Look at the stats the Kobe broke being the youngest player to score
5000 points
10000 points
15000 points
20000 points

and over the past few years lebron has broken those same records at a youngger age younger

so at the end of Lebrons career, we will look back and say Lebron was better then kobe

If LeBron can't start getting it done in the playoffs then people will likely say Kobe is better when it is all said and done.

But I agree LeBron's peak will be better than Kobe's peak

Also Lebrons actual scoring average is slightly higher per game

Better individually = Lebron
Better in a team environment = Kobe

I don't think Lebron will get close to winning as many titles as Kobe. I would rather Kobe for winning reasons. For financial reasons I'd have Lebron.

It really depends on the team you can put around them to which player you will pick

Kobe needs a big guy

He had shaq he won 3 titles

He now has Gasol and Bynum and they are 6 weeks away from title number 2

Lebron needs to have depth in his team

Interesting,

Kobe a better team person i don't know about that.

Interesting you bring that point up cause I just read a really great article that begs to differ on that point and it goes on to state why Lebron is better.I wonder what you guys think of it -

Money defentely Lebron

sorry guys here is this great article - tell me what you think

http://www.thebigtip.com.au/basketball/81-opinion/311-the-definitive-explanation-of-why-lebron-james-is-better-than-kobe-bryant

http://linky.com.au/bbmz0

oops I'm not very good at giving you guys this link

being a good team player doesnt just mean assists

there more to it then just passing the ball

and why would Lebron and Dwayne wade want to play together???

yeah good point, that would be funny they just would not get along

Everyone is saying Kobe is a better team player. Let's swap them on their current teams, are you saying if the Lakers had LeBron, Gasol, Bynum, Artest and Fisher, Odom that wouldn't get you a championship? How do you think Kobe would go with Big Z, Jameson, Mo, and JJ? Unlikely.

Player23 - very good point. LeBron in Kobe's current Lakers team with no injuries would struggle to lose a game IMO.

Not sure why people don't think LeBron isn't a team player. He's a great defender, rebounds well, gets team mates involved and scores when he needs to. Still hasn't had a quality off-sider like a Pippen or a Shaq (you could say Kobe was Shaq's off-sider?)

If LeBron ever gets another All-NBA calibre player beside him, then it will be easier to compare.

But, until LeBron wins multiple championships, Kobe has the wood over him.

In the end it will come down to championships

Jordan has 6

Kobe has 4 at the moment

and Lebron is on 0(plenty of time to change that tho)

Lebron will become a better player and look better in his peak over Kobe.

But at the end of the day you'll be judged on how many championships you'll win. Lebron has many years to do this and needs to start getting it done.

Kobe has the slight edge now.

I would love to see a Cavs v Lakers final so that this very debate could be played out live. I think that the Lakers would put Artest on LeBron (rightly so), but the Cavs might try LeBron on Kobe for periods. Maybe the 4th quarter if LeBron had no fouls.

Kind of like when Pippen guarded Magic Johnson during the 91 finals.

My point about Kobe being a good team player compared to Lebron is that almost EVERYTHING goes through Lebron. In Kobe's situation he can sit back and dominate the game when it has to be done. This is why to me Kobe is a much better player.

Lebron can get ridiculous numbers like 40 10 and 10 but they still don't win in playoffs. The mindset of his team mates would be to just give him the ball and stand back. This will not get it done in playoff basketball.

I think the Lakers and Cavs line ups are now comparable. At worst it certainty isn't a huge difference

if i may add because this one has to do with the topic:

"NBA is softer now. Reggie [Miller] would grab my hands and throw them one way while going the other way," he said, adding that he was expected by referees and coaches to defend such a move."

http://www.hoopsvibe.com/nba-news-and-rumors/articles/82658-ray-allen-the-nba-is-softer-now

- Ray Allen


______________________________________________

"You can't even touch a guy now," says Charlotte coach Larry Brown. "The college game is much more physical than our game. I always tease Michael [Jordan], if he played today, he'd average 50."


http://www.nba.com/2009/news/features/david_aldridge/04/22/aldridge.defenses/

- Larry Brown

I think LeBron. Team play goes beyond the stats and he seems to be a decent young leader - dominates when he needs to, but brings the rest of them into the team dynamic as well. You can see how much they all get along on court, including those ridiculous handshakes, etc.

Lebron shakes hands?

Someone tell the Magic.

Lebron definently. I don't know if anyone, even Michael Jordan, could take those Cavs teams as far as he has taken them.
Back in 07 (I think it was when they matched up against the Spurs for the title), Lebron really had limited support and he still carried them to an Eastern Conference title. Look who was in that team: Eric Snow, Varejao, Wally, Pavlovich, Goodin--No big names.
Sure Kobe won the title last season, but he had Odom and Gasol and the veteran Fisher alongside him.

good point, would like to see how kobe would have gone carrying the cavs side

LeBron's a better team player (think those who says Kobe is actually pretty crazy); though Kobe's a much better leader at this stage.

Kobe has and possibly will always have a better basketball skill-set than LeBron.

I think LeBron dominates far too much with his physicality and it will be interesting to see him later in his career. It is also very arguable to ask what sport can't LeBron play?

My conclusion:
LeBron=athlete
Kobe=basketball player

#255, Kobe wasn't getting others involved though. He was scoring 35 a night--getting his and thats all.

Throughout Lebrons careers, he has averaged 7 assists a game. Lebron makes his teammates better players, and put his trust in guys like Varejao, Wally, Gooden.
Kobe had no trust whatsoever for his teammates in the 05/06 season.

Theres no way in the world Kobe could carry the Cavs team in the manner which Lebron has for the past few seasons.
In the 05/06 season, Kobe averaged:
35.4 ppg, 5.3rpg, 4.5apg, 1.8spg, .4bpg
Result: Knocked out in first round by Phoenix

In the 06-07 season, Lebron averaged:
30.0 ppg, 7.9rpg, 7.2apg, 1.8spg, 1.1bpg
Result: Eastern Conference title

Theres some research for you! Oh and by the way, if you think that carrying a team is taking them to the 1st round to be eliminated, then your tripping.
Carrying a team is doing what Lebron did--Taking them to the Eastern Conference Championship!

no offence but who cares whos better, kobe has 4 rings and lebron has none (that will surely change over time) but championships are all that matter and kobe has won 4 more than lebron and at the moment kobe would be much more satisfied with his career than lebron but this could change in time as lebron is still quite a few years younger.

I also agree with LA boy, i mean anyone with the sheer size and athleticism that lebron has is going to be able to dominate but kobe definetley has the better all round skill as he doesnt have the size and athleticism of lebron.

Put Kobe on Lakers they are great. Put Kobe on Cavs they would be poo

Put Lebron on Cavs they are great. Put Lebron on Lakers they could probably be the best team of all time

Le Bron is the best player in the world

Kobe is the best player in the NBA...

btw just quietly how good is dwade, 46 point performance against the celtics to single-handedly win them a game pity he has absoloutley no help tho. Also dwade took a team that was not that great to a champioship, lebron has yet to do that and hes had teams just as good as dwade has.

When LeBron develops a post game like Kobes.
And a turn around jump shot. James is young but wont be able to play straight up and drive his whole career. LeBron has the tools to be the best ever, but does he have the mind?