Kobe Bryant: Why Bryant's 2012 Season Pushes Him Past Jordan on All-Time List

Kobe Bryant is averaging 27.9 PPG. That is good enough to lead the NBA and push Bryant past Michael Jordan as the best player of all time. 

Bryant is 33 years old, and playing around a meager collection of talent outside of emerging star Andrew Bynum.

Jordan's stats at 33 were similar. He averaged over 29 per game, but had a better group around him. Jordan was also dealing with a more stable situation in Chicago.

Many NBA fans wrote Bryant and the Lakers off heading into the 2012 season. That was a bad idea. Bryant is using that added fuel to prove those fans wrong with each game he plays. 

Why This Season Is Significant

The Los Angeles Lakers were at the center of a ton of hoopla this offseason. Lamar Odom was shipped out. Chris Paul was supposed to be on his way, and Dwight Howard was rumored to join him. 

Instead of adding two superstars to the fold, the Lakers were stuck with Bryant and a bunch of other guys. The Lakers were considered old and Bryant was supposed to be running on fumes. 

Bryant could have rolled over and allowed the adversity to create a rare down year in Los Angeles. Instead, Bryant rose to the challenge and is having one of the best seasons of his career. 

On top of scoring a ton of points, Bryant is averaging nearly five assists per game and just over five boards. He is helping his team in a multitude of ways and playing like a veteran leader. 

Bryant's steady presence makes the Lakers an extremely dangerous playoff team. Bynum has emerged as one of the league's most dominant centers and Kobe is obviously still Kobe.

How Does This Push Bryant Past Jordan?

Bryant and Jordan's individual accolades are very similar. Both are 14-time All-Stars and have made nine All-Defensive teams. 

During his career, Jordan won six NBA titles. Bryant currently has five. Jordan's championship performances are the gold standard in basketball, but Bryant holds the same competitive attitude and has the hardware to prove it. 

Bryant's production should have fallen off this season. His ability to make an unproven group of players into the Western Conference's No. 3 seed is remarkable. He still has his diverse scoring repertoire, but has added an unmeasurable leadership quality to his persona. 

This race is still neck and neck. It will be debated for eons among NBA fans. There will never be a consensus, and people will always favor one player or the other. 

Jordan was the unquestioned superstar of his time. He was in a league of his own, and the game was much different when he played.

Bryant must deal with constant pressure from every other budding star in the NBA. Stars are more plentiful in today's game.

Despite the ongoing argument, Bryant has proven himself to be the better player. His ability to evolve into whatever his team needs sets him apart from anyone to ever play the game. Jordan's leadership is supposed to be his edge, but Bryant has negated that factor.

Like a fine wine, Kobe gets better with age.