LeBron James vs. Kobe Bryant Career Highs Comparisons

Two of the most dominant players ever are LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. LeBron James is the greatest player over the last ten years and is the man responsible for how modern players take matters into their own hands in their careers. Thanks to “The Decision”, players across the league are realizing that winning championships on their own terms is the way to go. Of course, LeBron James also has an incredible resume that included 4 NBA titles, 4 Finals MVPs, and 4 MVP awards. The King has also been the cornerstone and the face of the NBA over the last decade at a bare minimum. No player has dominated the game for so long as James has, as he is simply a machine. He is on the way to surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most points scored of all time.

LeBron James is also one of the most polarizing players of all time, because his aggressive off the court and willingness to take a backseat to welcome in other All-Star players attracted a host of fans, much of which are from the younger audiences that are driving the social media world. Off the court, James is positively outspoken as well which earns him a ton of supporters although that naturally rubs people the wrong way as well. No matter what, The King is a top-5 player of all time and arguably the greatest passer of all time.

Kobe Bryant is the man who has drawn the most comparisons to the greatest player of all time in Michael Jordan and is a shooting guard that generates respect from his peers and NBA fans around the world. A 5-time NBA champion and one of the greatest scorers ever, Kobe Bryant accomplished everything in the game of basketball on an individual and team level. But even when looking at pure skill set, very few players, if any, had Kobe’s ability to perfect multiple facets of the game.

Not to mention, no player has made as many game-winners as Bryant, as evidenced by his collection of clutch shots. Other than probably Magic Johnson, Bryant is known to be Mr. Laker because he had the most accomplishments for the iconic Los Angeles Lakers franchise. A shooting guard who simply wants to win and has the most deadly offensive arsenal ever, Bryant is truly an all-time great player regardless of position.

That is why it could be interesting to compare both players in terms of their statistical achievements. Specifically, it is time to uncover their career highs in major statistical categories to get an indication of which player was able to accumulate stats better than the other. While many will claim that LeBron James is the best player ever, does he have an edge over the great Kobe Bryant in terms of the most important career-high statistical categories? It is time to find out.

Points

LeBron James: 61 Points (Heat vs. Hornets, March 03, 2014)

Kobe Bryant: 81 Points (Lakers vs. Raptors, January 22, 2006)

The 2013–14 season was when LeBron James scored the most points of his career while playing for the Miami Heat. The superstar forward destroyed the Hornets’ defense by making 22 of 33 field goal attempts, including 8 of 10 three-point attempts and 9 of 12 free throws. It is amazing that James made 8 three-pointers on 66.7% from the three-point line because he is a career 34.6% shooter. LeBron’s offensive avalanche helped the Heat win 124-107. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5PRGB1Khts

Although LeBron has had more than a few incredible scoring outbursts, his 61-point outburst must rank among the best games the offensive star has ever had and the single highest scoring performance of his career.

Kobe Bryant scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors on January 22, 2006, for the second-highest scoring effort in NBA history. Kobe managed to find his range in this regular-season game, exploding on the court to shoot 28-46 percent from the field, including 7-13 percent from three and 18-20 percent from the free-throw line.

 Los Angeles Lakers were a terrible team at the time, so they relied on Bryant’s scoring to keep the game close. The Black Mamba was the only player to ever score at least 81 points in a single game than Wilt Chamberlain (100). Bryant clearly has an advantage over LeBron James in terms of career-high scoring.

Advantage: Kobe Bryant

Rebounds

LeBron James: 19 Rebounds (Cavaliers vs. Hornets, January 11, 2008)

Kobe Bryant: 16 Rebounds (Lakers vs. Raptors, January 24, 2010)

Given that he is a 6’9″ small forward, LeBron James is seen as a behemoth when he pairs his height with a weight of 250 lbs and elite athleticism. The superstar forward recorded a career-high 19-rebound effort against the Charlotte Hornets on January 11, 2008. In reality, LeBron James is considered a very good rebounder for his height and position. His career average of 7.5 RPG is definitely impressive, and his best seasons came in 2017 and 2018 when he averaged 8.6 RPG. Without a doubt, LeBron is an all-time great player who can rebound the ball at a very consistent rate.

