What LeBron James has been able to do the last 7 games is undeniably incredible. Scoring 30+ points and shooting 69% (80-116) from the floor during the stretch. He is having one of the best single season performances I have ever seen. One of the most amazing things about his current stretch is that he has managed to score 30+ points while Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh are also scoring 20 or more points. James is making the most of his opportunities and is the leading candidate for MVP.
With great success comes great comparison and in this case, James has big shoes to fill; Air Jordan’s to be exact. We call him King James, The Akron Hammer and The L-Train. Why do sports fans feel the need to call him the next MJ? Better yet, why even try?
Why is every up and coming basketball player on any level immediately deemed "The Next Jordan"? We need to move past the notion that there will be another MJ. What Michael Jordan accomplished for the game of basketball will never be matched by another player for as long as the game exists. He was not only responsible for creating the current sports marketing landscape that NBA players currently thrive in, but he also inspired generations to "Be Like Mike". If there was no MJ there might not have been a Kobe or an LJ.
So when I think about LeBron James I don't think about MJ, I think about LJ. James will leave his own legacy. He is in his prime and pending a serious injury he will take his place among the NBA greats. James has been the most scrutinized player in the NBA. Through it all he has managed to win 3 MVP's, make 9 straight All-Star games, and win an NBA Championship. I can almost promise you his trophy case will need to grow before his time is up.
When Kobe Bryant retires we are going to remember him as The Black Mamba, one of the greatest ever. When Tim Duncan retires we will remember him as one of the best big men to ever grace the hardwood. I only hope that when James retires we will remember him as LJ and not the MJ who never was. Great athletes deserve a chance to create and leave their own legacy. Jordan had to follow Bird and Magic, but nobody ever called him the next Bird or Magic. He was allowed to leave his own mark on the game. James said it best himself on Twitter.
I'm not MJ, I'm LJ
— LeBron James (@KingJames) February 13, 2013
On the 50th birthday of the greatest player ever I hope that we realize how truly great MJ was. It isn't fair to hold every great player after Jordan to the same standard. Every great player has left an impact on the NBA. Each generation latched on to the stars of their time and will remember how the game changed under their lead. I will be the first person to tell you that I cannot stand James, but emotional biases aside, there is no better player in the game today.
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