As a non-point guard, James has served as arguably the best playmaker in NBA history.īased on raw statistics, there is no disputing what James has achieved: Both the highest per-game assist average (7.4, 24th) and assist percentage (36.3, 20th overall) favor James. That might seem a bit inexplicable considering LeBron has averaged almost the same number of shot attempts (19.6 to 19.5) and free throw attempts (8.0 to 7.4) as Bryant, a player whose high volume scoring credentials are undeniable. The incredible thing about James’ play is that scoring has never been the central focus. A comparison would be like contrasting Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen’s rebound stats. Despite their disparity in height, both players are only 2 inches apart. It is quite clear that LeBron, who is a small forward, weighs more than the other players. Kobe Bryant averages 5.2 rebounds per game, LeBron James 7.4 rebounds per game. There are some differences between these two categories, simply because of their relative positions. The NBA average for this season is 66.0, and James is shooting 73.3%, while Bryant is shooting 63.4.ĭue to the fact that Bryant did not gain the ground at the 3-point line - James makes more 3-pointers, 0.2 more attempts per game to be exact - LeBron is increasingly advantageous at the rim. He has taken 36% of his career shot attempts at the rim, compared to only 21% for Bryant. With a height difference of several inches and a mass of at least 40 pounds, James has had much better luck taking shots at the rim than Bryant. I mean, he usually either overpowers smaller opponents or flies past bigger ones to reach the rim, so why would it be true? High-volume scorers are not strangers to challenging 2-point jumpers, and he is no exception. The second reason is that James takes a lot more shots than Kobe. Bryant excelled at isolation off the dribble, and if he couldn’t beat defenders off the dribble, he fetched some jump shot out of his bag, no matter the difficulty.Ī recent revolutionary trend emphasizing 3-pointers and looking at the rim over virtually anything else in basketball results in these shots being some of the least efficient shots in the sport. Those who have watched Bryant play for any amount of time will not be surprised at the fact that 28% of his shots came from what we will call far mid-range (16 feet from the 3-point line according to B-R). Kobe’s look tells us a lot: he simply wasn’t capable of taking shots like James – and/or wasn’t willing to work as hard for them. But it doesn’t matter to me.” Different Types of Scorers “Every single year, I could really do it. If I really wanted to, if I really wanted to win the scoring title, I could win it every single year,” James was quoted as saying in 2009. “Our team is trying to clinch homecourt advantage for the whole playoffs and that is more important. LeBron was ready to step in and play from day one. Kobe supporters often argue that LeBron was thrust into a starting position from the very start, whereas Kobe had to wait until his third season to become a full-time starter. Kobe boasts an impressive career average of 25.2 points per game, but LeBron boasts a staggering 27.7 points per game. Kobe is generally acclaimed as a better scorer than LeBron, although statistics oppose this view. Most likely, if LeBron had played for the Laker teams from 2005-2007, he would have put up similarly impressive numbers. Over the course of an entire season, he averaged 35.4 points per game. 4 points per game).Ī single basketball game featuring Kobe once saw the superstar score 81 points. There have been two Kobe scoring titles, but LeBron has topped the league leaderboard only once (although LeBron came close to winning it again last year, he was edged by Kevin Durant by just. Their career field goal percentages are essentially the same, however, Kobe’s free throw percentage (83.7) is higher than LeBron’s (74.4), despite LeBron getting to the line more often during their respective careers. Which would you pick if Kobe played against LeBron? Kobe vs Lebron Comparison: Scoring Their combined championship rings in the Hall of Fame are now nine in total, and they are both first-ballot Hall of Famers.ĭespite Kobe’s death in January 2020, the NBA and basketball fans worldwide are still grieving his loss, and discussing his stellar skills is part of how they remember him. Does Kobe Bryant or LeBron James reign supreme? It is inevitable that they will be compared, despite having never met in the playoffs.ĭespite coming directly out of high school, both of them were/are very dominant in their early years and have left an indelible mark on the NBA. “Who is the greatest basketball player?” The debate you have probably witnessed, whether you are a fan of the game or not. Paul Pierce vs D Wade Comparison - November 7, 2021.Aaron Rodgers vs Tom Brady Comparison - November 7, 2021.
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