Kobe Bryant once again puts on a career-best performance against the Toronto Raptors on January 24, 2010. However, it shows up this time in the form of regaining the basketball. The talented shooting guard recorded 16 rebounds in a regular-season game against another team, which tragically ended in a one-point loss, setting a career-high. Bryant collected the most rebounds of any player despite the Raptors winning 106-105. Bryant averaged 5.2 RPG over the course of his career and had his finest season in 2003 when he averaged 6.9 RPG, thus he was always capable of regularly grabbing the ball off the rim.

Advantage: LeBron James

Assists

LeBron James: 19 Assists (Cavaliers vs. Hawks, February 9, 2018), (Lakers vs. Magic, January 15, 2020)

Kobe Bryant: 17 Assists (Lakers vs. Cavaliers, January 15, 2015)

In 2018 and 2020, LeBron James piled up an incredible 19 assists in spectacular fashion, recording career-high performances in terms of creating shots for his teammates. James is regarded as a player that prioritizes playmaking and is renowned for his above-average passing skills. When a player of James’s quality feeds his teammates in that manner, the play of his teammates becomes incredibly impressive. 

As expected, 5 of James’ teammates scored in double-figures with backup guard Quinn Cook leading all scorers with 22 points. James’s career average sits at 7.4 APG, and his career-high came in 2020 when he averaged 10.2 APG.

One of the best scorers ever, Kobe Bryant established his entire reputation on being a gunner who didn’t give a damn how many shots a guy could take. Everyone on the Lakers team and in the arena was aware that Kobe was the team’s go-to offensive player at all times. 

Bryant is an underestimated passer, though, with a career average of 4.7 APG and a high year of 6.3 APG in 2014. However, in 2015, the shooting guard turned in the best performance of his career, compiling an astonishing 17 assists, which is slightly below LeBron James’ mark of 19 assists.

Advantage: LeBron James

Steals

LeBron James: 7 Steals (Cavaliers vs. Grizzlies, December 13, 2004)

Kobe Bryant: 7 Steals (Lakers vs. Jazz, February 13, 2006)

LeBron James has 6 All-Defensive Team selections, but he still managed career-highs in steals in a game against the Memphis Grizzlies. The game came in 2004 when he managed 7 steals and ended up winning the game thanks to The King’s 31 points as well. The superstar forward has a career average of 1.6 SPG which could possibly dispute the image of him being a subpar defender because he was absolutely above-average in his prime. But he does not have an edge over Kobe Bryant, who also managed 7 steals in a career-high performance.

In a game against the Utah Jazz in 2006, Kobe Bryant managed an incredible 7 steals in addition to his 23 points. His career-high in steals overtook the entire Jazz team, and the Lakers won the game quite handily (94-88). With 12 All-Defensive Team selections, the shooting guard is an excellent defender who obviously knew how to get even with the opponent for their bad handles and inability to produce quality plays. Bryant was a hound for stealing the ball, whether he was playing the passing lanes or snatching it up in one-on-one situations. His career-high in steals came in the 2003 season when he posted 2.2 SPG and had a solid average of 1.4 SPG.

Advantage: Even

Blocks

LeBron James: 5 Blocks (Cavaliers vs. Hornets, February 23, 2004), (Cavaliers vs. Bulls, March 16, 2004)

Kobe Bryant: 5 Blocks (Lakers vs. Grizzlies, December 11, 1999), (Lakers vs. 76ers, February 20, 2000), (Lakers vs. Hornets, February 02, 2001)

LeBron James, at 6’9”, was never required to be a consistent shot-blocker at any point of his career despite his size. That is mainly because James was more of a perimeter player in terms of position, and when he did block shots, it came through his patented chasedown blocks. He did block 5 shots, his career-high, 2 times, so he could extend his arms when challenging shots when necessary. Over his career, LeBron has a career average of 0.8 BPG. In terms of career-high in blocks, LeBron does not has an advantage over Kobe Bryant.

