The general consensus regarding Lebron's ESPN special was that it represented everything that is wrong with the egotistical NBA. And that is absolutely correct. However, when Lebron "took his talents to South Beach," the NBA was the biggest winner. There are two reasons why:
1) The NBA is a league driven by great teams and dynasties. The best years of the NBA are all defined by one or two dominate teams. The 60's featured the Russell's Celtics and Wilt's Warriors/76ers/Lakers. The 80's had the Showtime Lakers versus Bird's Celtics. And the 90's belonged to Jordan's Bulls. Since then we have been treated to 1 great team, Shaq and Kobe's Lakers, and a bunch of other good teams. And the NBA's overall brand has suffered for this fact. By putting three stars on one team (with the prospect of more Miami Thrices happening elsewhere), the NBA should once again have great dynasty-worthy teams. Bird and Jordan may remaniss about being the only superstar on their teams, but in reality those teams were absolutely stacked. As were the Showtime Lakers and Russell's Celtics. The salary cap has done a great job of spreading the talent around the NBA, but the overall brand has suffered because of it. The Miami Heat should begin to reverse this trend starting next year.
2) Everyone loves a villain. More accurately, everyone loves to cheer against a villain. And the Miami Heat are the biggest villains the NBA has had in a very long time. The closest comparison in any sport to the Heat is the Yankees. Not the historically Yankees (the most successful franchise in sports history), but the Yankees of right now. They have more stars than any other team in the league and fans across the nation hate them for it. And yet, because they hate them so much, they sell out every single game they play. Most baseball teams charge more for Yankees tickets than any other ticket. The Heat could face similar treatment this year and certainly will in the future. Even in venues like Atlanta, the Heat will sell out because everyone will come to cheer against them and see the Miami Thrice fall flat on their faces. Lebron James has gone from being the most loved to the most hated player in the NBA, but one thing has not changed. He is still the most popular draw in the league.
And the NBA may be entering another golden age because of it.
Showing posts with label Lebron. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lebron. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
The King's New Court
First of all, how ridiculous was the Lebron special tonight, "The Decision". It was like watching the Super Bowl or the Lost finale. If you include Sportscenter, Lebron's decision got 4 hours of air time. He is the most talented player in the NBA, but it still seems a little excessive. That being said, what does Lebron's decision mean for his career? (Be sure to vote in the poll to the right about whether Lebron made the right choice)
First of all, I cannot believe Lebron did that to Cleveland. I know its been reported for 2 days that Lebron is going to Miami, but I really didn't think he would do it. Lebron is my favorite player, but was terrible. I'm sorry Cleveland, that was hard to watch. No one will blame you for burning his jersey in the street (I'm not making that up, they actually are doing that).
The Chosen One just made the biggest mistake of his career. But before I talk about the bad, there is a lot of good from this move. This team has an opportunity to be better than I originally suspected. Much, much better. With Lebron as Magic, Dwayne as Michael, and Bosh as an All-Star big man, the Heats can be an all-time great team. And they should be able to add more than just scrubs (I know this contradicts what I said last week). The exact details of the 3 stars signings aren't known yet, but if they hold on to Michael Beasley, he is a great 4th option. Mario Chalmers could emerge as a good NBA player, along the lines of a poor man's Rondo. They should be able to fill the roster out with veteran guys who are willing to sacrifice some money for a ring. And Pat Riley is an all-time great coach and whether he is in the front office or on the bench, he will make this team that much better. He also has a lot of experience managing multiple superstars with the Showtime Lakers of the 80's. This team really could win multiple titles and possible become a dynasty.
