NBA debates have always evolved with time. A decade ago, most conversations centered on one question: “Who is the GOAT?” Names like LeBron James and Michael Jordan dominated that discussion.
Today, the debates are more detailed. Fans now argue about statistics and clutch ability. Recently, former NBA All-Star Deron Williams added his take to one such debate involving James and the late Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.
Deron Williams on Picking Kobe Bryant Over LeBron James for a Last-Second Shot
In a recent episode of “The To The Baha Podcast,” Williams was asked who he would pick to take a last-second shot, James or Bryant. After thinking it through, he chose Bryant.
“Both of them, [their] work ethic was crazy. They both work hard. They’re just different. Kobe just had that mentality where he’s on his own, locked in, doing his thing.”
“LeBron is more silly, keeping things light, which I think we needed both things… But LeBron could lock in, too. I’ve been around both of them. Obviously, I played with both of them. If I got to get a ball to somebody to get a bucket, I’m going Kobe,” Williams said during the podcast.
Williams’ choice is understandable. Bryant built his reputation on discipline and focus. His “Black Mamba” mentality was all about staying locked in and delivering when it mattered most.
One of the standout moments came during the 2006 playoffs against the Phoenix Suns, when he scored 50 points in Game 6, though the Lakers ultimately lost in overtime. In 2010, he delivered a vintage performance against the Suns in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals, hitting multiple contested jumpers to close out the series.
He also knocked down a memorable game-winner against the Miami Heat in 2009. Additionally, Bryant played a key role in closing out games during the 2010 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, making big plays when his team needed him most.
That said, Williams’ take does not mean James hasn’t delivered in clutch moments. James has his own list of game-winning plays. One of his best clutch moments came in Game 4 of the 2015 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Chicago Bulls.
The Cleveland Cavaliers were down by two, 84-82, with just under 10 seconds to play. Derrick Rose had just tied things up with a driving layup with 9.4 seconds remaining. Moreover, Cleveland had no timeouts left. James got an inbound pass on the right wing, drove hard to the basket looking for a layup, but had the ball knocked out of bounds.
On the very next inbound, Matthew Dellavedova found James quickly, and he popped out to the left corner. A defender was closing out fast, but James did not hesitate. He went up and knocked down a long 2-point jumper just before the buzzer. This gave Cleveland an 86-84 win and evened the series at 2-2.
In the end, both Bryant and James have delivered when it matters most. However, Williams’ choice makes sense when considering the type of player Bryant was. He often approached these situations with a very serious and focused mindset, something that stood out to many players around the league.
