[DipoTimeParticipant]

http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/8011587/lebron-being-lebron

First off, Im new to posting links so if I messed up let me know, and if you could maybe repost it the right way or let me know how to for future reference. Thanks

I have never been a LeBron lover or hater, I have always just tried to be as realistic as possible with him. The decision was too much, yeah, but I dont think it was as bad as most people say. Also, he is still the best all around player in the world and I can’t help but watch him every chance I get just to see the amazing plays that only he is capable of making.

Anyway, whether you love him or hate him what do you guys think of this article by Rick Reilly? I think at the very least he brings up some good points.. He does seem a little in love with him though lol

[SpacegrassParticipant]

Reilly does make some good points , but to be considered the best player in the world you have to be able to finish when it counts and he seems to always come up a little short in that area.  While Lebron is a great all around talent , Kevin Durant is great at the most important thing to winning in basketball and that is scoring the basketball in key moments.  I will take Kevin Durant any day of the week over Lebron until Lebron shows me he has that "it" that Durant has.  Plus Durant is as humble as they come and listening to him speak after games and the way he carries himself reminds you of a well traveled pro 10-12 years older than what Durant actually is.  Lebron isn’t a bad guy , but his weaknessess I feel are a product of being hyped at such an early age where Durant despite being insanely talented has always had to hear people saying someone is better than him.  Those kinds of things seem to drive Kevin Durant.

[DolanCareParticipant]

Great column. LBJ has definitely had some questionable  moments (i.e the decision and his performace in Finals 2011). However, ppl forget how he carried the Cavs to the finals over the Pistons. And he has had game winning shots before… I’ve seen him do it.

In the end, we have to admit that he is not an assassin scorer like some of the greats. That being said, he does things that win games that Kobe and Jordan could not do as well as him. He is possibly the most well-rounded player in league history… If that means that he’s not the best closer, then he makes up for it in other categories.

 

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

Is a fantastic and quite often very humorous writer (even when I disagree with him, which can happen from time to time). The thing Rick writes here is the hypocrisy behind the unbridled anger and hate towards LeBron James. The guy has not gotten into major trouble. He says and does the same stupid $hit countless other people do. He flops and b!tches to the refs like Kobe Bryant and countless others had done before him. But, in the end people give him $hit for going out and playing excellent basketball.

Lord knows if LeBron could be better, or do this or that differently. The bottom line is, he has been playing amazing basketball for years and than gets ripped to shreds if he does not lead his team to a title. Maybe LeBron is on a different level than Karl Malone, Charles Barkley or Patrick Ewing, they definitely did not face CLOSE to the wrath for not winning rings (I was watching basketball back than, they didn’t). With LeBron, I feel if he does anything less than what Michael Jordan has done before him, people label that as a failure, which is unfair. As I answered Y2G’s post about Mike being the GOAT before, no one did things like Michael Jordan combining winning and individual success. 

Obviously (seeing that he has been playing for a good 9 years in the NBA), LeBron has a far different mind set than a Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant. It is actually good in certain ways, but bad in the ways that everyone points out in excruciating detail. What LeBron has also been doing, is playing completely magnificent basketball this season. He did so last season as well, up until a Finals appearance where he lacked aggression and was less than his best. Rick even wrote a similar article last year:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=6634464

Granted, those next two games were a doozy. Rick definitely had a point, though. LeBron is an excellent basketball player and even if he is more Wilt than Jordan, has the guy not been playing excellent basketball this post-season? I tend to think that he has done just about everything in his power to try to win his team games. You may root against him, you may question his "legacy" amongst the games All-Time greats. But, amongst his peers, right now, LeBron James is playing basketball at a higher level than anyone else. To me, that is where Rick is saying to question him beyond this is a tad ridiculous.

[surveParticipant]

 MikeyV and apache make some good points that have fell on deaf ears here before.  Lebron’s biggest weakness may be his versatility.  We talk about players that are versatile.  This year in the draft, you have a guy like Royce White for example.  I did a comparison thread here about Melo and Josh Smith….just to get peoples opinions.  Obviously Josh is the better all around player but mostly everyone will consider Melo the better player.  I dont think Melo has any more "IT" than Smith.  To a greater degree, I dont think KD has any more "IT" than LBJ.

