Critics aside, one day we’ll look back and conclude that LeBron James was one of the best–if not the best–player in the history of the game.
LeBron James has an NBA Final’s record of 3-6. Critics use that record to discredit LeBron as a worthy candidate for NBA’s G.O.A.T. It doesn’t compare to what other great players have accomplished, they argue, players like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
What’s more, they contend that this year’s crown (won by LeBron and his Lakers) doesn’t measure up to past championships because of COVID-19’s impact and how championship play was configured. The record book requires an asterisk next to the championship line.
Courtesy: VOA News
Critics conveniently forget that LeBron won two championships (2012 and 2013) with a great team, the Miami Heat. And perhaps more importantly, LeBron’s undermanned Cavaliers lost three times (in 2015, 2017, and 2018) to arguably the greatest NBA team of all-time, the Golden State Warriors. What’s more, despite tall odds, the Cavs beat GSW in 2016 when LeBron carried the team on his back to win in seven.
And while critics seek to discredit the value of this year’s championship, here’s what Giannis Antetokumpo had to say going into play: “This is gonna be the toughest championship you could ever win.” How so? The winner would have to push through adversity and play in an artificial ‘bubble environment’ (without home-court advantage) to come out on top.
The Lakers rose to the occasion, beating the Heat in six, to win their 17th NBA crown. How did LeBron perform? At 35 years of age, he played more minutes than any other teammate. And he averaged a double-double in points and rebounds–nearly 30 points and 12 rebounds per game. Incredible!
It’s nonsense when critics discredit LeBron James and what he has accomplished. James may be the most unappreciated superstar of all time. No matter what he does, critics find fault. They undervalue accomplishments and embellish shortcomings.
While that seems to be true now, I don’t think it will remain that way. One day there will be widespread consensus that LeBron James was one of the best–if not the best–player in the history of the game.
