While LeBron is a far greater team player than Kobe was, as well as being more dominant and having higher stats, Kobe was a more diverse and complete player, a virtuoso with incredible talents and defensive ability. He's also the only person to score 60 points in a game for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Kobe Bryant averaged 27.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.5 assists during his career. He reached the 300 win mark early in his career and still stands as one of just three players (along with Michael Jordan and John Stockton) to score 23,000 points in a career. He's also one of only two players (the other being Karl Malone) to average a triple-double throughout their entire career.
LeBron James averaged 26.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists during his career. He too reached the 300 win mark early in his career and remains one of just four players (Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Kevin Durant) to score 20,000 points in a career. Like Kobe, he's also one of just two players (Karl Malone) to average a triple-double throughout their entire career.
They both had amazing careers and are top five all time scorers in NBA history.
LeBron James' statistics show that he is a far superior overall basketball player. While Jordan had a higher overall scoring average, LeBron is a more efficient player who shoots better from two and three-point range. LeBron is also a far superior passer and rebounder than Jordan was. However, what makes LeBron different from Jordan is his ability to lead his team on offense while being the primary scorer. Michael Jordan was always asked to do a lot for the Chicago Bulls, and although they made the NBA Finals twice, they never won it all.
However, despite all this, is LeBron James as great as Michael Jordan? In my opinion, yes. Lebron has already been named the greatest basketball player of all time by ESPN, and there's no reason why he shouldn't be. Like I said before, he's already proven himself to be a much better overall player than Jordan was, and with more experience, he could even improve his game even further.
There are some comparisons that can be made between James and Jordan. They both have an IDGAF (I don't give a fuck) attitude, are dominant defenders, and know how to get their teammates involved. But other than that, they have very little in common. James is a shoot-first point guard who doesn't care about defense or getting others involved in the game, while Jordan was a finesse center who cared about nothing else but winning.
LeBron, who does not choke, is the superior clutch player, and statistics support this claim. A comparison of Kobe vs. LeBron clutch-time numbers reveals that LeBron outperforms Kobe in the most crucial moments of the game. There is no comparison between Kobe and LeBron when it comes to being a team player. Lebron has been praised for his ability to bring out the best in his teammates; however, this cannot be said about Kobe. He has been criticized for his lack of desire to win at any cost.
Lebron has also received more attention from women than Kobe has. This may have something to do with LeBron's image; however, there are other factors as well. For example, researchers have claimed that men prefer athletic women to beautiful women because it assumes less risk. If you are looking for romance, then you should consider these facts when choosing a partner.
Finally, Kobe lacks one important thing that LeBron has: confidence. Even though LeBron has the talent, he knows he can't make mistakes so he doesn't take many shots. Kobe on the other hand, tends to force things and often regrets it later.
Kobe isn't the only one who chokes in big games, but he is the only one who gets criticized for it. LeBron is always expected to perform well in crunch time and hasn't been able to live up to the hype thus far. Maybe if he stopped trying to do everything himself, we would all be happier.
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