- All have shown the ability to take over a game, with Bryant and Wade doing it on the biggest stage of them all.
- All posess remarkable body control and are excellent finishers around the basket.
- Wade clearly makes his teammates better. LeBron, not quite so much. But Kobe will never be mistaken for one who "plays well with others."
- Of the three, Kobe is the best defender, LeBron is the most physical, and D-Wade is the fastest.
- LeBron's court vision is incredible for a man of his size, Bryant is an explosive scorer, and Dwyane's recent exploits have many conjuring up the name of the newest minority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats.
- Kobe will be 28 in two months, Wade is 24, and James is 21. With age comes experience: while LeBron and Dwyane have just completed their third seasons in the NBA, Bryant is already a 10-year veteran. - Kobe has 3 NBA titles, Wade just captured his first, while LeBron has yet to led his Cavs to the Eastern Conference Finals.
It's not an easy call by any stretch of the imagination, but regardless of the choice, it's impossible to make a mistake. Not even Isiah Thomas could mess this up. Personally, I'd go with LeBron James for two specific reasons.
For starters, he's the youngest of the three. It's amazing to think of it in these terms, but as good as James is right now, he may very well be six or seven years away from his prime. Barring injury, LBJ will be an incredibly productive player for the next 15 years.
Secondly, he's the most physically imposing member of the group. Everyone falls in love with guards, but make no mistake - the NBA is a big man's league. 14 of the last 16 NBA champions have been led by a player who is at least 6'6" or taller - the only exceptions are this year's Heat squad and the 2004 Detroit Pistons who rode the team concept to the Larry O'Brien trophy. And if I have the choice between a 6-4 guy, a 6-6 guy, and a 6-8 guy, all of whom are all-world talents, I'll take the biggest player every single time.
This is just one man's opinion, however. Kobe, LeBron or Dwyane - you make the call...
- Jason Terry rabbit-punches Michael Finley in the groin and gets suspended for a game. Udonis Haslem throws a mouthpiece a Joey Crawford, and has to sit out a game. Yet Reggie Evans grabs and pulls on the Kaman family jewels, and he only received a $10,000 fine. Someone needs to explain that to me.
- I also need clarification on why Justin Gatlin was four days into the talk-show circuit before judges realized that he actually wasn't the fastest man in the world due to a rounding error. Rounding? Isn't that something they teach in third grade?
- Regardless of what happens on Sunday, Lebron James has arrived. In a series in which very few people thought his team would win more than a single game, James has his team on the doorstep of the Eastern Conference Finals. Scottie Pippen said recently that Lebron is farther along in his development than Jordan was at this point in his career. I'm not sure that Scottie is wrong.
- Random thought: Dirk Nowitzki, Michael Finley and Steve Nash are all going to be involved in Game 7 matchups on Monday night... on three seperate teams. And if the Mavericks fall to the Spurs on Monday, is Nowitzki the Peyton Manning of the NBA?
- Which will happen first? Larry Brown will get bought out of his Knicks' contract, or Barry Bonds will finally hit #714?
- Truth be told, the events of the now-infamous hazing of the Northwestern womens' soccer team are far less tame than what happens on a typical weekend at a college campus. I'm not passing judgment, but if that incident was enough for school administrators to suspend the team, Northwestern needs to take a long look at its fraternities and sororities as well. It's only fair.
- I'm sure NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is salivating at the thought of an Edmonton-Buffalo Stanley Cup Finals. Because I know I am. Two words: ratings bonanza. Five more words: wake me when it's over.
- In all seriousness, it's a shame that the NHL isn't more popular. I wish other people took the opportunity to enjoy some of the young talent in the league, specifically, Sidney Crosby. I was fortunate enough to watch him in person on two occasions this year, and I'm thoroughly convinced that Crosby is the best sports Sidney since Sidney Dean in "White Men Can't Jump."
- An addendum to my "Reality Bites" piece: No one deserves a reality TV show more that Adam "Pacman" Jones. Anyone who not only goes by the nickname Pacman, but has the actual logo of the video game embroidered into the headrests of his Cadillac XLR (a car which he loaned to a drug trafficker) needs to have a camera crew following him around 24 hours a day. At the very least, it would be more authentic than "Bonds on Bonds."
