I like Kobe and LeBron
Kobe on Dime #43
Actually I don’t, but that’s not that point. While I immensely respect and admire Kobe the athlete — still the best basketball player I’ve ever seen in person — there’s a side to him I just haven’t been able to root for. The sudden “I’m a great teammate” shift seems fake. The flopping and flailing and ref abuse is annoying. And there’s that whole Colorado business.
After that, I’ll admit any other negative feelings are the direct result of Kobe’s media coverage and fan adoration-slash-obsession, which isn’t even his fault. While the masses portray him as this comic book character with an extraterrestrial will to win, I question whether Kobe is really THAT competitive. (Who could be?) While they crown Kobe the game’s ultimate winner, I remember he hasn’t hoisted a Larry O’Brien since 2002. That’s hardly a good reason not to like somebody, but just like the overboard reverence of Michael Jordan when I was a kid made it easy to root for his underdog rivals like Gary Payton and Reggie Miller, the constant steaming of Kobe Bryant makes it easy to root against him.
But I like watching him play, plus I’m still holding out hope that I can like Kobe the person. In my short basketball writing career I still haven’t had the opportunity to observe or talk to Kobe in an up-close, non-media frenzy setting, where he could maybe disprove some of what I’m gathering from his public persona. When that happens, hopefully my opinion will change. If I’ve been able to personally find the good in Mike Tyson to Barry Bonds, Kobe can’t be that bad.
On the other hand, I like what I’ve seen from LeBron the athlete and LeBron the person. I’ve been around him enough — in putting together a feature for Dime #43 (the Olympic issue) and then the cover story for Dime #47 (Feb. 2009) — to get some kind of sense for who he is when the camera is off. So between the two, I guess I’d have to say I’m on the “LeBron” side of the argument.
But why is it such a divisive argument? If I did claim to like Kobe and LeBron equally — which, strictly as ballplayers, I do — why would I get people pressuring me to pick one, like when you’ve got to make the “curly fries or regular fries” call at Jack in the Box?
LeBron on Dime #47
Kobe vs. LeBron has taken on a strange love/hate dynamic, in that it’s become an unwritten rule that for the sake of loving one of them, you have to hate the other. If you’re a Kobe fan, you have to build him up by tearing LeBron down, and vice versa. This leads to Kobe backers saying dumb stuff like, “LeBron’s not clutch” and “LeBron can’t shoot,” while LeBron backers constantly throw around bitter words like “overrated” and “dirty” in reference to Kobe.
It all reminds me of Tupac vs. Biggie, in particular a clip of an interview with ‘Pac at the beginning of “Runnin’” (the ‘Pac/B.I.G. collabo) that goes like this:
Interviewer: Between you and Biggie, it’s like who rules the n**** kingdom, basically. This is like a f*ckin’ election.
Tupac: It IS that. It is that.
Back then, you had to pick one; either ride with ‘Pac or ride with Biggie, no exceptions. Me? Even though I was about 13-14 years old at the time — a prime candidate for that kind of fierce misguided loyalty to people I don’t even know — I never bought into it. I was a West Coast kid who preferred Biggie, which definitely made me something of a traitor, but the writer in me was just drawn to Christopher Wallace’s lyricism over Tupac Shakur’s raw emotion. At the same time, though, that didn’t make me dislike ‘Pac. I didn’t have to talk sh*t about one MC in order to talk up the other.
We’re seeing the same thing here. A lot of LeBron fans are walking around on Cloud-9 right now, not only because their guy won MVP and is marauding through the playoff bracket, but also because Kobe didn’t win MVP and is struggling to make it out of the second round. And Kobe fans, who already react like wounded animals trapped in a corner whenever a critic attacks their guy, are just as venomous when somebody has the nerve to suggest that ‘Bron is better than KB24.
At least it’s just basketball. Unlike ‘Pac vs. B.I.G. or Clemson vs. South Carolina, mothers won’t be losing their sons over this great debate. I don’t understand the whole “Pick one!” school of thought, but in the long run it’s not hurting anybody. So let the sports drink companies and teenybopper mags and everybody else who’s tapped for new ideas throw all the fuel they want onto the Kobe/LeBron fire. It’s a silly phenomenon, but in this arena, division isn’t gonna hurt anybody.
May 12th, 2009 at 10:09 am
M says:
As an European fan of the Nba, I dont get it either. How can you not like what both players are doing on the court?