Between the 1999 and 2001 seasons, Kobe Bryant was able to successfully block five shots in a single game three times. When the shooting guard was younger, Kobe had a career-high in blocks, which is not unexpected given his excellent agility and rapid hops. Bryant was able to spring off his feet with ease when he was younger, which is how he miraculously blocked five shots in one game. In terms of BPG, Bryant has a career average of 0.5, with 1999 being his best year with 1.0 BPG. Bryant wasn’t well renowned for his shot-blocking abilities, but when he concentrated, he possessed the instinct to stop shots in spectacular fashion.

Advantage: Even

3-Pointers Made

LeBron James: 8 3-Pointers Made (Cavaliers vs. Bucks, February 20, 2009), (Heat vs. Bobcats, March 3, 2014), (Lakers vs. Grizzlies, December 29, 2021)

Kobe Bryant: 12 3-Pointers Made (Lakers vs. SuperSonics, January 07, 2003)

In three different games, while playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James hit a career-high 8 three-pointers. The King is not a naturally great shooter, because he shoots under 35% from three over his career. But he has shown the ability to get hot when his rhythm is going and start making deep-range shots with a simple flick of the wrist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7Y4EPKlKu8

James won’t always have a shooting advantage over other players because he is a drive-first player, but making 8 threes in a game is nothing to sniff at. LeBron’s career average for makes from deep is 1.6. No doubt, Kobe Bryant has an edge over The King.

Kobe Bryant, who is not a natural shooter from beyond the arc, made 12 three-pointers against the Seattle SuperSonics in 2003. Bryant had a tremendous offensive performance, scoring 45 points on 12-18 attempts from three-point range. Even though Kobe had a career three-point percentage of 32.9%, he could get hot from anywhere on the perimeter, making his shots and disheartening the opposition. 

It goes without saying that the Lakers triumphed 119-98. Bryant has the edge over LeBron and had he played longer in the modern game, he might have even made more than 13 three-pointers.

Advantage: Kobe Bryant

Field Goals Made

LeBron James: 23 Field-Goals Made (Cavaliers vs. Wizards, November 3, 2017)

Kobe Bryant: 28 Field-Goals Made (Lakers vs. Raptors, January 22, 2006)

LeBron James’s career-high in field goals made came during a 57-point outing against the Washington Wizards. LeBron made 23 of his 34 shots from the field, including 2-4 from beyond the arc. James shot an unbelievably high percentage, mainly because he did not rely on outside shots and instead attacked the basket for most of the game. That is when James is at his best, and he had a magnificent effort, leading the Cavaliers to a 130-122 victory while also contributing 11 rebounds and 7 assists. But James did not make as many shots as Bryant did during his 81-point performance.

Kobe Bryant had a career-high 28 field goals made in the spectacular effort against the Toronto Raptors in the 2006-2007 season. The Black Mamba alone won the game because he played with passion and aggression we had never seen before. 28 of 46 field goals were made by the shooting guard, including 18 of 20 free throws and 7 of 13 three-point tries. Kobe took roughly 50 shots during the game, and it was clear from watching him play that he had no regrets about it because he made 28 of them to help the Lakers pull off an astounding comeback victory of 122-104.

Advantage: Kobe Bryant

Free Throws Made

LeBron James: 24 Free-Trows Made (Cavaliers vs. Heat, March 12, 2006)

Kobe Bryant: 23 Free-Throws Made (Lakers vs. Cavaliers, January 30, 2001), (Lakers vs. Knicks, January 31, 2006)

LeBron James is definitely not regarded as an excellent free-throw shooter in NBA history, holding an average of 73.4% from the stripe. But amazingly, James managed to usurp Kobe Bryant in terms of career free-throw makes despite the Lakers guard averaging 83.7% from the stripe over his career. The superstar forward made his career-high 24 foul shots on March 2006 against the Portland Trail Blazers, on 28 attempts. Unsurprisingly, James scored 47 points and led all scorers in the game. Not to mention, James was unable to guide the Cleveland Cavaliers to a victory as the game ended 98-92 for Miami. Quite surprisingly, LeBron does have the edge in a career-high statistical category when it comes to free throws.