- I have no problem with Reggie Bush wearing #5 if he so chooses. The problem is that Adrian McPherson already owns that jersey number. So even if Bush does get the OK to wear #5, McPherson probably gets the right to negotiate some sort deal to give up that number. Granted, the city of New Orleans is probably the last place to pull the quasi-primadonna act of selling your number, but if I'm McPherson, I ask for way more than that outdoor kitchen Jeff Feagles got for "selling" #17 to Plaxico Burress.
- Speaking of New Orleans, I continue to be amazed by the resiliency of the residents of that city. Years and years of rebuilding work remains to be done, but with Saints fans buying nearly 55,000 season tickets this off-season, a clear message was sent to New Orleans' owner Tom Benson: Don't move our beloved Saints. Football is an escape for the residents of the hurricane-ravaged city - hopefully Mr. Benson doesn't deprive them of the enjoyment they receive every Sunday afternoon in the fall.
Even the most casual fan of the Association realizes that Lebron James has no chance of winning an NBA championship this year. And, in the grand scheme of things, that may not be such a bad thing.
Not that I wish any ill will towards the self-proclaimed "King James." I'm just a firm believer in that you have to pay your dues before you're handed the keys to the kingdom. It merely isn't his time. Not yet.
The most infamous case of dues-paying involved Michael Jordan and the Detroit "Bad Boy" Pistons of the late '80s and early '90s. Late in the '88 season, Pistons' coach Chuck Daly instituted a strict set of guidelines - collectively known as the "Jordan Rules" - to neutralize the Bulls' all-everything talent. The Pistons absolutely owned Chicago for the next two years before Michael and the Jordannaires broke through in 1991 to win the first of three successive NBA championships.
Julius Erving - whom many consider to be the inspiration for Jordan and many others who play the game "above the rim" - led the Sixers to quite a few deep runs in the playoffs (including three NBA Finals appearances) before finally bringing home the hardware in 1983.
Dues paying knows no bounds. As a team, the Atlanta Braves got left at the altar more times than a bridesmaid in the early 90s before beating the Cleveland Indians in the 1995 World Series. And the Philadelphia Phillies won three NL East titles in 1976-78 before capturing the crown in 1980, the franchise's only World Series title in their 123-year history.
John Elway is one of the greatest signal-callers of all time, yet he endured several Super embarrassments before capturing back-to-back Vince Lombardi trophies in 1998 and 1999. And you could argue that Peyton Manning is going through the same situation right now after his Colts have been unceremoniously bounced from the playoffs the past three seasons, despite the fact that his offense is (or at least was, when they boasted the recently departed Edgerrin James) a Madden gamer's wet dream.
There are exceptions to the rule, of course. Ben Roethlisberger led the Steelers to the AFC title game as a rookie, and then trumped that impressive feat with a Super Bowl title as a sophomore.
Kobe Bryant really never went through the typical initiation process, either. Sure, he had that horrendous playoff series versus the Utah Jazz as a rookie, in which he jacked up airball after pitiful airball at the end of Game 5, but he would go on to win three titles in his first four years as a starter. Perhaps only now, without a dominant big man and/or consistent second scoring option, does he realize what most great players find out early in their careers: winning is a hard thing to do.
So perhaps it isn't completely terrible that Lebron hasn't ascended to the mountain top just yet. The learning curve should be steep - a few seasons of finding what it takes to be a champion should pay huge dividends in the future - let's not forget that Lebron is still only 21 years old. NBA fans should feel blessed to be able to watch the maturation of a superstar right before our very eyes.
Earlier this season on the Sopranos, Dr. Melfi told Tony that 26 is the new 21. She was referring to the maturity level of young adults, but I also spun it in a different direction. In sports, there are standards in our minds in regards to greatness, yet there are others making their mark which could redefine what these standards are. Everything old is new again.
Reggie Bush is the new... Reggie Bush
I'm not old enough to have seen Gale Sayers play. But I feel confident enough to say that Reggie Bush did some things at Southern Cal that haven't been done before. Ever. It would be unfair to compare Reggie Bush to anyone - he's just that good. Try as Charley "Hop-Along" Casserly might, it's darn near impossible to justify taking a defensive player over the single most electrifying offensive talent in a generation. If the Texans don't get this whole draft thing figured out soon, they'll become the new Clippers.
