LeBron James's legacy is complicated. He's Jerry West and Hulk Hogan all wrapped into one. Let me explain. Jerry West took a lot of shit during his career for making it to the finals nine times yet winning just one with a team that included himself, Wilt Chamberlain, and Elgin Baylor. Regardless of the public's opinion, he still managed to become the logo of the league and one of best executives in NBA history, winning rings with the Lakers and the Warriors. When West is brought up, he's referred to as "The Logo" and not "the guy who went to the finals nine times and only has one ring." A collection of talent like those '60s Lakers were no match for a Boston team just as talented but with more chemistry, a fact that wasn't publicly recognized until some years later. Being prisoners of the moment, it seems, is as natural a thing in pro sports as it is in life.
The Hulk Hogan comparison derives from LeBron turning heel with "the Decision." Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were Scott Hall and Kevin Nash in need of an All-American Hero to put their NBA takeover in motion. James was no longer everybody's favorite player, he was now the most hated man in sports. I turned on him, stopped buying his sneakers, and trolled his believers by calling them apologists. I was just salty he chose Pat the Rat down in Miami instead of my Knicks and needed someone to root against because sports is more fun that way. I wasn't an idiot; I like to fancy myself a student of the game and was aware LeBron was one of the greatest players ever already seven years into his career.
I would bring up, like many others would, LeBron's lack of killer instinct. Or how inconsistently he would decide to take the brunt of the scoring load on the biggest stages. Michael, Kobe, and even Dwyane Wade were ruthless assassins and were selfish when they needed to be. James was too unselfish at times, including the first four games of this series which resulted in the Cavs falling to a 1-3 deficit. The Cavs bench and much of the supporting starting cast (looking at you, J.R. Smith and Kevin Love) were nonexistent. Then something clicked and James went on a tear unlike anything we've ever witnessed. In the last three games of the finals, he averaged numbers that would put Mike and Kobe to shame: 36 points, 11.7 rebounds, 9.7 assists, 3 blocks, 3 steals, 50 percent from the field, and 40 percent from three. The 73-9 Warriors—a team that hadn't lost three consecutive games all season—still couldn't overcome such a performance.
I'll go back to rooting against him next season, but for now I'm happy for him. I'm happy he silenced the critics, I'm happy he won one for Cleveland, I'm happy I was able to watch he and Jordan play in their primes.
LeBron is now 3-4 in the finals and it's becoming easier to excuse two of those losses: His first when he carried a bum-ass squad in 2007 at just 22 and last year's appearance when almost pushed Golden State to seven games without the help of Kyrie and Love. He's 3-2 in my eyes. When I compare him to Kobe and MJ, I'll always use ruthlessness as a barometer and feel like criticism from that point of view is valid. However, when talking of his legacy as a whole, LeBron isn't given nearly as much credit as he deserves.
He came into the league at 18, was hyped up to the point where his high school games were televised on ESPN, was drafted by his hometown team No. 1 overall, and he still lived up to all of the hype. No one ever lives up to hype of that magnitude. Also, when it comes to guys like Jordan and Kobe we have to remember they played for competent front offices and Hall of Fame coaching. LeBron had a smart front office only a few times in his career and has played for the likes of Mike Brown and David Blatt. His first stop in Cleveland was a story of lost opportunities on the part of the Cavs front office. Decisions like trading for Antawn Jamison instead of Amar'e Stoudemire in 2010 because they didn't want to part with "blossoming young forward J.J. Hickson" eventually drove James out of town.
Kobe and Michael were consistently given the players around them needed to contend year in, year out. When LeBron James had more say in who his team should acquire, he became the first superstar to reach the finals six straight times. Also, let us remember that 13 years in, James has logged more minutes than both Kobe and Jordan at the same point in their careers. And, at 31, has just as many titles as Jordan did with three. It took MJ six years to reach the finals, LeBron only four.
I'll go back to rooting against him next season, but for now I'm happy for him. I'm happy he silenced the critics, I'm happy he won one for Cleveland, I'm happy I was able to watch he and Jordan play in their primes. LeBron is the best all-around basketball player I have ever watched. We are all witnesses, and when the reckoning comes I will not deny James three times like Paul denied Jesus. I will recognize LeBron James as this era's basketball god and I hope the hate you have for him doesn't cloud your judgment when it comes to logical discussions about his legacy. LeBron James is one of the five best players to ever wear an NBA uniform.
