Using NBA 2K9’s Living Rosters on the Xbox 360, I will break down LeBron and Kobe’s ratings at this point in the season. I will also compare their statistics, all-around game and ultimately crown the true king of hoops as of Feb. 4, 2009.

Kobe Bryant #24 SG Los Angeles Lakers (99 Overall)
2009 Season: 27.4 PPG, 5.1 APG, 36% on 3-pointers

In 2007, I sat in the second row of the TD Banknorth Garden and witnessed Kobe Bryant playing basketball against the Boston Celtics. When I say witnessed, I mean I was witness to a defiance of physics and gravity every time Kobe decided to shoot the J. It was unreal. Kobe would rise up, hang in mid-air for a second until the defender would pass by, and then he would release his shot. After that game, I came to the conclusion that he was in the Matrix -- his levitation was that surreal.

Kobe’s arsenal of offensive weapons is unmatched. His ball handling (94) allows him to get anywhere on the court; he can create any shot he wants at anytime. Although his shooting percentage is down this year, he still has a smooth outside jumper (80 3pt Rating) and has a fluid release. Kobe is also a nice passer (74), especially when you consider the fact that he is a 6-foot-6-inch shooting guard with a stellar basketball I.Q. (99 Off. Awr).

Kobe Bryant can lock up almost any guard on earth when he wants to (94 Def). He is long, active, agile and smart -- intelligence on the court should not go unnoticed since anticipation and effort are what defense is all about. I think Kobe has the edge here over Bron simply because he has more experience. Plus, we have yet to see that type of defensive tenacity out of LeBron on a consistent basis.

Kobe needs to develop an unstoppable post game (87 Mid-Range at this point) like Jordan did so he can continue to dominate as he ages. If he does this, I think Kobe can legitimately win another NBA Championship with Phil Jackson.

Kobe also knows when he has the green light on offense, and picks certain points to assert himself during the course of a game. Those are also the times when he makes his money as an assassin.

LeBron #23 SF Cleveland Cavaliers (99 Overall)
2009: 27.8 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 7.0 APG

LeBron’s 6-foot-8-inch stature seems to be at odds with his passing skills and great ball control (96), but he does still like to mix it up in the paint (Close 99). The Association has not seen a player with his height, speed (91) and passing ability (89) since Penny Hardaway. LeBron also compares favorably to Magic Johnson because of his court vision (99 Off. Awareness).

To me, what separated Penny Hardaway and Magic Johnson from the rest of the pack was their ability to thread the needle –- the gift to make a pass when there was no actual passing lane. This is a testament to their knowledge and feel for the game. LeBron has shown these same signs, and he will only get better. Scary.

What separates LeBron from everyone else? Try getting in his way when he drives the lane. His ability to drive and score can only be described as a force of nature. One could compare his physical gifts to those of the Blue Beast from X-Men.

The King’s outside game is by no means deadly (77 3pt Rating). It is mildly effective at best. But it has improved, and I expect him to make his outside game a real threat during his next few years in the NBA.

LeBron plays passing lanes well, which means he can get out and smash on his opponents when defending the bucket. He is also opportunistic when it comes to getting blocks during help situations. Is he a ball-and-chain lock-down defender? Not really, no. Does he have the skills and smarts to be. Yes, and it just takes effort. I believe he will add this to his game in the next year –- possibly by playoff time (he already shows glimpses as is). It is also encouraging that he has shown a much bigger commitment to defense this year than he has in the past.

Stats

LeBron is the King of the Association. He has a robust 31.52 Player Efficiency Rating. What is a Player Efficiency Rating? Well, check out the full explanation here.

To put his PER in perspective, Chris Paul is on pace to put up the best PER by any point guard in history. So what is CP3's PER? 30.34.

Kobe’s PER is currently 25.37, which is higher than the PER he had last year when he won the MVP award (24.09). This year, Kobe also has a torn ligament in his pinky and a dislocated ring finger -- both are on his shooting hand by the way -- which makes that PER number even more impressive. Plus, he did just drop 61 on the Knicks.

Also, the 42.4 club was created by Bill Simmons to measure playoff performances. Basically, if you add up the average number of points, rebounds and assists that a player accumulates during the playoffs, and it is above 42.4, then that player makes it into the club. The only other caveat is that the specified player must play in more than 13 playoff games during that year.

MJ hit the mark of 42.4 six times, and Jordan's 50.7 in 1990 is still the highest mark ever. Kobe has reached this mark two times in his playoff career, and LeBron has reached it once.

My Choice

Kobe was fortunate enough to play with Shaq, which undoubtedly led to the rings he now possesses. For this reason, I cannot use this as leverage to defend Kobe’s greatness over LeBron’s. So for the sake of this article, I throw the three rings aside.

After winning an MVP award last year that I believe should have gone to KG, Kobe and LeBron will fight to the end of the season for the award. Now, what Kobe is doing this year is being done on pure willpower. Not to discount LeBron’s play this year either, because he has been out of this world while playing with an injured supporting cast.

When it comes down to it, Kobe’s competitive nature mirrors Jordan’s as much as anyone who has played the game since His Airness left -- you young ones keep in mind that Jordan was arguably the most competitive athlete the world has ever witnessed.

The Jordan Rules by Sam Smith can attest to that statement; not only did Jordan punch his teammate Will Perdue in the face in practice because of a pick Perdue set on him, he was also quoted many times stating that he did not believe in the mentality or even the overall skills of his teammates.

Sound familiar? Yeah, I thought so. Kobe drove Shaq out of LA. If you dispute that, read The Last Season by Phil Jackson. Kobe chews out teammates, butts head with ownership and threatens them until they make moves (Jordan would also try these same tactics in the 1991 season). It is a part of his makeup; it is in his DNA. He cannot accept losing, and it is also part of what makes him great.

Just like Jordan before him, Kobe is an assassin. That attribute is what sets him apart from LeBron at this point in their respective careers, at least in the real-life NBA.


But how about in video games. Who is better, Kobe or LeBron?