Albert Pujols is the new... Ken Griffey, Jr. Pujols is disgustingly good. There really aren't enough superlatives to describe how talented the 26-year-old from the Dominican Republic is. According to baseball-reference.com, the player Pujols most resembles at this point in his career is Joe DiMaggio. And, last time I checked, Joe Dimaggio was pretty good. "Fat Albert" is clearly the best player in baseball, and is on pace to break all sorts of records - if he stays healthy. Let's not forget that in the not-too-distant past, there was another player poised to rewrite the records books, but injuries denied Ken Griffey, Jr. his chance to be included with the all-time greats. We can only hope that the same doesn't happen to Pujols.
Kobe Bryant is the new... Ric Flair
Let me explain. Hate him or love him (and there is no gray area with him), the man who calls himself Black Mamba has his swagger back. Yes, his team just blew a 3-1 lead against the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Yes, he hasn't won a playoff series sans Shaq. Yes, he will forever have the stain of the incident in Colorado attached to his name. But there really isn't any dispute over who the best player in the league is. And the previously young, cocky, street-cred lacking teenager has morphed into... a more mature, cocky, street-cred lacking adult. Isn't this what we expected from the 18-year-old who refused to play anywhere but in LA? He still comes off as arrogant, he still doesn't really like Shaq, but his ability on the basketball court almost makes you forgive all of his transgressions. Not only that - he can actually be an entertaining guy when he wants to be. This past week, he said that Raja Bell wasn't hugged enough as a kid and suggested that the two of them settle their differences in the Ultimate Fighting Championship octagon. If he keeps going down this road, I expect him to come to the arena in sequined robes.
Lebron James is the new... young Michael Jordan A young superstar on the cusp of greatness. A marketer's dream. A supporting cast away from immortality. The face of the league. Sells jerseys and sneakers by the truckload. Yet gives the blandest, most antiseptic interviews ever. I love Lebron, but has he had a single memorable quote in the three years he's been in the league? Give me Kobe and the Octagon any day.
Ryan Howard is the new... #### Allen There's a reason why the Phillies traded Jim Thome away in the off-season. Ryan Howard is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. The comparisons to former Phillies first baseman #### Allen are right on the mark - Howard is an impressive slugger who is capabale of launching 500-foot home runs with a flick of the bat. It's a good bet that the reigning NL Rookie of the Year will add a few more pieces of hardware to his trophy case. O.J. Mayo is the new... Lebron James You may not know the name O.J. Mayo. But basketball aficionados know the name. advertising agencies know the name. Sneaker companies know the name. Even Division I coaches know the name, even though none of them believe he'll make more than a brief stay at their (or any other) institution of higher learning. For those unaware, Ovinton J’Anthony Mayo - a junior at North College Hill in Cincinnati, OH - is widely regarded as the best high school basketball player in the Class of 2007. 6-foot-5, 205 pounds, the body control of Vince Carter and the court vision of Lebron James. He received his first recruting letter from Marshall University. While in the seventh grade. Yes, the talent is undeniable, yet due to the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement, it won't be until 2008 before Mayo dons an NBA uniform. Somehow, I have a feeling that it'll be worth the wait.
Michelle Wie is the new... Annika Sorenstam It's a shame that womens' golf isn't a higher profile sport, or else everyone could appreciate the ridiculousness that is Annika Sorenstam. 67 LPGA wins (9 majors), 8 Player of the Year awards, an NCAA Championship, and one induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame. And she's still only 35. As impressive as those achievements may be, they'll most likely only be targets for Michelle Wie to shoot for. She's already proven that she can hang with the men, and she's more than made her mark on the LPGA tour, with three top-three finishes in her last four majors. And she's still only 16. The next 19 years should be fun to watch.
Basketball. A poetic game played created by Americans and played all across this great land, on playgrounds and in high school gyms alike. Yet the Most Valuable Player in the highest level of the game is a 6-foot tall Canadian point guard named Steve Nash. For the second year in a row.
Something's wrong with this picture.
