Kobe Bryant vs Lebron James: Two of the NBA‘s most explosive basketball players are Lebron James and Kobe Bryant. Every player in the league has a unique playing style that separates them from the others.
Beyond the game, each participant has a backstory, including their life stories, sponsorships, and career accomplishments. Anybody can tell you that these two players are a fantastic comparison.
The argument over who is superior is never-ending since each player offers something unique. On paper, both players appear dominant and have a good chance of being inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. However, compared side by side, each person lives a unique but comparable life.
Which basketball player—Kobe Bryant vs Lebron James—is superior? This is the dispute over basketball that has split commentators and fans alike in our generation. Every participant has incorporated their legacy into our collective recollections.
Who can forget Lebron’s chase-down block against the Warriors in the Game 7 Finals of 2016 or Kobe’s 81-point masterpiece against the Raptors in 2006? Let’s explore each player to see if we can decide who we believe is superior.
Lebron and Kobe: A Similarity Between Them
Legacy of Kobe Bryant vs Lebron James is a very common topic of discussion between their fans. They both possess a significant vertical leap in common. Kobe has a 39-inch vertical, while Lebron James has a 41-inch one.
Their incredible vertical jumps give them a considerable advantage over their rivals. Their impressive vertical leap enables them to grab rebounds, block shots, and produce great dunks!
Kobe Bryant vs Lebron James: Who Would I Choose?
As previously said, it is difficult to go wrong with either of these basketball players. On the other hand, Lebron is the superior player overall if we only consider the numbers.
This is evident from the chart above. His passing talent improves the play of the entire team. When driving to the basket, he is a tricky monster to stop. Lebron is the superior player because of this.
Kobe is a significantly superior rival. Not many players have the same heart and spirit of competition as him. With six championships under his belt, Michael Jordan possessed this attribute. According to Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant is a superior player to Lebron James.
There have been a few occasions when Kobe and LeBron have faced off against one another. The 2013 NBA All-Star Game is one such. In this instance, Kobe was unquestionably the best player.
Statistical comparison of Kobe and LeBron
We will highlight the stats of “The King” (LeBron James) and “The Black Mamba” (Kobe Bryant) today.
Scoring
Compared to Kobe Bryant vs Lebron James’ field goal percentage is higher. Kobe Bryant averaged 44.7% field goals over his NBA career, whereas Lebron averaged 50.6% and counting. Even though their 3-pointers are nearly identical, Kobe lags behind LeBron by a small margin.
Kobe finished his NBA career with 33,643 points, while Lebron already had more points than Kobe with 34,087. Although Lebron’s career is still young, I wonder if he can beat Abdul-Jabbar.
Although Lebron is considered a better shooter than Kobe by most NBA fans, a systematic analysis of the facts reveals otherwise.
Assists
Kobe Bryant’s: 4.9 per game from 2012- 2013
LeBron James: 6.9 assists per game from 2012–2013
Kobe Bryant’s skill as a playmaker goes unnoticed too often. Even though Bryant might refuse to give up the ball occasionally, it’s always worth seeing when he does. He is among the league’s finest needle-threaders and has excellent court vision.
James is the only frontcourt player in the league averaging at least five assists per game, and he currently ranks seventh in that category. James doesn’t care about scoring. His main worry is supporting the Miami Heat’s offence.
Rebounds
Because of their respective positions, these two categories differ in a few ways. LeBron James averages 7.4 rebounds per game, whereas Kobe Bryant averages 5.2.
The fact that LeBron, a small forward, weighs more than the other guys is apparent. The two athletes are separated by just 2 inches despite their differences in height. To compare them would be like comparing the rebounding figures of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.
Steals
2012–13 Kobe Bryant: 1.5 steals per game
2012–2013 LeBron James: 1.7 steals per game
Kobe Bryant is a dangerous passing lane defender. Not only does he have an excellent prediction of where the ball will go next, but he also tends to poke the ball away when defending the ball.
LeBron James is adept at guarding the passing lanes, just like Bryant. Despite having excellent on-ball defence, he is among the top off-ball defenders in the game.
James is incredibly skilled at moving, dodging, and diving in the paint. He fights through screens and never loses sight of the play. Furthermore, it works significantly better than Bryant’s tendency to take chances first and ask questions later.
