LeBron James is considered one of the best basketball players and his time with Los Angeles Lakers is simply legendary.
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When one talks about basketball greatness, the debate probably ends with Michael Jordan. There is a section who believe Kobe Bryant is much better than Jordan. But, among serious basketball analysts, if there is truly one player who has managed to polarize the greatness debate in basketball in the USA, it is truly LeBron James. The 37-year-old has transformed the NBA with his magnificent style of basketball and he is carrying on the legacy of being THE name on which the NBA popularity soars in the world.
The numbers LeBron has accumulated in his career are fabulous. This one fact alone seals his greatness. LeBron is the only player in the history of the NBA to have won titles with three different franchises. LeBron has played for the for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Lakers, James is the only player in NBA history to have won NBA championships with three franchises as Finals MVP.
The other numbers are equally staggering. LeBron has four NBA championships, four NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards, four Finals MVP Awards, and two Olympic gold medals. During his 17-year career, LeBron holds the record for all-time playoffs points, is third in all-time points, and eighth in career assists. He has been selected to the All-NBA First Team a record 13 times, made the All-Defensive First Team five times, and has been named an All-Star 17 times, including three All-Star MVP selections.
Perhaps, LeBron’s superstardom coincided with the time Bryant was the giant of basketball. Yet, in 2006, his exploits were enough to put even Bryant in the shade. Despite starting the season poorly, LeBron showed that he was the big match player. n 2006–07, LeBron’s averages declined to 27.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, six assists, and 1.6 steals per game. Some analysts attributed the fall to a regression in his passing skills and shot selection, which stemmed from a lack of effort and focus.
Cleveland Cavaliers finished the season with 50 wins for the second consecutive year and entered the playoffs as the East’s second seed. In Game 5 of the NBA Conference Finals, LeBron notched 48 points with 9 rebounds and 7 assists, scoring 29 of Cleveland’s last 30 points, including the game-winning layup with two seconds left in a double-overtime game against the Pistons. This performance was hailed as “one of the greatest moments in postseason history” and many described it as “Jordan-esque”.
In the period of 2011-13, LeBron’s association with the Miami Heat saw him winning back-to-back championships. One particular instance was in the playoffs against Boston Celtics. Facing elimination in Game 6, LeBron recorded 45 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Heat to victory and it was dubbed as the career-defining performance. When Miami Heat took on Oklahoma City Thunder in the finals, it pitted LeBron against upcoming sensation and future star Kevin Durant.
The numbers that LeBron has amassed consistently in his entire career and with great franchises truly makes him the GOAT in addition to multiple MVP awards.
