Casey explains how LeBron became the game’s best player, as well as the most unselfish.
by Casey Jacobsen
One of the hottest topics of discussion these days is who is better between LeBron and Kobe. During the past two seasons, the King’s improved play at both ends of the court has emphatically eliminated any doubt about who reigns over the League right now.
The ONLY knock against James is he hasn’t won a championship yet, but that isn’t necessarily his fault. Kobe won his first three with Shaq and couldn’t win another until the arrival of Pau Gasol, which just further proves the point that one superstar cannot win a championship by hims
elf. LeBron has played with some talented players in Cleveland, but has yet to be teamed with another superstar. And until that happens, I don’t think he will win a title.
As well as the Cavs have played this season, not many people would give them a chance of beating Kobe in the Finals. If Kobe and the Lakers win another ring this year, the Kobe-LeBron debate will surely heat up again and armed with all those titles, Kobe supporters might be too difficult to hold off. I’m rooting for LeBron. I have always admired how well he balances scoring with getting his teammates involved. Kobe doesn’t do this nearly as well. Kobe is a good passer, but his ego often takes over and he goes into I-am-shooting-this-ball-no-matter-what mode. When I watch LeBron, I get the feeling he could score whenever he feels like it, but for whatever reason he doesn’t. He takes more pride in his passing than any superstar since a guy named Magic.
Watching LeBron play recently on television made me wonder: How does a guy this talented at scoring the ball want to pass?
This past week on a road trip in Germany, I finally understood why.
The recent documentary movie depicting LeBron’s high school career, More Than a Game, was released on DVD and iTunes a few weeks ago, and I heard some good things about it. I downloaded it for the long bus ride to a recent road game and settled in to watch. I highly recommend the movie for those who haven’t seen it. It’s well made, interesting, and gives some important insight to why LeBron plays the way he does. There were two things I learned from the film:
1) LeBron has been a mega-star since the age of 14. I had never really heard of him until he was on Sports Illustrated, but he was already a celebrity in Ohio. He’s so accustomed to pressure and fame that it doesn’t even faze him. He is like a child actor who grows up to become the biggest act in Hollywood as an adult. That’s never happened before because at some point the fame and money becomes too much for the kid and he or she never fully realizes their potential. LeBron more than lived up to his potential. So what made him so different, besides his out-of-this-world athleticism? The answer is in the next point.
2) LeBron played with the same group of kids his entire childhood! He grew up in Akron with his mom and although they were poor, they never moved from that city. Early in his adolescent years, LeBron became friends with the other stars of the film and basketball was their bond. These kids played AAU and high school basketball together. Do you know how rare this is? If you don’t, let me give you an example. I grew up in Los Angeles and played for at least five different AAU teams and had over 50 different teammates during that time. The lesson I learned from my experience was that the only person I could count on was myself. Nobody was going to pass me the ball so I could improve my offensive game. None of my teammates actually cared about winning more than they did their own performance. And I would say my experience was normal. This is the way AAU basketball is 99 percent of the time. It wasn’t that way for LeBron and he’s a better player because of it. He had played with his AAU teammates since he was a boy. They developed a love for each other and because of that, they genuinely cared about winning and doing it together. LeBron had physical characteristics his friends (or anyone else) could only dream about, but he didn’t grow up thinking he could win games all by himself…even though he could. As everything around him changed and his celebrity grew, his friends and teammates remained the same. After I finished the movie, LeBron’s game made more sense to me.
The debate between Kobe and LeBron is fun because both players are amazing at what they do. Kobe is a killer and one of the best clutch players of all time. LeBron is a player who no one has ever seen before. You cannot compare him to anyone. You could say he plays like Magic, but he is so much more athletic than Magic that it makes the argument silly.
The only weapon LeBron-haters have is the fact that he has yet to win a championship. It’s a good point, though, as we ultimately measure the success of athletes with how often they win. That’s why I’ll be rooting for the Cavs during the upcoming Playoffs. LeBron is not only the best player in basketball, he’s also the most unselfish. He plays the way I wish I could play. His teammates are more than his co-workers…they’re his friends. And basketball is More Than A Game to him…it’s his life.
Casey Jacobsen is a former SLAM High School First Team All-American and NCAA First Team All-American. He currently plays for Brose Baskets in Bamberg, Germany.
