Is Kobe Better Than Jordan?

I first wrote this post a couple of years ago after the Lakers triumphed over the Magic in the NBA finals and, with another championship added to his resume, the debate over whether Kobe Bryant is a better player than Michael Jordan has intensified.

The comparisons make sense since there are a lot of similarities between the two. They were shooting guards that played the same style of game and were both prolific scorers. Both played in Phil Jackson's triangle offense for the bulk of their careers and won multiple championships.

But in order to examine the two we'll need to look at some of the relevant facts of what they were able to do in their careers. Anytime we compare players from the same sport, especially from different eras, it's important to not only look at their statistical numbers but also how they compared to their peers during their playing career. Although Kobe's playing days are far from over, he and Jordan have played a comparable number of games.

Let's look at how Kobe and Jordan compare when it comes to individual accomplishments, awards and team success. The numbers below are based on the completion of the 2010-2011 season.

• NBA Championships: Bryant - 5, Jordan - 6. Slight advantage Jordan.
• NBA Finals MVP's: Bryant - 2, Jordan - 6. Big advantage Jordan.
• NBA MVP's: Bryant - 1, Jordan - 5. Big advantage Jordan.
  
• All-NBA 1st Team: Bryant - 9, Jordan 10. Slight advantage Jordan.
• All-NBA Defensive 1st Team: Bryant - 9, Jordan 9. Draw.
• Scoring Titles: Bryant - 2, Jordan 10. Huge advantage Jordan.
• All-Star Games: Bryant - 13, Jordan - 14. Slight advantage Jordan.
• All-Star Game MVP's: Bryant - 4, Jordan - 3. Slight advantage Bryant.
• All-Star Dunk Champion: Bryant - 1, Jordan - 2. Slight advantage Jordan.
• Olympic Gold Medals: Bryant - 1, Jordan 2. Slight advantage Jordan.
• Scoring Average: Bryant - 25.3, Jordan - 30.1. Advantage Jordan.
• Rebound Average: Bryant - 5.3, Jordan - 6.2. Advantage Jordan.
• Assist Average: Bryant - 4.7, Jordan - 5.3. Advantage Jordan.
• Steals Average: Bryant - 1.5, Jordan - 2.3. Advantage Jordan.
• Field Goal Percentage: Bryant - 45.5%, Jordan - 49.7%. Advantage Jordan.
  
• Free Throw Percentage: Bryant - 83.8%, Jordan - 83.5%. Slight advantage Bryant.
  
• Three-Point Percentage: Bryant - 33.7%, Jordan - 32.7%. Slight advantage Bryant.

Although it is obvious that Kobe Bryant is a tremendous basketball player and will be considered one of the best to ever play the game, the level that Michael Jordan excelled is yet to be matched. From nearly every conceivable angle Jordan was simply better than Kobe. Jordan performed at a level of excellence that had never been seen and has yet to be seen again. Perhaps if Kobe has a few more MVP seasons then this argument will be stronger, but, for now, Jordan is the superior player.