However, the rings have nothing to do why this choice was a bad one. Despite being the most gifted player to ever touch a basketball, Lebron has cemented his legacy as a guy who needed help. Tonight on "The Decision", Lebron made the good point that every great team of the past 20 years had at least 2 superstars. And he is absolutely right. But something about this move is different. Michael didn't seek out Pippen and Magic didn't leave his hometown for Kareem. No matter how many titles they win together, this Heat team will always be Wade and Lebron's. And Lebron was good enough to win alone. Had he stayed in Cleveland, Lebron could have become the greatest player in league history. Now, at best, he can only be one of the greatest players of all time. More importantly, Lebron has lost his universal appeal to fans. It won't hurt his advertising dollars, but never again will the King be loved like he was before. He abondaned his hometown for greener pastures on national TV. And since his hometown is Cleveland, it hurts that much worst. The Cleve last won a major sports title in 1964. That was 46 years ago! Lebron was the greatest opportunity to win a title that Cleveland could possibly have. In a single moment, the Cavs have gone from being title contenders to lottery contenders. The best hope for the Cavs next year is that they tank and get a high pick in the draft so the can try to draft the most ironic pick in league history, a player they can only hope will be the next Lebron James.
Next year's NBA is going to be very different from this year's. The East has finally passed the West as the premier conference. Out west, the Lakers are the clear favorite with the Thunder, Trailblazers, Mavericks, Spurs, and Nuggets as contenders as well. But the real power now lies in the East. Four teams have a realistic shot of representing the East in the finals and all can beat the Lakers. They are the Heat, Magic, Bulls, and Celtics (Sorry Hawks, but your in tier 2 along with the Bucks, Knicks, and Bobcats). Of those 4, the Heat have the best long-term prospects. I predict they will win 3 titles in the next 5 seasons. But next year, I think the Bulls are going to surprise a lot of people and take the East. They have a fantastic core and plenty of cap room to make additional moves. I also like the Thunder to shock the world and beat the Lakers. And in a Durant versus Rose NBA final, Chicago will show Lebron they don't need him and win their 1st post-Michael title. Yeah, that probably won't happen but it would be a great way to head into the inevitable NBA lockout.
One more note about Lebron, now that his decision is over, it is finally time to devote this blog to my real favorite topic, football! (After one or two more posts about the World Cup of course)
First of all, I cannot believe Lebron did that to Cleveland. I know its been reported for 2 days that Lebron is going to Miami, but I really didn't think he would do it. Lebron is my favorite player, but was terrible. I'm sorry Cleveland, that was hard to watch. No one will blame you for burning his jersey in the street (I'm not making that up, they actually are doing that).
The Chosen One just made the biggest mistake of his career. But before I talk about the bad, there is a lot of good from this move. This team has an opportunity to be better than I originally suspected. Much, much better. With Lebron as Magic, Dwayne as Michael, and Bosh as an All-Star big man, the Heats can be an all-time great team. And they should be able to add more than just scrubs (I know this contradicts what I said last week). The exact details of the 3 stars signings aren't known yet, but if they hold on to Michael Beasley, he is a great 4th option. Mario Chalmers could emerge as a good NBA player, along the lines of a poor man's Rondo. They should be able to fill the roster out with veteran guys who are willing to sacrifice some money for a ring. And Pat Riley is an all-time great coach and whether he is in the front office or on the bench, he will make this team that much better. He also has a lot of experience managing multiple superstars with the Showtime Lakers of the 80's. This team really could win multiple titles and possible become a dynasty.
However, the rings have nothing to do why this choice was a bad one. Despite being the most gifted player to ever touch a basketball, Lebron has cemented his legacy as a guy who needed help. Tonight on "The Decision", Lebron made the good point that every great team of the past 20 years had at least 2 superstars. And he is absolutely right. But something about this move is different. Michael didn't seek out Pippen and Magic didn't leave his hometown for Kareem. No matter how many titles they win together, this Heat team will always be Wade and Lebron's. And Lebron was good enough to win alone. Had he stayed in Cleveland, Lebron could have become the greatest player in league history. Now, at best, he can only be one of the greatest players of all time. More importantly, Lebron has lost his universal appeal to fans. It won't hurt his advertising dollars, but never again will the King be loved like he was before. He abondaned his hometown for greener pastures on national TV. And since his hometown is Cleveland, it hurts that much worst. The Cleve last won a major sports title in 1964. That was 46 years ago! Lebron was the greatest opportunity to win a title that Cleveland could possibly have. In a single moment, the Cavs have gone from being title contenders to lottery contenders. The best hope for the Cavs next year is that they tank and get a high pick in the draft so the can try to draft the most ironic pick in league history, a player they can only hope will be the next Lebron James.
