A Tale of Two Kings

Orange County Register: These are days - still - when Kobe Bryant doesn’t mind occupying a little less of your attention. So if tonight is all about hailing LeBron James, 20 years of age and making his All-Star Game debut, then Bryant is fine with that, having seen days darker than this shadow.

Bryant, the former “next Jordan” and tabloid target, thinks about being “just another player” and exhales, saying, “It’s good just to be a part of the group.”

Beyond that, James’ Cleveland Cavaliers are having a better season than Bryant’s Lakers. And Bryant understands, too, what a critical cog novelty is in the world’s hype machine.

But if you can boil this down to the core level of acceptance, it’s this: Bryant flat-out has a lot of respect for James.

“He’s a very hard worker, he’s a student of the game, and if you mix that with his size and his ability, you get results,” Bryant said. “It’s not like he’s a player who relies on his talent and potential. He actually puts in the work.”

Because James wasn’t chosen for the All-Star Game as a rookie - though that judgment was heavily second-guessed - Bryant remained the youngest player to be an All-Star, having made the first of his seven appearances at 19.

That was 1998, when Bryant was the very definition of up-and-coming as he jumped at the chance to go after Michael Jordan in Madison Square Garden. In ensuing years, Bryant made it hard to imagine someone else coming along with a greater combination of youth and flair.

Asked about resentment toward James, Bryant said: “I’m sure that there are some people out there who may be jealous, but I haven’t seen anything like that. I think everybody’s just happy for what he’s been able to do.

“You don’t receive all of that without working hard. It doesn’t just come to you; you’ve got to work for it. I think everybody’s happy for him. If they’re not, they’ve got serious issues they’ve got to deal with.”

For his part, James insists Bryant, 26, is “the greatest player on Earth.” As close as James is to O’Neal, James is one of the few who will argue Bryant is just as unstoppable, only from the perimeter.

There is an understanding between Bryant and James, who share more than the burden of great expectations. Both might just meet them.

“There’s a lot of hype around him, but he’s delivering,” Bryant said.

Asked about James’ basketball skills, Bryant said: “He feels the game. A lot of players can only think the game, but when you can feel it, you’re playing at a different level.”

When Bryant’s words are recounted to James, he has a ready response: “He has the same thing. That’s why I think he mentioned it. He has the same approach to the game, the way that he knows at what time in the game to take over and at what time to slow down. You just know what to do at certain times.”

What do you feel about the future between Kobe and LeBron? How do they match up and what can we expect of them? Sound off in the CL.com Forums.