They’re spectacular, amazing athletes and proven winners. Same can be said about a lot of different players. (well maybe not scalabrine). If you are a fan of the game, then I dont see reason to hate on someone (on the court)
May 12th, 2009 at 10:09 am
fReSh says:
F C U K Kobe Bryant !
May 12th, 2009 at 10:11 am
ryan says:
both are great basketball players.. im more on the power game and that’s why i favor lebron. i dont like watching players getting pampered by the refs specially how kobe flops on his jumpshots if he knows he’s gonna miss
May 12th, 2009 at 10:15 am
djKianoosh says:
@fReSh, Kobe’s endorsed by French Connection UK now? hmm. interesting.
I like both but I can see how Kobe’s apparent haughtiness rubs people the wrong way.
However, these playoffs should be called “The Coronation of LeBron King James”.
May 12th, 2009 at 10:15 am
ticktock6 says:
Me? I don’t really like either. I don’t like the way their competition (real or imagined) is shoved down basketball fans’ throats. I don’t think Kobe is a very personable figure, and I think LeBron’s collection of tattoos about himself (who inks their Nike campaign on THEMSELVES? so lame) is also pretty self-absorbed.
That said, I enjoy watching Kobe’s style more. More finesse, less bash.
May 12th, 2009 at 10:19 am
Clemo says:
@Fresh
u need a lesson in spelling!! F U C K you!
May 12th, 2009 at 10:23 am
Bruce says:
@ Clemo — FCUK — French Connection United Kingdom. That’s a clothing brand. That’s what Fresh was trying to say.
May 12th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Drink the Haterade (KB24 Chip 09) says:
I think it’s like comparing MJ and Magic, two different styles of play but both great in their own way
May 12th, 2009 at 10:33 am
weng santos says:
Kobe’s edge is manufactured. His swagger is fake.
And he’s just egocentric enough to make you believe otherwise. He doesn’t want his team to win per se, as long as he gets to be the best.
He isn’t.
Sorry Kobe fan-boys. Kobe can pretend to be tough and even mentally-tough, I’m not buying.
Competitiveness is an over-rated trait. Guys like Kobe help make it so and spoil it by claiming it as birthright when they are clearly not so endowed.
May 12th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Drink the Haterade (KB24 Chip 09) says:
“but just like the overboard reverence of Michael Jordan”
I feel this way about LBJ… All the kids I know, all they do is talk about LBJ this and LBJ that, constantly. They all put down down KOBE like HATERS! They are blind to the greatness in both.
The funniest is they all talk about MJ being the GOAT, but yet have never seen him play, but are all up on his jock strap. How can you say that from watchin youtube?
May 12th, 2009 at 10:35 am
kevin k says:
Kobe is still the best player in the league overall, its just that Lebron is a freak of Nature and Kobe can’t do half the stuff that LBJ does while Lebron is starting to do stuff that only Kobe and few players can do…
Kobe is a DIVA. A DIVA. He only smiles in front of the camera but off the court, he is a DIVA. He is freaking good and you can’t always hate the player that is that good but he just seems so fake. Lebron seems like the person who would at least greet you when you say hi while Kobe will brush you off and is known to do so…
May 12th, 2009 at 10:42 am
Dagomar says:
I respect Kobe and I respect Lebron. Greatness on the court deserves that level of respect. That’s why I always trying to avoid putting down one to praise the other. That said, I do think Lebron is the superior player and has been better for a while now. You can point to statistics or PER, whether for a game or in the fourth quarter; you can point to dominating performances or even the fact that, right now, outside of Lebron, the Cavs don’t actually have THAT much talent at all. Before this season those who claimed Kobe was the league’s best always pointed to defense or shooting, without realizing that Kobe overall has quite a low true shooting percentage compared to Lebron, or that Kobe’s defense has always been pretty inconsistent.
Then there’s the fact that, from what I’ve seen, I genuinely like Lebron but can’t say the same for Kobe. Lebron can be arrogant but ultimately he really is all about his team. He’s part of his team as much as the next guy. Kobe holds himself aloof and is always the first to criticize. Both are hyper-competitive but Kobe always seems to be channeling Jordan in such an obvious way, from the court-slapping to the tongue-wagging. It’s borderline pathetic. I don’t care as much about Colorado; personal life is personal life and I doubt anything illegal transpired. But Kobe always had a ton of fake about him, with his team or in interviews. And throwing Bynum under the bus was not cool.
