Swap LeBron and Kobe's careers.....

[Black and White]

How do you think would they turn out?

So LeBron gets to play with Shaq and then later Gasol and is coached by Phil and Kobe plays with Wade and Bosh, plus Kyrie and Love.

For debates sake LeBron is drafted in 1996 and Kobe in 2003

[Akrazotile]

Lebron would have like 8 rings.

Even during the years he plays with Kwame, Odom, Walton, Bynum, Farmar, he at least gets to the divisional round if not farther.

The years with Shaq, the years with Gasol, and Nash/Howard, all result in championships.


Kobe is not winning shit with Lebron's casts.

[raprap]

LeBron won't miss the playoffs in his prime thats for sure.

[Kvnzhangyay]

Both would win still

Lebron maybe a bit more because I can't see Shaq leaving when he's playing with Lebron

[Gus Hemmingway]

Gibson
Kobe
Gooden
Varajao
Ilgauskus

Vs 07 Spurs.

[TomBrady]

Gibson
Kobe
Gooden
Varajao
Ilgauskus

Vs 07 Spurs.

You're assuming that they even make it to the finals.

Kobe brings it in the playoffs the way Peyton does.

[Bankaii]

Lebron was far better than Kobe in their early years. So there is a chance the could have won pre-2000.

But 2000-2004 are rings.
2005-2007 are 2nd/3rd round exits.
2008 is still a close loss.
2009-10 are rings.
2011 is a WCF loss.
2012 is most likely a ring.
2013-now is no notable success.

2004-2010 Kobe has relatively the same/worse success as Lebron (don't make the Finals in 07 though).
2011 is a ring.
2012 is probably a ring, but Kobe guarding Durant lol. KD might go off for 40 PPG and thunder win.
2013 is close because Kobe does well again the Spurs. 50/50 but I say no ring. Lebrons playmaking won that series (and Jesus). Kobe isn't as good of a playmaker.
2014: Lose before Finals.
2015: Lose to Bulls of swept in Finals.

[Straight_Ballin]

Bron wouldn't have been able to stay with the the same team. He would have left to go ring chase and would have the same 2/6 career.

Kobe was patient. He joined the lakers in 96 and didn't win his first ring until 2000. After Lebron's first finals loss in 2007, having been in the league also 4 years, he was looking to leave Cleveland.

Kobe in the 2000 finals severely sprained his ankle. In a pivitol game 4, he only scored 14 points in the second half, and O’Neal was still the Lakers’ first option. However, with 2:33 remaining in the game, Shaq fouled out. Facing the possibility of allowing the Pacers to draw even in the series, Phil allowed 21-year-old Bryant to run isolation plays on three consecutive offensive possessions. On each of the three trips, Bryant scored. Then in game 6 Bean once again proved himself in the clutch, hitting five free throws in the final minutes to hold off the Pacers’ comeback attempt. Anyone can look at stats, but having watched both Kobe and Bron their entire careers, there's no way Bron would have been able to replicate when Kobe did after just his 4th year in the league to win that chip. Bron may have put up better stats, but when it came to crunch time, Bron was a ghost in the 4th qtr. Bron's 4th year in the league he got swept. Kobe's 4th year in the league he won a title. Both men had a good enough supporting cast to get them to the finals.

Anyone can see who the real winner is.

[plowking]

There is so much more to winning than a simple yes or no given the circumstances. Who knows if Bron wins 3 in a row with Shaq? They might get unlucky and only win 2, or win more maybe, or not at all.

But he doesn't miss the playoffs a single year if he joins the Lakers in 96. That is pretty much a certainty.

[Black and White]

There is so much more to winning than a simple yes or no given the circumstances. Who knows if Bron wins 3 in a row with Shaq? They might get unlucky and only win 2, or win more maybe, or not at all.

But he doesn't miss the playoffs a single year if he joins the Lakers in 96. That is pretty much a certainty.

I also think the dynamic between Shaq and LeBron means they play together much longer.

I actually think LeBron would win more.

[JohnFreeman]

I also think the dynamic between Shaq and LeBron means they play together much longer.

I actually think LeBron would win more.

What a post. Holy. Shit.

[plowking]

I also think the dynamic between Shaq and LeBron means they play together much longer.

I actually think LeBron would win more.

Well, Shaq has left every single city on what seems to be a poor note with his dynamic guard at the time.

Penny, Kobe, Wade, not sure about Lebron in Cleveland, and Nash on the Suns? Seems like he was still salty about Nash getting MVP's over him.

Shaq more than likely stirs the pot, and they may argue. Who knows?
For as much as people like to pretend Bron isn't a leader and is "beta" or whatever the hell they're on about, he is always yelling, loud, centre of attention, and always the vocal leader, on every team he has ever been on. How well does that go down with Shaq?

[Black and White]

Well, Shaq has left every single city on what seems to be a poor note with his dynamic guard at the time.

Penny, Kobe, Wade, not sure about Lebron in Cleveland, and Nash on the Suns? Seems like he was still salty about Nash getting MVP's over him.

Shaq more than likely stirs the pot, and they may argue. Who knows?
For as much as people like to pretend Bron isn't a leader and is "beta" or whatever the hell they're on about, he is always yelling, loud, centre of attention, and always the vocal leader, on every team he has ever been on. How well does that go down with Shaq?

Very true, however it's widely known that LeBron is a better team member from a social/chemistry standpoint, depends on how well that plays with Shaq.

I still think he eventually leaves, but they win 1 more ring in the process. So LeBron ends up with around 6 rings. I think Kobe wins in 2011 though, so he has maybe 3 rings.

[Kvnzhangyay]

Very true, however it's widely known that LeBron is a better team member from a social/chemistry standpoint, depends on how well that plays with Shaq.

I still think he eventually leaves, but they win 1 more ring in the process. So LeBron ends up with around 6 rings. I think Kobe wins in 2011 though, so he has maybe 3 rings.

This. I see both players winning more rings than their counterpart, tbh.

The only real x-variable here imo is whether or not Shaq leaves

[SwayDizzle]

this is stupid, the best player Kobe would play with if the situations were reversed would be Wade and they play the same position.