Former NBA player Will Barton recently shared his thoughts on why many former players tend to rank Kobe Bryant ahead of LeBron James when discussing all-time greats. Speaking on the Straight Buckets show, Barton explained that it ultimately comes down to Kobe’s journey to his championships, the difficulty of his path, and the level of talent surrounding him compared to LeBron’s title runs.
“I think with me, it’s just, you know, what Kobe still stood for and represented as a basketball player, right? Obviously, you know, you got the five championships. And I think what players respect most about it is we feel like he took the harder route to get his championships, man.”
“The two without Shaq hold a lot of weight. When you go to three straight Finals without Shaq, win two of them, and go back-to-back, that means something.”
“And, you know, he didn’t get a stacked team. His second-best player was Pau Gasol, who’s a great, all-time great—never disrespect Pau Gasol—but I don’t think at the time when Kobe got him, we looked at him the way we look at him now.”
“And you look at LeBron on his championship teams that won, you know, he had Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, then came back and won with Kyrie and Love, and another one with AD. AD, Kyrie, and D-Wade are up there in that top 50—yeah, top 75—type talents and players.”
Barton emphasized that while LeBron James is undoubtedly one of the greatest players ever, many former players hold Kobe Bryant’s five championships in higher regard because they believe he took a tougher route to get them.
This argument is one that has been frequently debated in NBA circles. After the Lakers traded Shaquille O’Neal in 2004, Bryant was left to rebuild a roster that struggled for several years before finding championship success again.
When he finally won back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010, he did so as the undisputed leader of the team, with Pau Gasol as his best teammate. While Gasol is widely respected as one of the most skilled big men of his generation, Barton believes that Gasol wasn’t seen as an elite superstar at the time Kobe won with him, which made those championships even more impressive.
Barton contrasted that with LeBron James’ championship-winning teams, arguing that LeBron always had another top-tier superstar by his side. This has been one of the biggest criticisms of LeBron’s legacy, as he has consistently been surrounded by multiple Hall of Fame-caliber teammates in each of his title runs.
Whether it was the Miami Heat superteam with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, his Cleveland Cavaliers duo with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, or the Los Angeles Lakers’ championship run with Anthony Davis, LeBron’s rings have often come with a stacked supporting cast. Meanwhile, Kobe, aside from the Shaq years, had to work with less star-studded supporting casts and still managed to win multiple championships.
However, LeBron’s defenders argue that his ability to make his teams better and maximize his teammates’ talents is part of what makes him great. His longevity, all-around dominance, and adaptability across different eras are reasons why he is often ranked above Kobe in all-time debates.
Ultimately, Barton’s comments reflect a common sentiment among former players who admired Kobe’s relentless work ethic, skill, and willingness to embrace challenges.
While the GOAT debate between LeBron and Kobe will never have a definitive answer, one thing is clear: both legends left an indelible mark on the game, and their legacies will continue to fuel passionate discussions among fans and players alike.
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