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He is the youngest player to be named Rookie of the Year, record a triple-double, score 50 points in a game and be named to the All-NBA Team. He is one of three players including Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan to average at least 20 points, five rebounds and five assists per game. The list of records goes on for LeBron James. So how, at this point in his young career, could he not be considered when trying to name the best player to ever play the game?
For all you basketball fans out there, if I were to ask about the most exciting player you ever watched that is currently not in the game, a large majority of you would answer Michael Jordan. Most would argue that Michael Jordan is the best to have ever played the game.
Now if I were to ask you, currently, who is the most exciting player in the NBA, I may get a few names, including Chris Paul, Dwayne Wade, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Here is how I would narrow it down.
Statistically, who has continuously been at the top of the list at the end of nearly every year? Wade, Bryant and James.
Who has set more marks and records in their career thus far? Bryant and James.
Who has had the most successful start to their career and has more potential to end their career on the top of multiple NBA statistics lists and claim more NBA records? James.
You simply cannot argue against the stats. In just his third professional season, James set multiple marks. He scored 35 points in nine consecutive games; only Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant have accomplished the same. He became the youngest NBA player to average 30 points in a season while also becoming the fourth player ever to average 30 points, seven rebounds and six assists in a single season.
At such a young age, not only did James adapt to the style of play in the NBA, but he was and still is the style in the NBA. Only stars in this league can put up numbers like LeBron at such a young age. But the real question is, how do we separate LeBron from Michael Jordan when appointing “The Best Ever”?
Look no further than the ultimate statistic, that truly means anything at all-career scoring. Jordan retired with a career total of 5,987 points in the playoffs and 32,292 overall (third all-time). He also holds the top career and playoff scoring averages at 30.1 and 33.4 points per game.
LeBron on the other hand, despite only averaging 27.5 in the playoffs and 27.3 in his career, became the youngest player by over a year to surpass the 10,000-career point mark at 23 years and 59 days. James was also the ninth fastest in league history doing it in only 368 games.
When trying to name the best to ever play in the NBA, I would have to give the title, currently, to Michael Jordan simply because he has already completed his career and proven himself. LeBron, on the other hand, if he is able to continue to succeed with such ease, with only a handful of experience in the NBA, then there is no doubt that at the end of his career he will have surpassed Jordan and be named the best there ever was.
Bangor Daily News