LATEST NEWS & RUMORS
View all »
- Video: Duke’s Austin Rivers Drains Buzzer-Beater to Beat UNC
- Video: Jeremy Lin Crosses Up John Wall, Throws it Down
- City of Houston to Host 2013 NBA All-Star Weekend
- Meadowlark Lemon to Make Appearance at Fairfield University
- Griffin, Irving, Rubio Highlight Rookie-Sophomore Game Rosters
- Larry Bird: Kobe Better Teammate for Winning, LeBron More Fun to Play With
- Draftstreet’s Free $250 Fantasy Basketball Challenge is Back
- Kobe on Shaq: ‘No Way We Would Have Lasted 15 Years’
- Study Shows UNC Alumni Have Earned the Most Money in the NBA
- View All »
“I had never really heard of him until he was on Sports Illustrated.” Can we fire this guy?
Anyway, I didn’t realize how atypical Lebron’s AAU situation was, mainly because I have know nothing about AAU. When I was a kid it wasn’t as popular as it is now.
It’s an interesting theory that Lebron loves passing because he grew up loving his teammates and wanting them to succeed.
p.s. meloman and MVP have aids.
Magic was a far better basketball player. More drive, better focus, better court vision and leadership, better handle, better post game (among other qualities and intangibles).
First, I think it’s a little premature to try to compare Lebron to Magic, considering Lebron’s only been in the league for seven years.
That said, I think Casey made the point that Lebron has Magic’s style of game, but with the athletic ability of an uber-Jordan.
Also, I think that the myth of the “Good Ol’ Days” has led some folks to overhype the ability of some of our all-time greats. Magic was spectacular and he clearly had a knowledge of the game that Bron has not attained, but let’s not sell Bron short.
For someone who came straight out of high school, his game is incredibly developed. He’s a better shooter than Magic, a better driver than magic, a better ball handler than Magic and a better defender than Magic.
He’s called on to score more than Magic ever was. I mean, Magic’s highest point total for his career was like 22 a game. If Lebron put that up, people would be talking about his huge drop-off.
Magic was a better point guard, but he also had the luxury with playing with arguably the greatest center of all-time, along with several hall of fame forwards and quality guards.
Magic no doubt deserves to be ahead of Lebron on the all-time list by virture of his career accomplishments, but on an individual skills basis and potential basis, Lebron is ahead of Magic at the same point.
Magic had an incredible feel for the game, and he was a leader of men, but he benefited from playing in the right system, with the right supporting cast.
Can we say the same for Lebron?
I watched enough game tape of Magic to be able to judge his handle.
Lebron’s is better.
I never said he was a better passer, so that’s on somebody else.
I said looking at their games as a whole I think the idea that Lebron is the far inferior player is absurd. Looking at their careers as a whole, it’s absurd to even speak of Lebron in the same sentence right now, considering he’s only been to the Finals once and hasn’t won anything.
The idea that Magic could score more if he played on a different team is in the same fantasy world as the idea that Lebron would win five rings easy if he played with Kareem, James Worthy, Michael Cooper and Byron Scott.
It’s just fantasy, there is no proof to back it up.
his style of play and mentality has hurt his career just as well as helped it accomplishments come with time kato when its all said and done for lbj and he hangs it up if your alive you will feel foolish for this discussion it wont be close name another player who has took this same path turning a bum franchise into a top notch contender by himself mj its funny though because damn near everything you said magic was better at is not trackable
I agree too. Nobody has had a team as bad as LeBron’s past teams. Now he has not excuses, so if he loses this season… we’ll see.
That being said, I’m mostly in agreement that it’s not that far fetched to say Lebron is on pace to outdue Magic. Not a guarantee, but it’s not out of the realm of possibilities.
The Seed = run-ons and sentence fragments.
Hard to read.
LeBron – ECF Game 5 2007. Passing ability?
LeBron to Joe Johnson for three, while falling out of bounds on the opposite side of the court – ASG 2010. Nuff said.
Magic might had a better court vision than Bron as in seeing plays develop and anticipating players’ movements.
But i really believe Bron’s handle is a lil bit tighter than Magic’s.
The game of basketball is still caught in an evolution: the players are bigger, stronger, faster, including their handle (would love to see Bob Cousy vs EBoy, The Stilt vs Diesel etc)
That bein said, i really believe Magic would have a harder time showcasing his handles in today’s NBA game. And not to take anything away because i love watching him in that purple and gold tighties but Bron has the better handle, Magic the vision. And probably only in rings and assists will Magic have the upperhand and that’s a big probably. (Now don’t go out and kill me like you did spanny. lol)
Why shouldn’t it be about the money?
