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Los Angeles Lakers: Even with The King, Kobe Bryant’s throne is safe

By Leandre Ochoa

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 10: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers match up during the first half at Staples Center on March 10, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and condition of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 10: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers match up during the first half at Staples Center on March 10, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and condition of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Lakers
Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images /

3. Only kings have rings

Bryant was widely considered the best player in the NBA during James’ early years. As each season went by, and as the minutes piled up, Bryant’s body wore down. LeBron seemed to be closing the gap between himself and Kobe. By the end of the 2015-16 season, Bryant retired. James won another championship.

The ring count, now five to three, was still in favor of Bryant.

The reality of all of this? Kobe and LeBron were never major rivals. Only contemporaries. A modern-day reflection of Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan. Magic entered the NBA before Michael, as Kobe entered before LeBron. Bryant is seen as the closest any player got to a carbon copy of Jordan. James, viewed as a hybrid of both, feels closer to the genius of Magic.

Jordan and Magic played against each other in the 1991 NBA Finals, with the Lakers losing to the Bulls. But even then, that series didn’t solidify a legit rivalry between the two. A Magic versus Jordan debate would surely be to compare each player’s individual career, not head-to-head. The same should apply to Bryant and James.

Kobe and LeBron never met in the NBA Finals, only playing each other in regular season games. LeBron will now play for the hometown team, and the possibility of him leading a Lakers’ squad full of young talent and old veterans back to the “promised land” appears to be a reality. A championship reality that Kobe-apologists are at odds with.

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