Ex Lakers trainer Gary Vitti announces his thoughts about LeBron James being compared to Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan.
LeBron James has been compared to a plethora of players over the years. Magic Johnson, Adrian Dantley, and even Scottie Pippen at one point. But, by far and away, the two players he has been most compared and contrasted against, over the years, are Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
In most of the NBA community’s, and any sane basketball fan’s all-time list, the King and His Airness have been competing for the first spot. After that, many fans like to keep Kobe at 3, while others argue he is lower down in the ranking.
The thing is though, both Jordan and Bryant were pure scorers. And while comparing James to them, we often forget he is a lot more than that as a player. But, it seems this fault doesn’t quite apply to former Lakers trainer, Gary Vitti, who recently decided to give his verdict on all these comparisons.
Let’s get into it.
Sure, LeBron James can score the ball as well. But, perhaps his greatest gift, is his IQ and feel for the game. It is because of this strength, that he can make expert reads during a match, and get his teammates some seriously easy buckets.
Following on these lines, Gary Vitti did not want to put LeBron in the same category as MJ and Kobe. Here is what he said on the matter to NBA reporter Brandon Robinson.
Peep the tweet below.
LeBron James is compared to MJ, Magic, Kobe!
Ex-Laker trainer Gary Vitti says: « He doesn’t remind me of either one I think he is an enigma.
« I find him to be more of a bigger version of Oscar Robertson.
« Plays the game the way it’s suppose to be played. »
– Via Scoop B Radio pic.twitter.com/dubIZkqP8x
— 👑 Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson 📍 (@ScoopB) September 18, 2021
Now, of course, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant didn’t play the wrong way, and we don’t think Vitti is trying to say that. ‘Playing the right way’ simply refers to the age-old saying of playing basketball by getting your team involved, and in it. And while both the Lakers and Bulls legends were good passers, we have to admit their main objective was to look for their own shot and then see what happens later.
With that being said, we have to say, we can’t help but agree with Vitti on this one.
I think Bron is different from Kobe &Mike, Bron was an all around talent, but what separated Kobe and Mike from everyone else, is their killer instinct, their ruthless approach, win at all cost, get the edge on their opponents and gain the advantage. To me Kobe is my GOAT, I got Jordan second, Bron 5th, but Bron can move up, depends on how many more titles he can win. I know on the Lakers list, if he can win another ring with the Lakers, I will take Elgin Baylor off my top 10 Laker list, and put Bron on there.