MJ, Kobe and LeBron – My Thoughts

With Kobe Bryant and LeBron James once again going toe-to-toe for the NBA MVP award, there are never-ending questions about their skills, credentials, and eventual legacy.  While casually discussing our inabilities to play pickup ball one night, me and a couple of friends started into the recurring email discussion of the games best two current players – - as well as how they compare to the enduring icon of the league, His Airness.

Here’s my first friend’s question / comment:

There really cannot be even a comparison of either of those two legitimately to Jordan (of course this is tangent as usual). 1) Jordan always wanted to guard the opponent’s best player 2) he made his teammates better and could ALWAYS be counted on in big games whether offense or defense. You never heard of him being out of breath or not able to withstand the pressure of the opponent. I definitely got respect for a man who scores 40 points with the flu! Neither LeBron or Kobe have the mindset of Jordan. There’s no one in the league remotely close!!!

LeBron is better at making his teammates better than Jordan was.  Michael intimidated his teammates into playing well; LeBron actually makes them better on the court.  You tell me who else has the talent to make Andersen Varajeo look respectable.  Kobe doesn’t have passing in his heart – he doesn’t enjoy it and neither did MJ.  It was a necessity when they didn’t have other options.  LeBron James is an athletic Magic Johnson.  And that is just ridiculous.

Kobe's determination is what delivered an NBA title to L.A last season.

Kobe is more of the MJ clone – his build, abilities, everything.  But he just walked into 3 titles before he really knew how to play in the NBA.  Then he had to learn how to play.  He learned because he was forced to play alongside All-Stars like Smush Parker, Chris Mihm, Kwame Brown and Brian Cook.  With Jordan it was the other way around.  I remember his early years…I was wondering if he’d ever win a title.  He was hands down the best player in the league.  It wasn’t until he got some legitimate help – Pippen, Grant – that he started winning.  Everybody needs help. 

Give LeBron James a multiskilled cast like the Lakers have.  Pau Gasol.  Lamar Odom.  Ron Artest.  A veteran like Derek Fisher.  Are you kidding me?  Do you think they would lose a game?  The Eastern Conference would be a cake walk for them.  I’m sorry – but even the Celtics (with their troika of All-Stars) would have a VERY TOUGH time beating that roster.  LeBron’s major advantage is his physical strength.  He is a power forward playing the point guard position.  His handles are comparable to the best point guards in the game.  Until his body wears down, he has the potential to be better than either MJ or Kobe.  Yeah, I said it.  It’s almost unfair. 

Here’s the bottom line (with regards to making your teammates better):  If you were an NBA player, whose team would you rather play on?  MJ’s, Kobe’s or LeBron’s?

As far as the mentality goes – Kobe has it and LeBron is developing it.  Kobe has always been killer – just like Mike.  But, if last night’s game between the two conference front runners was any indication, Kobe is losing it and LeBron is gaining on him fast.  Now granted, Kobe has been battling ailments and injuries…but that didn’t keep him from coming out scorching in the first half.  But James’ effectiveness increased as the game went on.  And in the fourth quarter, it didn’t even matter who they put on him – the Lakers had no one that could guard him.  Shoot, they didn’t even have anybody who could even hope to contain him (as they used to say about Jordan).  Ron Artest and Lamar Odom took turns playing musical chairs and having a seat.

Therefore, I think Bryant and James are both aware and productive when the game is on the line.  And they want the ball in their hands.  And so do their teammates.

My second friend in the email chain says:

I think LeBron is great, but I think he’s going to get worn down by the time they get to the conference finals or NBA finals.

Conference finals would be my guess.  But this is a valid point, and he must have watched the playoffs last year.  Game 1 of the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals summed it up.  After the Cavs absorbed a close loss to the eventual Eastern Conference Champion Orlando Magic, LeBron had to be helped off the court.  He had given so much of himself that his big, strong 6′8″, 250 lb. sculpture basically crumbled on “the Q.”

So what did the Cavs do in the off-season to prevent this from happening again?

LeBron throws down a windmill...just because he can.

They added a way-over-the-hill Shaquille O’Neal, an average rookie power forward (J.J. Hickson) and some role playing guards (Anthony Parker, Jamario Moon).  While they were at it they should have grabbed a couple of players from the D-League and some guys from the Cleveland YMCA.  They would have the same impact and would be a lot lighter on the Cavs payroll.

James needs help.  He’s 24 years old.  He’s the most gifted basketball player of this generation.  The Cavs management needs to really push to get someone of substance on their squad that can share the ball-handling and scoring duties that always lie with the man-child.  If they could get that person (or people), there’s no reason that James wouldn’t bring Cleveland the titles that they have been longing for (from any of their professional sports teams). 

They also need to open up that putrid offense of theirs.  With the overall team speed that they have (particularly when they play with two small guards and Jawad Williams or J.J. Hickson at the 4), their offense should be much more free-flowing.  But Mike Brown has pretty much handed the reigns of the team over to LeBron – which all-to-often means 15 seconds of dribbling (by King James, who else?) followed by a one-on-one move which produces a kick-out for a 3 or a trip to the free-throw line.  

If the Cavs want to go to the next level, they need a coach who James will respect and some players that he can truly share the play-making burden with.

Or else LeBron just might leave the Q – without any help at all.

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