The Undisputed Greatness of LeBron James

“I was a kid from Northeast Ohio. It's where I walked. It's where I ran. It's where I cried. It's where I bled. It holds a special place in my heart. It drives me. I want to give them hope when I can. I want to inspire them when I can."

One of the first things Phil Jackson said to Michael Jordan was something he heard from Red Holzman, his coach as player for the New York Knicks once said, “It wasn’t about how great a star was himself, it was about how great he made the players around him.” Jackson’s mindfulness work with Jordan delivered six championships and the creation of the greatest player in basketball history. We have just witnessed one of the greatest individual performances in NBA history, not just for what LeBron did in terms of his own performance but how much work he has done to make this Cavaliers side not just contenders, but winners. It is one of the greatest accomplishments in sports history. 

LeBron James has forever been compared to Jordan. And has somewhat unfairly never been given the proper respect his immense talent deserves because of this comparison. Yet at 31 years of age James now has the same amount of rings that Jordan had at this stage in his career. We are witnessing something very special in LeBron James. 

Personally I like to keep up to date with the basketball season yet don’t get the time to watch games properly. However for the past few years I have sought to watch the conference finals and finals itself. It is the big event where the best teams collide and match-up. It often means you see fantastic individual performances, excellent teams and great coaching. This series has been one I will savour for a long time. 

To be the best, you need to beat the best

Throughout this finals series versus the Golden State Warriors James has been on a mission. And since Game 5, culminating in a game 7 series win and a truly historic win for Cleveland, James has been simply phenomenal. 

A seven game series seems extremely tedious and laborious at times, considering football doesn’t go beyond a two legged affair. However this series has been utterly enthralling. Granted the first 3 games were somewhat anti-climatic ‘blow-out’s’ however since then it’s been tense and exciting, with game 7 a game for the ages. 

The key narrative has centered around the clash between LeBron James and Steph Curry, with that sense of Curry becoming the heir to James’ throne as the ‘best player’ in the NBA. Reports all season have hinted that James is bitter about the adulation Curry has received, a sentiment felt among other players too, notably Russell Westbrook. It seems that James has felt his greatness has been ignored over Curry. 

Now one can’t doubt the talents of the Warriors point guard; back to back MVP awards for Curry and a championship last year, not to mention the ludicrous scoring records and ability Curry has shown, and it’s not surprising to see Curry as not just the best player but as the best ever shooter and perhaps even laying a blueprint for a new style of basketball. In fact the Warriors have looked to buck the trend in terms of approach and particularly in terms of three point shooting and ‘small ball’ line-ups. 

Many questioned if they could succeed with it, and not only did they win the championship, they went on (against all the doubters and haters) to break the record for most wins in a regular season, overtaking Jordan’s 95/96 Bulls who won 72 games. This Warriors team is very special, they are the best 'team' in basketball. They are almost writing a new blueprint for basketball and forcing other teams to adapt and change to keep up and compete. Had the Warriors won this finals series the narrative would have been very different, it would have looked at as a potential dynasty and a true revolution in the NBA. 

And at 3-1 it seemed a back to back championship was inevitable. No team had ever come back from being 3-1 in the finals down to win. The record was 32-0. It seemed LeBron, the Cavs, Akron, Cleveland and Ohio were to be disappointed once again. This is a city whose sports teams; Cavs (basketball), Browns (football) and Indians (baseball) hadn’t won anything since 1964. The Cavaliers had never won the NBA championship in its 47 years. This championship was quite simply huge! And to do it in this way, to break a 32-0 historical run, to go to the Warriors court and beat them twice. It was something very special. 

Watching these games it has been simply a joy to watch. Steph Curry wasn’t at his best due to injury but the way he moves, weaves and shoots is a delight to watch. Draymond Green has such an energy in his play, as well as an all-round skillset that he is fantastic to see play. Kyrie Irving pulled off some truly wonderful performances, his 41 point Game 5 performance particularly was a joy to watch, pulling off shots and moves at such consistency it was a performance on another level. Someone said it was comparable to Isiah Thomas. Irving grew into the series, found his rhythm, was given more freedom to do what he does best and ultimately outshone Curry throughout the series. Yet it was LeBron James who was the standout performer. It was something extremely special which he produced to win Cleveland this championship.

