By Flint Wheeler
Now that Kobe Bryant has just surpassed Michael Jordan on the all-time scoring list I’m reading articles all over mainstream media talking about the debate raging over who is better: Kobe or Jordan. You’re kidding me right? Just stop it, stop it, please for the love of God stop it! Kobe Bryant compares to Michael Jordan in only one way: Poorly!
Because they play the same position and have a similar repertoire of moves the comparison is easy but also unfair. I have a $20 imitation Rolex bought on the side of the road in Bangkok a few years back, it looks very similar, on some days it even keeps time like the original, but you know what it isn’t? It isn’t a Rolex. It’s a cheap knockoff. Now I’m not saying Kobe Bryant is a cheap knockoff watch, that would be insulting, almost as insulting as comparing him to Michael Jordan.
Don’t get me wrong, Kobe Bryant is a great, great basketball player, but he falls significantly short of Jordan by just about every meaningful metric. Similarly to the fake Rolex, just because something looks the same, or was modeled after the original doesn’t mean they should be compared, to do so is a disservice to both.
Kobe Bryant
1996-Present, Los Angeles Lakers, Drafted 13th
5x NBA Champion, 2x NBA Finals MVP, 1x NBA MVP, 16x All-Star, 11x All-NBA First Team, 2x All-NBA Second Team, 9x NBA All-Defensive Team, 3x NBA All-Defensive Second Team, 2x NBA Scoring Champion
Career Statistics: 25.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.5 SPG, FG% 45.2%, ORating 111, DRating 105
Playoffs: 25.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.4 SPG, FG% 44.8%, ORating 110, DRating 106
Michael Jordan
1984-1993, 1995-1998, 2001-2003, Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards, Drafted 3rd
6x NBA Champion, 6x NBA Finals MVP, 5x NBA MVP, 14x All-Star, 10x All-NBA First Team, 1x All-NBA Second Team, 1x Defensive Player Of the Year, 9x NBA All-Defensive Team, 10x Scoring Title, NBA rookie of the year
Career Statistics: 30.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.3 APG, SPG 2.3, FG% 49.7%, ORating 118.3, DRating 103
Playoffs: 33.4 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 5.7 APG, 2.1 SPG, FG% 48.7%, ORating 118.0, DRating 104
Jordan obviously bests Kobe in NBA Championships, Finals MVP’s, NBA MVP’s, scoring average, rebounding, assists, steals and shooting percentage. Statistically, Jordan elevated his game significantly during the playoffs whereas Kobe’s numbers remained relatively the same.
When we look at the advanced metrics we see that Jordan is clearly superior over their careers whilst also having an enormous advantage at the apex. The gap is even more pronounced and put into better context when we look at their best statistical seasons by individual metric.
Jordan has 10 seasons better than Kobe’s best Win Share season, nine seasons better than his best VORP season, 10 seasons better than his bets WS/48, 10 seasons better than his best for both BPM and ORating and only a measly seven PER seasons better than the best Kobe has authored. Using advanced metrics it becomes obvious that Michael Jordan has somewhere between seven and 10 seasons better than Kobe Bryant authored.
How is this a Kobe versus Jordan an argument again? I’m really confused. The answer is it’s not, or it shouldn’t be.
Having said all that lets take nothing away from Kobe Bryant, nobody compares well against Jordan. I am not trying to tear Kobe down, I am simply highlighting the absurdity of the argument. Michael Jordan is a legend in the truest sense of that word, he transcended not just basketball or sports, but popular culture, he was and is an icon. Kobe could never compare to that even if his numbers did.
Kobe has played a longer career than Jordan, remaining mostly injury free until recent years, he has avoided baseball sabbaticals and multiple retirements, in total he has played 238 more games including playoffs, almost three additional seasons and 6,578 more minutes and counting. Therefore it is to be expected that eventually some of Kobe’s counting stats like career points, which started the “debate” will surpass Jordan’s through the sheer breadth of his career.
NBA
Kobe’s one true advantage over Jordan is longevity and whilst that might not be a skill it is certainly an attribute. One driven by an unquenchable hunger, a peerless work ethic and unrelenting mental strength to thrive for 19 years in the NBA and that is to be acknowledged and celebrated.
Kobe Bryant just became the third leading scorer in NBA history, he is a five-time NBA Champion, 16 time All-Star, he is 10 times All-NBA, he is the second best guard ever and objectively one of the 10 best players of all time and we should celebrate all of that for what it is, a phenomenal career that is yet unfinished; just don’t compare it to the incomparable.
Kobe is an all-time great, Jordan is the greatest of all-time and they are two totally different things.
