08 February, 2009

evolution

Poise
Maturity

“Caught a glimpse of myself in the Barney’s shop window…kinda see my father’s features creepin’ in a little…”

Nas – War

There is a debate within the NBA and various media outlets that asks the question of who is the better, or best NBA player, Kobe Bryant, or LeBron James. Most recently with Bryant netting 61 points, and 3 assists last Monday in Madison Square Garden, and James following that up with 52 points, and a near triple-double in the same building…the discussion has escalated to a fever pitch. Last week LeBron was on the cover of GQ, and Sports Illustrated, and Gentlemen’s Quarterly outright claimed King James as the best while SI alluded to the fact that both he and Kobe are the best.

Boys II Men

The Eastern and Western NBA Conference players of January are KB and the King, as they have helped their respective teams to the best records in the league, as the questions of supremacy linger on. Nevertheless, I believe that there is no argument, because LeBron James, is essentially a younger Kobe Bryant, in terms of basketball…they are one in the same.

By 1998, Bryant had come into his own, no longer the rookie, as he was ready to carve out his niche and take what he felt was rightfully his. The only person in his way was Michael Jordan, so the talks of Kobe being the next Jordan, or better than MJ started, when Bryant was merely part of the youth movement, just as Michael was in 1984.

As Michael Jordan grew in statue and name…becoming Air Jordan, the “so-called” experts figured that he was the next Julius Erving, however all the great players evolved from the players before them. The good Dr. played a similar game to the high flying and scoring Elgin Baylor, so you see the torch is passed down from generation to generation. The mainstream media will mislead you to believe that some athletes are “better” than or possess more basketball prowess than the “other”, when in reality they are very similar, bringing their own idiosyncrasies and desire to their team, and ultimately their game.

A few years ago LeBron was at that same crossroads as Bryant before him, being compared instead of people appreciating him for being his own man. Do Kobe and LeBron want to be the best and win championships…yes…do they want to be compared to one another, Michael Jordan, or Magic Johnson, in the process…no. They are competitive so when James played in New York 2-days after Kobe, you need to understand that winning the game, and setting the new Madison Square Garden scoring record was a high priority. I knew that from the confident look on Jay-Z’s face, when I he gave me dap leaving the game on Monday, and that my friends is the beauty of basketball.

I do not believe in words like Jordanesque, therefore I choose not to use it in my lexicon. I don’t feel that there is one player better than all the others that have played the game, rather each era has it’s dominant player or players, and while LeBron James is the future of the League, the heir to the throne…the chosen one, we must remember that Kobe Bryant was also chosen, and until he retires, the great debate will unfortunately continue.


Photo: LeBron James - Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images

4 comments:

Chris Cason said...

I can't agree with this anymore.

A lot of my friends always get angry when I say MJ is not the G.O.A.T. because in sports, you simply can't give that title to One, due to the fact that there is someone else who will come behind him and possibly better him because of evolution of talent.

I agree Kobe is the best of his time and LeBron will be the greatest of his. They're 1 and 1A now and James is fighting to get where Kobe is now and we all have to sit back and appreciate that and not get sucked into who's better.

Unknown said...

You know what I think Ant, Kobe now Lebron in three years.

Unknown said...

Things in sports go in cycles, and I am more than appreciative of my job as a sports writer, because no matter who people cheer for, Kobe or LeBron, I've been blessed to cover their games, while making my own career path among the peers in journalism.

And for the record, Kobe is the illest, and like I said, when he retires, LeBron will make sure to carry the torch!

Mr Bru Cru said...

I believe there is always a player that makes a name for himself, and others choose to pick that certain player as the "best" in the league at the time...I believe Michael Jordan was the best Basketball Player on the Planet...best to ever do it, because of the things he did...when he was young and more athletic, he used that to dunk on everyone, as his game progressed and he got older, he developed a mid range, eventually a 3 point shot, then added the fade away, then went on to adapt on defense...With the team Michael Jordan had...he got 6 rings. He didnt have a dominant big man, or a point guard. He did things that players now can barely do with a team. Kobe Bryant to me is the best player in the game NOW. He can shoot from anywhere, he can lock up your best player, and he makes his team go out there with the same heart he has. I feel he has a good 5-6 years left in him..after that..anyone else can have the throne. Sorry I over did it LOL Good write Ant