http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/The_Baseline/entry/view/46066/nbas_top_50_players_all-star_panel_picks_kobe_bryant_no._1_over_lebron_james

SN's Top 50 breakdown

By team
5: Lakers
4: Celtics, Spurs
3: Hawks, Nuggets, Rockets
2: Cavaliers, Grizzlies, Jazz, Magic, Mavericks, Pistons, Raptors, 76ers, Suns
1: Bulls, Bucks, Clippers, Heat, Hornets, Nets, Pacers, Thunder, Trail Blazers, Wizards
0: Bobcats, Kings, Knicks, Timberwolves, Warriors

By position
Point guard: 11
Shooting guard: 12
Small forward: 11
Power forward: 10
Center: 6
SN's TOP 50 PLAYERS
1. Kobe Bryant, SG, Lakers
2. LeBron James, SF, Cavaliers
3. Dwyane Wade, SG, Heat
4. Dwight Howard, C, Magic
5. Tim Duncan, PF, Spurs
6. Chris Paul, PG, Hornets
7. Kevin Garnett, PF, Celtics
8. Dirk Nowitzki, PF, Mavericks
9. Carmelo Anthony, SF, Nuggets
10. Paul Pierce, SF, Celtics
11. Steve Nash, PG, Suns
12. Deron Williams, PG, Jazz
13. Tony Parker, PG, Spurs
14. Brandon Roy, SG, Trail Blazers
15. Yao Ming, C, Rockets
16. Shaquille O'Neal, C, Cavaliers
17. Pau Gasol, PF, Lakers
18. Chris Bosh, PF, Raptors
19. Amare Stoudemire, PF, Suns
20. Chauncey Billups, PG, Nuggets
21. Kevin Durant, SF, Thunder
22. Manu Ginobili, SG, Spurs
23. Jason Kidd, PG, Mavericks
24. Tracy McGrady, SG, Rockets
25. Joe Johnson, SG, Hawks
26. Derrick Rose, PG, Bulls
27. Ray Allen, SG, Celtics
28. Gilbert Arenas, PG, Wizards
29. Ron Artest, SF, Lakers
30. Vince Carter, SG, Magic
31. Danny Granger, SF, Pacers
32. Baron Davis, PG, Clippers
33. Devin Harris, PG, Nets
34. Ben Gordon, SG, Pistons
35. Al Horford, C, Hawks
36. Carlos Boozer, PF, Jazz
37. Nene, C, Nuggets
38. Rajon Rondo, PG, Celtics
39. Andre Iguodala, SG, 76ers
40. Josh Smith, PF, Hawks
41. Rudy Gay, SF, Grizzlies
42. Hedo Turkoglu, SF, Raptors
43. Lamar Odom, SF, Lakers
44. Shane Battier, SF, Rockets
45. Elton Brand, PF, 76ers
46. Richard Jefferson, SF, Spurs
47. O.J. Mayo, SG, Grizzlies
48. Charlie Villanueva, PF, Pistons
49. Michael Redd, SG, Bucks
50. Andrew Bynum, C, Lakers

SN's PANEL
Gene Banks
Rick Barry
Elgin Baylor
Butch Beard
Walt Bellamy
Travis Best
Otis Birdsong
Muggsy Bogues
Jeff Bower
Bill Bradley
Terrell Brandon
Allan Bristow
Dee Brown
Hubie Brown
Mike Brown
P.J. Brown
Marcus Camby
Rick Carlisle
Bill Cartwright
Tyson Chandler
Phil Chenier
Doug Christie
Archie Clark
Jim Cleamons
Wayne Cooper
Bob Cousy
Dave Cowens
Mike D'Antoni
Don Delaney
Joe Dumars
Mike Dunleavy
Mark Eaton
Craig Ehlo
Mario Elie
Gar Forman
Harry Gallatin
Dick Garmaker
Mike Gminski
Cliff Hagan
John Hammond
Tim Hardaway
Tom Heinsohn
Rod Higgins
Bob Hill
Lionel Hollins
Bob Houbregs
Bailey Howell
Eddie Johnson
Marques Johnson
Bobby Jones
George Karl
Steve Kerr
Bob Kurland
Frank Layden
Tim Legler
Ronnie Lester
Earl Lloyd
Donyell Marshall
Bob McAdoo
Rodney McCray
Dick McGuire
Brad Miller
Earl Monroe
Daryl Morey
David Morway
Tracy Murray
Tom Nissalke
Norm Nixon
Kevin O'Connor
Will Perdue
Geoff Petrie
Bob Pettit
Randy Pfund
Scot Pollard
Gregg Popovich
Kevin Pritchard
Jack Ramsay
Frank Ramsey
Arnie Risen
Oscar Robertson
Scotty Robertson
Jimmy Rodgers
John Salley
Flip Saunders
Charlie Scott
Bill Sharman
Purvis Short
Jim Spanarkel
Steve Stipanovich
Ed Stefanski
Rod Thorn
Jay Triano
Kelly Tripucka
Jack Twyman
Dick Van Arsdale
Kiki Vandeweghe
Stan Van Gundy
Dick Vitale
Chet Walker
Bobby Wanzer
Mark Warkentien
Slick Watts
Bill Wennington
Jerry West
Lenny Wilkens
Pat Williams
Brian Winters

Lakers best team proven by dominance and NBA Finals 2009

LeBron best player proven by dominance and MVP in 2009.