Scottie Pippen was one of the greatest players of all times, but it is doubtful in my mind that he would do any better than Lebron if he were the complete focal point of carrying a team.  Its not a knock on one of the greatest SF’s to ever lace em up….but he was just so versatile that on even the biggest stage….he just cant turn himself into a lights out scorer.  Lebron has even more tools than Scottie and is a better scorer but even he cant.  

This is the part that will hurt some feelings.  When you talk about SCORING….it is a certain mentality.  That mentality….is to be a gunner.   Every guy we are talking about as far as cold blooded scorers are gunners to some degree.  Kobe, admittedly is a gunner.  MJ was a gunner too….and here is what is funny.  There was a thread here asking when did MJ become the GOAT?  Let me go into that briefly.

In the beginning of MJ’s career, when the Bulls werent a contender, MJ was considered the new star of the league and the brightest young star and most talented player….just like Lebron was in Cleveland.  Wanna talk about how history repeats itself?  Well, I saw MJ in his beginning and I saw Kobe in his beginning.  When Shaq left Kobe with not that much of a team, Kobe was exactly like MJ was when he first got to Chicago.  My brother (R.I.P.) was a UNC fanatic, so that tells you his sentiments towards Jordan.  My brother…and many others were saying…"I wouldnt have Kobe on my team.  He’s a gunner, he is selfish, and you can win with him, yada, yada" I remember the EXACT same things being said about MJ….until he got a supporting cast that he could trust.

Now when I say gunner, I dont mean a black hole.  I mean that guy is used to taking all the shots….so when its time for a shot to be taken, its 2nd nature for that instinct to kick in.  

When you have players that are multi-versatile, especially good ballhandlers and passers, its just not in their DNA to get into that "zone" where they can take the last 10 shots of a game and feel 100% confident they will make them.  Yes, players get hot…..but Pippen wasnt that type of player.  Pippen was better than Melo, no doubt in my mind, but when it comes to clutch and closing a game….locking into scoring mode….no question Melo is better.   Because KD can do that, that doesnt mean he is better than Lebron.   Lebron can do every single thing on the court, but because his mentality is not a lock and load, seek and destroy type scorers mentality, he gets crucified for it.  

This is my one fear of OKC winning it, is then the clamour will be that KD is the best player in the league.  It is a team sport before anything and there are many variables that come into play.  One day Lebron will get a ring I am sure, but because he doesnt, doesnt mean he isnt the best night in and night out.

Keep in mind that the most versatile players, particularly in terms of passing and assists, were never guys that could unequivocally take over a game scoring wise every single night.

MJ, Kobe, KD, Melo, etc…they are scorers, that was the best thing they did.  Naturally, they should be the best at closing out games on a nightly basis.  Although like Scottie Pippen was a great scorer, Lebron is as well and maybe better….scoring is not clearly the best thing that Lebron does.  This is his gift as well as his curse.

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

Didn’t see Oscar Robertson play or Elgin Baylor play but it seems that LeBron is on that level. Baylor never got a ring, and the Big O only got one. When I think about Robertson was he sounds to me like a LeBron James type. A oversized wing and a walking triple double. But he didn’t win until Kareem showed up. He averaged a triple double one year but Bill Simmons wrote an article about how everyone put up stats that year and how Walt Bellamy put up 30 and 19 that same season. Robertson’s stats declined big after his 9th season or so. I guess his strengh and athleticism declined. I think LeBron is a similar player.

[Champzilla21Participant]

 Theres never been a player like Lebron you cant comepare him to anyone body wise or skill wise. Saying Oscar or Elgin were better is just out of bounds if lebron was playing back in the day against lesser athletes he would have killed it. Hes 6’9 260 and runs faster then almost anyone in the league with the ball in his hands or him running the break. There isnt a single thing on the court he cant do, I think hes the most talented basketball player ever. I dont think hes the best though and its simple really if your to be the best at something you need to win and really unless he gets atleast one ring the haters are gunna be out their and even when he does, ppl will criticize him for everything hes not, when everyone should be focusing on what he is, one of the most dominate athletes of our generation

[Author]

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