It's gonna get real comedic should Shaq be traded to the Cleve.
Cha-Ching.....
I don't have much of an opinion on this topic, and most of what I'd say falls to shit stirring, honestly. But I would be remiss to not point out that LA has typically had better supporting players for Kobe as well as better coaching for the players he has to work with. Do I think LeBron will win as many rings or MVPs? Probably not. And I sincerely believe while he *might* win a Championship this year (and perhaps an MVP in the process....since he'd be 'due' 8) in may people's eyes)....I only believe he's going to win multiple rings once he moves to a team with more talent (or an assload more talent comes to CLE....not likely). THEN you'll have people undercutting his credit saying it took all these good players to get him there
![:\](https://bluelight.org/xf/BL_Images/Orig_Emoji/wrygrin.gif "wry grin :\")
Um, hello....that's how Kobe got there! Not saying either is
NOT a great player, but the point I'm making is that they are singular, and championships are won by teams. Kobe's had good to great teams (and he's been their star, making them better). LeBron has had okay teams (and he's been their star, making them better).
I know the point of the thread is 'who is the better
player?' But people want to use rings as a standard, when those are won by teams. And MVPs as a standard, when those are given to players on good to great teams. LeBron has not had the opportunity to meet those standards like Kobe has, and why are you using team generated criteria to argue player strength?
The most comparable basis for 'player strength' that I could see are the year over year stats. And, you may have to compare Year1 to Year1 rather than 2009 to 2009, to understand player development and raw ability....but then people argue that the league was better/worse back then. If you compare 2009 to 2009 type of basis so they have equal opponents, then you are left with an established player (Kobe) versus someone whose role has continued to evolve* and he's still developing (LeBron).
*I know Kobe fans will say he picks up his role as the team needs him, being the defender, the scorer, etc. However he has always remained 'the guy' whereas in recent years LeBron, either by his own decision or by coaching (I don't know) has tried to take on the role of 'the scorer' when he hadn't been honing the 'killer instinct for years' like Kobe who came in with that role, or 'the leader' which Kobe was never really asked to play until recently...and I'm not sure his Laker team mates feels that way about him, or 'the assist guy making everyone else better' when LeBron has players who simply aren't up to speed for dealing with a guy that can dish it like that, and Kobe's team mates never had to think 'will I get the ball' because the answer was a big fat NO from the beginning. LeBron has been asked to wear a LOT of different hats over the years, and he's worn each of them poorly, IMO, until recently when he's started to get a good enough cast around him to allow him to blend the roles as needed and he's gained enough experience to play the roles as needed. Kobe? Brought in as an assassin, always been one = solid stats and not as well rounded in the other roles (always had other players that filled them).
So, who do you want? A killer that you KNOW will make the shot and has proven it over and over? Or a jack of all trades, who, when he has as many years under his belt as Kobe, can do it all - whatever you ask of him? My answer to the question of the thread is Kobe is the best player. Has been and is today; but the day is coming soon when LeBron's overall abilities start to mean more than Kobe's scoring ability, at which point my answer will change. That day may come sooner than Laker fans will admit.