So ultimately I respect both players, but like Austin I only like Lebron. If the two meet in the playoffs I know who I’m pulling for.
May 12th, 2009 at 10:45 am
ticktock6 says:
While I am more on the Kobe side than the LeBron side, though truly loving neither, I do not think it’s accurate to say he’s the best player in the NBA right now. He led the league in zero statistical categories and had a slight numerical dropoff from last season. Is he still great? Yes. But he’s getting older. Just the facts.
May 12th, 2009 at 10:46 am
Blue says:
I can’t stand either one of them as people and ‘icons’, but anybody who disses their game is just hatin’ bigtime!
I was a Laker fan from Showtime to the Shaq/Kobe days, but even though I rooted for the Lakers, I never wanted Kobe to hit the big shots or be the hero. That’s why, when Shaq left, so did I.
As for Lebron, like AB said about Kobe, his media hype is just too much. They make him bigger than the game already. He’s not Magic or MJ status. Like ticktock6 said, Lebron buying into his own hype doesn’t do anything for me. I don’t dig it.
For me, it’s D-Wade all day. I think he’s not as naturally gifted as the other two, but he does just as much with what he was given. But I’m sure others will have their say about what makes Kobe and Lebron. But it’s all opinion.
May 12th, 2009 at 10:55 am
Russ says:
Kobe is Eurotrash
May 12th, 2009 at 10:56 am
Jay Jay says:
I think it’s normal to like one player and hate the other.
That’s sports, it’s all winners and losers. It’s like saying i like both the yankees and red sox, it’s impossible you must choose one, you can’t have it both ways becuase everyone has an opinion on who is the better player/team
May 12th, 2009 at 11:00 am
Ian says:
Kobe is dirty and overrated ( you saw this coming right lakeshow lol). Lebron is cocky but hes a team player and( i cant believe im typing this about a player with zero titles) the best player in the nba. What he did with scrubs in 07 was amazing and with an ok team they are sweeping their way to the finals. Kobe cant carry a team like that before gasol he had zero 50 win seasons ( something gasol did do in memphis i think) , has been out of the first round twice , lost 3-1 lead to the suns , got blasted by the celts and his constant yelling everytime he misses a shot like got fouled are too much shit for me ignore. Btw love how the fans and media hype up his stupid pissed stare as the ultimate competitor and that will his team to victory crap wtf is that??? Apparently he doesnt will them in elimination games. Hater of coursr but none of the things are said are made up.
May 12th, 2009 at 11:01 am
Chicagorilla says:
They are so different. That’s why people tend to choose one over the other and bash the one that they don’t support. Same as 2pac and BIG. Biggie was considered a lyricist while 2pac was considered a hardcore gangsta rapper with little to offer lyrically (although IMO 2pac was several levels higher than big in both lyrics and raw emotion).
Kobe is more a finesse player who prefers the fade way jumper and a series of spins/pump fakes/jab steps to eat you alive. While Lebron bulldozes his way to the basket for lay-ups/dunks/and-1’s. Both effective but vastly different in the way they approach killing you.
May 12th, 2009 at 11:04 am
Ian says:
Blue id take wade over kobe easy an opinion of course.
May 12th, 2009 at 11:05 am
d says:
well here’s the video for you AB. It also appears that Lebron is on cocaine. Well at least the puppet version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtzQ0eXVoJo
May 12th, 2009 at 11:11 am
mules says:
That puppet commercial is hilarious…”$20 chinese food!!”
May 12th, 2009 at 11:12 am
lakergrrl says:
But its not a matter of picking one and having to be against the other, unlike Tupac vs. Biggie. lebron is fine. he’s just not the best. As far as the best goes, it’s Kobe (and Tupac for that matter). All day.Errday.
May 12th, 2009 at 11:24 am
Lakers Nation says:
Henry vs. Barry? Cal vs. ARod? Sandy vs. The Rocket? Roberto vs. Manny? Deacon vs. Merriman? . . . Kobe vs. Lebron????
No one is that physically gifted. I’m just saying, not accusing. How come it’s never been asked? In this day and age when athletes are more disappointing GM stock, people tend to see what they want to see until it’s pointed out to them.
Well, I’m pointing this out to you. No one has ever been this physically gifted ever in any sport.
May 12th, 2009 at 11:32 am
Dagomar says:
Either way guys enjoy this debate while it lasts. Unless Lebron breaks his leg there will be no more debate in a year or two.
