LeBron James on Kobe Bryant: Perhaps Greatest Scorer in NBA History

Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James admitted in a recent interview that Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant is one of his idols in the NBA, revealing that the Black Mamba could be the best offensive player in league's history.

James, who had several classic head-to-head encounters with Bryant, did not waste time glorifying Bryant's achievement in his career as the Lakers star looks to pass the great Michael Jordan for no.3 in all-time scoring list against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday."

"It's not surprising. He's one of, if not the greatest scorer our game has ever seen," James said of his former Redeem Team teammate in an interview with ESPN correspondent Dave McMenamin.

Even more, the four-time NBA MVP and future Hall of Famer also revealed that he had a poster of Bryant while he was just making a name for himself at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School.

"He's one of the guys that I looked up to ... Going straight from high school to the NBA he was on my wall," added James, who is scheduled to play Kobe and the Lakers for the first time this season on January 15.

In spite of forthcoming milestone, the 36-year old Bryant stressed that he never planned topping the former Chicago Bulls star in the scoring list. Nevertheless, Kobe said he's very much honored to be mentioned in the same breath with Jordan & Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

"I think we're both cursed with the obsession of trying to be the best that we can," Bryant said in an interview with ESPN's Arash Markazi. "It's a blessing and a curse at the same time. We're both very similar in that regard."

"It wasn't a goal that I set out to accomplish," Bryant said of passing Jordan for total points. "Being in that company with Michael and Kareem and the other great scorers, that's the most fun part.

Being a part of that group; being a part of a group that I grew up idolizing and learning from and aspiring to be one day. That's the true honor."

Bryant needs only nine points to finally surpass his Airness for third in NBA's All-Time scoring list. After this, it may take Bryant perhaps beyond his current contract for him to surpass Malone (36,928) and Abdul-Jabbar (38,387 pts) in that prestigious list.