[Lefty Noob]

Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James

Through the first five seasons of their careers...

KOBE BRYANT
1996-97 LAL 71 15:30 2.5 5.9 41.7 0.7 1.9 37.5 1.9 2.3 81.9 0.7 1.2 1.9 1.3 1.6 0.7 0.3 1.4 7.6
1997-98 LAL 79 26:00 5.0 11.6 42.8 1.0 2.8 34.1 4.6 5.8 79.4 1.0 2.1 3.1 2.5 2.0 0.9 0.5 2.3 15.4
1998-99 LAL 50 37:53 7.2 15.6 46.5 0.5 2.0 26.7 4.9 5.8 83.9 1.1 4.2 5.3 3.8 3.1 1.4 1.0 3.1 19.9
1999-00 LAL 66 38:12 8.4 17.9 46.8 0.7 2.2 31.9 5.0 6.1 82.1 1.6 4.7 6.3 4.9 2.8 1.6 0.9 3.3 22.5
2000-01 LAL 68 40:53 10.3 22.2 46.4 0.9 2.9 30.5 7.0 8.2 85.3 1.5 4.3 5.9 5.0 3.2 1.7 0.6 3.3 28.5

LEBRON JAMES
2003-04 CLE 79 39:30 7.9 18.9 41.7 0.8 2.8 29.0 4.4 5.8 75.4 1.3 4.2 5.5 5.9 3.5 1.7 0.7 1.9 20.9
2004-05 CLE 80 42:23 9.9 21.1 47.2 1.4 3.9 35.1 6.0 8.0 75.0 1.4 6.0 7.4 7.2 3.3 2.2 0.7 1.8 27.2
2005-06 CLE 79 42:30 11.1 23.1 48.0 1.6 4.8 33.5 7.6 10.3 73.8 1.0 6.1 7.0 6.6 3.3 1.6 0.8 2.3 31.4
2006-07 CLE 78 40:53 9.9 20.8 47.6 1.3 4.0 31.9 6.3 9.0 69.8 1.1 5.7 6.7 6.0 3.2 1.6 0.7 2.2 27.3
2007-08 CLE 23 39:30 10.4 21.7 48.1 1.3 4.4 30.0 7.4 10.2 72.2 1.4 5.9 7.3 7.5 3.3 1.9 1.2 2.1 29.5

Who do you take? Seems like a no brainer in favor of LeBron to me.

So which one winds up being remembered as the better player when both their careers are over?

[bears9]

I would take LeBron because I know things get bad he won't demand a trade.

[azrael492]

Originally Posted by bears9

I would take LeBron because I know things get bad he won't demand a trade.

Not so fast. That is the reason he signed a 3 year deal and not a 5 yr deal. He told management that he would stay as long as the team was on a winning direction. He wants to win a title. He would not be afraid to switch teams to do it.

[azrael492]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James

Through the first five seasons of their careers...

KOBE BRYANT
1996-97 LAL 71 15:30 2.5 5.9 41.7 0.7 1.9 37.5 1.9 2.3 81.9 0.7 1.2 1.9 1.3 1.6 0.7 0.3 1.4 7.6
1997-98 LAL 79 26:00 5.0 11.6 42.8 1.0 2.8 34.1 4.6 5.8 79.4 1.0 2.1 3.1 2.5 2.0 0.9 0.5 2.3 15.4
1998-99 LAL 50 37:53 7.2 15.6 46.5 0.5 2.0 26.7 4.9 5.8 83.9 1.1 4.2 5.3 3.8 3.1 1.4 1.0 3.1 19.9
1999-00 LAL 66 38:12 8.4 17.9 46.8 0.7 2.2 31.9 5.0 6.1 82.1 1.6 4.7 6.3 4.9 2.8 1.6 0.9 3.3 22.5
2000-01 LAL 68 40:53 10.3 22.2 46.4 0.9 2.9 30.5 7.0 8.2 85.3 1.5 4.3 5.9 5.0 3.2 1.7 0.6 3.3 28.5

LEBRON JAMES
2003-04 CLE 79 39:30 7.9 18.9 41.7 0.8 2.8 29.0 4.4 5.8 75.4 1.3 4.2 5.5 5.9 3.5 1.7 0.7 1.9 20.9
2004-05 CLE 80 42:23 9.9 21.1 47.2 1.4 3.9 35.1 6.0 8.0 75.0 1.4 6.0 7.4 7.2 3.3 2.2 0.7 1.8 27.2
2005-06 CLE 79 42:30 11.1 23.1 48.0 1.6 4.8 33.5 7.6 10.3 73.8 1.0 6.1 7.0 6.6 3.3 1.6 0.8 2.3 31.4
2006-07 CLE 78 40:53 9.9 20.8 47.6 1.3 4.0 31.9 6.3 9.0 69.8 1.1 5.7 6.7 6.0 3.2 1.6 0.7 2.2 27.3
2007-08 CLE 23 39:30 10.4 21.7 48.1 1.3 4.4 30.0 7.4 10.2 72.2 1.4 5.9 7.3 7.5 3.3 1.9 1.2 2.1 29.5

Who do you take? Seems like a no brainer in favor of LeBron to me.

So which one winds up being remembered as the better player when both their careers are over?

Unless LeBron can win a title, he will be behind Kobe. He already has 3.

[EmpireWF]

The player with the most rings will be considered the better player when their careers are in the books.

The difference though, LeBron was considered the "savior" of the franchise when he was picked. Kobe wasn't.

Plus, Kobe had Shaq in his prime. LeBron has nobody even on the same planet as that.

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by EmpireWF

The difference though, LeBron was considered the "savior" of the franchise when he was picked. Kobe wasn't.

And he did get them to the Finals, but until he wins one, I think that perception will wind up hurting him more than helping him.

[EmpireWF]

That perception will definitely hurt his image...unless he wins a championship. But it's not like anyone can blame him. Who has won an NBA Championship in recent memory with one superstar on their team? Not San Antonio, Detroit (they had no real "superstars" but several GREAT team players), Los Angeles, Miami or Chicago.

Until Cleveland can bring a great complimentary player to LeBron, he'll never win.

[legend]

Kobe is a superior shooter to Lebron and better defensively. If Kobe were in the East, he would be in the Finals every other year.

[Geechee843]

lebron. until i see kobe turn in a jordanesque playoff performance like lebron did by puttin the entire team on his back and eliminating teh best team in the east (detroit) i will say otherwise

[ThePundit]

I would take Kevin Garnett over both of them.