By James LeBeau

The most hotly debated topic going around both NBA fans and sports reporters these days is the question of which megastar would you choose if you had to choose one, LeBron James of the Cavaliers or Kobe Bryant of the Lakers.

Both of these guys are stunning players who will easily make their way into the top ten to ever dribble a ball of all-time but if push comes to shove, who really is the better choice? With that question in mind, let’s break down and compare all the essentials needed to really decide who the best choice is.

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Offense:

To listen to all the ‘experts’ talk, this one would clearly go to Kobe…but let’s not get ahead of ourselves! In a comparison of career numbers, the answer to this one isn’t so clear cut. Kobe averages 24.9 ppg (.454 FG%, .338 3-pt%, .839 FT% ) and 4.6 ast. to LeBron’s 27.3 ppg (.467 FG%, .324 3-pt%, .729 FT%) and 6.6 ast. Numbers-wise, you’d almost have to give this to Bron but we really have to look beyond them in this case. Fact is, I’d trust Kobe to take a shot from anywhere on the court, he has a proven midrange game and is consistent outside the arc. LeBron’s numbers, while impressive, are bloated by the number of lay-ups and dunks he gets. He has yet to really show a consistent mid-range and beyond shooting ability.

Edge: Kobe Bryant

Defense: This is another one that those ‘experts’ easily hand out to Kobe and I have to agree with them. Kobe is a defensive monster who has earned All-Defensive 1st or 2nd team honors in 7 of the last 8 seasons and can be trusted to deliver lights out D in crunch time. LeBron has a tendency to struggle at times throughout games but has shown a big improvement in his crunch time D as he takes it upon himself to guard the hottest player on the other team.

Edge: Kobe Bryant



Leadership:

Ok, honesty time here, this one really is a no-brainer. I just can’t justify giving the edge in this to a guy who throws his teammates and ownership under a bus like Kobe did (No Jerry Buss jokes here, please). And don’t try feeding me that crap that he did it to light a fire under management. That’s a huge load of stinking, smelling feces and you know it! I’ll put my money and my teams future on a guy who puts any dissatisfaction on the backburner and leads his team night in and night out, a guy who never takes a game off (yes, Mr. Bryant, you do that once in awhile). So sorry Kobe, you may be playing hurt and saying all the right things since you won the Gasol lottery, but doing it for half a season is a far cry from doing it your entire career.

Edge: LeBron James

Upside:

Another obvious one here. Kobe is turning 30 in August and while he still has a lot of basketball left in him, it will be steadily downhill from this point as the wear and tear of playing 845 NBA games since 1996 has to catch up with him. You have to also look at the fact that LeBron and Kobe are being put up there as the best in the league NOW and LeBron is only 23! Bron is still at least 5 yrs away from his prime, basketball wise, and you know he’s going to get nothing but better. Oh, a little message to those who doubt LeBron’s outside game…take a second and look at his basketball history. Do you think he had to shoot outside much in high school when he could drive to the basket at will? And it took a good season and a half for the NBA to figure out how to slow down his inside game. So, you’re basically looking at a guy who has only had to shoot outside for a little over two years and he can now be considered a decent shooter. Give him two more years and he’ll have Kobe beat on the outside.

Edge: LeBron James

Clutch:

I have to put this one as a wash. Yeah, Kobe has shown more of a killer instinct in the past than LeBron but you can’t dismiss what James is doing this season. He’s leading the league in fourth quarter ppg and is basically putting his injury-ridden team on his back and willing them to victory.

Edge: Even

Overall Game:

We have Kobe getting the edge in both offence and defense so he has to have the edge in overall game, right? Wrong! I give this to LeBron because night after night he brings more to the court than Kobe. He has a pass first mentality, favoring a sweet dish over a high flying dunk, and isn’t afraid to fight for the ball off the glass. His one on one defense may be spotty at times but he makes up for it with his athleticism, size and court awareness. LeBron just seems to know the right time to take over a game and when to step back and let his teammates do their thing.

Edge: LeBron James


AND THE WINNER IS…….LeBron James 3-2

There you have it folks, LeBron James is my choice for the megastar to build my team around. He’s a once in a lifetime combination of size, talent, and intelligence that has the potential to be the greatest of all-time. 15 yrs from now, we’ll be looking at high school players and wondering who the next LeBron will be, he’s just that good, and I for one am glad to have the honor of watching him play.