On (Im)mortality

Yesterday marked the beginning of the end of an era. It was the day that Kobe Bean Bryant (aka The Black Mamba) declared that this season, his 20th, would be his final one. It’s rare to see an athlete play for two full decades in a sport anymore, and rarer still to see one amass the level of accomplishments and accolades that Kobe was able to achieve. From five NBA Championships, to 17 All Star selections, to two gold medals, to passing MJ for third all-time in scoring, Bryant became a legend and a bridge from the Jordan era to LeBron and the other stars of today’s NBA. Yet, for all of his acclaim, there’s always been a darker flip side to Kobe, both on and off the court. He’s seen his share of trouble and controversy, and has never been exactly congenial, with his abrasiveness costing him teammates, help in free agency, potential additional titles, and (most importantly) respect.

As a Cavs fan who’s lived amongst a sea of Kobe fans for almost the entirety of The Mamba’s storied career, I’ve often found myself at ground zero of the inexorable Kobe/LeBron debate. This discourse is of course even harder to quantify than the MJ/Kobe debate given their difference of position, the disparity in their styles of play and their inherent basketball philosophy (LBJ is more of a Magic pass-first mentality while Kobe has removed the word pass from his vocabulary). However, Kobe’s oddly-timed (if not entirely unexpected) announcement of his impending retirement got me thinking about how his basketball mortality will stack up with the King’s when it’s all said and done.

There are a myriad of ways to compare and contrast Kobe and LeBron, but for the sake of this examination, I’ll hit the highlights in four specific categories that encompass some of the more major areas of distinction between the two.

Longevity

In 1996, as an 18 year old rookie, Kobe Bryant played his first NBA game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Twenty years and 1,279 games later, Kobe opened this season against those same T-Wolves, becoming just the fifth member of the double decade club, joining Robert Parrish (21), Kevin Willis (21), Kevin Garnett (21) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (20). And, though the announcement of his retirement ends his pursuit of most seasons played, Bryant has still set a new NBA record for seasons spent with a single franchise, eclipsing the 19-season mark set by Utah’s John Stockton. He’s also played 220 postseason games, likely his final total given the Lakers’ current bleak outlook. In all, Kobe has logged over 55,000 minutes combined in his regular and post season career, and will likely end up fifth all time in minutes played.

Though he remained mostly injury-free throughout his early career, the wear and tear finally caught up with Kobe in the last few seasons. The most devastating of them, a torn achilles tendon, was the first to arrive toward the end of the 2012-13 campaign. The Lakers were pushing hard for the final playoff spot in the West, and Kobe was averaging more minutes than nearly anyone else in the NBA (38.6). At the end of a seven game stretch of 40 or more minutes per contest, the achilles finally snapped with four games left in the season. Despite working hard to return to action, just seven months after surgery, Bryant would only play six games in 2013-14 before suffering a fracture in his left knee that cost him the remainder of the season. Then last year, even though he started in terrific shape, Kobe’s season was cut short after just 35 games after he tore his right rotator cuff during a slam dunk. This season, though he’s struggled with a calf injury, Bryant has been able to play in the majority of games for the Lakers, but it remains to be seen if he’ll be able to finish the year healthy.

LeBron, who also started his career as an 18 year old rookie, may not ultimately surpass Kobe in seasons played, but he’s likely to catch him in both regular season (928) and post-season (178) games played. He’s already played more than 36,000 regular season minutes, to go with another 7500 playoff minutes. If he can avoid injury and continue to condition himself properly in the off-season, LBJ should prove to be more durable than Kobe in the latter stages of his career. David Blatt is already making a conscious effort to reduce LeBron’s minutes per game, and even though his 36.5 average isn’t as low as last season’s 36.1, that should change once Kyrie Irving and Iman Shumpert return from their own injuries.

