Many great players have graced the NBA hardwood in the last five decades-- legends that have changed the game of basketball forever. Fans around the world have seen the likes of Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson dominate the sport in their respective eras. In the 90’s, next-generation athletes like Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Kevin Garnett, Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant have brought the competition to an even higher level. Each of the aforementioned players has left their mark on basketball.
From Russell’s 11 championships in 13 seasons with the Celtics, to Chamberlain’s 100 points in a single game, to Robertson’s average of a triple-double per game in the 1961-62 season, to Abdul-Jabbar’s sky hooking his way to being the League’s all-time leading scorer, to Bird and Magic’s classic rivalry, to the sheer dominance, versatility, and talent brought by Jordan, O’Neal, Garnett, Iverson and Bryant in the new generation, basketball has risen to monumental heights over the years.
With all that said, however, there has never been a player like LeBron James. Ever. At 6-8, 260 pounds, he has the speed of a point guard in the body of a power forward. He possesses the perennial scoring ability of a shooting guard coupled with the defensive presence of a ferocious, shot-blocking center. Try and figure out how to deal with that equation. If I took the time to list all of his accomplishments so far in his young career, this column would turn into a Hall of Fame résumé. If the current season is any indication of what’s to come, getting inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is almost a foregone conclusion for James at this point, which sounds crazy when you consider the man’s age.
This season, at just 24-years-old, James won the NBA’s Most Valuable Player Award by a landslide after averaging 28.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game. He joined Robertson as the only player in history to average at least 27 points, six rebounds, and six assists for five straight seasons. James also finished second in the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award voting, recording a career-best 93 blocks in the regular season, proving he is a true two-way superstar who recognizes that playing defense is just as important as getting buckets. Once again, this is a mature attribute for a player so young.
The MVP led the Cavaliers to the best record in the NBA and the top seed in the playoffs this season, where they are currently 8-0 after sweeping the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks in consecutive rounds. Cleveland has won each of their postseason games by double-digits, with James averaging a playoff-leading 32.9 points per game, shooting over 53 percent from the field.
The man has been simply remarkable and virtually unstoppable, drawing comparisons to that other guy who used to wear No. 23. Those comparisons will only heat up if James does lead the Cavaliers to their first title in his sixth season as a pro, a season before Jordan led his Bulls to the 1991 title. Despite his early success, James has a long way to go if he wants to surpass his idol in basketball lore. After all, Jordan did in fact win six NBA championships in Chicago. Three of those came after the age of 33 for Jordan, cementing his legacy as the game’s greatest player.
For the first time in the history of basketball, though, James poses a legitimate threat to surpass M.J. as the best ever. In his young career, James has already reached many of the same individual milestones as his predecessor, which includes the titles of NBA scoring champion, All-Star Game MVP (twice), First Team All-NBA (three times), NBA MVP, and an Olympic gold medal.
When all is said and done, it won’t be the jersey number or number of individual accolades that continue to compare James to Jordan. It will be the number of championships King James wins while on his throne.
Just how many will we witness?
— Mike Bauman is the Assistant Sports Editor and a senior majoring in communication.
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