Never again compare LeBron James to Kobe Bryant

Zeke Trezevant
Sports Editor

**From the May 24, 2010, Western Herald publication**

Here we go, America; the long awaited free agency of 2010 is finally upon us. Now, we all know the playoffs are still going on, but hey, LeBron James’ season is over. That in turn means he’s on the market, and that’s all that matters, right?

What NBA Finals?

While the regular season Most Valuable Player sits at home, we’ll delve into a few reasons why  the “King” shouldn’t be held in such high regard quite yet.

Below are a few factors that separate LeBron James from one of the greatest players in NBA history, Kobe Bean Bryant.

Heart
Does anything even need to be said on this issue? Bryant might not be well liked, but the heart that he shows is crazy. When the going gets tough for the Lakers, everyone on the planet knows who’s getting the ball. Bryant is playing this post season with an injured finger on his shooting hand and an ailing knee and ankle. Yet, “Queen James” loses a series and says his elbow affected his play.

That doesn’t sound like a champ to me.

Desire
If there is any question on this one, please go review the tape of game five against the Celtics. Boston had the Cavaliers on the ropes, in Cleveland, nonetheless, and James sat back and watched his team fail. He showed absolutely no desire to get his team back in the game. He didn’t even look like he cared that they were being beaten so convincingly. There is no way Bryant would have sat behind the three-point line without putting forth any effort. Losing is acceptable, but giving up is not. No one can say they’ve ever watched Bryant give up on a game in the playoffs. The same can’t be said about James.

Killer Instinct
Nope, James doesn’t have this either. Maybe he’ll add this to his game, but it isn’t looking too good at this point. When time is winding down in a playoff game, or any game for that matter, and their team is within striking distance, Bryant is ten times more likely to take over. In the fiercest of moments, Bryant’s killer instinct is on full display. It’s written all over his face. Conversely, when the going got tough against the Celtics, James shied away from his shot at greatness.

Championships
Well, this one is pretty clear. The fact that he doesn’t have a championship is all right, but when you have the words “Chosen One” tattooed on your back, you’d better deliver. James has repeatedly talked about ending Cleveland’s long championship drought but as of right now, you can add him to the list of failures in the city of Cleveland. For years the city’s failures have been explained in just a few words. Michael Jordan over Craig Ehlo, The Fumble, The Drive. Now you can add “LeBron” to that list.

Make Teammates Better
For years James has been let off the hook because his teammates weren’t up to par. Well, that excuse flew out the window this season. General Manager Danny Ferry did everything in his power to surround James with support. Ferry  signed Shaquille O’Neal and Antawn Jamison to combat the Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard. Too bad they didn’t even make it far enough to face Howard. Although O’Neal is aging and has definitely lost a step, he was definitely of some use. Add to that the fact that there is no way these players would have been brought in without James’ approval. He has the entire franchise and city in the palm of his hand, which means he’d most likely have a say in who his teammates are going to be. Even with that, James couldn’t make Mo Williams better like Bryant makes Derek Fisher better.

With all that said, LeBron James has a long way to go until he can even be mentioned with the likes of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. I’m still trying to figure out how Kobe Bryant has been in the league twice as long as James, has won twice as many games as James, yet trails him in MVP awards. Ridiculous, if you ask me. Maybe Bryant is a player we all will respect more once he’s gone but James’ play this postseason should make us realize what a player we have in Bryant while he’s still playing.

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Posted by HeraldAdmin on Jul 22 2010. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

Cody Kimball
Web Manager: I'm a Communication Student at WMU, a SCUBA Diver, Boater, Ordained Minister, Notary Public, Web Designer, Film Maker, DJ, and of course a Journalist. Born and raised in Port Huron, MI and a graduate of SC4. http://www.codykimball.com