May 12th, 2009 at 11:44 am
rlf says:
you will never really know either player ‘personally’ no one knows a true person, not even those who are closest to you.
if you think that by knowing friends of friends and you are in their circle and know how they truly are. then you are a bit naive. because as i said before, no one truly knows someone.
kobe does a bunch of charity work, and he never makes it public. he has seen more than 100 kids from the make a wish foundation, he has flown to vegas to visit a boy in the hospital, and he died the next day. on another occasion he met a boy and that boy died and he was buried with the sneakers kobe gave him.
to me taking time to visit children that are dying says volumes about a person. and not to take cameras along, it’s just amazing. (he has allowed cameras to film like 3 of the visits, to promote the make a wish foundation and did a commercial)
lets face it, even if he would do it for positive publicity. how many of us can say that we take the time to do good? not many would visit dying children and spend a fair amount of time with them.
is kobe cocky and arrogant? sure he is, but all of the players are. it’s just that the one you don’t like, you find it annoying and you take that to hate them more.
to not like someone because of an accusation that you don’t even know what truly happened, it’s immature. you can hear rumors and so on, but in the end you have to let that go. because no one really knows what happened, but 2 people.
you identify more with one than the other, because one doesn’t ‘fit’ the basketball player profile. kobe was born in philly, but he is not from philly. he grew up in europe. his formative years were in another country. lets face it, he is different than every other ‘american’ basketball player.
i don’t like lebron, but not because i like kobe. i don’t like lebron, because i find him annoying and not real. i find him fake…yes, to me, ‘faker’ than kobe. but we all have our favorites.
i like most nba players. i will never like lebron, even if he were ever to become a laker. he has something in him that i just don’t like. part of it is the media adoration towards the guy. it’s okay to admire the skills of a player, but to go on and on and on about him, it is the most annoying thing. even if i was a fan of his, i would be almost embarrassed to see that.
i don’t know if the media truly knows the disservice they are doing him. it gets tiresome to watch a game with other teams and they only talk about lebron. eventually you get tire of it.
ask yourselves this question…why is it that even though lebron gets all the media attention, all the publicity, the ratings when he plays are way down? when the LAKERS and kobe play, they break viewing records, it happened in the first series and it is happening in this series.
lebron has brute force, he is a beast. kobe’s not, kobe is an artist, he has beautiful moves and skills, he works to accomplish what he does on the court. lebron doesn’t have to work, he was born a beast with immense force.
that’s why i admire wade too, he works so hard to get what he wants. he is an artist too. that’s a beautiful thing to watch, not a bull just going and not moving gracefully.
you cannot like kobe for his personality, but don’t diminish what he has accomplish as a basketball player to elevate another player. that’s what i hate the most. if lebron is lebron, then let him stand on his own. don’t diminish the work that has taken 13 years to elevate lebron. let him stand on his own.
but in the end, isn’t the media suppose to be unbiased? i don’t know if you are a journalist, reporter, blogger or columnist?
a fan i get, a media member i will never get.
May 12th, 2009 at 11:54 am
hucklebuck says:
stop the madness!
even tho the Hakeem vs Shaq pay-per-view never happened, OR the Nas vs Jay Z battle at the Garden either,
THERE SHOULD BE A ONE ON ONE OF—
KOBE VS LEBRON
this will decide who is better. no other way to do it. Kobe has been in the league nearly twice as long as LeBron, so Kobe has many miles on him. LeBron doesn’t have the experience yet, but he is physically stronger and quicker than Kobe.
PEOPLE WOULD PAY FOR IT.
ONE ON ONE!!
May 12th, 2009 at 11:56 am
doc says:
@Dagomar-I think in 2 years the debate will be trashed when Kobe is 34 and falling off and Bron is 26 going for his maybe 3rd straightMVP and 3rd straight finals MVP and this is the first year hes at 40 percent for 3’s or 85 percent at the line or some shit thats gonna make his average jump 5-6 points.
May 12th, 2009 at 11:59 am
kevin k says:
@ rlf
it’s a lot easier when you make millions of dollars playing ball to visit sick kids since you have so much more free time from playing ball than normal people who work 9/5 barely passing by to support their families…
Also imagine if we normal people go to a hospital to visit a sick kid, I am pretty damn sure their family and the kid is like who the F#@K is this random creep.
So kobe makes some visits to sick kids but he can’t stop himself and his wife from harassing their nanny?
also the rating is much higher for Kobe than Lebron not because it’s kobe over lebron, but because its the LAKERS over the CAVS. Why do you think there is so much rumors and people saying Lebron needs to play in the bigger market?? Most of the people overseas don’t know what team Lebron plays for…
you seriously lack any logic with your statements.