If you go by the literal definition of the award, the NBA's MVP trophy should go to the player who is the most valuable to his team. Not to the player who puts up the most beastly stats, and not merely to the best player on the best team. If there were a formula to determine how many wins and losses each player, it would be simple. Sure, you could make up an equation like the baseball statistician Bill James and his "win shares"... but that would require someone with a lot of time on their hands and no social life. To that end, the decision is left up to the league's beat writers who, according to several reports, messed up this year. Tremendously. There haven't been this many voters blatantly voting for the wrong guy since Marion Barry was re-elected mayor of Washington, D.C.
It's not that I have a problem with Nash winning the MVP award - he was more than deserving last year when he led the Suns to 62 wins in the regular season. But I do have a problem when part of the reasoning behind the voters choosing him for the award was that seven of his teammates are averaging career highs in points this season.
There's a serious flaw in that logic. Amare Stoudemire missed practically the entire season. When you take out a guy who took nearly 17 shots a game in 2004-05, those shots are going to be redistributed amongst the rest of the team. More shots = more chances to score = more points for everyone. Even Vince "Wonderlic" Young knows that.
Nash had a solid season, but he's arguably not even the most valuable player on his own team - you can make a case for Shawn Marion in that regard. That all being said, the true MVP of this season... is Dirk Nowitzki. Who happens to be German. Maybe basketball isn't America's game after all.
Dirk led the Mavericks to 60 wins this season (only the second time in franchise history the team has won that many games) with Jason Terry and Josh Howard as his two complimentary scoring options. No offense to Terry and Howard, but neither of them is a superstar on the level of Shawn Marion.
Averaging 26.6 points and 9.0 rebounds per game for the team with the third-best record in the league is a pretty impressive feat. Of course, Kobe's 81 point explosion was an impressive feat as well, but one game does not an MVP make. And personally, I think Lebron is the best player in the league, but that's not what the award is called. In terms of value, Dirk is responsible for more wins than any other player in the league. And that is the true mark of an MVP.
Allen Iverson is the best player in the NBA this season.
Feel free to disagree all you want. But you would be wrong.
Yes, his team is barely treading water with an 11-11 record. MVP trophies don't often go to players on squads with .500 records. And yes, he continues to gamble on defense, which contributes to the fact that the Sixers are the 3rd-worst defensive team in the league. But if you take the award at its' literal meaning - "most valuable player" - then no one makes a better argument for it than Allen Iverson.
Iverson's case for the award this year can be summed up in two numbers: 34 and 8. Through 22 games this season, AI is averaging nearly 34 points and 8 assists per game (the actual numbers are 33.7 and 7.9, respectively). Assuming that all of his assists lead to 2-point baskets, Iverson is directly responsible for 50 of his team's points in every game. Fifty. Case closed.
Last time I checked, Most Valuable Player trophies aren't handed out in December, so there's plenty of basketball to be played before we know how it will all shake out at season's end. Elton Brand is having a monster year (25.5 ppg and 10.8 rpg) with the new-look Clippers. LeBron is reaffirming his spot (30.3/5.8/4.9) as the next great superstar in the league. And Tim Duncan is doing Tim Duncan-like things (20.7 ppg and 12.0 rpg) as he's led the Spurs to a 16-4 record so far. But no one is more "valuable" to his team than Iverson. And if AI keeps playing the way he has been, there should be little debate come April. That being said, where is the love?
In his tenth season in the league, Allen Iverson is no longer a novelty. Though he remains the icon for the hip-hop generation, he no longer has that "I wonder what he's going to do with the ball next" mystique that followed him throughout the early portion of his career. Most NBA fans have seen the blur of cornrows and muscle and tattoo ink and desire attack the heart of their team's defense time and time again. And now, at the age of 30, he isn't the same Bubbachuck as he was coming out of Georgetown in 1996 - injuries have taken a toll on his not-quite 6-foot, not-quite 165-pound body.
He doesn't attack the basket with the same fervor he once did. The crossover doesn't break as many ankles as it used to (although he did use it to embarass Jacque Vaughn this past Saturday in New Jersey). But the game is better than it's ever been, and that's what it should be about. The Game. In the SportsCenter era, that gets lost at times.
Despite his many accomplishments, he is not - nor was he ever - the poster child for the NBA. He dazzled crowds and filled arenas, but he has never had the polish or the marketability of His Airness. He is the Past and the Present, but the recent accomplishments get lost because he is not the Future. The Future is King James and Flash. Lebron and D-Wade. The Future is not The Answer. But this year, The Answer is the MVP. Case closed.