Defence
Kobe Bryant vs Lebron James are nearly equally good because of their complementary defensive styles throughout their primes. LeBron is better at one-on-one defense than Kobe when it comes to supporting defense. In fact, he’s one of the best players for his position.
If LeBron put much effort into it, he could physically stop any current NBA player at his peak. However, Kobe was skilled at covering and stopping the top scorer for the opposition. If Lebron had enough endurance, he could genuinely defend himself.
Kobe could shut down the star player on the other team without help. A player who can play every position sounds appealing. Still, once more, Lebron looks to be playing defence mainly from a support D perspective and cannot successfully “stop” a particular player. A one-on-one defender for Lebron is necessary to provide a backup defence.
Free Throws
Kobe Bryant: 83.6% (2012–13)
LeBron James: 73.1% (2012–2013)
Kobe Bryant makes up for his lack of field goal effectiveness at the free-throw line. Kobe’s 83.6 per cent clip is second-best among all players in the Association who try at least five shots from the charity stripe per game. Now that he can shoot the jump ball so well, James’s free throw is the worst aspect of his game. With 73.1 per cent, he is in 15th place.
Clutch
We will always remember the Mamba Mentality. LeBron James is a very clutch player, especially now with Kyrie and Love on the Cavaliers. In addition, Kobe led his club to many more championships and postseason victories and was highly accurate regarding clutch plays.
While Kobe was always a cold-blooded snake when the game was close, James excels in elimination games.
Championships
Kobe Bryant: Four
LeBron James: A single
You really can’t say anything here. LeBron James has only attempted to tackle his first No. 6 while Kobe Bryant is still pursuing his. The fact that James isn’t expected to win as many rings as Bryant is more significant than the amount at this point.
All-Star Selections
Kobe Bryant: 13 appearances and 14 All-Star selections
LeBron James: Eight All-Star selections.
The Black Mamba is set to add another medal to his collection. He has been chosen for 14 events, 13 coming about in a row.
Nor should we object to what LeBron James has accomplished in this situation. He will soon be selected for his ninth All-Star team, all of which have been made in a row.
It’s important to remember that LeBron will be playing in his ninth All-Star game in ten years, whereas Bryant was chosen for his eighth in his tenth season.
Impact on Team
Kobe Bryant vs Lebron James: Kobe is an ISO player; his primary goal is to score more and do it more effectively. Lebron James displays exceptional passing abilities, but his main goal is winning titles.
In addition to leading his team to the championship every year, Lebron James has participated in the series for eight years running.
Even if Lebron doesn’t have assistance from another superstar, he can still advance to the finals and take home some chips. While Kobe is an excellent ISO player, Lebron James excels as a playmaker. Even though they both have different play styles, Lebron is still the team’s best leader in this instance.
Awards and Titles
Lebron has played for three teams: the Cleveland Cavaliers in his debut year, the Miami Heat in his second season, which he left to return to Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Los Angeles Lakers in his current squad. In addition to his numerous championships and honours, Lebron James is still going strong. He has won the MVP award four times.
He has been named an NBA all-star sixteen times. He has been named to the NBA first team twelve times. He has been named to the NBA second team twice. He has been named to the All-Defensive first team five times. He has been an Olympic gold medalist twice.
The Black Mamba played for the Lakers for 20 seasons. He won five NBA championships, seventeen NBA all-star titles, and the 1997 slam dunk championship. He scored 81 points in a game too, the second-highest ever.
Additionally, he earned twelve defensive team titles and made 12 three-pointers in a game against Seattle. Moreover, he won two finals MVP awards and two Olympic gold medals.
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Conclusion: Kobe Bryant vs Lebron James
Lebron crossed the Kobe the day before he perished in a helicopter accident. Despite having superior statistical records, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant are All-time basketball greats who have earned our utmost regard.
They had varying degrees of luck and played in practically distinct eras. I would never try to take away from Kobe Bryant’s accomplishments. We must always remember that he is the epitome of what it takes to be a champion.
Honestly, though, LeBron James has shown himself to be the better player almost half the time. On the basketball floor, he is capable of doing it all and doing it with dominance. Kobe only plays a little of everything else other than scoring. Both Kobe Bryant vs Lebron James are still the topic of the NBA GOAT debate.