May 12th, 2009 at 11:59 am
Metropolitan's Finest says:
LOL @ 20
awesome commercial !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
damn cokehaed LeBron
May 12th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
doc says:
@hucklebuck-I remember when I was a little kid pay per view had a Kareem vs Doctor J 1 on 1 and a 1 on 1 tournament of young nba players for some bread.Bo Kimble won the young players holding it down for North Phil how we do,and Kareem bust Doc ass,he even hit a trey on his ass.It was like 22-8 or some shit like that.
May 12th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Ian says:
Rif
Sorry but u dont like bron because of the media hype and like kobe??? Dude gets the same treatment. Kevin is right you are off in some of your comments.
Huckle so the best one on one is the best player ??? I dont buy that.
May 12th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
ERIC says:
Personally, the “KING” nickname bothers me.. he was “KING” James before he even entered the NBA…LeBron is the media darling and Kobe is the opposite. Tell me what the media reaction would be if Kobe annointed himself “KING”…
LeBron and Kobe are the top 2 players in the league – I prefer Kobe (unmatched work ethic and IQ of today’s players, superb footwork, pump fakes, use of left hand – all the stuff post retirement MJ had). Like MJ, Kobe is an average sized player. LeBron has alot of skills and IQ but still overpowers everyone in a Shaq.. Would LeBron be has dominant if he was Kobe’s size? Kobe is a more advanced/developed basketball player.
May 12th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
fReSh says:
Well to my fellow readers
F C U K Kobe Bryant
means that the good thing is, Kobe is lettin’ himself sponsor by the group he deserves ; ) Right choice Kobe, the Michael Jordan wannabe……..at least Lebron is his own kind of species and not another one of the long list of Michael copier…..
May 12th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
ProphetGK says:
No slack off both of them, they are great in their own respects. You would have to admit that Kobe is more deadly in the clutch now, and that turn-around fade is a mirror of the great one, hopefully Lebron can develop that, and prove to the world that his time is now.
May 12th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Blue says:
@ ERIC…
I agree about the “King James” thing! WTF is that? It’s not his fault that the media dubbed him King James, but he’s bought into his own hype like that.
May 12th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Big Shot BOB says:
Anybody that ever asks me to play them one vs. one I always tell them the same thing it won’t prove anything because this game was invented to be a team game. That being sad the bigger stronger guy usually wins one vs. one.
May 12th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
Ekstor says:
I’m a lifelong Laker fan and a constant supporter of Kobe… I’m NOT a Cavs fan, and I’m not really big on LeBron personally. That said, there’s no question with regards to the following:
1) LeBron was UNQUESTIONABLY the MVP this year
2) LeBron is the best player in the league today
3) LeBron has the physical gifts to be the best we’ve ever seen (we’ve never seen anyone like him)
With the height, agility, versatility, and team skills of Magic, the size and strength of Karl Malone, and the sheer athleticism/leaping ability of MJ, there’s no question LeBron is special.
That said, we’ve seen a littany of players who were tagged the next MJ since MJ himself. First was Harold Miner, then it was Jerry Stackhouse, then it was Kobe, then it was VC, then it was TMac, then it was DWade, and now LeBron. My props are off to Kobe because he’s the only one who’s sustained his status this length of time.
DWade has a chance to be better in terms of his career (I’ll also argue that DWade is a better player than Kobe right now)… that said, we’re witnessing a special time in the NBA right now.
LeBron, Kobe, DWade… it’s been a while since we’ve seen three perimeter players of this calibur at the same time… all right around their peak (Kobe just past it, DWade right at it, and Lebron approaching it).
May 12th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
changster says:
what was the point of this article again? might as well write a kobe vs michael comparison next…
May 12th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
hucklebuck says:
BIG SHOT BOB,
just admit LeBron would win.
yes it is a team game, BUT the closest measurement of arguing over who is better is to put them against each other.
Like putting two military leaders against each other, yes they have armies/teams, but if they were the last two left, they would have to fight each other.
AND the way everyone is NO ONE can pick both.
if they say Kobe is clutch and has moves, put them to the test against LeBron’s defense. If LeBron is a runaway train to the basket, put it to the test against LeBron. the bigger guy doesn’t always win, you know, David and Goliath (or Brooks vs ANY LAKER guard).
