Kobe Bryant: Is Lebron James Officially Better Than Him Now?

Kobe Bryant Ready to Pass the Torch to LeBron James?

As I am writing this, it will be the first time since 2007 that LeBron James has outlasted Kobe Bryant in the postseason.

While Bryant's Lakers were just swept out of the postseason by the Dallas Mavericks, James and his band of super friends have taken a commanding 3-1 series lead against a very tough defensive team in the Boston Celtics.

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As expected, now that Bryant is out of the postseason and the Celtics are on the brink of a similar second-round meltdown, the league is looking to find itself a new postseason darling.  Lo and behold the man that's now garnering consideration for that label is James.

Does this impressive Miami Heat postseason showing mean that James has finally eclipsed Bryant as a player?  If he finally better than him?

I have news for you: James still has a long way to go.

I refuse to crown James the King of nothing when he realistically hasn't gotten anything done.  Until he starts winning championships with ease and consistency, then that's when I will buy into the hype.

You know it was the same hype machine that was spinning around uncontrollably when LeBron James first made the NBA Finals in 2007 as a 22-year-old putting up averages of 25.1 points, 8.0 assists and 8.1 rebounds per game.

Don't get me wrong, those numbers were amazing.  But he just never put it together in the Finals, in terms of delivering a championship.  In the three seasons since that first Finals appearance, James has led his team to one postseason disappointment after another, while Bryant has added two more titles to his collection.

There's been no question the talents and tools have all been there for James. In fact, I must concede that LeBron is and has always been a much better athlete than Bryant. 

But being the better athlete simply doesn't make you better than Kobe. 

Athletically and production-wise LeBron has been making the case for being the better than Kobe since he came into the league.  Yet what makes Kobe better than anyone else in the league is his winner's mentality and killer instinct.

Bryant has a long history of made clutch-baskets, a reputation for playing through pain with bum knees, broken fingers, sprained ankles and a laundry list of other ailments.  More importantly, he has that competitive desire to constantly find a way to improve his game and be a better player.

Then there's that whole thing about championship rings where Kobe leads by a landslide: Kobe 5, LeBron 0

Maybe LeBron has all of those traits and characteristics that could turn him into a champion and it's finally going to click and come to together this season.  LeBron's title chances are looking more promising than ever with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh at his side.   

But until he wins six titles, Kobe will always be better.

There's no comparison.

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