after kobe leaves

patty mills.

i’m not even sure lebron is second best…i might stick wade before him right this minute

How would you say that if they haven’t played a game in like 3 months?

Lebron isn’t 2nd??? He is the first forward to average more than 8 apg, he broke Birds record, the best SF of all time. But yeah, he isn’t second.

i think it will be kind of like the 2 years when jordan left it was all about a couple of guys. Shaq, Hakeem, Robinson, Ewing, Vince, Tmac, etc.. It wasn’t really one player so i think it will be the same sort of thing Wade, Lebron, Durant, Rose, etc..

Wade’s resume is not more impressive then LeBron.

He has a title and that’s the only thing he has over LeBron as of today.

Durant, Melo, Wade, Lebron, or Wall/Rose

The Numbers have not been similar at all. As of right now, LBJ is 3rd all time in scoring. He also has better rebounding numbers.

Give LeBron the team D-Wade had in 06…He would have won a title.

i dont think rose can ever be the face of the NBA. He will be top 5 – maybe top 3 – in the league, but that doesnt mean hes got the personality or marketability to be the flagbearer.

I think the next face of the NBA should be Kevin Durant. Durant is very young and he has probably not reached his peak of being an NBA player and you can see the numbers he already is putting up. Though I believe that the next face of the NBA will be someone in a major city like LA, New York, and now Miami. Therefore I think it will end up being lebron or wade as of right now.

knicksboy32, I love how your username says knicksboy32, but you have a picture of the miami heat…

and how is wade’s resume not more impressive than lebrons? lebron puts up better numbers, but he’s a 6’8 freak. Wade carried the heat to a title, while lebron was swept. Wade’s title isn’t the only thing he has ahead of lebron, he also has a finals’ MVP. those 2 things automatically puts him ahead of lebron.

the only thing that lebron has over wade is that ridiculous 1 hour special. I seriously thought he was going to have the hats of the cavs, knicks, bulls, and heat lined up in front of him just like how high school football players decide where they want to play football at.

when kobe retires, durant will be the face of the league, and in the next 5 years, I wouldn’t be surprised if the thunder win an NBA championship

Kevin Durant is going to be what Tracy McGrady could have been.

Lol, I like the picture. It’s a new world order in the NBA.

Go look at the Miami Heat’s 2006 roster then look at Cleveland’s 2008 roster and come back.

Also, That San Antonio team was better then that Dallas team.

I don’t see anyway KD wins a title unless they get a legit big man. Aldrich is good but they need someone who’s a game changer.

i actually thought this thread was going to be about what is going to happen to the lakers after Kobe leaves (by retirement, not by trade or free agency). that’s a pretty interesting topic in itself i think. hypothetically if Kobe retired right now (not possible i know, let’s just say) who would the lakers look to to lead? Gasol? Bynum? and when are the lakers going to start looking for their new emerging superstar once Kobe starts to get older? interesting to think about, but for now as was said, he’s still the best and will be for a few more years at least.

but on another note, i agree it will be KD as the new face of the NBA. he’s really likeable and that OKC team is destined for great things.

The "who are the next great stars" or "who is the next man to takeover the nba" discussions have been going on since i have been watching the game. It will sort itself out.

If Lebron was 6′ 4″, Wade would be twice as good. Lebron is a physical freak with a little bit of a shot. That’s all he is. He’s the best athlete, nowhere near the best *BASKETBALL PLAYER*. Durant is the future of the NBA

disagree. im not even going to write why. all he is is a physical freak?

That’s all he is. He’s the best athlete, nowhere near the best *BASKETBALL PLAYER*.

He a two time scoring champ, great rebounder and passer. How is he not a basketball player?

And let’s be real- Wade would not have won a title if the refs didn’t give him EVERY Call. I will post games and we could break down foul by foul that was pure BS.

You guys are fuckin nuts….

Durant doesn’t need a game changing Center, he just needs a good one, he needs a game changing 4 maybe. I don’t think Jeff Green has what it takes to be that guy, but down the road they will make adjustments. It will be a lot tougher in the West to win a title than the East, which will hinder Durant’s growth as a player. But he will definitely be one of the top faces of the game when Kobe bows out…

To win the West? You will need a above average big man.

I really think the Thunder missed out on not moving up in the NBA Draft to take DeMarcus Cousins. He’s a potential superstar big man and that’s one of the things a team needs to win a title.

He doesn’t have near the type of pure skill that Kobe has. Lebron outruns, outmuscles, and outjumps everybody that stands in front of him. Kobe shoots over, dribbles around, or passes under anyone that tries to guard him.

it cant be lebron bc he is no longer THE man on his team, so its going to have to be Durant, cant be wall yet bc he hasnt proven himself, and honestly rose hasnt become the face of the league, wade has 2 superstars around him so he doesnt have a chance so Durant si the man!

Its between Wade and Durant, Lebron has taken himself out of the equation. He will still be a great player but more in a Scottie Pippen role. Wade and Durant. Watch out for Michael Gilchrist in two years alot of upside.

Its between Wade and Durant, Lebron has taken himself out of the equation. He will still be a great player but more in a Scottie Pippen role. Wade and Durant. Watch out for Michael Gilchrist in two years alot of upside.

I will go with Kevin Durant as the “best player” in the NBA once Kobe retires. At 21 years old he already has a scoring title under his belt and should win another one this year easily now that Lebron has to share the ball with other stars, and he hasnt fully tapped into his full potential yet, wait till he learns how to post up and use his 6’10 frame. And on defense he made great improvement from his 2nd year to his 3rd year.

So I would go with Durant has the best player in the league 2-3 years from now, the way hes improved every year, I wouldn’t be shock if he wins the MVP this year.

People…KD will never be as good LBJ…Get it through your heads…God I know everyone is hating on LBJ now, but he is the best player in the league (I’m not even gonna argue with you Laker fans lol). Durant is one of the best scorers I have ever seen, but he will never be half of the passer or defender that LeBron is.

It will be Durant. If he can fill out just a little more and develop a post-game then Durant has a chance to enter GOAT discussions. He has the talent, skill and mindset. It might just take him until the Heat have broken up to win a championship is all. But by the time Kobe retires this will be KDs league.

the best player of all time will only answer objectively.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOp9TA_iaDE

if james stayed with the cavs he would have been the best player maybe ever in terms of stats and would have won championships if he put forth the effort in recruiting like he has the past couple of weeks with the heat…however since james decided to go party his career away and take the easy way out. this will be durants league. durant will avg 30+ ppg throughout his career and be the most efficient scorer since jordan.