The Kobe Factor: Part II

After my last post about Bryant's influence on O'Neal's career, I came to the stark realization that Kobe could have influenced LeBron's future as well. I'm very shocked that I haven't read any columns or blog posts about Bryant's influence on James' decision to "take his talents to South Beach." To me, after pondering this Kobe Factor for a day and half, it's become very apparent that Bryant's influence on O'Neal's actions during the latter part of his career is very synonymous to Bryan't influence on LeBron's actions this past summer. You all probably have no idea what I'm talking about. Let me explain.

I agree that the main reason LeBron left Cleveland in order to team up with Bosh and Wade was that he really wanted to win a championship now. That being the best way for him, personally, to win a championship is going to be debated about until his career is over, but that's besides the topic at hand. But, I truly believe that maybe 5% (a completely arbitrary number) of his decision was motivated by Bryant. Everyone who has any interest in the game knows the rivalry between the two - a rivalry completely developed from third parties, including Nike, NBA, etc. As much as both Kobe and LeBron say that they respect each others' games, they both want to "one-up" the other.

As of 2010, LeBron had the upper hand. He was fresh off two consecutive MVPs, and though Bryant did win two titles for his teams during James' MVP years, James was still considered better. And for the 2010-2011 NBA season, we could talk about all the people who have heavy expectations to fulfill from Spoelstra to Wade to even Kevin Durant, but no one has a heavier burden than LeBron. He basically owned sports news during the summer of 2010 because "the best player in basketball" was going to shift the league with his decision; he was considered that powerful. And true or not, there's one fact that remains: he better go out and prove that he was worth all of that hype in the summer. So all of this debate between Kobe and LeBron should be nonexistent because LeBron clearly must be the best because of all the attention that he was getting.

You don't think LeBron has a conscious? You don't think he knows this? Sure, he wants to win a championship now. But a part of him (and maybe even a minuscule part at that) worries that he won't live up to the expectation of being better than Kobe, so he moves to a star-studded Miami Heat team, where not much individual excellence is expected of him. No one expects him to put up god-like numbers like he did in Cleveland anymore. He's sharing the spotlight now with Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade. So when the Kobe-LeBron debate does come up next season (and it will inevitably because that is the most intriguing topic in sports at times) and when people start to unravel that LeBron is good but definitely not better than Kobe, LeBron supporters (wherever they're at now) will stop everyone and point out that LeBron's full set of skills aren't on display on a Miami Heat roster with two other superstars. That's how you protect your name. That's how you protect your reputation. Smart move, LeBron.

Shaq, LeBron. Two of the biggest names in all of sports both moving homes, relocating their families, tarnishing their names, and changing their lifestyles - all because of Kobe Bryant. One question remains after all of this: how powerful is this guy?








- Leather Head