There is a division among basketball experts on just who is the best player in the world. Is it Kobe Bryant or LeBron James? There seems to be no middle ground. Either you love the raw scoring ability of the Lakers’ Bryant or the all around dominance of the Cavaliers’ James. It will be a treat to see both of them on the floor Sunday afternoon at The Q, mainly because they meet just twice a year.
These same people are comparing each of the superstars’ performances against the New York Knicks this past week. Kobe dropped 61 points on New York on Monday night, but had no rebounds and just three assists. LeBron threw in 52 points on Wednesday, but added 12 assists and 10 rebounds, the first triple double in a 50-point game since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did it in 1975.
They are even comparing the reactions of both performances by the Knicks fans, which is utterly stupid. The New Yorkers serenaded Bryant with chants of “MVP, MVP” at the end of Monday’s contest. James did not receive such adulation. Maybe the Big Apple faithful have grown used to seeing their team dominated by the best players in the NBA.
If Bryant is still the best player on the planet, his reign has a short expiration date. He turned 30 years old last August. James just turned 24 at the end of the year, and is still improving, which is a scary thought for the rest of the league.
There is no question that Bryant is a better shooter from outside, and his accuracy from the perimeter is why most people would prefer the Lakers’ superstar with the game on the line. His shooting percentage from beyond the 3-point arc bears this out as Bryant is shooting 36.1% from behind the line, compared to #23’s 29.7 percentage.
Kobe is also a better free thrower at 86.6% from the line. Even though James has improved this year, he still is under 80% from the charity stripe at .774.
It is in the non-scoring/shooting categories that James shines. The King isaveraging 7.5 rebounds per night, two more than Bryant, and #23 is getting 7.0 assists per game, almost two more than #24 for the Lakers (5.1).
Bryant is renowned as a shutdown defender, and I would agree that he has an edge on James in this category, but LeBron is gaining rapidly and is getting support for the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year. In the past week, James has guarded Allen Iverson, a 6’ guard, and Jermaine O’Neal, a 6’11” power forward. Now that’s versatility.
Still, James has the edge in steals (1.9 per game compared to 1.3 for Bryant) and in blocked shots (1.3 vs. 0.4). LeBron has always been a good defender playing the passing lanes looking for steals and weak side blocks, and he is now improving as an on the ball defender.
There is no question that Kobe Bryant is a better pure scorer than LeBron James, but James is the better all around player. James makes his teammates better. For example, look at Delonte West. West wasn’t considered a good player in Seattle, but he’s a starter and a key component in the Cavs’ success. People in Milwaukee were happy to see Mo Williams leave, but he’s put up all-star numbers here.
Who has Bryant made into a better player?
I would put it this way: Kobe Bryant is the better scorer, but LeBron James is the better basketball player. I believe every team would want James, not only because of his age, but because he can fit into a team concept. I would venture to say not every team would want Kobe because of chemistry issues.
JK
Cleveland Sports Perspective 
Lebron’s performance was better. It was so good that Kobe even tried to emulate it last night verse Boston…. 26 points, 10 rebounds, and "you get the point!!! I’ve been noticing Kobe’s game shifting more towards a balance attack rather than strictly scoring; that is a testament to Lebron’s greatness. When he came into this league I said Lebron would transcend the game by making "team ball" more appealing…. he’s doing that, and more! The guy is a dominant force who continues to improve….. I will not bash Kobe by trying to compare him with Lebron James, it’s not fair. Not only that, Lebron is a dominant small forward; Kobe is dynamic two guard. The tale of the tape is not in Kobe’s favor, he’s giving away about 40 or 50 pounds of muscle and about 3 inches. Now if you judge both of them based on basketball skills (ball handling, shooting and on the ball defense), Kobe is better. If you base it on physical and mental attributes (Athleticism, Versatility and ability to coexist with others), Lebron is better. One man dominates his opponents with power and persistence, the other likes to assassinate his opponents with strategy and efficiency. (Yeah, Lebron James is more "team friendly" than Kobe Bryant, but Kobe’s ability to take over a game is like that of Michael Jordan. I just can not say the same for Lebron James…. Yet! Either way, both of them deserve more credit and less scrutiny from all of us:)The trade deadline is approaching…… I am happy about the productivity of the Cavs so far despite all the injuries, but I am still not convinced that this roster can march all the way to the NBA finals, and win! If they decide not to make a trade, I just hope they can find a way to snatch up Joe Smith, if he’s released. We need more depth! "there is always room for improvement"Can they make it 24-0….? Lakers will be coming into the Q with much confidence after blowing out the Cavs the first time and also winning in Boston last night proves that they can win without Andrew Bynum in big games. They’ll have the chance to do it again Sunday afternoon.
Lebron is performing at this level at 24 years of age. And, who makes his teammates better. Lebron is without a doubt the MVP. By the way, JK is quite a writer.kaps