Stop comparing and just enjoy the greatness

MJ versus Kobe versus LeBron. The one topic that can never be decided. Who is the greatest of all time in the NBA? Passionate basketball fans have been part of one of these debates many, many times. Some will say Jordan will be the greatest ever. He did win 6 championship rings in 6 tries. Others will say Kobe. He had that mamba mentality that helped lead him to win 5 championship rings. Then you have those who will say that LeBron is the greatest ever. He’s the king and he helped end the city of Cleveland’s historically long championship droughts by winning the Finals in 2016. But why do we as fans always compare instead of appreciating? Are there any other players that could be considered the Greatest of All Time?

The discussion of who is the greatest NBA player of all time has been going on for many years and depending on which era you grew up watching, your answer may vary. The 1990’s were dominated by Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. Many moments will forever be in fans minds. Moments, like the shot in game 5 of the 1989 Eastern Conference finals, the flu game, or Jordan winning the championship on Father’s Day in 1996. An emotional Jordan was seen laying on the locker room floor crying. It was a special moment for Jordan, his father was murdered in 1993 and winning a championship on Father’s Day was something special. MJ had the “it” factor. Something fans have not seen. He has the awards, the championships, the moments to back his support for the greatest of all time. That was until someone special was drafted in 1996.

Kobe Bean Bryant was drafted 13th overall in the 1996 NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets. They had nothing special for him, so they traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers and the Lakers and the NBA would never be the same. Kobe was another special player, one that many fans have not seen since MJ. He had that killer instinct in games, especially when it mattered the most. They called him the black mamba because of his instincts. During the 2000’s the Lakers dominated the league. The Lakers were always one of the best teams around. Year after year they would make the playoffs and often, the finals. Like Jordan, Kobe has the support to backup the claim as the greatest basketball player of all time. He is a 5-time NBA champion, multiple time NBA M.V.P. as well as Finals M.V.P. Kobe has done it all. Even in his final years as a player, he still proved why he is so good. In fact, in his final career game, Kobe scored 60 points as the Lakers won the game. That final game, summed up Kobe’s career, he went out there and put in 100%. He never had a dull moment in his career. Fans knew that when the Lakers were in town, Kobe was going to give it his all. You don’t have to like Kobe, but you must respect how he played the game. There is no doubt that Kobe is a top 5 player of all time. Most fans even have him as their top three best player. Jordan is of course up there. As for who, some fans have joining them as a top 3 greatest player of all time that player is known as the King.

LeBron James was drafted first overall in the 2003 NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Many prospects had him listed as the next Michael Jordan. His size, speed, and versatile were all special. Young LeBron was a human highlight reel. Every night was exciting watching him play. He brought the city of Cleveland hope. Hopes of winning a championship and ending their drought of not having won a championship. It took him a few years, but it happened. After leaving the Miami Heat in 2014, he rejoined Cleveland and was a man on a mission. His mission, his promise was to deliver a championship trophy to a city that was known as the punchline to many sports jokes. In 2016, against all odds, LeBron and the Cavaliers came back from a 3-1 deficit and defeated the Golden State Warriors, a team that had won 73 games that year. A series no one will forget. Between the block on Iguodala by James and the clutch 3point shot by Kyrie Irving in the final moments. LeBron even said it after the game was over, that this championship was special because he was home. The kid from Akron brought a championship to his hometown team. Throughout his career, LeBron has dominated the Eastern Conference. He’s been to the NBA finals in 8 straight years. He has never lost a first round series. No matter who he had on his team, LeBron and his team were always favorites to make it deep into the postseason and at times the Finals. LeBron may not have the best Finals record at 3-6 but his accomplishment on and off the court can not be denied. For what he has done, he is called the King and the G.O.A.T.

No matter what the stats say, fans will always bicker on who the best is. But why can’t they just appreciate greatness? All three of these players were something special, players that come once in a lifetime. We may never see another LeBron or a Kobe. These players changed the game not only for the fans but for the players and the league itself. Players on the opposing teams wanted to go up against these players to test how they stack up against the legends. Coaches had to think of ways to stop LeBron or Kobe, a task that was not easy to do. Can we really talk about the history of the NBA without mentioning LeBron, Kobe, or Jordan? Of course you still have other great players like Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Wilt Chamberlin, Bill Russell, and Kareem Abdul Jabbar. All of those guys impacted the game in their own way during their era. That’s one of the best things about basketball, there are so many great legends that have impacted the game. So, fans, instead of comparing all of these legends especially the top three, just appreciate. Appreciate the greatness that we are able to watch every season.

BruceJ