Given his four year layover in Miami, the King would have to play with the Cavs until the ripe old age of 42 to match Kobe’s record for seasons played with one organization. The chances of that happening are slim to none, and, if Bron’s comments earlier this season are any indication, he probably won’t play even as many total seasons as the Mamba. It’s far more likely that LeBron will choose to either go out on top, or at least retire before age and injury remand him to a shell of his once royal self. Though, it seems like he’s got at least another four or five seasons beyond the current one in his future. The ultimate measure of this will undoubtedly be how LeBron continues to adapt his style of play to extend his career. While Kobe’s game was largely predicated on his scoring and ability to get to the rim, LeBron can still be fundamentally productive as a facilitator, while also developing his post game.

In the end, longevity only means something if you can still be effective. Kobe’s game has deteriorated exponentially since his rash of injuries robbed him of his athleticism. It doesn’t seem to be in LeBron’s nature to take a similar path.

Likability

Though nobody arguably worked harder than Kobe in his prime, the phrase “plays well with others” would never apply to the Mamba. His ongoing “this town ain’t big enough for the two of us” feud with Shaquille O’Neal ultimately ended with Shaq getting shipped off to Miami. Some say that it’s Kobe’s high level of commitment and performance tend to alienate his teammates, however, it might just be his notorious selfishness with the ball (he’s missed more FGs than any other player in NBA history).

“Kobe tends to force the action, especially when the game isn’t going his way,” said his former coach, Phil Jackson. “When his shot is off, Kobe will pound away relentlessly until his luck turns.”

This domination of the ball, while it’s served Kobe well and helped deliver the Lakers five championships during his tenure, has also been a turn off to prospective free agents. In the days before the salary cap exploded, the Lakers were able to trade for pieces to put around Bryant (Pau Gasol) or sign aging vets (Karl Malone, Gary Payton, Steve Nash). The one recent free agent coup they did enjoy (Dwight Howard) was a short-lived failure. The truth is, as attractive as the Los Angeles market is, no star wants to come and share the spotlight with the Mamba. They’d rather wait until he’s slithered off into the sunset. The Lakers’ free agent plays for LeBron, Carmelo Anthony, LaMarcus Aldridge and other big names have all fallen short. Kobe’s announcement at least gives them hope for a shot at Kevin Durant this summer, no matter how minute.

The Cult of the Mamba

From a fan perspective, Kobe is supremely polarizing. You are either a card-carrying member of the cult of the Mamba, or you can’t stand him and consider him an overrated ball-hog. The Kobe fanbase is one of the more rabid (and most irrational) I’ve encountered. Even through his off-court troubles stemming from a 2003 reported incident in Colorado, most Kobe fans never wavered in their support. To them, he is the greatest player this side of MJ and darn near walks on water.

LeBron, on the other hand, seems to be one of the most well-liked superstars of the NBA. He is the anti-Kobe in many ways with his desire to get other players involved in the action. Sure, he has his bouts of LeISO ball when he takes the scoring mantle on his own shoulders, but he’s just wired differently than Kobe from a pure basketball perspective. He’s probably deferred the final shot just as many times as he’s taken one, a factor that led to scrutiny and criticism early in his career. Though he had trouble recruiting free agents and veteran players in his first stint with the Cavaliers, it had just as much to do with his own non-committal approach to staying in Cleveland, as it did with the appeal of the city and franchise.

LeBron took a lot of heat (pun intended) for his move in 2010, but he was able to convince veteran pieces (Mike Miller, Ray Allen, Chris Andersen) to join him in Miami, and has done the same (Shawn Marion, Richard Jefferson, Mo Williams) in his return to Cleveland. Guys like him and respect him, and most importantly want to play alongside of him because they know LBJ will make them better and elevate their game. Sure, he can be salty too, calling out his teammates when there’s a perceived lack of effort and intensity (like he has already twice this season), however, it’s usually done inclusively and constructively. Unlike Kobe, he’s never made a teammate cry.

Because of his approach to the game and his generally gregarious demeanor, LeBron hasn’t had to rely on just a diehard group of defending fans. The King is universally appealing to Cavs fans and NBA fans alike. It’s not hard to like LeBron, especially now that he’s the personification of the “Prodigal Son.” Even in the dark times, when LBJ put on the proverbial black hat and “took his talents to South Beach,” he still never became quite as unlikeable as the Mamba. Just look at this survey from September of 2010 from Ball Don’t Lie. And therein lies the primary difference between Kobe and LeBron on this front. Kobe never really seemed to care whether people liked him or not, and in fact relished it when people rooted against him. LeBron, on the other hand, seems to have an inherent need to be liked by everyone from his teammates, to his contemporaries, to the masses.

