Lebron went to a team with a guaranteed HOF and a perennial All Star to win his first ring. There's no discussion to be really had IMO. And for all this stat trouting you nikkaz is doing:
(rounded)
Kobe '04: 27, 6, 6 Bron '04: 27, 7, 7
Kobe '05: 35, 5, 5 Bron '05: 31, 7, 7
Kobe '06: 32, 5, 6 Bron '06: 27, 6, 7
Kobe '07: 28, 5, 6 Bron '07: 30, 7, 8
Kobe '08: 27, 5, 5 Bron '08: 28, 7, 8
Kobe '09: 27, 5, 5 Bron '09: 30, 9, 7
Kobe '10: 25, 5, 5 Bron '10: 27, 7, 8
Kobe '11: 28, 5, 5 Bron '11: 27, 6, 8
Outside of '09, for the most part, they have been neck and neck, considering that
THEY HAVE TWO DIFFERENT ROLES, with Lebron being a facilitator, and Kobe being the finisher. I give the FG% wars to Lebron (but barely because Kobe takes 1 more 3PT shot per game than Lebron, and is at 45% on 20 shots per game, while Lebron is at 48% on 20 shots per game, you take away the 1 3PT shot, their FG% since '05 is not that much different), but his lack of a jumpshot has definitely hurt his teams at times. But I don't get all that Lebron has been clearly the best player since '05 talk.
Since '05
Kobe- 7 NBA 1st Teams, 7 NBA Defensive 1st Teams, 7 ASGs, 3 ASG MVP, 2 scoring titles, 2 finals appearances, 2 finals MVP, 2 championships
Bron- 7 NBA 1st Teams, 4 NBA Defensive 1st Teams, 7 ASGs, 2 ASG MVP, 1 scoring title, 2 finals appearances, 1 finals MVP, 1 championship
^^^How has Lebron been obviously the best player?
And this is just on paper. This doesn't include the fact that Kobe plays
IN THE WEST, the clutchness, the fact that his play basically saved Team USA in the last Olympics (where was the supposed best player in the L?
), the fact that Lebron handles the ball on virtually every play, I could go on and on. And remember,
Kobe played last year injured! Please stop with all this nonsense.