Kobe Bryant was an excellent mid-range shooter who was also effective at swarming the basket to force turnovers. In his prime, Bryant was a powerful athlete who had difficulties avoiding his opponents and was frequently hacked to prevent him from making a layup or dunk. It goes without saying that Bryant was also adept at pump-faking and drawing fouls on his jump shots. Bryant made 23 consecutive free throws in two different games, the first of which was in 2001 and the latter of which was in 2006. Bryant scored 47 and 40 points, respectively, in those games.

Advantage: LeBron James

Turnovers

LeBron James: 11 Turnovers (Cavaliers vs. Pacers, January 26, 2018)

Kobe Bryant: 11 Turnovers (Lakers vs. Pistons, January 31, 2008)

In terms of the defensive attention he has caused during his career, LeBron James is comparable to other all-time great offensive players with high usage rates, which is why he averages 3.5 turnovers per game over his illustrious career. James faced the Indiana Pacers in 2018 and committed a career-high 11 turnovers in a single game. Somehow, the Cavaliers overcome the loose handle of The King and actually won the game, 115-108. Amazingly, James had a quadruple-double with turnovers as he registered 26, points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists as well. James’s 11 turnovers, however, matched Kobe Bryant’s personal career high.

Kobe Bryant was another player who was turnover-prone because he was the focal point of the Lakers’ offense and almost everything went through him. Mainly a shooting guard, Bryant did not handle the ball as much as James which is why his career average of 3.0 TOV is lower than The King’s. Kobe registered 11 turnovers as well against the Detroit Pistons in 2008, and it turned out against the Lakers’ favor because they lost the game 90-89 against a defensive-minded team in the Pistons. In the end, there is no advantage for either player in the comparison.

Advantage: Even

Final Score

LeBron James vs. Kobe Bryant 3-3

No Separation Between LeBron And Kobe, As Both Are Top-5 Players Of All Time

No doubt about it, when looking at the career-high statistics, it can be deduced that there is no separation between the two Hall of Famers. It is no secret that James is a better all-around player due to his incredible size and athleticism, and he has done it better than anyone we have ever seen. A pass-first small forward with elite scoring ability as well, James will manage to break a ton of records over his illustrious career including being the all-time highest scorer. It truly takes a special kind of player and mentality to be able to pass and also score the ball as efficiently as James has over his illustrious career.

Credit also goes to Kobe Bryant, a shooting guard who was also athletic and well-versed in multiple facets of the game. When it comes to other areas of the court, including rebounding and playmaking, James has a big advantage. The King is a taller and more athletic player, so it is no surprise he has the edge over Kobe in career-high rebounds and assists. But Kobe is the better all-around scorer, which is why he has an edge in career-high points, field goals made, and three-pointers made.

There are also some surprises, such as James managed to make more career-high free throws than Bryant despite being a worse free-throw shooter. This edge was slight, as James managed 24 compared to Kobe’s number of 23. It is also surprising to see how James never managed more blocks than Bryant, despite being a much bigger player. That is a testament to Kobe’s defensive ability as well.

Overall, when it comes to all-around ability on the court, James usurps what Bryant did over his career. As a taller player who could do more things on the floor, James has the edge in areas where his size could be imposed on the court. But Kobe has the edge in scoring, and he might be the greatest scorer of all time behind Michael Jordan. In terms of career, Kobe is a rare breed as he won 5 NBA titles, 2 Finals MVPs, 1 MVP, and also an edge in career-high scoring compared to LeBron James. Adding in 18 All-Star appearances and 15 All-NBA selections, it is hard to compare most players’ resumes to the great Kobe Bryant. James’ resume is impressive, obviously, with 4 championships, 4 Finals MVPs, and 4 MVP awards. It is usually a toss-up between the players and this career-high comparison proves that. 

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