Lebron is a better player than Kobe

PRO'S ARGUMENTS: 1) He has amazing size and speed 2) He has taken on a leadership role for his team 3) LeBron is a better player at 26 than Kobe was 4) LeBron is a superior rebounder, passer and shot blocker 5) Kobe's success is mostly due to his teammates REBUTTAL: 1) Kobe has great size (two inches shy of LeBron) and speed as well. This is a moot point. Additionally, size and speed are not always the most important factors in determining one's abilities as a basketball player. For instance, Kobe is more agile than LeBron, and probably a better mental player as well (composure, etc.). 2) Kobe is also a highly regarded (and more experienced leader). Another moot point. 3) Just because LeBron may have been "better" at 26 than Kobe was (which is entirely subjective unless my opponent explains how or why using facts, statistics and other analysis) does not mean that LeBron is yet AS GOOD of a player than Kobe Bryant is NOW. The resolution says nothing about Kobe's past; it's of the present tense meaning that this debate is about who is a better player right now. That said, it should be noted that LeBron is actually just 24 years old. When Kobe was 24, he had just as many offensive rebounds as LeBron did at 24 (106), higher free throw percentage (.843 vs. .780), steals (181 vs. 137), etc. [1] 4) Kobe Bryant is a generally a Shooting Guard, and LeBron James is usually a Small Forward. Of course James is going to have more opportunities to rebound, etc. As I've already pointed out, Kobe is notably better at some things than LeBron (I will have more on this in my offensive arguments). 5) Finally, Kobe's success as an individual player - meaning his statistics - can NOT solely be attributed to that of his teammate's. On that same token, some of his individual success CAN be attributed to that of his teammates. For instance, if he's notably the best shooter on the team, the team is going to put the ball on his hands more often or look to him for scoring in the crunch. The same goes for LeBron. Thus one's team can both help or hurt individual statistics, so we'll have to look for the issue of teammates capabilities as a draw. As far as championships and titles go, I never intended on using Kobe's rings as a means to describe his abilities anyway. MY ARGUMENTS: 1) Crunch Time Say you're down by a point or two, and the time on the clock is running down. Any coach would prefer to put the ball in Kobe's hands over LeBron's. The experience factor would ensure that Kobe wouldn't get rattled, panic, lose track of the clock, let an ounce of doubt enter his psyche, or chicken out and pass the ball off to an inferior player as LeBron has done in the past. Additionally, Bryant has the resourcefulness and athletic ability to create his own shot. Many sportscasters name Kobe as the best tough-shot shooter in the game. Ever. This is probably because Kobe has proven that he can score in every way imaginable. LeBron doesn't even have a consistent midrange game yet, and his 3-point range remains shaky, at best. Getting him to give up the ball isn't even all that hard because he'd rather make the pass than the shot. Not only is Kobe a better pure scorer, but he's also the significantly better foul shooter. Thus, it's pretty obvious that Kobe is a better clutch player and therefore a lot more valuable in crunch time than LeBron. 2) Toughness LeBron missed two weeks worth of games with a sprained knuckle on his non-shooting hand, while Kobe didn't miss a minute with shoulder and groin injuries. Kobe's willingness to play through tough injuries proves his commitment and dedication to his teammates, and his strength both mental and physical. He has proven to be a more agile player all-around. 3) Ruthlessness LeBron James said it best (when interviewed by the ESPN magazine): He doesn't have that instinct to go out and (metaphorically) kill everyone the way Kobe does. If Kobe smelled blood he'd want to dig deeper into the wound; in other words, play up his advantages and use his opponent's weakness as a platform for his success. LeBron, on the other hand, would want to get the person a bandage (again, metaphorically speaking). This would perhaps make LeBron more of a humanitarian than Kobe. However, on the basketball court, it's better to be smart about what moves would get you the win. 4) Experience / Guts It's common knowledge that experience is a huge factor in one's abilities on the court, as it affects their confidence, decision making and general skill. Kobe obviously exceeds LeBron in these areas. While Kobe may have the reputation of being a selfish player, that doesn't necessarily make him a worse off player. After all, this is demonstrated by him getting his teammates to win several championships. Additionally - like I said - this debate is about individual performance. Kobe stands up in the face of adversity and challenges his opponents to the point where he is considered a "ruthless assassin" by some. LeBron may be the more pleasant of the two; however, currently lacks the drive that pushes Kobe to be the best (or perhaps second best, behind Tim Duncan) in the NBA. Kobe Bryant's playing resembles of that of Michael Jordan's, while LeBron's style can be said to resemble Magic's. I'd say Jordan is a better player than Magic as well. CONCLUSION: I agree with Ric Bucher from ESPN magazine when he says, "LeBron is bigger, faster and arguably stronger with every skill imaginable. But he doesn't have Kobe's fire or anything close to his ability to adjust at a moment's notice and general knowledge of the game." Kobe's experience, drive, work ethic, on-court leadership, decision making, crunch time abilities, agility, toughness, and overall accomplishments prove that he is a great player who only continues to improve. The same can be said about LeBron, and I agree that with time, LeBron will probably over-shadow Bryant and become a/the better player. However, the resolution implies present tense, and at this point I stand by the fact that Kobe Bryant is a better player (by a very small, but still there margin) than LeBron James. PROOF OF KOBE'S REMARKABLE CAPABILITIES: (Shown above in the YouTube video) http://www.youtube.com... STATISTICS REFERENCES / SOURCES: [1] http://www.basketball-reference.com... [2] http://sports.espn.go.com...