Next year's NBA is going to be very different from this year's. The East has finally passed the West as the premier conference. Out west, the Lakers are the clear favorite with the Thunder, Trailblazers, Mavericks, Spurs, and Nuggets as contenders as well. But the real power now lies in the East. Four teams have a realistic shot of representing the East in the finals and all can beat the Lakers. They are the Heat, Magic, Bulls, and Celtics (Sorry Hawks, but your in tier 2 along with the Bucks, Knicks, and Bobcats). Of those 4, the Heat have the best long-term prospects. I predict they will win 3 titles in the next 5 seasons. But next year, I think the Bulls are going to surprise a lot of people and take the East. They have a fantastic core and plenty of cap room to make additional moves. I also like the Thunder to shock the world and beat the Lakers. And in a Durant versus Rose NBA final, Chicago will show Lebron they don't need him and win their 1st post-Michael title. Yeah, that probably won't happen but it would be a great way to head into the inevitable NBA lockout.
One more note about Lebron, now that his decision is over, it is finally time to devote this blog to my real favorite topic, football! (After one or two more posts about the World Cup of course)
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Is New York "the" destination city?
This question really boils down to two separate questions. Does geography matter when it comes to sports? And is New York a good place for basketball? (Also, vote in the poll to the right. Are college or pro sports better?)
Yes, geography absolutely matters when it comes to sports, but not in the way that everyone talks about. In today's global economy, a star can earn the same endorsements in Oklahoma City or New York. What really matters is the star's appeal (a combination of personality and talent), not his location. Nike will sponsor the best players in the NBA no matter where they are. However, there are two ways where geography can make a difference. The first deals with girls, namely famous girls. Good players become stars when they have a famous woman by their side. Tony Parker went from a good point guard to an NBA star when he married Eva Longoria. And famous women live in big cities. Second, in a big city, the local media is also the national media. As the local newspaper of Gotham, the New York Times covers the Yankees and the Knicks closer than other teams. In this way, a local star in New York becomes a national star.
That being said, New York is not a good place to play sports, especially basketball. The media coverage in New York is intense, too intense. Lots of great athletes can't handle the big city. Even more realize the hassle of the New York media just isn't worth it. Plus, unlike Los Angeles or Dallas, the weather in New York is awful. All other things being equal, its always better to be in the place with better weather. Most importantly, the Knicks are way, way down on the New York sports pecking order. The city clearly belongs to the Yankees. The Mets, Jets, and Giants are all also higher on the pecking order than the Knicks. Plus, many people from the city are from out of town and have their own team loyalties.
The motivation behind this article is all of the talk about Lebron taking the opportunity to play in Gotham. The rumor was dead and buried, but resurfaced today as King James' team announcement grows closer. Lebron will definitely not go to New York because they are not a good basketball team and the city isn't even a destination for athletes.
Cleveland has made it a race, but I still thing Chi-town wins the King James sweepstakes. Go Bulls!
Yes, geography absolutely matters when it comes to sports, but not in the way that everyone talks about. In today's global economy, a star can earn the same endorsements in Oklahoma City or New York. What really matters is the star's appeal (a combination of personality and talent), not his location. Nike will sponsor the best players in the NBA no matter where they are. However, there are two ways where geography can make a difference. The first deals with girls, namely famous girls. Good players become stars when they have a famous woman by their side. Tony Parker went from a good point guard to an NBA star when he married Eva Longoria. And famous women live in big cities. Second, in a big city, the local media is also the national media. As the local newspaper of Gotham, the New York Times covers the Yankees and the Knicks closer than other teams. In this way, a local star in New York becomes a national star.
