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"Choosing Your Greatness"

Wow! What a difficult decision to make. Without a doubt, most NBA General Managers would give up just about anything to have one of these two super studs on their team. Even with this being said, for me, the choice is very clear.

Number 24 is only a short-term answer. When looking at the 2007-2008 season, Kobe Bryant may be the stronger the choice. He has come full circle from his "teammate doubting" and "trade demands" from the beginning of the season, but I am not buying everything he is selling. Let's face it. Kobe is still Kobe, and it easy to be a good little boy when things are going well. If the season starts to spiral next year, don't be surprised to hear the old cries once again. Kobe is a phenomenal talent, and is the most skilled baller on the planet right now, but the torch will soon be passed to the next one.

With the gap between these two being so miniscule when you measure skill, I would rather have the guy that it is the better teammate and has the brightest future. When comparing similar stages of their careers, Lebron James is clearly a much better player at his current age of 24. For only being in his 5th season right out of high school, King James has done almost nothing wrong. His current career statistics are only compared with Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan. In addition, he took the worst team in the NBA to the finals without a fellow superstar and he gets nothing but praise as a teammate, a leader, and a person.

Is this a fair comparison? Kobe Bryant is in the prime of his career and having his greatest season. There is no doubt, that he was deserving of the NBA's MVP award this season with the success the Los Angeles Lakers had earning the best record in the west. Kobe displayed outstanding leadership and made everyone around him a better basketball player. As a result, he may even lead his team to a championship in the next few weeks.

Lebron James, on the other hand, has quite possibly only scratched the surface of career accomplishments. He still has not reached his prime. If King James continues to work hard in the off-season, he is sure to improve the consistency of his jump shot and free throw shooting which will make his game flawless. Lebron James is the teammate and leader at his youthful age of 24 that Kobe should have been. In a few more years, it may be scary to see what he will be capable of accomplishing on the basketball court. Could he win multiple championships, MVP's, and scoring titles? Well, only time will tell, and it will be quite enjoyable to watch.

Learn more about this author, Matt Wysong.
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