The NBA is a conglomerate of corporations. The point of corporations is making money. They hire employees to help them towards that goal.
Seriously, why should players put winning above money?
Will many pay their bills late in life? Will it allow them to provide a better life for the families and friends?
Can it keep you cold in the summer and warm in the winter?
What exactly does “winning” do?
So you won a contest, and what’s the point? The next year you will do the same thing all over again. Why is that seen as important, while providing for the human beings you care about is not?
I swear, people are brainwashed. I want players to compete. I want them to try hard because it makes for a better game. But, it’s just entertainment. It’s a game played for my entertainment. Why would I be upset that the entertainers want to make as much money as possible while entertaining me?
It’s hilarious how it’s often the most conservative folks (And this isn’t directed at you Joe) who complain about players only caring about the money? The same folks who worship at the altar of capitalism complain that athletes want to get paid.
Just hilarious.
Ball handling, to me, is overall protection of the ball.
The fact that Magic COULd protect the ball in the low post area while keeping his dribble means he was a better ball handler than Lebron James, to me.
I guess it’s semantics. If we’re talking about dribbling moves, I consider that dribbling. And yeah, Lebron was a better dribbler.
Also, remember, Magic dealt with handchecking. Lebron hasn’t. Lebron can get away with a lot more in terms of dribbling. But that’s a little digression.
I have a feeling when people say Lebron is like Dominique Wilkins, they haven’t actually seen Wilkins play outside of youtube clips.
Let’s say filmmakers all thought the way you think ball players should think (and many of them do, but that’s a different argument). Where is the art (I h@te using this generic term in an argument, but you know what I mean) if it’s all about money? Where is the enjoyment, the satisfaction about watching something knowing it was manufactured JUST TO SELL YOU SOMETHING?
What about music? I want people making music from the heart because they are talented; I don’t want companies trying to sell me some gimmicky Jonas Brothers sh!t.
There’s having mass appeal and there’s disregarding everything for money.
The point is, if every basketball player started out playing with the goal of making quick dollars, if every writer started out writing novels with the goal of selling books, if every director started out shooting films with the goal of racking up profits at the box office, THE INTEGRITY AND THE ENJOYMENT OF EVERYTHING WE AS FANS CHERISH WOULD BE GONE.
I agree, players DESERVE the right to provide for their families, since the corporation is making billions off of their efforts. However, the point is most players should love what they do and compete and play with passion because that’s what basketball is about.
I think personal integrity is important, and I never said it wasn’t.
I said why shouldn’t providing for their families be the highest priority for NBA players.
To a certain degree, money provides security. It provides access. Money allows you to give your children and their children a head start in life that can have a huge impact on their future accomplishments. No, I don’t think money is the best thing in the world, nor do I think it solves all problems, but I do realize it plays an important role in our lives.
JoeMama argued that its wrong that earning money is the number one priority for NBA players. Honestly, the first problem with that assertion is that he offers no concrete proof and instead relies on conjecture and feelings. If you look at it logically, why would Kobe and Lebron, particularly Kobe who has earned nearly $200 million in his career, continue to do what they do if it was simply about money? They have money. Money isn’t what’s making them get up early in the morning and perfect their games. It isn’t what keeps them in the weight room or doing road work. Both Kobe and Lebron are talented enough that they could have made all the money they wanted while expending no where near the same amount of effort. So, on its face, JoeMama’s assertion that money is obviously the main priority needs some more proof.
But, let’s say JoeMama is right. Money is the number one priority for almost all NBA players.
Why is that so bad?
He said “number one” not the only priority. Neither Lebron, nor Kobe, are doing anything illegal. Their jobs don’t hurt others. So, why is it a problem that their first goal for working is to earn money?
Isn’t that the first goal of almost everybody who works? Everybody wants to get paid for their labor, and they want to be paid fairly.
Every man should want to take care of his family.
I understand the argument that art and music and things of that nature should be about more. I get that.
But, we’re talking about grown men who play a game for a living. A freaking game!
I think people expect sports to be these bastions of purity completley devoid of the realities of real life, but that’s just not realistic or fair. Sports are a business, with owners and employees. Just like every other business.
They are in the business of playing a game for our enjoyment. The sooner people start to think about sports like that, the better, in my opinion.
Comments