John Kim 
Kobe Bryant and LeBron James have never squared off against one another in a meaningful game. Their eras of dominance overlapped in the mid-2000s to the early 2010s, but the timing was never quite right and what could have been one of the greatest individual rivalries in NBA history would only live on in hypothetical scenarios. Tonight, the two will step into the arena for one final battle that, like their entire head-to-head history, is more about the exhibition than the outcome.
Above: LeBron and Kobe’s first-ever regular season meeting
Kobe and LeBron have a lot in common, but they’re polar opposites of one another. While both emerged straight from High School, Kobe was passed up for most of the lottery (much due to the strength of that 1996 draft class). LeBron on the other hand, was highly touted as the future of the NBA when he was just a sophomore at St. Vincent-St. Mary. From the get-go, the frail-framed Kobe didn’t get much playing time and when he did, the spotlight seemed a bit too bright and hot. LeBron embraced stardom from the get-go and on his NBA debut, embarrassed an above-average veteran defender in Doug Christie.
The first-ever match-up between Kobe Bryant and LeBron James was far from a heavyweight bout. The Lakers were one of the best teams in the league and the Cavs were a rebuilding franchise. Kobe saw limited minutes due to a shoulder injury, while LeBron had one of the less productive games of his young career. That would be the only time the two would meet that season; little did we know that this underwhelming outcome would be reflective of their entire head-to-head history.
Above: LeBron, KG, and Kobe pose for a photo at the 2005 All-Star Game
It didn’t take long for LeBron to establish himself as the leader of his team, and by his second season in the NBA, he was a bonafide star. Similarly, Kobe, for the first time in his career, was without Shaq and thusly out of the massive shadow that the dominant center cast on his teammates. The Lakers were terrible that season and Cavs broke the .500 mark for the first time in seven seasons.
This was around the time LeBron was emerging as the biggest star in the NBA. Kobe, while more accomplished in his career, underwent one of the toughest periods of his life; already suffering from the backlash of the sexual assault accusation, Kobe was essentially blamed for breaking up the Laker dynasty.
Above: Kobe in the Air Zoom Kobe 1; LeBron in the Zoom LeBron 3
2006 was a crucial year for Kobe Bryant; after signing with Nike in 2003. the brand finally released the first ever Nike Kobe signature shoe (it held off a release due to the sexual assault allegations in July of 2003). That season, Kobe produced what is widely regarded as one of the greatest single seasons in NBA history; he averaged 35.4 points a game and went on various scoring tears – the most notable being the 81-point barrage against the Toronto Raptors.
LeBron wasn’t far behind, averaging an astounding 31.4 points, 7 rebounds, and 6.6 assists a game. He also took home his first-ever NBA All-Star Game MVP. However, their individual success was greater than their team success and a Playoff showdown was highly unlikely.
Above: Kobe, Wade, CP3, and LeBron take a photo during the 2007 NBA All-Star Weekend
Just like in the season prior, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James saw immense individual success, with the young James leading the Cavs to the 2007 NBA Finals. What makes this year stand out in particular was the fact that Kobe and Lebron were almost traded for one another that Summer.
According to a report last month, Kobe requested a trade from the Lakers and a Kobe for LeBron trade was entertained…for a few seconds. Cleveland deemed LeBron untouchable, but offered a package of any other players on their roster. Not only could they have been traded for one another, they were almost teammates. Almost.
Above: Kobe, LeBron, and Team USA at the Beijing Olympics
Kobe Bryant returned to the NBA Finals in 2008, the first time since losing to the Pistons in 2004. The fact that LeBron and Kobe reached the Finals in consecutive years gave basketball fans enough reason to believe that the 1a and 1b player in the league were bound to meet in the Finals. In fact, it seemed written in the stars that the two players that came closest to MJ would throw down in a game that actually mattered for once.
Before that could actually happen, LeBron and Kobe played alongside one another at the 2008 Beijing Olympics as part of the “Redeem Team”. In the Gold Medal game, Kobe Bryant put on a dominant performance, making key buckets during crunch time. The two combined for 34 points, 9 assists, and 9 rebounds.
