Forget comparing Kobe Bryant to Michael Jordan. By now anyone who has an opinion about who is better probably can’t be persuaded otherwise. Besides, a more current and more heated (no pun intended) battle has been brewing since Lebron James was drafted to the NBA in 2003. Whether you’re team Black Mamba or team Chosen One, to deny these two are in a league of their own would simply be to ignore getting slapped in the face with an encyclopedia- a heavy encyclopedia filled with NBA stats.
As of January of the 2012-13 season, Kobe Bryant is averaging 29.9 points per game with 47% field shooting. Lebron James is averaging 26 points per game with 54.6% shooting from the field. For anyone whose watched Kobe and Lebron play, it’s glaringly obvious Kobe takes more shots than Lebron, failing to attempt less than twenty shots per game in nine years (and this is the point in the article where all the Kobe haters mumble under their breath the totally “original” claim he’s a ball hog and tries to be a hero all the time). And I would argue- a hero he is, at least at the free-throw line. Here, Lebron averages more than ten percentage points less than Kobe who makes 83.6% of free-throws (Lebron makes 73.1%). Free-throws can determine the outcome of a game and having clutch players who can effectively shoot the ball from the line is invaluable, and while Kobe hits more foul shots than Lebron, both players' percentages are far from disappointing.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1487966-comparing-kobe-bryant-and-lebron-james-by-the-numbers
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1487966-comparing-kobe-bryant-and-lebron-james-by-the-numbers
When it comes to rebounds, Lebron averages 8.2, Kobe 4.9. Obviously, with Kobe playing the shooting guard position and Lebron playing small forward, Lebron is better situated, being nearer the basket, to get his hands on more missed shots. His small forward role also means he is more involved with defensive plays under the rim. However, I must mention, Lebron is the only small forward to be averaging more than eight rebounds per game this season.
And this stat is for those mumbling Kobe haters- Kobe’s 4.9 assists per game, rank him third of all shooting guards in the league, meaning only two shooting guards more frequently set their teammates up to score with successful passes. Lebron averages 6.9 assists per game making him slightly more generous than Kobe, but again, neither player stands out as being overly selfish with the ball- regardless what the parrot-like Kobe haters repeatedly chirp.
Ask any player in the NBA what they want the most and they’ll tell you they want nothing more than to wrap their ring finger in championship gold. All these above-average stats mean nothing without in the end being showered in team-colored confetti at least once. Once? That’s for Lebron. Kobe has a total of five championship wins since being drafted in 1996 to the Los Angeles Lakers. Yes, that’s a full seven years before Lebron was drafted so it'd only be fair to give Lebron seven years to catch up, right? Not entirely. Nine years into Kobe’s career, he already had three championship wins, but sure it's possible Lebron could catch up, he would only need to win four of the next five seasons to match Kobe’s record. But I’m sure by then Kobe will have added at least another win to his total and Lebron would need to do more work, and so the cycle would continue until everyone finally comes to the realization Lebron will never be as decorated as Kobe.
Kobe dunk on Lebron
Twicsy.com
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