A former Los Angeles Lakers star that played with both Kobe Bryant and Lebron James during his career recently explained what is one major difference between the two NBA icons.
When Lebron James entered the league in 2003 and quickly lived up to the hype surrounding him, it didn’t take long before the comparisons to Kobe Bryant began. They played in the NBA at the same time for 13 seasons and both were two of the prominent faces in the sport.
However, the link between the duo only became stronger when James joined the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018. Now the comparisons are not only about their overall resumes in the NBA but how they each faired leading one of the most famous sports franchises in the world.
Also Read: NBA power rankings – Ranking all 30 teams during the offseason
Debating which player is better is completely subjective and a case could be made for both. The pair were two-way stars at their peak but Bryant was able to bring five championships to Los Angeles during his iconic run with the organization. James has also earned a slew of championships during his career, including with the Lakers in 2020, and he also became the all-time NBA leading scorer this past season while wearing the purple and gold.
One man who has some unique insight into both basketball greats is eight-time All-Star Dwight Howard. The gifted big man played with Bryant for a season in 2012-2013 and then with James in LA for two of his last three seasons in the league.
Los Angeles Lakers record (’22-’23): 43-39
His stint with Bryant was tumultuous as that Los Angeles Lakers roster ended up being a massive disappointment with a star-studded group. Howard’s time with James was very different because by then he was an aging talent that was primarily a bench player with limited influence. And it seems the difference between playing alongside the two legends was just as stark.
During a recent appearance on Math Hoffa’s “Expert Opinion” podcast, Howard explained how different the approaches for Kobe Bryant and Lebron James could be to the game.
“LeBron’s almost like somebody from the south side of Georgia. We actin’ kind of like twins. Joking, silly, have a good time. We get on the court, we still gonna have a good time but we’re gonna dominate. Kobe, he not bull [expletive] with nobody. He might not come to the locker room to talk. So he’s just gonna walk all the way past us.”
– Dwight Howard
This opinion may only further strengthen the resolve of those Los Angeles Lakers fans that favor Bryant over James.