That being said, New York is not a good place to play sports, especially basketball. The media coverage in New York is intense, too intense. Lots of great athletes can't handle the big city. Even more realize the hassle of the New York media just isn't worth it. Plus, unlike Los Angeles or Dallas, the weather in New York is awful. All other things being equal, its always better to be in the place with better weather. Most importantly, the Knicks are way, way down on the New York sports pecking order. The city clearly belongs to the Yankees. The Mets, Jets, and Giants are all also higher on the pecking order than the Knicks. Plus, many people from the city are from out of town and have their own team loyalties.
The motivation behind this article is all of the talk about Lebron taking the opportunity to play in Gotham. The rumor was dead and buried, but resurfaced today as King James' team announcement grows closer. Lebron will definitely not go to New York because they are not a good basketball team and the city isn't even a destination for athletes.
Cleveland has made it a race, but I still thing Chi-town wins the King James sweepstakes. Go Bulls!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Where will the King make his court?
This article is Part 1 of a 2-part series about the impending NBA free agency. This posts deals with the possible destination of the biggest free agent in NBA (and probably sports) history, Lebron James. Part 2 will be my predictions for where the top free agents will end up. Without further ado, here is my analysis of where the King will go next (it works towards the most likely, meaning the Knicks are the least likely possible winner of the Lebron sweepstakes):
6) New York Knicks - They have been planning on acquiring Lebron for over two years, but it does not make any sense for him to end up in NYC. In order to have the cap room to sign Lebron and another top player, the Knicks have gutted their roster to the point where they are basically an expansion team. Even with Lebron and a hypothetical Chris Bosh, this team won't be able to compete for the NBA title because there won't be another above-average player on the team. Plus, in today's global economy, New York's marketing advantage over other cities isn't nearly as big as it once was. And the city already has the greatest baseball team in the history of the world, it doesn't need the best basketball player in the world too.
5) Cleveland Cavaliers - It pains me to rank the home team in this competition so low. Especially, when you take into account how much the city of Cleveland has suffered when it comes to sports. But it would be an awful basketball decision for Lebron to return to the Cleve. Like New York, this team does not have the talent to win an NBA title. Mo Williams has got to be the worst shooter in NBA history and Antwan Jamison isn't getting any younger or any taller. While the Cavs can offer Lebron $30 million more than any other team, this amount shouldn't sway his decision. The King could make over $1 billion in his life. He shouldn't sacrifice his legacy and many, many titles for $30 million.
4) LA Clippers - Most writers have the Clippers rated lower than this. But if you actually look at the talent on this team, it is very good. With Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, Aminu Al-Farouq, Blake Griffin, and Chris Kaman, the Clippers have a great starting 5. Throw in the King and they have one of the best 6-deep lineups in the league. Plus, LA has the same big city appeal as NYC. And Lebron could beat Kobe in Kobe's town. However, Clippers' owner Donald Sterling is one of the worst owners in American sports. And the Clippers are cursed. If Lebron signed in LA, he would probably break every bone in his body.
3) New Jersey Nets - This is another team that most writers have rated lower than this. The Nets also have a good core with Devin Harris, Derrick Favors, and Brook Lopez. Add Lebron and this team becomes way better than the 12 wins they got last year. Plus they have a super Russian billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov. And they are moving to Brooklyn in 2 years. And Lebron's good friend Jay-Z is also a part owner. And the Nets give Lebron access to all of the perks of NYC without having to deal with the awfulness that is the Knicks. Still the Nets have to play 2 more years in Newark, and NO ONE wants to go to New Jersey. Plus, the Nets are close enough to the Yankees that they probably can't handle anymore awesomeness.
