Lakers: Raptors Scottie Barnes' Take On the LeBron James - Kobe Bryant Rivalry

Raptors forward Scottie Barnes was a much bigger fan of Kobe growing up.

One thing basketball fans never got to see was Kobe Bryant and LeBron James dueling in the NBA Finals. The closest basketballs fans ever got to witnessing the two all-timers face off was the 2009 NBA playoffs. That of course was the year that Dwight Howard's Magic knocked out Lebron's Cavaliers in six games for the right to play Kobe's Lakers in the NBA Finals.

Despite the fact that Kobe had already won three titles and LeBron was only in his early 20's, many non-Lakers fans debated whether LeBron or Kobe was the best player in the league towards the end of the 2000's. After losing to LeBron's Lakers team 128-123 in overtime, Raptors forward Scottie Barnes was asked what LeBron meant to him growing up in the post game press conference.

Barnes response starting off with an unsolicited show of respect to Kobe Bryant.

"I was really a big Kobe fan. They were really rivals and stuff like that. Of course, LeBron has done so much for this game. Hall-of-Famer. Someone who's just so influential in this game. Someone that paved the way for so many people. Being big, athletic, like my size - being able to dribble the ball and be able to do so many different things on the floor. So of course he was influential for a lot of little kids like me."

Barnes' take is especially interesting considering that he's only 20 year old and grew up in Florida. Meaning, LeBron, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh was raising banners for the Heat while Barnes was a teenager. Apparently, Barnes was much more excited about the championships Kobe was bringing home to Staples Center.