With 36 year-old Kobe Bryant long ago sapped of the ability that once made him a viable candidate for the title of basketball’s best player, you’d think comparisons between he and LeBron James would be long gone. But Mamba Nation cares not for reality, nuance, or timeliness; rings(s,s,s,s) need no further explanation, after all.
And after drawing that all-encompassing trump-card to prove their hero’s superiority to James, Bryant obsessives inevitably follow with this one: “LeBron couldn’t even win a title by himself! He had to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh!” And they’re right. James didn’t win back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013 all by his lonesome, instead leading a talented Miami Heat team that played to its peak by maximizing the influence of its best player.
Not unlike so many basketball icons before him, actually, a fact of which Bryant reminded a fan on Twitter earlier today.
Lbj doesn't need to prove that @PaulBrahan I had Shaq + Pau Mj had Pip Magic had Worthy + Kareem etc AND we all had great teammates
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) April 14, 2015
Preach, Kobe.
The Los Angeles Lakers legend’s sudden social media binge is far more about personal gain than it appears on the surface – no matter that it began in “defense” of Russell Westbrook. But the tweet in current question is far more objective in scope than his other recent posts, and he gets no benefit from it other than kudos for setting the record straight.
James didn’t win a title without Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Bryant didn’t win one without Pau Gasol or Shaquille O’Neal. And Michael Jordan didn’t win one without Scottie Pippen and many more.
And while that’s obvious, it’s still proven difficult for some biased fans of past superstars to grasp. Thanks to Kobe for helping them realize it.