2) Miami Heat - The Heat were much lower on this list until word came out about the free-agent pow-wow that Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and Lebron had where they all decided to go to Miami. If Lebron has already made this decision, its his business, but it would be a terribly career move. A team with 3 superstars and 3 alpha dogs is inherently unstable. Even if they could win one or two titles (and I don't think they would) this team would break up before they could cement their legacy as one of the best ever. Plus, if Lebron wins all of his titles with Wade, he can never claim to be an all-time great. Part of being a basketball legend is winning when you are "the man" on your team. Magic won as the alpha-dog. Michael won as the alpha-dog. Kareem won as the alpha-dog. Kobe thinks he won as the alpha-dog. Finally, this team would not be as good as it first appears. With 3 guys under near max contracts, they would barely be able to sign enough scrubs to fill out a roster. And 3 superstars and 7 scrubs are not going to beat a great team. Lebron doesn't need to surround himself with the best talent. He has more than enough talent to win. He needs to join a good team. A good team like:
1) Chicago Bulls - The Bulls can offer Lebron everything he has ever wanted, and more. They have a great foundation in place and with him, they would instantly become the best team in the league. Their hypothetical starting line-up is Derrick Rose, Lebron, Luol Deng, Chris Bosh, and Joakim Noah with Taj Gibson as the 6th man. Plus Chicago is big enough to offer a lot of the perks of NYC or LA while still having the smaller town feel of Cleveland. And it isn't that far away from Lebron's boyhood home of Akron, OH. But the best reason for Lebron to go to Chi-town is one that no one is talking about. Unlike Kobe, Lebron is all about honoring Michael Jordan's greatness. What better way to honor Jordan than to rebuild the dynasty in his city and lift the Bulls franchise to a level almost on-par with the Lakers and Celtics. If the Bulls can keep their core of Rose, Lebron, Bosh, and Noah together for the next 8 to 10 years, then they should win 8 to 10 titles.
Chicago wins!
6) New York Knicks - They have been planning on acquiring Lebron for over two years, but it does not make any sense for him to end up in NYC. In order to have the cap room to sign Lebron and another top player, the Knicks have gutted their roster to the point where they are basically an expansion team. Even with Lebron and a hypothetical Chris Bosh, this team won't be able to compete for the NBA title because there won't be another above-average player on the team. Plus, in today's global economy, New York's marketing advantage over other cities isn't nearly as big as it once was. And the city already has the greatest baseball team in the history of the world, it doesn't need the best basketball player in the world too.
5) Cleveland Cavaliers - It pains me to rank the home team in this competition so low. Especially, when you take into account how much the city of Cleveland has suffered when it comes to sports. But it would be an awful basketball decision for Lebron to return to the Cleve. Like New York, this team does not have the talent to win an NBA title. Mo Williams has got to be the worst shooter in NBA history and Antwan Jamison isn't getting any younger or any taller. While the Cavs can offer Lebron $30 million more than any other team, this amount shouldn't sway his decision. The King could make over $1 billion in his life. He shouldn't sacrifice his legacy and many, many titles for $30 million.
4) LA Clippers - Most writers have the Clippers rated lower than this. But if you actually look at the talent on this team, it is very good. With Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, Aminu Al-Farouq, Blake Griffin, and Chris Kaman, the Clippers have a great starting 5. Throw in the King and they have one of the best 6-deep lineups in the league. Plus, LA has the same big city appeal as NYC. And Lebron could beat Kobe in Kobe's town. However, Clippers' owner Donald Sterling is one of the worst owners in American sports. And the Clippers are cursed. If Lebron signed in LA, he would probably break every bone in his body.
3) New Jersey Nets - This is another team that most writers have rated lower than this. The Nets also have a good core with Devin Harris, Derrick Favors, and Brook Lopez. Add Lebron and this team becomes way better than the 12 wins they got last year. Plus they have a super Russian billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov. And they are moving to Brooklyn in 2 years. And Lebron's good friend Jay-Z is also a part owner. And the Nets give Lebron access to all of the perks of NYC without having to deal with the awfulness that is the Knicks. Still the Nets have to play 2 more years in Newark, and NO ONE wants to go to New Jersey. Plus, the Nets are close enough to the Yankees that they probably can't handle anymore awesomeness.
