It is truly a treat to watch my favorite
basketball players compete on NBA courts.
Because I enjoy the game so much, I sometimes forget that my favorite
player is not twenty-one years old anymore.
As many people say: “Father Time is Undefeated.” It was difficult watching Michael Jordan when
he played for the Washington Wizards because that player was not who I was
accustomed to seeing. He was no longer
the freak-of-nature with a 48-inch vertical.
Instead, he was a ground-bound player who relied on instincts, superior
footwork and experience much more than sheer athletic prowess. That transition seemed to happen overnight
because I still remember him making the game winning shot against the Utah Jazz
to solidify his sixth NBA Championship.
Recently, Kobe Bryant—who is notoriously
stubborn—has talked more and more about his basketball mortality. I watched his interview with Ahmad Rashad last
night and his comments regarding “life after basketball” signaled to me that
one of the NBA’s greatest stars is almost done competing in the NBA. Even the current king of the NBA—Lebron
James—who is seven years younger than Kobe—has discussed his basketball
mortality. Hearing him speak about his mortality
is even more of a shock to my system because he started playing in the NBA when
I was still a student at UNC-Greensboro.
But, if I think about it for a moment, I have been out of college going
on eleven years this May.
From
Jordan to Kobe
With every generation in the NBA, there
is usually an unquestioned leader—usually the best player in the NBA. During the 90s, this title belonged to
Michael Jordan. He won at the highest
level and dominated the sport like no player—before or after him—ever has. Most of the great players in the NBA have
wanted to “be like Mike” at some point.
But, even the GOAT eventually had to relinquish the keys to the
NBA. There were plenty of guys who
wanted the keys, but only one guy snatched the keys—and his name is Kobe
Bryant. He outlasted his contemporaries
from the NBA draft class of 1996, which included Allen Iverson, Ray Allen,
Steve Nash and Stephon Marbury. Now,
Kobe is finally at the stage of his career where his body is failing him. He is looking more and more like the
ground-bound Michael Jordan who played for the Wizards. Although Kobe never
really relinquished the crown; Lebron James snatched it a number of years ago.
From
Kobe to Lebron
I remember watching a very young Lebron
James battle with an in-his-prime Kobe Bryant.
Although Kobe usually had the better team, it was clear that Lebron was
coming for the top spot. Honestly, I
believe he has had it since at least 2009, but some believe he did not snatch
the crown until he won a championship.
Either way, Lebron has had a truly magical career and was the top player
in the famed 2003 draft class—just like Kobe Bryant in his draft class. The draft class of 2003 featured Dwyane Wade,
Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Bosh. It is
weird seeing these guys transition into the last years of their respective
primes. I believe Lebron can hold the
title for two to three more years as long as he does not have any major
injuries. But, there is a new crop of
talented players who are pushing him for the top spot.
From
Lebron to . . .
During the past few years, people have
made the argument that Kevin Durant would be the next player to own the
NBA. However, this year, he has dealt
with some injuries and Russell Westbrook has emerged as a legitimate MVP
candidate, which has caused some people to wonder if he is even the best player
on his own team. In my opinion, Kevin Durant
is clearly the best player on his
team, but he does not have the tenacity and nastiness that Westbrook
possesses. If Lebron can hold on to the top
spot for two or three more seasons (which is possible), that would make Kevin
Durant twenty-nine or thirty years old.
By that time, a guy named Anthony Davis will be approaching his prime,
which is a truly scary thought. That
being said, Kevin Durant might be destined to be Clyde Drexler 2.0. By that I mean that he will always be
considered the second-best player in the NBA.
If we discuss the other young players who
have a chance to become the number one guy, we have to mention James Harden,
Kyrie Irving, Russell Westbrook, Stephon Curry, Anthony Davis and Demarcus
Cousins. Any of these guys have the potential to become the top guy, but the
question that remains is—who will snatch the keys? Only time will tell, but we know for certain
that a change in the guard is on the horizon.
Peace