Above: Kobe and LeBron square off during a 2009 regular season game
This was the year it was supposed to happen. The Lakers were headed back to the NBA Finals, hungry after the loss in June of 2008. The Cleveland Cavaliers tallied the most wins that season, and a LeBron vs. Kobe war was about to ensue. King James was awarded his first-ever MVP award and Kobe the season prior. This would be the most entertaining NBA Finals in decades.
But somehow, the Cavs didn’t make it. LeBron averaged almost 40 a game during the Eastern Conference Finals, but the Orlando Magic, led by Dwight Howard and a well-built team, put an end to the dream series that would see a prime Kobe and prime LeBron go at it for seven games. Instead, Kobe won his fourth ring at the expense of another team.
Above: LeBron and Shaq contest Kobe’s shot during this 2010 regular season game
Shaquille O’neal was a journeyman at this point in his career. He was clearly unable to perform like his younger self, but he was brought in to inject a champion’s attitude to the inexperienced (and rather untalented) Cavaliers roster.
Despite the addition of Kobe’s old teammate, the Cavs were stunted in the Playoffs once again and for the second year in a row, Kobe and LeBron would fail to cross paths when it really mattered. Kobe of course went on to win his fifth overall NBA title.
Above: LeBron, now with Miami, and Kobe face off on Christmas Day
A new situation did wonders for LeBron James’ NBA Finals hopes. He left Cleveland for Miami in one of the most despicable free agent moves in pro-sports history, joining up with Wade and Bosh to form an unstoppable Big Three. They coasted to the Finals, losing just one game per series leading up to the final stage.
Unfortunately for Kobe and the Lakers, the script was flipped. Just like Cleveland was ousted in the second round the year prior, the Lakers fell to eventual champions the Dallas Mavericks, who took down the boastful Miami Heat in six games.
Above: LeBron and Kobe in the LeBron 9 and Kobe VII, respectively
2012 was one of the last few chances Kobe and LeBron would be able to face off in the Finals. But the Lakers were no longer the top contender in the West, because alongside the emergence of the Mavericks, the Spurs stepped up to become the best in the league (sharing the same record as the Bulls) and the the KD-Westbrook duo in Oklahoma City had arrived.
The Lakers were sent packing in the second round, but the Heat caught a lucky break when defending NBA MVP Derrick Rose went out in the first round of the Playoffs with a career-derailing injury. The Bulls, sans Rose, were no match for Miami, and LeBron eventually went on to win his first-ever NBA Finals against the young OKC squad.
Above: The Black Mamba and King James maintain their competitive nature at the 2013 All-Star Game
The 2012-2013 NBA season shared much of the same narrative as the season prior. The Heat continued to get better and reached the NBA Finals for the third straight season, and Kobe continued to carry a squad that featured the newly acquired Dwight Howard and Steve Nash.
On April 12th, 2016, just days before the start of the NBA Playoffs, Kobe tore his left Achilles and sidelined him for the rest of the season. This time around, injury would be the preventative factor in keeping LeBron and Kobe apart, but there were bigger issues at hand.
Above: LeBron returns to Cleveland, Kobe returns to the court
Kobe Bryant’s next two season were marred with injury. After successfully recovering from the Achilles issue, he would suffer season-ending knee and shoulder injuries. These unfortunate setbacks were deemed the final measures that put an end to Kobe’s immense career.
In that span, LeBron reached the Finals for the fourth time in a row with Miami, losing to San Antonio in 2014. He made a surprise return to Cleveland and took that squad to the edge, losing to the Golden State Warriors and the newly crowned king of the NBA – Steph Curry.
Above: Kobe’s final game in Cleveland
Tonight, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James will square off for one final game. The Lakers legend will likely see limited minutes and most of them will be spent hugging it out with LeBron rather than taking him to the hole for an and-1. It’s truly sad to see the potential of a Kobe vs. LeBron rivalry amount to nothing more than a few Christmas Day games, and the deciding factor of superiority – winning – will never be part of the equation in the never-ending debate of Kobe vs. LeBron.
Truthfully, any further discussions will be a waste of time, so let’s enjoy this rivalry for what it is and not what it could’ve been. Thank you, Kobe, for bringing all that you did to this game.
Photography: Getty, NBA, Yahoo Sports, ESPN.