2) Miami Heat - The Heat were much lower on this list until word came out about the free-agent pow-wow that Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and Lebron had where they all decided to go to Miami. If Lebron has already made this decision, its his business, but it would be a terribly career move. A team with 3 superstars and 3 alpha dogs is inherently unstable. Even if they could win one or two titles (and I don't think they would) this team would break up before they could cement their legacy as one of the best ever. Plus, if Lebron wins all of his titles with Wade, he can never claim to be an all-time great. Part of being a basketball legend is winning when you are "the man" on your team. Magic won as the alpha-dog. Michael won as the alpha-dog. Kareem won as the alpha-dog. Kobe thinks he won as the alpha-dog. Finally, this team would not be as good as it first appears. With 3 guys under near max contracts, they would barely be able to sign enough scrubs to fill out a roster. And 3 superstars and 7 scrubs are not going to beat a great team. Lebron doesn't need to surround himself with the best talent. He has more than enough talent to win. He needs to join a good team. A good team like:
1) Chicago Bulls - The Bulls can offer Lebron everything he has ever wanted, and more. They have a great foundation in place and with him, they would instantly become the best team in the league. Their hypothetical starting line-up is Derrick Rose, Lebron, Luol Deng, Chris Bosh, and Joakim Noah with Taj Gibson as the 6th man. Plus Chicago is big enough to offer a lot of the perks of NYC or LA while still having the smaller town feel of Cleveland. And it isn't that far away from Lebron's boyhood home of Akron, OH. But the best reason for Lebron to go to Chi-town is one that no one is talking about. Unlike Kobe, Lebron is all about honoring Michael Jordan's greatness. What better way to honor Jordan than to rebuild the dynasty in his city and lift the Bulls franchise to a level almost on-par with the Lakers and Celtics. If the Bulls can keep their core of Rose, Lebron, Bosh, and Noah together for the next 8 to 10 years, then they should win 8 to 10 titles.
Chicago wins!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
The 10 Greatest NBA Players of all Time
The motivations behind writing this post are twofold. First of all, I have been blogging about the World Cup for the past couple posts and will continue to in the next couple posts so it is nice to take a break from Soccer (Good luck Team USA!). Second, with the Kobe winning his 5th title, a popular sports debate has been whether he is now in contention for the title of greatest player of all time. Here is my list of the 10 greatest NBA players of all time (feel free to comment with your own list):
10) Kobe Bryant - Kobe is not the greatest player of all time and there is really nothing he can do to change that fact. Yes he has 5 titles, which is more than most other guys on this list. But all 5 of those titles came with an all time great coach (Phil Jackson) and a dominant big man (Shaq and Gasol). In the years where Kobe did not have another elite talent to share the load with, his team wasn't nearly as good. Besides, he played terribly in the biggest game of his life, Game 7 of this year's finals.
9b) Tim Duncan - When I first wrote this list, Timmy wasn't on it. Which makes perfect sense because he is the most forgotten great player of this generation. Tim Duncan has won 4 NBA titles with a good, but certainly not great, supporting cast. That is something very few guys on this list can claim. He is easily the most consistent player in the post-Jordan NBA. And he is a much more likable figure than Kobe so he finishes ahead of him.
9a) Shaq - I didn't feel that it was right to separate Shaq and Duncan because they have the same number of NBA titles (4) and it is impossible to pick just one of them as the great big man of this era. Like Kobe, Shaq has always had a great teammate (Kobe and Dwayne Wade). However, on their first title team, Shaq was easily the superstar and Kobe was merrily the sidekick. And more importantly, when he was on, there wasn't a player in the NBA who could stop the Big Diesel. He is possibly the most dominant big man since Wilt. Plus he has a plethora of really awesome nicknames!
8) Julius Erving - Dr. J is on this list as much for his contributions to basketball as he is for his accomplishments. Dr. J did win 3 ABA and NBA titles. More importantly, his popularity was key to the NBA/ABA merger. And Dr. J turned the slam dunk from a bring shot that only big men did to a spectacular shot that anyone can do. And, he invented the cross-over dribble. Think about how many slam dunks and cross-over dribbles happen during a basketball game. That is why Dr. J is number 8.