Because of the likability factor, chances are when it’s all said and done, LeBron will most likely be remembered with a greater sense of nostalgia by the average NBA fan.

Statistically

Last season, Kobe passed Michael Jordan to move into third place on the all time NBA scoring list behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone. With his retirement at the end of this season, that’s where he’ll stay (for the time being at least). Currently at 32,683, Kobe will likely finish his career somewhere over 33K, well behind the Mailman’s 36,928 and Kareem’s mind-boggling 38,387 (although he is still the Lakers’ all time leading scorer since Kareem split his time in Milwaukee). That still makes him the highest scoring guard in NBA history, a record that should stand until guys like Steph Curry and James Harden have wrinkles and grey in their beards respectively. Kobe is also third in playoff scoring (5,640) behind MJ (5,987) and Kareem (5,762), which also is unlikely to change until others catch up and surpass him. He’s averaged 25.3 ppg over his career, with a career high of 35.4 in 2005-06, while shooting 45% from the floor and 33% from beyond the arc. Even though he’s primarily been a scorer in the league, he’s also averaged a fairly robust 5.3 rpg and 4.8 apg over his career.

Kobe only has one League MVP trophy on his shelf (due to Steve Nash snagging a couple in the mid-2000s), but does have two Finals MVPs. He’s a 17 time All-Star, winning the MVP of that contest a record four times, as well as an 11 time All NBA First Teamer, a nine time NBA All-Defensive First Teamer, a two time NBA scoring champion, and was the winner of the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest.

Until LeBron came along, Kobe was the youngest to pass the scoring milestones of 5K, 10K, 15K, 20K and 25K points. He still holds the record for youngest to 30K (for now anyway). In addition, Kobe owns the second highest scoring night (January 22, 2006) in NBA history with 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, behind only Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 point outburst. However, he does own the dubious distinction of most field goals missed in a game with 30.

No matter how much Kobe scores though, he can’t seem to escape the King. LeBron now owns the scoring milestones the Mamba once did, and seems destined to surpass not only his youngest to 30K record, but should also eclipse Kobe’s final tally and stake claim to youngest to 35K. LBJ currently sits in 18th place on the all time scoring list at 25,349, having just passed both Jerry West and Reggie Miller. He should pass Alex English (25,613) by Christmas, and then blow by active but aging players like Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan. Given his typical seasonal scoring output, LeBron has an outside shot of cracking the top 10 by the end of the year and passing Hakeem Olajuwon (26,946). It’s doubtful that LBJ winds up passing Kareem for the number one spot, but barring unforeseen events, it’s hard to imagine him not surpassing Kobe for top three, and possibly even the Mailman. He’s averaged 27.3 ppg during his career, with a high of 31.4 in 2005-06 (ironically the same high mark year as Kobe), while shooting 49% from the floor and 34% from beyond the arc.

Yet, as we all know, scoring isn’t LeBron’s only passion. Just last week, he became only the second player in NBA history to crack the top 25 in both scoring and assists (6,413). He’s averaged 6.9 apg and 7.1 rpg so far in his career, and though it’s unlikely he’ll make the top 25 all time in rebounds, he should wind up as the only NBA player in history in the top ten in scoring and assists.

When it comes to MVPs, LeBron dominates Kobe 4-1, and he matches the Mamba in Finals MVPs with two of his own. He’s an 11 time All Star (soon to be 12), a two time All Star MVP, a nine time All NBA First Teamer, a five time NBA All-Defensive First Teamer, an NBA scoring champion (2008), and NBA Rookie of the Year (2004). He did not win the Slam Dunk Contest… because he’s never entered it.

Statistically speaking, though Kobe currently leads in doing what he does best (scoring), he probably will be eclipsed by LeBron when it’s all over. Moreover, LeBron has a much more well-rounded game, filling the stat sheets with assists and rebounds, while also playing high level defense. The most telling stat is LBJ’s career triple-double edge over Bryant, 37-19.

Legacy

And so, it comes down finally to the primary argument that Kobe fans use as “definitive proof” of why the Mamba is greater than the King… rings.

Kobe will finish his career with a fistful of five championship rings (in seven tries), while LeBron still has some ground to make up with a running total of two (in six cracks at it). The bad news for Kobe is that his championship window to try and catch MJ with six slammed shut when his achilles snapped three years ago. The good news for LeBron is that he’s still got four to five prime years left with a top-notch supporting cast to try and catch Kobe.

Looking at it more closely though, will show you that Kobe was arguably the second best player on his team for the first three titles he won with the Lakers. The combination of his talents with the greatest Center in the game at the time, Shaq, was enough to overcome the Reggie Miller Pacers, Allen Iverson Sixers and Jason Kidd Nets. Only for the final two, when he was paired with another star big man in Pau Gasol, was Kobe the best and most dominant player on the floor.

For LeBron, two of his Finals losses came as the single dominant player for the Cavs, first in 2007 and then last season with the injuries to Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. Granted, his two titles came with the help of two other All-Stars in Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, but he was still arguably the most dominant player on the floor for the Heat in winning those championships. Kobe has never taken a team on his back to the Finals, because he ultimately required more help than Lebron does.

This fundamentally comes down to the quality of leadership displayed by these two legendary players. Kobe has become a leader through the hard work and dedication to his craft he has shown during his 20 year career. He is ball dominant, unafraid to take any shot and demands high levels of excellence on both ends of the floor. Yet, his leadership is predicated on his ability to hit shots and make plays for himself, which leads to the (not incorrect) perception that he is a selfish player. Even now, in the twilight of his career, he is still leading the Lakers in shots attempted (17 per game) and is second in minutes played (31.1), while shooting a rim-wrecking 30% (20% from three) and averaging a career low 15.5 ppg. He is not leading the young Lakers by example, but instead giving them license to stand around or jack up their own shots with abandon. As a result, the Lakers are an embarrassing 2-14, and are years away from being a playoff team, let alone a championship contender.

Meanwhile, LeBron continues to employ a strategy of getting others involved by being the prime facilitator of the offense. His scoring average is up slightly from last season, and he continues to rebound and distribute the ball at the same prolific rate as he has in the past. The revelation so far this year has been more reliance on a team concept of moving the basketball, and less so on LeISO ball. Yes, there are still stretches of it, particularly in crunch time, but LeBron knows the value of having multiple threats on the court offensively. He also understands that in today’s NBA, you have to be able to turn up the defensive intensity if you want to win championships. He has stressed this already twice this season, calling his team out for their softness and lack of focus, but still including himself in the conversation as part of the problem. He continues to be a coach on the floor, working with and cajoling younger guys to improve their game and elevate their play. And, he has earned the respect of the veterans (like James Jones and Richard Jefferson) who help to echo his messages in the locker room.

Championships are important to legacy, and they count as strong currency when discussing the best players in NBA history. Undoubtedly, LeBron will have to win at least one more title to cement his own legacy as one of the greatest of all time. But, returning to the place he calls home to bring a title to a title-starved fanbase would go a heck of a long way in doing just that.

Final Thought

On some level, it’s sad to think about this being Kobe Bryant’s final season. For several years, he was the predominant face of the sport, and he will go down as one of the greatest Lakers ever, and one of the greatest NBA players of all time. Yet, given the ignominious ending of his career, it seems like he’s already been gone for a while. In some ways, he’s become sort of the Brett Favre of the NBA… holding on to past glory for much too long. At least he didn’t team jump or retire and come back like Brett or even MJ did (well… at least not yet). Still, his giant “lifetime achievement” paycheck from the Lakers wound up being a sizable albatross around L.A.’s neck, and probably set back their rebuilding plan a half-decade.

All that said, I’ll probably still miss the Mamba… at least for a little while. And, even though I don’t sympathize with Kobe fans right now, I probably will whenever the King decides to hang it up… hopefully not anytime soon.