Hubie Brown weighed in on the Kobe Bryant -LeBron James debate in 2009: "If you are starting a franchise, then you are taking LeBron"

Yahoo

28-07-2025

Hubie Brown weighed in on the Kobe Bryant -LeBron James debate in 2009: "If you are starting a franchise, then you are taking LeBron" originally appeared on Basketball Network.
LeBron James and Kobe Bryant were often pitted against each other in the mid-to-late 2000s. However, back in 2009, Hubie Brown thought "the best player in the NBA" debate was not as definitive as anyone may have thought.
"First of all, one guy is 31 years old and the other guy is 24, so forget it. One guy is a guard and the other guy is a small forward who is a small forward/power forward," Brown explained in an interview with David Friedman. "So, they are not even in the same category, but if you are starting a franchise, then you are taking LeBron James."
Kobe's advantage over LeBron
Jerry West fanned the flames of this discussion when he said The King may have already surpassed the Black Mamba as a player. It was a wild statement, to say the least, given the Logo's close friendship with Bryant and the fact that James still had no rings to show at that point.
West pointed to James' versatility and playmaking as the edge he'd consider if forced to choose between him and Bryant. LeBron also had size going for him and was seven years younger than Kobe. When all is said and done, West said, James had a chance to be the greatest of all time.
Still, both West and Brown pointed out two areas where Bryant had the edge. Jerry cited his clutch gene, while Hubie favored his relentless defense.
"Kobe Bryant is on the All-Defensive Team almost every year, Michael Jordan is one of the greatest defensive players ever, Oscar Robertson. The thing that separates them is not the points but whether they play both ends of the floor," stated Brown.
However, Brown, a two-time NBA Coach of the Year, felt LeBron was closing in on that department. He finished second in the Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2009, behind Dwight Howard and started a string of five consecutive All-Defensive First Team selections.
That said, 16 years later, Bryant (12) still had twice as many All-Defensive Team nods as James (6).Hubie downplayed the gap between Kobe and LeBron in the clutch
As good as Kobe was defensively and in the clutch at this stage of his career, Brown believed it was closer than anyone thought. Factor in LeBron's athleticism and it may just be a coin toss.
"He's probably the quickest guy with or without the ball from rim to rim," added Brown, referring to James. "He's definitely the best passer in traffic that we have in the league, in my opinion; if not, you might give me one or two other guys who can pass as well as he does. Plus, he sees over the traps and he will unselfishly make the correct pass every single time."
As for clutch situations, Brown was not ready to give it to Bryant either, especially when James was catching up fast.
"Now, you say 'Who is better in the fourth quarter?', you probably take Kobe Bryant, but I'm not so sure of that. Kobe can make the threes at a higher percentage over LeBron, but Kobe wasn't a great three-point shooter either for a while,"added the Hall of Fame coach.
In 2009, Kobe was the more accomplished player. He had the titles, the playoff moments and the respect of nearly everyone when it came to delivering in the clutch. LeBron, on the other hand, was younger, bigger and more versatile. He didn't have the rings yet, but his impact on the game was already undeniable.
Brown and West both recognized the value that each guy brought. Kobe had the edge in defense and late-game shot-making, but LeBron was the better all-around player and the one you'd build a team around. In hindsight, that debate was never as one-sided as people thought.This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 27, 2025, where it first appeared.