@ Doc,
cool story.
May 12th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
PJ310 says:
I hate when people say they don’t like Kobe because of personal reasons other than basketball, why do you give a f*ck what he does in his personal life, those are real female tendencies, that being said Kobe has a better skill set but LeBron is the better athlete and that isn’t taking anything away from either one. There both great, just enjoy watching them and stop picking sides like little females.
May 12th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
karizmatic says:
Man someone has to be the best and they are the undisputed top two….so you have tp prefer one over the other. Me personally I’m a Laker’s fan that has a lot of respect for Kobe. But I think Lebron is better. As far as the Pac Biggie debate. Pac will always be better to me. He had more than raw emotion he had lyrics too.
May 12th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
SagJism says:
The problem with the arguement is when LBJ fans talk about him, they use Kobe as the comparison, but for Kobe, he has to be compared to MJ which for Kobe is a lose lose situation. And for all the MJ’er, he was/is the GOAT but he was an asshole, if you lived and were of age i nthe day when Mike played then you know he wasa true Diva, probalby the first real DIVA of the NBA. everybody now talks about how Isaih snubbed MJ but MJ got snubbed because he didnt respect the league leaders when he first came in. he always hogged the ball for 7 years until Phil toldd him to slow it down and evenhten he told Phil, ok if this doesnt work, I will continue to shoot the ball. Luckily for all of us he bought in the system. now that kobe has boughtinto the system, somehow forhim it is fake. I believe the root of Kobe problems is white people cant forgive him for colorado and black folk dont forgive him for snitching on Shaq and that is how he will be perceived from now on, but the amazing thig is, do you remember when dwade didnt likehim because of shaq, LBJ didnt like him because of the hype but after the Olypics, they all jock him now because maybe kobe is not what the media portrays him to be and maybe, just maybe when you meet him in person and sit and talk with him you find out he is a great guy that does alot of charity but does not advertise it, in fact most NBA players give back a whole lot but they dont put it in the media. So like him/ hate him, pick LBJ or dwade over him but dont judge someone you dont know personally as you could be missing out on someone who is really a great person with a bad image. Just think, with all the hype, would dwade and LBJ still like him and always talk of their friendship and what he has shown them to make them better? If Kobe was really as bad as you think he is would he have taught them hings i nt he first place if he was really that shallow? Just my opinion, think about it. BTW: Both are the best at their positions. (Tupac/Kobe V Biggie/LBJ)
May 12th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Drink the Haterade (KB24 Chip 09) says:
@ 42 Nice… So true…
May 12th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Pais says:
A lot of people are fans of the culture more so than the actual game. Any REAL ball player or fan, has enough respect for both and what they bring to basketball that they would refrain from ignorant bashing. As for that tired ass Kobe will never be as good as MJ argument, I offer the following…who cares. Regardless of what your trade is modelling yourself after the GOAT can’t be a bad thing. Even in falling short of the intended mark, it’s enough to ensure his name will be remembered for quite some time.
May 12th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Ian says:
sagjism
kobe fans also use lebron in their comparison.
karizmatic
undisputed top 2
i think duncan and wade can be thrown in.
May 12th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Blue says:
@sagjism…
you made some great points up until the colorado and shaq thing. i’m mexican and i don’t like his ass! ha
but just because lebron and dwade talk highly of kobe doesn’t mean he’s not a dick. i have friends that are dicks, but i still hang with them because we can relate to each other for the most part. have the same struggles and whatnot.
May 12th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
MadSammyboy says:
ESPN just put this out, about Kobe. Kinda settles the debate, in my opinion:
http://i653.photobucket.com/albums/uu260/MadSammyboy/kobesucks.jpg?t=1242154411
May 12th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Big Shot BOB says:
Can I say that Lebron has been a certified BEAST in these playoffs. When I was watching the game I hardly noticed that ATL was even on the court. It was like all nine players on the court were just watching Lebron in a layup line. I was thinking when I was watching the game how easy Lebron makes it look. I was like why don’t they just stop him from going to the hoop. That tells me this guy must be so fast and strong that it’s easier said than done.
May 12th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Sho-Nuff says:
I was a Sixer fan as a kid, loved Doc, hated Larry Bird and anything Celtics. As I got older I respected Larry Bird as a player and his skill set.
I like LBJ more because he doesn’t come off as a phony. Kobe was a crappy teammate before but all of the sudden had this change of heart and now is a good guy? I dont’ think so.
