After Sunday’s victory at home over the Charlotte Bobcats, the Miami Heat are in the midst of their quest to capture a rare third consecutive NBA title and even rarer fourth consecutive trip to the NBA Finals. LeBron James, the four-time league Most Valuable Player and reigning back-to-back Finals MVP, is the locomotive that drives the Heat’s championship runs. But lost in the chatter about the team’s roller coaster ride over the past four years and the challenges it still faces is a clear, undeniable fact: LeBron James is the best player in basketball history. Simply put, there has never been another player who dominates every facet of the game the way he does.
James has no peer in today’s game. Greats like Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell played in an uncomparable era of basketball, in which the number of teams was severely limited and the talent pool was solely domestic. Seasons were also shorter, teams were afforded byes in the playoffs and competition was astronomically lower than today. LeBron is often compared to greats such as Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. Though these athletes all achieved greatness, none of them is a match for James.
Statistically speaking, Johnson doesn’t hold a candle to James’ scoring prowess: He averaged nearly eight points fewer per game than James does, and he was never a comparable defender. Bird could never facilitate or defend like LeBron does, and even though he’s known for his shooting skills, his points-per-game average is still over three fewer than LeBron’s average total at a less efficient rate. Bryant, too, pales in comparison. Since Bryant has one MVP award to LeBron’s four, zero seasons of 50 percent or better shooting averages to LeBron’s five and the same number of Finals MVPs despite being six years older than James, any comparisons of the two are borne more out of emotion than fact. The last potential rival standing, Jordan, is LeBron’s closest match.
It’s difficult to cast aside the non-rational attachments basketball fans have to Jordan. Understandably, he transcended the sport of basketball by rebranding the game, marketing, movies, shoes and more. When he is shrunken down from his larger-than-life stature, even the purported “greatest of all time” can’t match what LeBron James brings to the hardwood. Again, grounding the comparison purely in numbers, James is a better three-point shooter despite not having the advantage of a shorter three-point line for several years. He is also a better rebounder and passer and an equally efficient scorer. Top that off with LeBron’s unparalleled ability to guard every position on the floor and his off-ball defense, which is unmatched even by computer simulation.
James’ numbers exceed Jordan’s and those of other historic greats even though the NBA’s pace has slowed over time, scoring has decreased, international competition has risen, and players are bigger, faster and stronger. Defenses are more complex, as zone rules have changed and schemes have evolved. The complex paint-packing and zone traps played against James would be illegal in Jordan’s time. In that context, the five all-NBA first team defense awards, previously mentioned MVPs and rings, scoring title, countless other accolades and jaw-dropping numbers are even more impressive. For context, LeBron shot nearly 57 percent from the field this year. That is 7 percentage points above Jordan’s career average and the seventh straight year James has improved his efficiency. What makes all of this even more astounding is that James is only 29 years old. With a decade of basketball left for him to play, he will shatter every precedent set forth by NBA legends.
Whether or not James captures another championship ring is beside the point. He’s shown the capacity to win during the past two years, particularly when he carried a team of hapless journeymen to the NBA Finals in Cleveland. Rings are always team accomplishments; Jordan couldn’t post a winning season without Scottie Pippen, Johnson had the help of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy, and Bird played alongside multiple Hall of Famers. In any case, James has demonstrated his ability to perform under pressure with one of the highest points-per-game totals for an elimination game in NBA history, clutch playoff performances against the Detroit Pistons in 2007, Boston Celtics in 2012 and San Antonio Spurs in 2013, and countless game-winning shots during the regular season.
It’s understandable why many fans refuse to accept LeBron’s greatness. He beats your team in the playoffs and dominates every aspect of the game physically and mentally. He chose Miami over your favorite team in 2010. He complains to referees about their calls just as much as Jordan did, but it’s more noticeable because of social media. As a player crowned as the “Chosen One” out of high school before he could even legally drive a car, James has shattered expectations. Moreover, he’s done so while staying out of personal trouble and maintaining a nearly impeccable public image. He’s worthy of the utmost admiration on and off the court, and we should anticipate his future success solidifying his standing as the greatest player to ever step foot on a basketball court.
Jay Upadhyay ’15 has watched LeBron James since high school and has a bedroom lined with his posters. He can be reached at jay_upadhyay@brown.edu.
ADVERTISEMENT
