Having Lebron on ANY team instantly makes them championship contenders. You can probably gather a bunch of random guys from the gym and play them with Lebron, and they'll make the playoffs. Lebron is a more efficient scorer, better defender, and superior is practically every single category. Is Kobe a top 10 player? Maybe. I'd have to think about it. But Lebron is in the conversation for the best of all time. I honestly can't think of a single good reason to rank Kobe ahead of Lebron. Who cares if it's "close"? One player is simply better.
And no, I'm not under 25 and I have nothing against Kobe. I don't even care about the Lakers' hate that seems like a pre-requisite for being a Jazz fan.