Returning to win it for his home

In July 2014 James made the decision to leave Miami and return back to Cleveland. It sent shockwaves across the game and America as a whole. After winning two championships and getting to four straight finals with Miami it was seen as a surprise that he should choose to return to the Cavs, especially after deciding to leave Cleveland in 2010 to join Miami.  "The Decision" was deemed a betrayal by his home state team and his reputation appeared tarnished with Cavalier fans. Yes success was important for LeBron yet his decision to return was in part due to a personal responsibility to give something back to the fans and state where he was born and grew up.

As he said to SI.com "My relationship with Northeast Ohio is bigger than basketball, I didn't realize that four years ago. I do now. Before anyone ever cared where I would play basketball, I was a kid from Northeast Ohio. It's where I walked. It's where I ran. It's where I cried. It's where I bled. It holds a special place in my heart. People there have seen me grow up. I sometimes feel like I'm their son. Their passion can be overwhelming. But it drives me. I want to give them hope when I can. I want to inspire them when I can."

Born in Akron, Ohio LeBron was raised by his mother, who was just 16 years old when she had him. It was not an easy upbringing and they would move a lot as he mother sought work. Basketball was James’ release and during his teens and he would become a national sensation. Playing for St Vincent-St Mary High School LeBron, along with his friends (who had all decided to go to the same high school to play together) would become national news with LeBron in particular generating national coverage, particularly from ESPN where he was labeled "the best high school player in America" at that time. 

For many young teenagers the attention and fame could be all too much. Yet LeBron seemed comfortable with it, seemed at ease with what his talent brought him. In the documentary film “MoreThan a Game” we see the pathway LeBron took to become a household name, we see the difficulties and also extreme bond of LeBron and his mother, we see the importance of the team and friendship, the sense of family and role of the coach in helping young players develop and improve. 

Much was expected of LeBron James, who unlike a player like Steph Curry was seen as the ‘next big thing’ at an early age, something may young men struggle to deal with. We often see these individuals struggle to fulfill their potential, or waste it by losing focus. But LeBron has lived up to the hype and then some. He has fulfilled his potential. What a mindset he has! Rookie of the year in his 1st season in Cleveland, reached the finals in 2007, where Cleveland and LeBron just weren't ready or equipped to deal with the Spurs. Yet he bounced back and from 2011 he has been in six consecutive finals, winning three of those six. He has quite been simply exceptional as a professional since he was drafted by Cleveland in 2003. Much was expected of him, and at 31 years old, he has delivered.

His decision to return home was due to a feeling he had that he owed the city of Cleveland and the state of Ohio something back. That he wanted to be the one who broke the curse and finally delivered a championship. Winning a championship for his home town of Akron has been his key objective, yes he says it's for the city of Cleveland and state of Ohio but he sees himself as a boy from Akron and wanted to give the town something to savour. 

He has seen this achievement as of greater importance than winning another somewhere else. He wanted to give something back to the place he was given his opportunity. Which is what makes James’ success so very special, important and all the more difficult. He put all the pressure on himself by returning to Cleveland. He had it good in Miami and could very well have won a few more championships there. But it seems pursuing Jordan’s six rings wasn’t as important as winning one for his home city.

In the pantheon of greats he's up there with the best

When people discuss great players and teams it generally is the case that they were supported by great players. Bill Russell, arguably one of the greatest ever, success in Boston could be equated to what LeBron has done at Cleveland. Yet Jordan had Pippin, Rodman etc, Magic Johnson had Kareem Abdul-Jabbar etc, the Celtics had Bird, Parish, Walton, McHale and Johnson. Kobe had Shaq. We are talking about great players surrounded by great players making great teams.

Which is what makes LeBron’s success this time around all the greater. After struggling with an average supporting cast in Cleveland he left for Miami where he linked up with Wade and Bosh and won two titles. One could even argue that while Jordan and Kobe (players LeBron is constantly compared) had the benefit of Phil Jackson nurturing the player and the team to become great. LeBron has never had this. Erik Spoelstra benefitted from his players talent more so than his own coaching ability and the same can be said about David Blatt and Tyronn Lue who was really just a puppet for LeBron’s management. Whether it’s been seen as an ego issue or even dis-respect, it’s clear that LeBron has been in charge of the Cavalier’s since returning home. Meaning he’s almost been the GM, coach and lead star of the team. You telling me that’s not impressive?

