LeBron James and Kobe Bryant were the two biggest superstars of the past two decades. And even though we never got to see them against each other in the NBA Finals, it's clear that they dominated the league like no other player during that time.
That's why, for years, the fans, media, and even some players tried to put them against each other. You could either side with Kobe or LeBron, which is crazy as they didn't even play in the same conference.
Also, you just couldn't compare Kobe and LeBron. They had different skill sets, different mindsets, and different ways of conceiving the game; as former NBA player Coby Kar recently told Basketball Network.
Former NBA Player Coby Karr Says LeBron James Was Physically Dominant, While Kobe Bryant Was Mentally Dominant
“It was just a very different time in their careers. But when I played with LeBron, I’d never seen anyone affect the game in so many different ways. He could physically dominate on the defensive end, block a shot, get the rebound, going down in transition, and then dunk on you. Whereas Kobe did it in more of a mental, psychological way."
"He was lethal in so many different ways, especially once that you got into the half-court at the end of the game. He was meticulous with his execution there. But he didn’t have the same physicality that LeBron had and youth. LeBron was so energetic at that point, he would do things that – he still does them today but at that point, that’s just who he was and so useful," Kar said.
Kar can speak with the truth as he was lucky enough to share a locker room with both of those stars, and he's got a valid point right there. LeBron was a driving, unstoppable force of nature in his prime, whereas Kobe was perhaps the mentally stronger player on basketball history.
At the end of the day, you don't have to pick sides. You can love LeBron James while being a huge Kobe Bryant fan and vice versa. Still, it's sad to wonder what could have happened if they met at basketball's ultimate stage during their careers.
