In a time when debates between superstars were given precedence, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant thrived, going further than anyone else on the planet. The pair were conceivably the two best players in the league during this time.
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While Bryant has five championships to show for it, James has accumulated just one short of the Black Mamba’s tally. The aforementioned statement is just further proof that the pair were serial winners despite the forced narratives against them.
Yet every time we watch either one play the game, we are left awe-struck. Not due to their riveting skillset and technique, which we all know they stand out for. It’s due to the glaring differences in their style of play, which has enabled them to be successful.
Alas, proving the theorem right, that in a factual world, there is more than one method to reign supreme in your quest for an NBA title. Former NBA champion, Tayshaun Prince has given his insight into the pair’s style of play.
Tayshaun Prince reveals the difference between LeBron James and Kobe Bryant!
Being the prolific defender that he was, Tayshaun Prince has come across some of the most onerous stars to guard during his time in the league. Prince was a four-time member of the All-Defensive second team during his prime from 2005-2008.
So his insight is extremely valuable. The former Detroit Pistons forward had this to share when tending to comparisons between Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.
Prince said:
“They’re both different. With Kobe, you had to make sure that you don’t let him get to his sweet spots. There’s a rhythm because it was a rhythm thing. Triangle, sweet spots..get to his footwork, knowing what he wants to do. The fadeaway, stuff like that. So with Kobe, it was a matter of don’t let him get to his sweet spots.
Prince continued:
“With LeBron, it was a matter of you got to fight through 100 picks and 150 picks and rolls throughout the whole game… Set pick and roll, we gonna wear him down. We’re gonna wear him down and in the fourth quarter, Imma get into my package.”
Perhaps the most astute analysis of how the two champions, approached the game.
Can LeBron James match Kobe Bryant?
LeBron James passed Kobe Bryant on the all-time scoring list just under two years ago, prior to Bean’s unfortunate demise. Yet there is an accolade that Bryant hangs over the King and that’s the number of championships he has won.
James would need one more ring to level with Bryant and two more to surpass him, whilst simultaneously bringing his tally level with Michael Jordan.
Given that he has already surpassed him in total points and assists, the general comprehension would be that the four-time NBA champion, has his eyes on another ring, right? Well, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Before the campaign concludes, James would have surpassed Kareem Abdul Jabbar as the leading scorer in NBA history. Considering that the Lakers have a sub-standard roster, excluding James and Anthony Davis, their playoff contention hangs in the balance, let alone talks of a championship.
When the clock strikes out at the end of his prolonged career, only time will tell if James can fulfill his aspirations.
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