And to move back to Cleveland, to reach back to back finals and with this group of players? Yet should we be surprised? James had dominated the NBA since he arrived in 2003.  Reaching the finals every season for the past six years with his respective sides. No other player has done that who wasn’t part of the Celtics side in the 80’s. It’s incredible to think that whichever team James joined, they became conference finals winners. Miami reached the finals four times in a row with James, yet couldn’t even reach the playoffs without him this past season. That says a hell of a lot about the influence James has on a team.

In Miami it was the ‘big three’ but in Cleveland he has done it with the precocious talent of Kyrie Irving and a Kevin Love (who dominated a Timberwolves side who struggled to get above .500.) These aren’t proven great players. And while Irving has come in to his own this series and Love finally performed in the final game, the truth is LeBron has had to carry this team more so than any other player has had to carry a winning team before. Almost single handily has LeBron pulled this series back from the brink to make history. His performances down the stretch, in those final three games, where there was no chance for failure or underperformance showed James’ greatness. Look at the numbers, 109 points in three games, 28 assists, 35 rebounds and three blocks in each of the games. 

And those blocks! Over the course of the series there have been a couple which have been significant. Two on Curry, in game 6 and 7 which set the tone and I think intimidated Curry. The look, the dominance and the power od James, towering over the MVP, staring him down, showing him who’s the boss. Those kind of moments in games motivate your team, the fans and intimidate the opposition. 

And then there was the James’ most important block, perhaps ever. With 1.55 left in game 7 with the score tied at 89-89 James comes out of nowhere to block Iguadala. The Warriors didn’t score again that game. That block effectively won the game for the Cavs. And it was James, not Thompson, not Love, but James. He has made it happen for this team, has done everything he could have done to make it possible. This is one of the greatest individual performances over a series there has been.

Over the series he contributed over 50% of the Cavs points whether with points or assists. He got his 7^th triple double in finals, just one shy now of Magic Johnson’s record of 8. And he was only the 3rd player in history (the other two were James Worthy and Jerry West) to get a triple double in a game 7. Something that Jordan, Kobe or any of the other greats have never done. LeBron had the most steals, blocks and assists in game 7 and scored the most points throughout the finals series. Quite simply LeBron dominated these finals, especially from game 5-7, when the pressure was highest. Talk about a winning mindset! It seemed that nothing was going to stop James from achieving the objective he set out two years ago. 

Witnessing greatness

To witness these performances was watching greatness. I truly mean that. This was a man who knew he had to do everything in his powers to win these games, to bring this championship back. Against the odds, winning twice in Oakland against a 73 win record setting team. Against the MVP.

Those words Jackson said to Jordan resonate; “It wasn’t about how great a star was himself, it was about how great he made the players around him.” And there’s no doubt that James has brought out the best in Irving, sought to get as much possible from Love, made J.R. Smith more consistent, brought out a monster in Tristan Thompson. He has taken inconsistent and average players and taught and guided them to be better, more consistent, more dominant. He has been a leader to the group and they have responded. This is greatness.

When people compare James to Jordan, remember that Jordan had three championships at 31 years also, the same age as James now. Perhaps people are too quick to dismiss James during his career, forgetting that he still has a long way to go yet. He may well reach or surpass Jordan’s six. But winning for Cleveland means more than several elsewhere, this was for his state, his city, his people. And he delivered.

This for me has been one of the greatest performances from an individual across any sport. Yes Jordan delivered great games and there’s no doubt he’s the best ever. But there seems something remarkably special about what James has produced for the Cavs this series. Perhaps only Maradona’s performances for Argentina in the 1986 Word Cup can be compared; a player who almost single handily took his side all the way to success. It is these kind of performances where true greatness shines. It doesn’t happen often, because greatness is not a common thing. It comes around once or twice in a generation, and when it does it is something very special.

Look, I'm no basketball expert. There's hundreds of thousands more qualified and knowledgeable people who can discuss the game and the nuances surrounding it. But I appreciate great players and LeBron James, for me, is the greatest sportsman in world sport today. This accomplishment should put him up there with the best and his greatness should not be doubted ever again. The scary thing is he still has many years left at the top. We could be seeing witnessing the journey of the greatest of all time. 

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