Words by Jeffrey Arthur
Few sports personalities have suffered the scrutiny he has, but with his fourth NBA championship and a host of other achievements under his belt, ‘The Chosen One’ might just be the greatest MVP of all time.
In sport, there are very few more contentious debates – and sometimes fights – than those over which athlete is the best ever. Different generations have different views, everyone has their own interpretation of statistics, and achievements become subjective. In football, for example, ask the question and you’re likely to receive varying answers. Messi and Ronaldo might crop up as the most mentioned, but depending on the generation, other names such as Ronaldinho, Pele and Maradona might come into the mix. After all, Messi and Ronaldo may have scored more goals individually than some teams combined, but neither has ever lifted football’s greatest prize; and surely, to be the best, you must have won the best?
No, you might (annoyingly) say. Who cares if they haven’t won the World Cup? It’s all about individual performance. If so, you’d be proving our point about subjectivity.
After his latest NBA triumph with the Lakers, LeBron James, King James, or ‘The Chosen One’, as some call him, has revived that same argument in basketball.
There are a few names in the mix for the greatest MVP of all time – depending on who you ask, of course. Ask some older fans, and names such as Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Larry Bird and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar might crop up. All of these players were, in their own right, great.
But as subjective as the question may be, we can safely (we hope) whittle it down, using the numbers, to two of the NBA’s greatest players: Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
“Lebron will never beat Jordan. Call me when LeBron has six championships”
That’s what Russel Getts, played by Jason Segel, said in the 2011 film Bad Teacher. He was arguing with his pupil, who thought LeBron James was better than Michael Jordan. It’s the most quoted and memorable scene from the movie, proving, just in case you doubted it, the severity and importance of the argument.
Across friendship groups, campuses and workplaces, it’ll be one of the more contentious issues on people’s minds. Brexit? We’ll get it sorted later. Politics? Who cares. For now, it’s all about James vs. Jordan. The other stuff can wait, for now.
In truth – although some stubborn NBA fans may not want to admit it – the debate over the greatest MVP was always going to boil down to LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan. Ever since he was proclaimed ‘The Chosen One’ by Sports Illustrated, LeBron became Jordan’s prodigy and his successor-in-waiting.
On the face of it, Jordan fans may have a point. For all of James’ achievements, Jordan has more titles. Not only that, he won all six of his Finals titles with the Chicago Bulls – a 100% winning record. Not bad, by any standard.
“So what?”, LeBron fans say. It might have been LeBron’s tenth final and fourth win, but surely reaching 10 finals, with three different teams, counts for something, right? Not only did he lead three different teams to the Finals, but he was also the first player to win a Finals MVP with each team. As it stands, he holds the record for playing in the most NBA Finals games, beating former Lakers legend Derek Fisher.
All this considered, and it’s hard to understand why some refuse to give him his due respect. You may argue about his status as the greatest basketball player, but it’s hard to deny that no other player has faced quite the same scrutiny. “I want my damn respect”, LeBron said, after clinching his fourth title with the LA Lakers.
“He’s the greatest player the basketball universe has ever seen” – Frank Vogel
Jordan may have the edge when it comes to NBA titles, but as with all sports debates, there are always other factors to consider.
The debate would have been intensified when many young people were recently introduced to the genius of Michael Jordan. The release of The Last Dance exposed many younger fans to his sheer determination to win, his relentless pursuit of success on the court.
Whilst LeBron might not have a similar documentary (yet), his influence on the teams he’s played with can hardly be understated. Arguably, he turned three struggling teams into basketballing heavyweights. In his early years, the Cavaliers were hardly regarded as a good team, and the Lakers were seen as hanging on to old glory. Reaching 10 finals with these teams, then, is – in many people’s eyes – like winning the title itself.
Then there’s his impact off the court. On social issues, LeBron is no stranger to speaking out, often seeing his role in-game as the same off it: being a leader. For the next 10 years, he’s pledged $10 million-a-year to social justice organisations. He’s also been driving the ‘More Than A Vote’ campaign, aimed at increasing voting participation amongst African-Americans.
At 35, he shows little sign of slowing down. He wants titles number five and six. He could hang up his boots safe in the knowledge that he’s one of sports greatest athletes. But he won’t. There’s much more to do on – and off – the court.
By all estimations, there’s nothing stopping him from surpassing Michael Jordan’s six title records. His status as basketball’s greatest MVP is all but confirmed. His physical condition is enviable; his basketballing abilities are unrivalled.
So, get ready Mr Getts, you might be getting a call soon.
Read all about the rise and rise of Rihanna’s Fenty Brand here