Jay-Z is Kobe Bryant, not Allen Iverson

**This blogpost is based on a number of conversations I have had with one of my good friends.  I am expressing a theory he dropped on me, with my own little spin.**

Today is December 4, 2015, which is Jay-Z’s birthday.  If you are a serious hip- hop fan, you have or will pull out your favorite Jay-Z albums and playlists today.  Like Henry said in Goodfellas, “they did it out of respect.”  Jay-Z is arguably the GOAT when it comes to hip-hop.  I would argue that, despite his spot at or near the top of hip-hop’s Mount Rushmore, at his core, he is an overachieving underdog.  This might sound a little strange, but I believe it and hope to persuade you as well.  If you recall Jay-Z’s early career, and I am talking pre-Reasonable Doubt, his music was not well received by the masses.  In fact, some old heads would emphatically declare that he was kind of lame.  His pace was very fast and his sound was more Das Efx than Kool G. Rap (If you are not familiar with these hip hop acts, you might want to stop reading now).  His rise to the top did not occur overnight.   I will discuss his talent and rise to the top of hip-hop through a direct comparison with another all time great—Kobe Bryant.

Allen Iverson is one of the greatest basketball players ever.  He was also a child prodigy—not unlike Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.  From the age of thirteen, or maybe even younger, he was the best basketball and football player in the State.  By the time he was fifteen years old, he was the best basketball and football player in the entire country.  Iverson was gifted, and that is one of the many reasons his “practice” rant is so funny.  For him, practice was not necessary to perform at a high level.  I imagine he did not have to lift weights, or train, or practice twelve hours a day to be the best—he simply was.

Nas is a very similar talent in the realm of hip-hop.  Like Iverson, Nas was a child prodigy.  He recorded Live at the Barbeque at the tender age of fifteen.  At that time, he worked with some of the all-time greats in the hip-hop game.  Surprisingly, or maybe not surprisingly, they dubbed him the next big thing.  How could they not, though?  Then, at the age of nineteen, he released Illmatic, which is one of the most flawless albums ever released.  I believe he actually recorded the album while he was only seventeen years of age. 

I believe it is very appropriate that Kobe’s announcement of his final NBA season and Jay-Z’s birthday occurred in the same week.  In many ways, they are inextricably tied to one another.  Jay-Z released his first album, Reasonable Doubt, in 1996.  If you follow basketball, you know that 1996 was the year Kobe entered the NBA.  As great of a basketball player as Kobe is, at the age of thirteen, he was not likely the greatest player in his state.  In fact, it was not until he was in high school that people took notice of his immense talent.  He is different from Iverson and Nas because he took his God given skills and worked his ass off.  He left no stone unturned and his hard work paid off—literally and figuratively. 

I contend to you that Jay-Z is more Kobe, than Iverson.  Like Kobe, he was a relatively late bloomer.  When he started rapping in the late 80s/ early 90s, he rapped really fast and people did not necessarily take to his style.  Then, around 1995, or maybe a little before, he slowed his flow, then Jigga was born.  Even still, he could not find a record label to sign him so he could release his first album.  Consequently, he thought outside of the box, worked his ass off, and created Roc-A-Fella Records.  The rest is history.

The other week, I had a conversation with someone who said Jay-Z is overrated.  Because I am a huge Jay-Z fan, I had to take a proverbial step back so I could hear the opinion as objectively as possible.  After hearing the argument, I was not convinced.  Jay-Z is maybe the most successful hip-hop artist of all time.  He has sold millions of records, went bar-for-bar with Biggie and Big L, retired, returned, became an NBA owner, owned a clothing line, owned a line of vodka, became President of Def Jam Records, and so on and so forth.  If you are a hip-hop purist and decide to examine his career strictly on his catalogue of music, it would be difficult to say that he is overrated.  He has four or five legitimate hip- hop classics to his name (Reasonable Doubt, The Blue Print, Black Album, Volume 1 and Volume 2).  Who else—living or dead—can boast this level of consistency?

He epitomizes what many people fail to see—the overachieving underdog.  He is a guy who was blessed with talent, just like every person on this earth.  But, what do we do with our talent?  Do we cultivate it? Do we sit on it? Do we complain that we do not have enough?  Jay-Z chose to believe in himself, despite naysayers, and grew his talent to become arguably the GOAT.  That is an amazing feat considering there have been many people blessed with more talent who never accomplished a third of what Jay-Z accomplished in the hip hop game, or the game of life. Remember: “Hard work beats talent when talent does not work hard.”

Jay-Z is not Allen Iverson, or Nas.  But, he is Kobe Bryant, which places him in great company.

Peace  

Kobe Bryant: A Reflective Piece

Kobe Bryant is finally retiring after twenty years in the NBA.  During his tenure in the NBA, he has been one of the most dominant, misunderstood, and defiant athletes of all time. His talent, work ethic and drive propelled him to the very top of the game of basketball and inspired generations of basketball players.  He carried the NBA after Michael Jordan retired.  He is widely considered the second best shooting guard to ever play the game.  Kobe played the game in an aggressive, never-back-down, in-your-face, style that people either loved or hated.  He is an icon and will be remembered and revered well after his last game in an NBA arena.

What are your earliest memories of Kobe Bryant?  My earliest memories of Kobe are not what you might expect.  In fact, my earliest memories of him are not images of him making game winning shots.  Instead, they are of him struggling as a rookie against a Utah Jazz team.  I remember him receiving a pass at the end of a NBA playoff game.  Once he received the ball, he shot multiple air balls.  Despite him temporary failure, you could see that he still felt that he was the best player on the floor. It is this defiant attitude that has defined his career.  Even during times when a normal athlete would doubt his skills, Kobe never did. So, his courage under fire and willingness to strive for greatness are my earliest memories of him.

What are your favorite moments of Kobe when he was at the height of his powers?  For me, there are too many moments to choose just one, or even a few.  I remember him being the undisputed best player in the game for a span of at least ten years.  During this period, he was dominant on both ends of the court.  He won five NBA Championships and an NBA MVP award (he should have won more than one).  During one season, he averaged thirty-five points per game.  During that same season, he scored sixty points in three quarters against the Dallas Mavericks, then scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors.  He won multiple Olympic gold medals; and he was named to countless NBA All Star Games. He was criticized and applauded for him game.  But, through it all, he remained true to himself and did things his way.

Watching a player ascend to the top of a sport is a pleasure.  However, there are two sides to every career—a start and an ending.  So, you always know the end will come.  Most great athletes’ skills start diminishing while they are fighting Father Time. During my time watching professional sports, I have only seen a handful of truly great athletes exit their respective sports near or close to the peak of their powers.  Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, Kobe is not one of those athletes.  The past three seasons have been marked by incredibly bad luck for Kobe.  His Lakers have transitioned from a perennial powerhouse to a literal laughing stock of the NBA.  During this unfortunate transition, he has suffered season-ending injuries the last three years.   Kobe is similar to the late, great Tupac Shakur in a sense because people always expect him to come back from adversity.  However, the end is inevitable for us all--even the great ones. 

This year, Kobe has looked like a fish out of water on the court.  It has been tough watching him be exposed on the offensive and defensive end.  It has been tough watching him shoot air balls. For the first time in his career, he has found himself on the court with players who are better than him.  This could not have been more apparent than the Lakers most recent game against the Golden State Warriors.  During that game, we were able to see two players at opposite ends of their careers.  Steph Curry is ascending, while Kobe is at the end of a historic career.

Although the end is near, fans will get an opportunity to watch him play his farewell tour.  I believe he is still capable of stringing together some good, but not great, games.  I look forward to seeing him during NBA All star Weekend one last time.  I want to see him battle Lebron, D. Wade, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and other all time great players at least one more time.  In the meantime, in an effort to refresh my memory of how great he once was, I have been watching old highlights reels.  Although his days of dominance are surely over, his legacy is forever etched in stone for generations of NBA fans to enjoy.

Peace

Steph Curry: A Transcendent Talent

To say Stephen Curry is a transcendent talent might be an understatement.  During the past few years, he has been in quite a groove.  This groove culminated in an MVP award and NBA championship in the 2014-15 NBA Season.  Steph epitomizes the rare talent who exceeds expectations.  He was not heavily recruited in high school and he attended Davidson College, which is hardly known for being a haven for top notch, NBA-level talent.  In fact, he did not come onto the national scene until his team made a deep run in the NCAA Tournament during his last year at Davidson College.  Even with his impressive individual run, many NBA scouts thought he would not be able to become a full time starting point guard in the NBA.  Some of the comments made about Curry just before the NBA Draft were—and I am paraphrasing—he is not athletic, he is too small, he is not strong and he is a poor defensive player.  These so-called “experts” completely missed the mark.

I have been an avid basketball fan for at least twenty-five years.  During my time spent playing, observing and talking to other fanatics about the game, I learned what was traditionally expected of a point guard.  Some of the skills necessary for success as a point guard include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) toughness, (2) defensive prowess, (3) strength, (4) intelligence, (5) leadership, and (6) great passing.  These core skills were what defined the position “Before Curry” (B.C.).  Now, in order to play the position at the highest level, a point guard must possess other skills, such as the ability to stretch the floor.  This ability, B.C, was usually required of a team’s shooting guard.  But now, teams are looking for players with Curry’s shooting ability to play the point guard position (good luck with that search).  Curry’s unique shooting ability has truly revolutionized the game of basketball.   

So, what makes Curry so different?  Well, he is easily the best shooter in the history of the game.  Yes, I made that statement, and certainly stand behind it.  When you think about the great shooters in the history of the NBA, certain names come to mind—Reggie Miller, Ray Allen, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitski, and Larry Bird.  Steph, in my opinion, is a notch above each of these shooters because he has an uncanny ability to make shots, from well behind the three-point line, off the dribble.  He is not just a spot-up shooter; rather, he is a difficult shot-maker.  I watched a game just last night when he scored 53 points, with 28 coming in a furious barrage in the third quarter.  He is impossible to guard because he is a threat from any spot on the court.  Most players have certain proclivities that make them susceptible to defensive schemes aimed to stop them.  With Steph, I do not see any offensive weakness.  He has one of the tightest handles the league has ever seen—coupled with the purest jump shot in league history. Taken together: he is nearly impossible to guard.