I respect the hell out of KB24’s game, esp. when he goes into Black Mamba mode and just destroys with daggers and drives to the hoop.
I don’t dislike Kobe, I just like LBJ more because of how he handles himself. Look at the Cleveland bench, those fools enjoy acting like fools and jumping around and will play hard every night for LBJ. Never would see that on the Lakers. Plus I like the fact the LBJ can say “EFF YOU” to all those clowns that hated on him when his mom got him the H2 in high school and claimed he was overrated. Dude is a beast and even that jumper that everyone questioned is coming around. That 47 he put on ATL the other day was ridiculous.
May 12th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
Rizwan says:
I like both players as well. Lebron because of his dominance even with a lesser team. How good is he? He has to be the best athlete in the world, crazy.
BUT, I still would watch a Kobe performance. His 61 was better for me than Lebron’s almost triple-double. I like Kobe’s arrogance – his shooting just oozes of you cant fuck with me. I love that. Lebron is magnificent but I cant help but want Kobe for my team. Even in the fantasy drafts in NBA 2K9, I want Kobe for my team ahead of other players. Why, I just dont know, because I would admit Lebron is the better player now and right now wins the chip. Maybe, my introduction to the sport about 1 years ago was around the time Kobe was taking the next step.
May 12th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
ERIC says:
@ Big Shot BOB
We can also say that LeBron has played 2 JV teams who wouldnt even make the playoffs in the West. Kobe is playing a much higher level of competition.
the pistons who were disfunctional and on the decline
the hawks who had injuries.
May 13th, 2009 at 12:20 am
eyeused2b says:
Why does Kobe need a good personality, an admirable swagger, or have to come across as “real?” He’s a damn basketball player. If he was a total a-hole, dressed like a character from “Revenge of the Nerds,” and was as fake as Kaiser Sosay, but was still bustin’ a** on the court, I’d still want him on my team. Unless you’re trying to date him, who gives a sh*t about his personality. Do you want to dress like him? Act like him? Be like him? Well, kcuf his swagger! Do you want to be his friend? So what if he’s not real. He’s a winner. He has three rings, and if he never wins another one, he still has three. “He wouldn’t have them without Shaq.” True, but who says Shaq would have those same three without him? Teams win the trophies, not great players. Ask Stockton and Malone. Neither Kobe nor Shaq would have won without Shaw, Horry, Fox, or Fisher. Kobe is probably an MVP trophy or two short, b/c people don’t like him as a person. I guess with the vague requirements to win the award that can be used against him, but I don’t think it should matter.
I like Lebron as a player, too. I like how he has lived up to the hype. I like how he continues to improve on his shortcomings. I like how he clowns with his teammates on the sideline. I like how he dunks when most dudes would finger roll. Dude is a beast on the court. He wins. He hasn’t won a title yet, and with the way the game works, may never win a title, but hey, it won’t detract from his greatness on the court right now.
People get so caught up in drama that’s unrelated to basketball that they can’t enjoy what they are witnessing from the both of them. Well, I can.
I like Kobe and Lebron.
May 13th, 2009 at 4:35 am
Luigi says:
Honestly…i think LeBron is the better player…but Kobe is amazing to watch n i think is the better player
theres something about Kobe’s aura that makes him better than LeBron…i really dont know what it is.. but its that whenever he makes a ridiculous jumpshot..it like doesnt tear the house down because we know he can make that when like no one in the NBA can and if anyone else can make that shot we’d say. WOW WHAT A SHOTT…when Kobe does it every game.
What amazes me about LeBron…is that how he’s built. he’s built like a Linebacker running Darrell Green Speed and all the Redskin fans know how fast that is. well its graceful that he has handles of a Magic. can get to the rim like Dr. with abseloute Ease. honestly. i dont like him because im jealous of him n his prowess. but i will like him…when he gets that aura that when he makes a ridculous game winning shot in the finals against LA that abseloutly breaks their hearts…thats when i think he’ll be better than Kobe
May 13th, 2009 at 4:35 am
Luigi says:
Honestly…i think LeBron is the better player…but Kobe is amazing to watch n i think is the better player
theres something about Kobe’s aura that makes him better than LeBron…i really dont know what it is.. but its that whenever he makes a ridiculous jumpshot..it like doesnt tear the house down because we know he can make that when like no one in the NBA can and if anyone else can make that shot we’d say. WOW WHAT A SHOTT…when Kobe does it every game.
