We might be in the midst of history being made
By Mo Hussain, Sports Reporter
James is also ahead of Jordan on the NBA all-time scoring list in third place with over 34,000 points.
Many believe that LeBron James is not only the one player to have brought forth a credible threat to Michael Jordan’s reign as arguably the best player in NBA history, but many also believe that he might also be the one who’s already passed him
Statistically, James is a four-time NBA MVP, four-time NBA finals MVP, 16 time NBA All-Star, was named NBA Rookie of the Year in the 2003-04 season, was the NBA scoring champion in the 2007-08 season, led the league in assists this past season, was named to the NBA all-defensive team six times, and has won four NBA championships thus far. James is also ahead of Jordan on the NBA all-time scoring list in third place with over 34,000 points. He is also first in the all-time playoff scoring list with almost 7500. James is also one of only four players to have ever reached 10 NBA finals appearances.
James’s longevity in the NBA is also something many can look to. He has been in the league since he was 18 and has averaged over 27 points, 7 assists, and 7 rebounds throughout his career. This year, James also became the fourth player to win an NBA championship on three separate teams, and that achievement speaks to James’s ability to adapt to the teams he’s been on, and attract and elevate talent to its full potential no matter where he goes.
When he first arrived in Cleveland in 2003, the team went from a 17-65 record the year prior to a 35-47 record in his rookie year, and then off to the franchise’s first NBA finals three seasons after that. When he signed with the Miami Heat in 2010, they made the finals all four years that he was there, with James winning his first two championships.
He then returned to Cleveland in 2014, where the team had gone 97-215 since he’d left, and helped the team make a trip to the NBA finals every single year in that run—including helping the franchise win its first NBA championship in 2016 after being the first team to come back from a 3-1 series deficit in the NBA finals. Cleveland won that championship against the Golden State Warriors, who were coming off the best regular season record of all-time.
James’s ability to sustain a high level of play despite arguably working with less than what his legendary contemporaries had in some cases should also be considered. During his first finals run in Cleveland that was mentioned earlier, a 22-year-old James, who had no other perennial all-star by his side, led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA finals against the San Antonio Spurs who were still in their prime. In the 2015 NBA finals, he and the Cavaliers managed to somehow win two games against the Golden State Warriors without core players Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, and was arguably the best player on the court even though he was on the losing team. And in 2018, again with little supporting cast, and with the Golden State Warriors having arguably the best basketball team in NBA history with the addition of Kevin Durant, James somehow carried the team through the eastern conference and into the NBA finals.
LeBron’s physical abilities and basketball IQ also play a big role in this discussion. LeBron stands at six foot nine inches tall, weighs 250 pounds, and can guard players who are as big as forwards and as quick as guards.
While many may not agree James is the finest to ever take the floor or that his resume is still lacking, it is undeniable his accomplishments certainly at least put him in the discussion as one of the best basketball players to ever do it.
READ “The case for Michael Jordan being the best basketball player in NBA History” HERE!
