Last night Lebron James became the leading scorer in NBA history. He passed Kareem Abdul Jabar for most points ever scored. It’s quite an accomplishment and I want to give this great player his due.
I’ll start with saying I am a big Lebron fan. I’ve never understood all the hate. Michael Jordan is the best player I’ve ever seen and I believe the best to ever play in the NBA but that doesn’t take away from Lebron and his greatness. Why do we have to compare and argue over if Jordan or Lebron is better? Can’t we just agree both are two of the top players to ever play.
I first saw Lebron play when he was in high school at St Mary-St Vincent’s in Akron, Ohio. He was playing against Oak Hill Academy which had NBA star Carmelo Anthony and the game was being played at whatever the Cure Insurance Arena in Trenton was called then. Lebron had a ton of hype starting in high school. He was being called the next Jordan. And even with this immense pressure and hype, he did not disappoint. He was very good then and is still very good now.
Lebron has stayed out of trouble and the worse criticism against him is he had an ESPN special to announce he was joining a “super team” in Miami to try to win an NBA Championship. What’s wrong with a player going somewhere they can win? What have Durant, Harden and Irving done since then? Wouldn’t you do the same?
Lebron hasn’t won as many titles as Jordan. And I know part of greatness is measured in championships but he’s still won 3 titles with 3 different teams. Basketball is a team sport and there’s only so much one player can do. If you look at the Cavs rosters Lebron took to the final in his last year there, it’s stunning they even got to the playoffs, let alone the championship.
Lebron plays hard and plays both ends of the floor. He is very good defensively in addition to his amazing ability to create shots and score. He is not a selfish player and can literally fill up a stat sheet with all he does.
Lebron has played for 20 years and is still playing at a very high level. Basketball is a very grueling and physical sport and the fact that he is still as good as he is at his age is a pretty amazing feat.
Does Lebron get some calls other players don’t in games? Yes all great players do, it’s happens. Does Lebron complain and whine some games? Yes, as does almost every single NBA player. Has Lebron missed some time due to injuries? Yes his body is a little more banged up this many years in the league but he’s never missed a full season and still plays a lot more games than teammate Anthony Davis who never seems to stay healthy!
I feel lucky I was able to watch one of the greatest to ever play basketball play and continue to play at such a high level for so many years. I do think Jordan is the best to ever play the game but that doesn’t diminish or take away from what Lebron James has achieved.
So I’ll end with one of the first things I started with. I just don’t get all the Lebron hate. Why can’t people just respect that the guy is one of the best to ever play even if he only has three championships and is playing on a losing team this year. He’s carried himself well on and off the court and I have nothing but respect for him and his latest achievement, scoring the most points in NBA history. Stop the hate and appreciate. Like him or not, Lebron is one of the best to ever play and last night’s record just adds to his already impressive legacy.
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