‘Don’t care who’s boss’: How LeBron James’ humor eased tensions with Kobe Bryant ahead of 2008 Olympics

In 2008, current or former Los Angeles Lakers small forward LeBron James and then Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant were considered the two top players in the NBA. Sadly, their time with the Lakers never overlapped. Kobe, then 29, had just won his first (and only) MVP award, and James, 23, was in the top four vote-getters behind only Kevin Garnett and Chris Paul, but That surpassed another future Laker, Dwight Howard. Both Kobe and James were named to the All-NBA First Team.

During the 2011 playoffs, Kidd competed with both Kobe and James. Initially, his Dallas team defeated the Lakers in the 2011 Western Conference semifinals series, marking the end of Phil Jackson’s tenure as head coach. The Mavericks then defeated the LeBron James-led Miami Heat in a six-game series in the 2011 Finals.

Coach Krzyzewski reflects on the valuable comedic role played between Kobe and James. “He’s hilarious,” Bryant said of James in a joint interview at the time. “I mean, non-stop. It doesn’t stop!”

Boozer added, “But they’re doing so well and having two alphas in the prime of their careers that they don’t care who is the alpha (between them),” which is very rare.

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Comparing Kobe and LeBron: Kobe’s strong work ethic

There was a time when Kobe Bryant was considered one of the top athletes in the league. However, even in his prime, his physical attributes were no match for LeBron James’ legendary stature. But the biggest difference between Kobe and LeBron isn’t their physical attributes.

Interestingly, they have some similarities. Both are key figures in their respective top teams. They are two of the most respected players in the league right now. The “Kobe vs. LeBron” debate has persisted for the past four years, with LeBron receiving the majority of votes this season.

LeBron, who won the MVP last year, is expected to maintain that record not just this year but for many years to come. His team once again topped the league in regular season wins. If being the “best player in the world” requires putting up mind-boggling numbers and video game-worthy dunks, he’s already earned that honor.

Kobe worked hard to earn every ounce of hard-earned respect he enjoyed. He has reinvented himself many times. First, he overcame his ego and apathy early in his career. He then faced the Colorado sexual assault case. The acrimonious split with Shaquille O’Neal rocked Los Angeles and his own trade demands.

Still, Kobe persevered. His response was victory. He was booed in his own stadium at the start of the 2007-08 season, but when he was awarded the MVP award, 20,000 supporters enthusiastically chanted three letters to end the season.

Also read: ‘He was like a little brother’: Michael Jordan threatened to leave Bulls if they traded Scottie Pippen after 1996 NBA Finals win