Lebron Regrets He Didn't Meet Kobe in the Finals

[Wade's Rings]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14...ryant-retiring

LeBron James said knowing this will be Kobe Bryant's last season is "truly sad for me" and that he regrets that the pair never faced off in the NBA Finals.

"I didn't hold up my end of the bargain in 2009 for the fans, for us, to meet in the Finals," James said Tuesday, looking back on the 2008-09 season when his Cleveland Cavaliers led the league with a 66-16 record and Bryant's Los Angeles Lakers were right behind him at 65-17. "I know the world wanted to see it. I wanted it, we wanted it. He held up his end and I didn't hold up my end, and I hate that. I hate that that didn't happen."

"Obviously there was so much made about it, from commercials to media talk, to people just talking about the Lakers versus the Cavs, Kobe versus LeBron, Kobe versus LeBron, Kobe versus LeBron, but I couldn't do that to my teammates to kind of assume," James said. "That's not my job. I've seen the stat that since '07 either he has or I've been in the Finals but we've never matched up. And that definitely sucks. Not only for us two being competitors, wanting to go against each other in the Finals, but also for the fans."

"The other game that was very inspiring and at the same time I knew he was on another level was during our first game we played Spain in '08 in the preliminary rounds. The first play of the game he ran through the chest of Pau Gasol and got a flagrant. And Pau Gasol was his teammate with the Lakers. I was like, 'Yeah, this guy is on another level.' Yeah. I loved it ... You guys can find that clip and you'll see what I'm talking about. It was one of the first plays of the game. I was like, 'This guy's all about winning and whoever he's playing for or who he's playing with at that point in time.' He really forgot Pau was his teammate. Like he really forgot that he was about to see him in like three weeks in L.A. I swear. It was crazy."

When speaking about Bryant extemporaneously Tuesday, James rattled off Bryant's complete resume down to his number of All-Star appearances (17). But his most revealing thoughts were about how Bryant inspired James to become the player he is today.

"It was someone that I always knew I had to be in the gym," James said. "I knew I had to be better because of Kobe Bryant. I knew he was in the gym and I knew he was working on his game. And I knew he was great. So every day that I didn't want to work out or every day I felt like I couldn't give more, I always thought of Kobe. Because I knew that he was getting better and I was like, 'Man, if you take a day off, he's going to take advantage of it. You cannot take a day off. You cannot take a day off.' And I used him for my motivation throughout my career because I always knew that he was working on something. So, that part will be missed a little bit."

[SouBeachTalents]

Pretty crazy one of them has made the Finals the past 9 years, but they never played each other. Only once did they even make the conference finals the same year

[juju151111]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14...ryant-retiring

Samething bird and Magic said the years one made it and the other didn't. You want to beat the best.

[AnaheimLakers24]

Kobe would have won

[riseagainst]

I wish Lebron could have faced Kobe in the finals because we all know Lebron would have whooped dat ass.

[Dr Hawk]

We so them face each other in the all star games and........it wasn't funny. I'm not sure if I would like to see what would happen in the Finals with Kobe actually trying

[Spurs5Rings2014]

[references]

We so them face each other in the all star games and........it wasn't funny. I'm not sure if I would like to see what would happen in the Finals with Kobe actually trying

like the regular season where lebron historically beat his teams and statistically dominated him? was kobe trying then?

[Dr Hawk]

like the regular season where lebron historically beat his teams and statistically dominated him? was kobe trying then?

Miami was clearly a better team than LA. The better team beat the worse team, that's all

[sportjames23]

Kobe vs Lebron in the Finals would have destroyed ISH's servers.

[JT123]

Kobe choked BADLY in 2011, which was the only realistic opportunity.

[ShawkFactory]

Miami was clearly a better team than LA. The better team beat the worse team, that's all

And I bet you're one of those people who says 2/6

[Kawhi]

Kobe choked BADLY in 2011, which was the only realistic opportunity.

This is pathetic.

[GoatBoy]

Kobe choked BADLY in 2011, which was the only realistic opportunity.

2009 and 2010 Bran had no chance huh?

[sportjames23]

Kobe choked BADLY in 2011, which was the only realistic opportunity.