Unlike any other sport the NBA is all about the rings, since all the best players have have won multiple rings. So really LeBron won't completely enter this discussion until he wins 3+ titles.
People keep talking trash about Kobe and his last few years, well the guy is obviously past his prime, so of course his stats aren't going to be as LeBron's (who is in his prime). It's a pretty stupid comparison to make when age is factored in. Let's see if LeBron can put up the same stats now in 8 years (won't happen).
But really even James knows he won't be become one of the true greats of all time without winning more rings. Russell has 13, Abdul-Jabbar has 6, Jordan has 6, Pippen has 6, Cousy has 6, Johnson has 5, Bryant has 5, Duncan has 4, O'Neal has 4, Bird has 3, Chamberlain has 2, Havlicek has 6, and a bunch of others have at least one. If LeBron wants to pass the Karl Malone's and Charles Barkely's of the world he neesd 3+ titles imo.
And don't give me the crap about James playing on bad teams in Cleveland, that may have been true the first couple years, but not the last few. He was allowed to act as GM and bring in whoever he wanted to Cleveland. Then compare his castmates to Kobe's Lakers at the same time (who won two titles), and you won't see that much difference.
I won't argue that James is likely the better player (even if you compared their prime years), as the guy is just so physically dominant, but Kobe is still the greater legend for at least the near future.
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