What amazes me about LeBron…is that how he’s built. he’s built like a Linebacker running Darrell Green Speed and all the Redskin fans know how fast that is. well its graceful that he has handles of a Magic. can get to the rim like Dr. with abseloute Ease. honestly. i dont like him because im jealous of him n his prowess. but i will like him…when he gets that aura that when he makes a ridculous game winning shot in the finals against LA that abseloutly breaks their hearts…thats when i think he’ll be better than Kobe
May 13th, 2009 at 10:55 am
SagJism says:
@46, that’s true all I am saying is, you said you dont like Kobe! When did you meet him? when did you go out and see what kinda dude he is? It is easy to criticize anyboby that is in the media but some of the stuff on this site towards Kobe (and towards LBJ to a lesser extent) is almost a hatred of the person and I say how can you hate someone you dont know? We all are human and we all have made mistakes (some of us really big,bad mistakes) but that does not necessarily makes us bad people and a lot of times it is just a matter of how you came off to someone as to whether or not they think yor an a-hole. Sometimes it is more about whats going on with them instead of what the person is doing. So I just say lets leave it at sports and not try to personalize trhings against any player when we have never met them. MJ = GOAT, no doubt. Kobe, LBJ, DWADE = the greatest players of today. We all grew up playing ball, trying to be like Mike, soem of us old cats, trying to be like Magic, Bird and some of us older cats, like Dr. J, Gervin. Should we be hated for trying? NO. So lets not get mad when one guy can do MJ better than most of us and in some instances MJ himself because thats what we all strive to do. There was atime (back in my day,though I still play at 43) Tha tI dunk just like MJ, sideways, in traffic, DUNK. Was it sweet, yes, can I do it again, heck no (just lucky). Kobe just does it more than anybody else.
May 13th, 2009 at 10:58 am
SagJism says:
Sorry got a little off point but you get my meaning. Also Thanks for the decent debate without the trash talk.
May 13th, 2009 at 11:04 am
SagJism says:
@49 LOL, Its hard to disagree, they look like their having fun at their own expense and just enjoying the game, which as a fan makes it exciting. Gotta love the NBA. Go Lakers
May 13th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
J says:
I hate this debate. Let me first say that I have disliked Kobe from before day 1. Reason: When watching him get drafted by Charlotte @ 17-18 years old, & saying he would never play a game for them, just struck me the wrong way. To give an NBA francise ultimatums, he should have been drafted #1, not #13. A few years later came the multiple air balls @ crunch time, in big games. Then the “un-natural” basketball actS & elbows when he is defensed well. Then Colorado. Kobe’s arrogance & aura of self entitlement is what fuels my dislike.
Would LBJ have demanded a trade had Cleveland not won the ping-pong ball lotto? That’s up for debate, but my gut tells me, no. In 6 years LBJ has been nothing short of amazing, on & off the court. That being said, Kobe is the best player on the planet right now. But when it is all said & done, I believe LBJ will be known as the best player EVER.
May 13th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
UncheckedAggression says:
This debate also drives me crazy. Nobody ever changes their minds–they just underline the same points time and time again.
I don’t like Kobe but I used to believe in him. I thought he’d be able to will his team much farther then they went pre-Pau. I would have put a large sum of money on his winning a championship last year. And I was blown away by his inability to come through when it matters. I hate to even mention it, but where the fuck did he go in the finals last year? Where was that will to win when his team was up 20?
Shaq was the best player in the NBA during those championship years. Don’t try to say otherwise. Of course Kobe won 3 freaking championships. Then the team imploded and left Kobe in charge. All he did was piss people off and score like crazy. He even demanded Bynum get traded. And now he has the most talented team in the NBA (AGAIN). They better win. Lightning better not strike again or you Kobe fans are (once again) going to look like complete idiots. And you’ll blame Odom. And Bynum. And Pau. Maybe even Fisher. But the fact will remain: he couldn’t pull through as the leader of his team AGAIN.
In the meantime Lebron has turned a bunch of scrubs into championship contenders. The way his teammates revere and support him should say something about his character. The things he has already done for the Cavaliers are things that are beyond the realm of possibility for Kobe Bean Bryant. The Cavs have no business winning the championship this year. But if they do… I never want to hear (from a Kobe fan) another disparaging comment about Lebron ever again.
May 14th, 2009 at 11:36 pm
Red says:
It’s not even a debate. LeBron’s better at this point, period. Any objective viewer understands this.