By: Youeal Abera
When you’re the best player in the league, everything you say or do gets extra attention. However, the more attention a player is given, the more criticism they face as well.
If any NBA player knows a thing or two about criticism, it would be LeBron James.
Recently, on ESPN’s More Than A Player, LeBron James rattled many NBA fans. No, LeBron didn’t say anything derogatory, and much to the dismay of his biggest skeptics, he didn’t have anything to say about the absurd conspiracy theories claiming he’s used “Primal Growth Testosterone” to enhance his game on the court.
Rather, when speaking about the 3–1 comeback LeBron and the Cavaliers made against the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 final series, LeBron stated, “That one right there made me the greatest player of all time.”
When I first watched the clip of LeBron saying he was “the greatest player of all time,” I didn’t think too much of the statement. Nevertheless, many fans took to Twitter to express their utter dismay with LeBron’s statement. One Twitter user wrote, “You’re out of your mind if you think LeBron James is the greatest of all time.”
However, the most ardent argument against LeBron’s comments didn’t even concern the message he was trying to articulate. Rather, many held a similar opinion as what Hall of Fame player Kevin McHale thought of LeBron’s words, “You don’t need to say that about yourself. Let other people say that for you.”
Not only is this a stupid critique, but it’s also simply wrong.
The sports world is quite familiar with legendary athletes proclaiming their own greatness. We’ve seen Mohammed Ali claim that he’s the greatest fighter of all time on a number of occasions. When Kobe Bryant was asked if he or LeBron would win in a one-on-one match, the basketball titan coolly said, “Me. No question. As far as one-on-one, I’m the best to ever do it.”
The truth is, athletes have always been communicating how great they are. If they’re genuinely skillful, and if they persistently provide evidence of their excellence, then they shouldn’t have to refrain from admitting that they believe they are the greatest!
Yes, the statement was bold. But it wasn’t just any player who spoke these words — it was LeBron James.
LeBron isn’t a player who’s accentuated by multiple other “superstars” on his team. In fact, he leads his teams. I don’t have the time to write down every monumental achievement LeBron has made in his 15-year career, but his unparalleled statistics, four MVP awards, three MVP finals awards, two Olympic gold medals, and three championship rings are evidence enough that LeBron is an undeniable basketball legend.
Additionally, what many angered NBA fans seem to forget is that LeBron didn’t air this claim simply because he was feeling himself on a Thursday afternoon. Rather, LeBron made the statement solely because of his performance during the final series of 2016, when the Cleveland Cavaliers came back against the Golden State Warriors.
In the summer of 2016, LeBron James and the Cavaliers came back against Golden State (who broke the regular season record with 73 wins in the 2015–16 season) by fighting through one of the most daunting deficits (3–1). Ali Thanawalla, in their article for NBC Sports, recounts the electrifying performance LeBron gave during the 2016 final series deficit.
“LeBron averaged 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds and 8.9 assists during that seven-game series,” Thanawalla wrote. “He also had one huge block on Andre Iguodala.”
Although Kyrie Irving’s sharpshooting definitely helped propel the Cavaliers to their win, the skill and momentum in which LeBron, specifically, displayed during this turnaround is still talked about today.
Remembering that he helped Cleveland win their first NBA championship since 1962, what LeBron said shouldn’t be so shocking. He’s certainly not the only one thinking it.
You have every right to disagree with and argue against LeBron’s comments. However, he doesn’t need to “wait” for other people to praise him, either. Given his accomplishments, seminal skill, and untouchable legacy, LeBron has every right to believe and claim that he is the greatest basketball player of all time.
