View from the Cheap Seats is kind of an extension of the newsroom. Whenever our three regular reporters, Calvin Daniels, Thom Barker and Randy Brenzen are in the building together, it is frequently a site of heated debate. This week: Where does LeBron James rate in terms of basketball history.
There is no question in my mind that LeBron James is the greatest player in the game today.
Even though Stef Currie won MVP in the NBA this year that could be a function of being the best player on the best team. Still, a good case can be made for Currie. He is an incredible shooter, he moves the ball exceptionally well and has instincts that at times seem surreal.
Still, being the greatest player in the game requires more than just one phenomenal season and championship.
That is what James has.
The only question left for me is whether he is the greatest player ever. If Cleveland had won the championship this year short their three best players other than James, that question would be answered.
He almost pulled it off single-handedly, but Golden State ultimately overwhelmed even his greatness.
My son says James could carry a great high school team to the playoffs in the NBA. He may not be entirely wrong.
For me, James is already in the discussion for greatest ever, he just needs to lead the Cavs to a couple of championships and the crown will be his.
—Thom Barker
Whenever you start the discussion of where a player in any sport fits into the overall hierarchy of the game’s best, you are in for heated debated.
Is Wayne Gretzky better than Sydney Crosby? Is Mario Lemieux the best? Or, is it Gordie Howe, Maurice Richard, or maybe Bobby Orr?
Comparing starts across generations is always harder, as the game changes too.
But here we go, trying to determine where LeBron James fits into the history of basketball.
While not a diehard hard court fan, I will say that I hold little doubt James is the best of his era. Over the past decade he has dominated. James has won two NBA championships, four NBA Most Valuable Player Awards, two NBA Finals MVP Awards, two Olympic gold medals, an NBA scoring title, and the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. He has also been selected to 11 NBA All-Star teams, 11 All-NBA teams, and six All-Defensive teams.
But to extend that success to the best ever may be a stretch.
James deserves to be in the conversation, but likely falls in at best number three, behind Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and he might actually be in tough for third with Wilt Chamberlin around with a career that lifts him into the debate as well.
And, of course James is still playing, so his stock may yet rise higher. The run he has made with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs is testament to what James can do. The Cavs have a beat-up line-up, and were not expected to put up much of a fight against the deeper Golden State Warriors, but James kept Cleveland in the fight.
If the big man has another two, three, four years of dominance and success, then James might muscle into serious contention as the best ever.
— Calvin Daniels
Is LeBron James the best player in the history of basketball?
I’m not going to lie and say he isn’t good. Darn good. But as for the best, please. He wasn’t even the regular season MVP this year. That went to the chef Stephen Curry.
Plus, when you compare their stats LeBron’s line is fairly similar to those of Allen Iverson with the exception of the rebounding category, seeing as Iverson was much smaller.
I’ll admit that he’s definitely one of the top five basketball players of all-time, maybe, possibly, top three. There’s no doubt about it. This is coming from someone who is not a fan of the guy, both on and off the court due to his ego and cockiness, just like I’m not a fan of Michael Jordan because of his ego (which is still there seeing as he thinks he can still beat everyone on the Charlotte Hornets one-on-one at the age of 52… Come on, MJ).
As for best in the world, well no. Not yet and most likely never. Why? Four words: Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan.
Sorry ‘King’ James. You’ve been relegated to Lord LeBron.
—Randy Brenzen
