Bird played a lot fewer games than Kobe, but he was still a much superior player. Examining averages for careers: On a typical, Kobe finished with 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.5 blocks. Bird averaged 6.4 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.8 blocks, 10.1 rebounds, and 24.3 points. Compared to Kobe, Bird outperformed him in terms of field goal, effective field goal, free throw, two- and three-point percentages.
Bird has a lifetime net rating of +14 (offensive minus defensive), compared to Kobe’s +5. According to the advanced stats, Bird is 4 points better on defense and 5 points better on offense per 100 possessions. Kobe averaged 0.170 win shares every 48 minutes, while Bird averaged 0.203. Kobe had zero seasons of at least 15 win shares, while Bird had four (MVP-caliber seasons). Bird led the league in defensive win shares for four seasons, while Kobe had none. In two seasons, Bird outperformed Kobe in terms of win shares and win shares per 48.
Bird led the league in defensive win shares for four seasons, while Kobe had none. In two seasons, Bird outperformed Kobe in terms of win shares and win shares per 48. Bird led the league in box plus minus and value over replacement players for four seasons, compared to Kobe’s zero. Because he was able to play an additional 450 games and maintained his health, Kobe has a significant advantage in terms of career totals. This does help him catch up. However, I rank Bird as one of the top 7 players and Kobe between 20 and 25.
