Kobe vs. Michael, Who's Better?

Last night I sat a prestigious social club drinking Moretti and Modelo beers, watching Carlos Boozer and the Utah Jazz struggle to beat Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. As I was watching this game, I truly was mesmerized by Kobe's basketball skills and killer mentality. This led me to begin thinking about the great basketball debate of our day: Kobe vs. Michael, Who's Better?

I have had the fortune of being able to see both of their careers from the start. Being from the Chicagoland area, I suppose I have a bias for Jordan. Ofcourse, I'm not just basing my decision on bias, I did research some facts. Here they are:



Achievemtns by their 30th Birthdays:

• Bryant: 20,883 Pts (24.8Ppg), 4418 Reb(5.3), Ast 3867 (4.6)
• Jordan: 21,541 Pts (32.3Ppg), 4219 Reb(6.3), Ast 3539 (5.9)
• Playing more then two years less then Kobe, Jordan handily takes the stat category.

Winner: Jordan
Accolades:

• Bryant: 10 All-Star games, 2 All-Star game MVP, 6 times 1st-team All-Defense team, 5 times 1st-team All-NBA, 2 time scoring champ
• Jordan: 9 All-Star games, 1985 Rookie of the Year, 1988 Defensive Player of the year, 3 time MVP, 3 time Finals MVP, 6 times 1st-team All-Defense team, 8 time 1st-team All-NBA, 3 times Most Steals in the league, 7 time scoring champ, 7 time led the league in player efficiency

Winner: Jordan
Competition faced:

• Bryant: Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs, Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavs, Chauncey Billups and the Detroit Pistons
• Jordan: Isiah Thomas and the Detroit Pistons, Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics, Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers, Patrick Ewing and the New York Knicks

Though the players mentioned in Jordans list are all Hall of Famers, it is too early to say those in Bryants list won't achieve the same heights. Personally, this is where my bias would prove the most and I would give this category to Jordan. However, realizing this I'll say their competition was equal.

Winner: Push

Titles and Wins:

• Bryant: 596-331, 64.3% winning percentage, 4 Finals appearances, 3 titles, missed playoffs once
• Jordan: 445-293, 60.3% winning percentage, 3 titles, 1 NCAA championship, 2 Gold Medals in 1984 and 1992 Olympics

This could also be a push, but after bringing in Jordan's other accomplishments on the court and the fact that he never played with a dominating center like Shaq (center position, the most dominating position in basketball) there could only be one decision.

Winner: Jordan
Kobe Bryant is clearly his generations greatest player so far, but comparing him to the greatest of all time is unjust to him. He should be judged on his own accomplishments and as of now, he is not in Jordan's league.

Kobe Bryant is not the next Jordan—he is Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, Scottie Pippen, he is the same as these players, himself: Kobe Bryant.

Notable articles on this subject:Tex Winter Compares Kobe and Michael
Putting Kobe In Perspective
Kobe vs MJ, by Skip Bayless

Interesting video on this subject: