Basketball Diplomacy

By Jordan Niespodziany

(Originally posted on TigerRag)

Former NBA star, Dennis Rodman, recently visited North Korean supreme leader, Kim Jong-un, as part of a weeklong trip to film a TV documentary. While the Obama administration chose to distance itself from the visit claiming it was simply sports, a report from the U.S. State Department has been critical of the visit. The report said that the North Korean government should allocate their funds to their starving nation and not towards celebrity visitors. During his visit, Rodman attended a basketball game with Kim and enjoyed a night filled with fine dining and plenty of drinks.

LeBron James, Undeniably Great

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?