As a kid, I was always a baseball fan first. That’s my first love, and even though we’ve had a rocky relationship and grown apart some, she still has my fan heart. But I always enjoyed the NBA. In the 80’s I was a bit of a Laker fan, not just because it was the team of choice of an older cousin who lived out there, but because Magic Johnson was just too much fun to watch. For years I argued how he was the best ever, and this Jordan fella was all about stats, and actually hurt his team.
After Jordan won his first title, beating Magic and the Lakers, I still insisted that Magic was the better player. At 6’9, he was built like a power forward, but played the point. He made passes that I would end up practicing in my drive way. Only I was passing to an 18 foot wide garage, and he was making the passes to someone running full speed. Advantage: Magic. Jordan was playing above the rim, and it was awe inspiring, but just the thought of being able to reach the net was more than a tall order for me.
It took Jordan retiring for me to come around, and realize that was in fact, the best player to ever play. Luckily for me, he came back. But at the same time, I was also a Knick fan. How I was able to cheer for a NY team and an LA team at the same time was simply a product of my age. By the time the Bulls played the Lakers, I was definitely a Knick fan first, but Magic was my guy. Those passes never got old, and that smile was infectious.
Today I routinely exchange emails with that same cousin, and his partner in crime. And once again, I’m siding with the guy who makes the pretty passes. Only this guy plays above the rim too. He’s a beast, that Lebron James. I remember watching his high school games on ESPN2, and I thought he had to be at least 24 years old then. That was 7 years ago, and he’s still 24.
Nike hyped him up like they’ve never hyped anyone else. He was the #1 draft pick by his hometown Cleveland Cavilers. We were all witness. And he came on the scene like no other NBA rookie ever has. I won’t get into the stats, even though I want to. I spent the past few years rallying against Kobe Bryant, who like James, came to the NBA straight out of high school. My friends will tell you, I always like getting excited over the young athletes. And I don’t mean that in a creepy, Michael Jackson-Maculy Culkin sort of way. There’s just something about seeing the potential, wondering what kind of career someone will have, and seeing it play out. It’s one of the things that make sports so great.
But I quickly soured on Kobe. He was arrogant, and just very easy to dislike. So my cousin and I sparred, and sparred some more. I picked at every word he spoke, every face he made on the court and generally acted like a “hater.” It took some time, and some growing on my part, but I softened my stance on Kobe. He grew up, and so did I. I wrote on this blog once, that he and A-Rod were very similar. That was flat out wrong. I can admit that now.
This year the question became clear, you’re either a Lebron guy, or a Kobe guy. And I’ve planted my Lebron flag. And while it’s been much speculated that he’ll bolt Cleveland for the glitz of New York after next year, I am firm in my belief, that I don’t want him. Not because I just don’t want the best player (or 2nd best) on the planet, because of course I’d love to have his talent. I just don’t want to see an icon change teams. Icons don’t do that, no in the prime of their careers. His staying in Cleveland is better for him, basketball and all of us. Even Knick fans.
That’s a bit off point. Here’s why I think Lebron is “The One.” His play in the playoffs this year, against the Orlando Magic, even though they lost the series, sucked my wife in. She was right there next to me, on the couch, watching in pure amazement, as this guy did everything imaginable on the basketball court. That’s huge. To get someone who isn’t even a casual NBA fan, so enthralled in their play, is evidence of something special.
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