Have we ever seen a player like Steph Curry?  The short answer is no.  However, the closest comparison, offensively, would be an “in-his-prime” Steve Nash.  He too possessed a tight handle and an ability to shoot the ball extremely well.  However, not even Steve could shoot the ball from 30 feet with remarkable precision.  Considering Steph’s relative humble beginnings, I find it very ironic and encouraging that he has to be included on a short list of players who revolutionized the game.  Some players on that list include: Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul Jabar, Julius Irving, Michael Jordan, and Shaquille O’Neal.  Of all of these players, only Steph Curry looks like a regular person.  By that I mean, he is not extremely tall, muscular or otherwise physically imposing.  If you saw him walking down the street, and did not recognize his face, he would not otherwise standout. 

If Steph Curry remains healthy, I have no doubt that he will be a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer.  That would be pretty sweet considering many people thought he would not even become a full-time starter in the NBA.  His story shows that belief in oneself, coupled with a great work ethic, can help a person overcome seemingly insurmountable odds.

Peace

Who is Number One: Top Five Current NBA Players

If you know me at all, you know I am a huge basketball enthusiast.  I can literally watch basketball anytime of the day or night.  Growing up as an only child in Winston-Salem, playing or watching basketball always brought great joy to my life.  When I had a bad day, I could always count on the game of basketball providing a refuge for me.  As a child and teenager, I watched a lot of men’s college basketball.  During this era, iconic players such as Allen Iverson, Ray Allen, Tim Duncan and other great players could be seen on television a few nights per week.  Conversely, during this time, NBA basketball was going through a transition period from the “Michael Jordan” era.  As such, it appeared that college basketball was more popular and therefore television stations broadcast more college games.

Today, however, if you have basic cable services through Time Warner or Direct Television, you can watch NBA games four or five nights per week.  If, on the other hand, you purchase NBA League Pass, you can likely watch games seven days per week.  The growth and exposure of the NBA has influenced me to watch more and more NBA basketball.  That said: I believe I can provide reasonably based opinions on certain topics pertaining to the NBA.  Today’s topic—which is a favorite barbershop discussion point is: Who are the top five current NBA players?  It seems that everyone has an opinion on this topic, so here is mine:

5.) James Harden:

Five years ago, if someone told me that Harden would become a top five NBA player, I would not have believed it.  But, ironically, those words have come to pass and are true today.  Harden is a phenomenal scorer with an adept touch from deep and an uncanny ability to draw fouls at a very high rate.  Last season, but for Stephen Curry’s great season, he would have likely been named the NBA MVP.  This year, as he is just reaching his prime years, I am expecting even more from Harden.  Unfortunately for him, I just do not see him being able to do enough to overcome the stiff competition out west.

4.) Stephen Curry:

Five years ago, there were people who did not think Curry could become a full-time point guard in the NBA.  He was coming off a number of ankle surgeries and some naysayers said he was too small, not explosive and too weak to be an elite point guard.  Five years later, those people look pretty foolish and a few NBA talent scouts have written apologies for their harsh evaluations of Mr. Curry.  Now, he is the defending NBA MVP, and he is the undisputed leader and best player of the NBA Champions—the Golden State Warriors.

3.) Anthony Davis

It is pretty amazing that Anthony Davis is barely 21 years old, yet is considered one of the top few players in the NBA.  Last year, he had one of the more dominant statistical seasons in recent history. He even willed his team to a playoff bid in the stacked western conference.  From everything I have read about him, he seems to be a hard worker and has likely added additional skills to his game for the new season.  I am expecting him to average 25 points, 14 rebounds and 5 assists per game this year.  I truly believe that, so long as he is healthy, he has a chance to be one of the greatest players to ever play the game.

2.) Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant experienced adversity for the first time in his professional career last year.  Last season marked the first time he suffered a major injury that required multiple surgeries and caused him to miss most of the season.  Based on the reports I have read, he is back to full health.  Like any great warrior coming out of adversity, I expect him to be dominant.  I expect him to reclaim his spot as the second best player in the NBA.  This is a spot that was unquestionably his prior to the injury-filled season.

1.) Lebron James

Another year has passed, yet Lebron James is still sitting atop of the NBA hierarchy.  Now, I must say that he won’t have this spot much longer.  For those who thought he had lost a half step last season, you are right.  However, what he has lost in athleticism, he has more than made up for with intelligence and an ability to get the most out of his players.  The 2015 NBA Finals provided James with a platform to show people his ability to dominate so many facets of the game.  Without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love—the second and third best players on his team—he willed the Cleveland Cavaliers to two wins against a much better team—The Golden State Warriors.  I am actually predicting that his production across the board will decrease for the third consecutive year, however, I believe his impact will remain constant.  For that reason, he still occupies the number one spot.

Peace