with Elgin Baylor).
- Games scoring 40 points or more in a season: 27 (2005-06).
Yet again, those numbers really don’t get any better than that.
Now that we have looked at only some of Kobe’s accomplishments and accolades (and I can’t stress enough that they are only SOME of his achievements), let’s now take a look at “The King,” Lebron James.
James was drafted out of high school in 2003 with the first pick overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers. In his first NBA game, against the Kings, he recorded 25 points, 9 assists, and 6 rebounds. He was the youngest player in league history to ever record 40+ points in a game, when he had 41 in a game versus the Nets that same season.
Here are James’ accolades:
- Named ROY for 2003-2004. (only third player in history alongside Michael Jordan and Oscar Robertson to average at least 20 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds per game in their rookie season).
- Youngest ROY in league history.
- First Cavalier to receive ROY Award.
- NBA All-Star Game MVP in 2006
- Averaged 31.4 PPG in 2005-06.
- Returned Cavalier franchise to glory with the club’s first-ever appearance in the NBA Finals in 2006-07, with a loss to the Spurs.
- He has four All-Star game appearances, including this season, which are consecutive.
This list, compared to Kobe’s, is significantly smaller. You do have to look at the fact that this is only James’ 5th year in the league and it is Kobe’s 12th, but you also have to look at everything Kobe has accomplished very early in his career. His first title, in 2000, came in his 4th year in the league. That’s impressive. Even though James and the Cavaliers have had back-to-back playoff appearances; his career, compared to Kobe’s at this time, pales in comparison. I think its safe to say that Bryant is the better player of the two and will go down in history as one of the greatest to ever play the game. Will Lebron? Maybe. But he has a lot of work to do if he wants to be held in the same breath as Kobe Bryant.
Now don’t get me wrong folks, I am not writing this article as a fan of either of the two players mentioned within. I am writing this article as a unbiased onlooker. I do not root for either team, never have, never will. Sadly, I am a Sixers fan, and always have been. I simply decided to write this article because many people ask me who is the better player and I just wanted to confirm my stance that it is Bryant over James based on sheer accomplishments, records, and championships. Bryant holds numerous scoring records for a season and game; James, none. Bryant won a title in his fourth season in the league; James in his fourth season was swept in four games by the Spurs in the NBA Finals. Kobe is the better of the two and will remain to be. James will never reach Kobe’s status in records or championships, period.