Pretty simple if you ask me.

devil1197 wrote: Lakers best team proven by dominance and NBA Finals 2009

LeBron best player proven by dominance and MVP in 2009.

Pretty simple if you ask me.

Okay so if we add your vote to those of the panel, Kobe only wins by a vote of 62-35

Don't agree, but Kobe has the rings, so I won't argue.

At this stage, Kobe is a better overall player than Lebron. Could very easily change in the near future but Kobe should be at the top right now.

The way I look at it is who would you build your team around if you were starting one.

Pretty simple....Lebron

I am quick to say James is a better player at the moment but Kobe has turned into a better “team player” and he is a leader who has led his team to the promised land and once there he and his team has won.

You're a fucking moron if you actually think Lebron is anything but the #1 player in the world.

SportsAndLadies wrote: You're a fucking moron if you actually think Lebron is anything but the #1 player in the world.

To whom may I ask are you speaking too?

The only thing Kobe has on Lebron is a mid-range jump shot. Lebron is a better finisher at the rim, he is a better passer, rebounder, and he shoots the 3 as well.

this doesn't surprise me

newarkcatholicfan wrote:

SportsAndLadies wrote: You're a fucking moron if you actually think Lebron is anything but the #1 player in the world.

To whom may I ask are you speaking too?

Um to anyone who thinks Lebron isn't the best player in the world.

Lebron is #1

So they don't know if and when Yao Ming will play, yet he is the 15th best player in the league? I like Shaq and glad he is on the Cavs, but the 16th best player currently? Seems like this is more of a career rating rather than a rating of a player's current ability.

elbuckeye28 wrote: So they don't know if and when Yao Ming will play, yet he is the 15th best player in the league? I like Shaq and glad he is on the Cavs, but the 16th best player currently? Seems like this is more of a career rating rather than a rating of a player's current ability.

Very good point.

And no Mo Williams? I think this list should be renamed, "50 most known players in the NBA" and its clearly more accurate.

lol, Mo Williams is better than several of those players...

Also, Kobe a better TEAM player than LeBron? Wow. I can't even respond to something that is as foolish as that.

There's no way that Kobe is a better team player than LeBron. I had to laugh at that.

There is no doubt whatsoever who gets the other players involved more in a game. LeBron...not even close. Kobe and LeBron each go down as top 10 players in NBA history. If James gets a couple rings he will be near Jordon before its all said and done.

royal_k wrote: The way I look at it is who would you build your team around if you were starting one.

Pretty simple....Lebron

If one wants to win really bad, it'd be Kobe. Four rings and him putting the USA on his back during the critical moments of Gold Game against Spain tells me as such.

Yep, I agree on better team player/leader as well.

I don't like the NBA, but watching Kobe in the Olympics would make me choose him, because he is a very clutch performer, and has proven that throughout his career. LeBron is not consistent enough yet in the crunch time to make me pick him as the number one player.

Danny Granger out of the top 30 is ridiculous. He's better than Paul Pierce in points, rebounds, assists, and steals.

Kevin Martin was averaging 31 points a game this year before he got injured. Not even on the list. Yao is.

elbuckeye28 wrote: So they don't know if and when Yao Ming will play, yet he is the 15th best player in the league? I like Shaq and glad he is on the Cavs, but the 16th best player currently? Seems like this is more of a career rating rather than a rating of a player's current ability.

That's what I was thinking. When I saw the Cavs had two on the list, I figured Mo would be in the 30-40 ranking area. When I saw it was Shaq and he was in the top 20, I stopped taking this list seriously as a current ranking for players. Dude's a good complementary player, but not a superstar at this point of his career.

LeBron is #1.

Two factors that get Kobe votes:

1. Age--people are scared to say LeBron is #1 because he's 24, some people would say it's too early to say that.
2. Rings--team awards that everyone judges individuals on.

But whatever, my opinion is that LeBron is the better player. I could make a very strong argument for him as well but there is no point. Biggest thing is, the fact that there is a VERY strong argument to be made for him and that it's even discussed and he's 24 should tell you all you need to know.

gabuckeye wrote: I don't like the NBA, but watching Kobe in the Olympics would make me choose him, because he is a very clutch performer, and has proven that throughout his career. LeBron is not consistent enough yet in the crunch time to make me pick him as the number one player.

For the last 2 or 3 years LeBron has led the league in scoring in "crunch time" (last 4 minutes of the game). I also read a stat somewhere about game winning or tying shots and the percentages...MJ was something like 27%, Kobe and LeBron were both between 25 and 26%.