7) Larry Bird - While not overly athletic, Larry Bird was immensely talented and one of the most fundamentally strong players in NBA history. He did not have a weakness in his game. Larry Legend won 3 NBA titles and together with Magic Johnson helped to bring the NBA back into the public limelight.
6) Jerry West - I don't know too much about Jerry West's career, but I do know the discussion for greatest Laker of all-time comes down Jerry, Kobe, or Magic. Plus, Jerry is usually mentioned in lists like this one. He only won 1 NBA title, but he did lose to Bill Russell's Celtics in the title game 8 times! Plus he averaged 27.0 points for his career despite playing before the addition of the 3-point line.
5) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Kareem has more titles than any of the guys he finishes ahead of with 6. Plus his skyhook is the most unstoppable offensive weapon in the history of the NBA. And he is the NBA's all-time scoring leader. Kareem would be higher on this list if not for the amazing quality of guys in front of him.
4) Oscar Robertson - I don't know to much about Oscar Robertson's career, but I do know that he is mentioned on every list like this one. He also averaged a triple double for the first five years of his career, which is simply amazing! (For comparison, Lebron's best single season has left him 1.5 assists and 2 rebounds per game short of approaching this feat.)
3) Bill Russell - Bill Russell could make it on this list simply by the fact that he won 11 NBA titles! But he is also the greatest defensive player and co-greatest rebounder in NBA history. He averaged 20 rebounds for a season 10 times! (For comparison, Dwight Howards best single season average is 14.2 rebounds.) However, Russell was never the focal point of his team's offense, so he can't be higher on this list, despite all those NBA titles.
2b) Michael Jordan - Everyone knows that His Airness is the greatest player of all-time. And if you read on you will see my logic for placing him not at the top. But as to why Michael is where he is, Jordan won 6 NBA titles in his career (and would have won more had he not decided to try baseball). He is the greatest shooting guard in the history of the game and probably the most clutch player as well. Plus, he is the most popular player of all-time and every great player in today's game is thought of in terms of how they compare to Michael.
2a) Magic Johnson - Make no mistake about it, Magic Johnson deserves to be right here with Michael Jordan (and actually slightly ahead of him). Michael Jordan was a dominant shooting guard; Magic Johnson was a dominant player at every position on the floor. He is the only player in NBA history who can make that claim. Despite being a point guard, Magic Johnson started Game 6 of the NBA Finals his rookie year at center and had the incredible stat line 42 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assist, and 3 steals. It is difficult to compare Magic's all-time numbers because his career was cut short at the age of 32 due to his testing positive for HIV. Still, in his shortened career, Magic won 5 NBA titles. I have no doubt that had he continued playing Magic's Lakers would have challenged Michael's Bulls for the NBA title every year and probably won a few.
1) Wilt Chamberlain - I was all set to make Michael and Magic co-greatest players of all-time until I did some further research into Wilt. Rather than make arguments about why Wilt is the greatest player of all-time, I am going to let his numbers speak for themselves. Wilt averaged 30.1 points and 22.9 rebounds for his career! He once scored 100 points in a game! He once grabbed 55 rebounds in a game! He once averaged 50 points for a season! He average 40 points in a different season! Those overwhelming number (and many more) are the reason Wilt Chamberlain is the greatest NBA player of all-time, despite winning only 2 NBA titles.
Incomplete) Lebron James - I have Lebron here as an anticpatory pick. Although his accomplishments don't merit his inclusion yet, Lebron will most certainly be on this list one day. He is the closest thing the NBA has seen to Magic since Magic. And he will undoubtatly win his share of NBA titles like everyone else on this list. Michael Jordan didn't win his first title until his 7th season in the league and he was known in the late 80's as a great player who couldn't win a the big one. The reason I have chosen to put Lebron's Incomplete ahead of everyone else on this list is that I believe if he plays as well as he can, the King will retire as the greatest NBA player of all-time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)