Kevin Durant is a better overall basketball player than Kobe Bryant.

"He keeps doing it. He keeps making shots. He's a great player and deserves to be called a great player." -"Doc Rivers 1) I'd like to first state that Kobe Bryant has about 11 years on Kevin Durant. So if I'm not going to have Kobe Bryant win through only accomplishments, I'd like for Kevin Durant to not win by statistics. Since Kevin Durant is entering his prime while Kobe Bryant is barely making it through games. Thus, it would be absolutely unfair to declar Kevin Durant a better player just because of his statistics. When reviewing my opponent's arguments, it must be kept in mind that Kevin Durant is in his early age while Kobe Bryant is at his retirement age. 2) I understand that. I will also allow my opponent to make statistic arguments (while keeping in mind that Kobe Bryant is 11 years older than him). I disagree that you can state career arguments don't weigh as much as season arguments. Arguments based on this season and post-season are clearly incorrect since Kobe Bryant is at retirement age while Kevin Durant is at his prime. I. On Balance Comparison of 2012 Regular Season. A. I agree that Kevin Durant has been a much better player this season than Kobe Bryant but people must remember Kevin Durant is at his prime (22) while Kobe Bryant is at retirement age (33). Thus, I state that my opponent's arguments are based entirely on a 10 year difference. The fact that Kobe Bryant was able to be 0.1% from Kevin Durant's average, 7% from his Field Goal perccentage and 24% of his three-point percentage is admirable since he's 10 years older than him. I mean it would be like comparing Steve Nash currently (38) to LeBron James (27). How is that even close to fair? I'm stating that we should compare Kevin Durant's current year to Kobe Bryant's fifth year. Thus, I'd state it's impressive to be that close when you're nearly 11 years older. I'm laughing hard right now. I can't believe you actually think four shots more makes Kobe Bryant a "selfish shooter". I mean I like the "Patient shooter" but you can't possibly state that Kevin Durant "finds more scoring opportunities than Kobe, he scores at a higher percentage in EVERY area, some by huge margins" when he's 10 years older than him right now right? "PPG. Kobe: 27.9 Durant: 30" You made a fallacy. You stated two contradictory things. First, you state Kevin Durant scored 28 points on average in the season. Now, you state Kevin Durant scores 30 points on average. Which is it? Either way, it is still impressive to be 10 years older than someone and be 0.1 or 2.1 points away from tying with someone 10 years younger than him. Well, I'll be doing an accurate analysis later on. "FG %. Kobe: 43% Durant: 50%" A 7% margin is pretty good for someone 10 years older than him. Plus, remember Kobe Bryant is 30 +. If it was 18 years old vs. 28 year old, it'd' be completely different. Please allow me to give you some accurate analysis instead of this inaccurate argument. "3-pt %. Kobe: 30% Durant 39%" Now, I'm even more confused. You first said it was 24% difference in 3-point percentage. Now you're saying there's only a 9% difference. Which is it? Two contradictory statements twice in 1 argument subpoint. Now 9% or 24% isn't that bad for someone 10 years older than you. Please be precise. "FT%. Kobe: 85% Durant: 88%" For someone 10 years older, a 3% margin is nothing for free-throw percentage. I mean we need to see their career stats averaged or both of them in their same year statistics. Those are the arguments I'll be making instead of these absolutely biased and unfair arguments. B. Defensive Ability. You're sincerely kidding me, right? Kobe Bryant was the on the NBA All-Defensive First Team for 9 years and on the NBA All-Defensive Second Team for 3 years. Kobe Bryant definitely doesn't lack the defensive ability. You're calling Kobe Bryant "pathetic" because he has 0.3 blocks when he's not even a forward or center. Centers and forwards tend to have longer arms which helps them block shots. I will agree that it's horrible but you're comparing a guard with 10 more years of age to a forward with 10 years younger. I mean at least compare it fairly instead of being super-biased and super-unfair in judging. Also 0.1 steal is very little. Especially since you're comparing someone who is older by 10 years at retirement age to someone who's younger by 10 years and extremely athletic. "The 10 years older" may have not gotten to you yet and the "forwards are much better at rebounding" may have been misunderstood by you but that's why Kevin Durant has 3.1 more rebounds than the Black Mamba. RPG. Kobe: 5 Durant 8 Now it's another contradiction. First you state 7.4 rebounds compared to 4.3 rebounds. Is it 3 or 3.1. Either way, it's inaccurate because it measures the current stats not the overall stats. II. On Balance Comparison of 2012 Post-Season. Due to the lack of space, I will be stating that all of these statistics are inaccurate for this debate. If I was arguing Kobe Bryant is currently a better player than Kevin Durant, I would have to accept those but since it's about "overall", I'll be talking about overall statistics in playoffs instead of these unfair ones. I would also like to point out that we're not comparing team statistics which means they're irrelevant including the playoff series. I will state every statistic will be disregarded due to it being about current statistics which are extremely unfair though Kobe Bryant's statistics are actually impressive in the post-season currently for someone 10 years on Kevin Durant. III. Clutch Performances. I'm glad he made clutch shots but so did Kobe Bryant. You can't have a way of comparing clutch performances. I'm glad he has accomplishments but so does Kobe Bryant with a lot more. Now it's on to my case. I. Accurate Analysis. These are career statistics so that it is accurate. I would use yearly but I have so few characters right now. Disclaimer: Too close to calls don't count as anything except a tie. I. Regular Season: Points: KB: 25.4 KD: 26.3 A 0.9 difference is not even a full point. Thus, I call it a tie because it is not even a full point of difference. FG %: KB: 0.453 KD: 0.468 This is 0.015% increase. I mean if it were at least 0.50% increase, I would state it but a 0.15% increase is much too little to be a win. Too close to call for me. 3P%: KB: 0.337 KD: 0.364 Again, a 0.027% increase is way too little for it to be a KD call. Too close to call. FT%: KB: 0.838 KD: 0.878 0.040% is too little to call. RPG: KB: 5.3 KD: 6.6 KD takes rebounds down with 1.3 points. APG: KB: 4.7 KD: 2.8 Kobe takes down assists with 1.9 points. Right now, it's a tie. SPG: KB: 1.5 KD: 1.2 That's a win for Kobe Bryant. (For blocks and steals, there are no too close to calls so whoever wins will win.) BPG: KB: 0.5 KD: 1.0 Well, it's Kevin Durant's victory. Well, it looks like it's a tie. Now, it's playoff time. II: Playoffs: PPG: KB: 25.6 KD: 27.4 I'll hand this one to KD. FG%: KB: 0.448 KD: 0.440 Too close to call. 3P%: KB: 0.331 KD: 0.337 That's so close to call. FT%: KB:0.816 KD:0.845 A 0.019 is way to close to call. RPG: KB: 5.1 KD: 8.1 A full 3 point increase is good. KD with two in the lead. APG: KB: 4.7 KD: 2.9 KB shrinks the deficit. SPG: KB: 1.4 KD: 1.0 KB wins! BPG: KB: 0.6 KD: 1.2 Well, it seems KB loses to KD by 1 point, right? Wrong! It's important to count the all-star moments. III: All-Star: PPG: KB: 20.8 KD: 28.3 KD's winning by two. FG% & 3P% & FT% & RPG: KB:0.509 & 0.350 & 0.824 & 5.0 KD:0.516 & 0.364 & 0.867 & 5.0 Too close to call for all 4. APG & SPG: KB: 4.2 & 4.7 KD: 1.7 (for both) KB wins both. Well, it's a tie! I've proved KD is at least not better than KB! Vote Con. Sources in the comments section.