Amid the hoopla of another Super Bowl in the watered-down NFL, the NBA has reached its midway point. More importantly, it has found its new King.
LeBron James, plainly and simply, is the league’s most valuable player halfway through the 2004-05 season.
His resume speaks for itself:
25.1 points per game
.497 field goal percentage
7.3 rebounds per game
7.5 assists per game
2.23 assists per turnover
2.33 steals per game
Many national pundits have boasted that Steve Nash is the top player in the NBA this season. Nash, after all, has led the Suns to more wins (37) already this season than they posted all of last year (29) during his first year back in Phoenix. But Nash is not the sole reason for the improvement. Keep in mind Phoenix added swingman Quentin Richardson, who averages 16.0 points per game, in the off-season and man-child Amare Stoudemire, who missed 27 games a year ago, has returned with a vengeance. Nash is the best point guard in the league, but playing with four outstanding scorers helps.
Even more impressive than James’ statistics is the fact that his Cleveland Cavaliers are winning. This is a team whose roster aside from James, unlike the Suns’, is a list of journeymen and unproven youngsters.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas? This guy has suffered more injuries in his career than anyone has fingers to count them on. Ilgauskas is a quality center when healthy, but certainly not a player to build around.
Drew Gooden? A star at Kansas, Gooden has already been traded twice in less than three seasons. After being stuck on the bench under Hubie Brown in Memphis, Gooden packed his bags for Orlando. Last season he was a spot starter on a Magic team that won 21 games.
Jeff McInnis? Had trouble cracking a team roster coming out of North Carolina and a Portland JailBlazers castoff.
Ira Newble? Played for the Wisconsin Blast of the IBA. Played for the Idaho Stampede of the CBA. Played for the Columbus Cagerz, Camden Power and Oklahoma Storm of the USBL.
Robert Traylor? Flopped as a big man for the Milwaukee Bucks. Has been traded four times in his career.
Lucious Harris? Anderson Varejao? Aleksandar Pavlovic? DeSagana Diop?
This is a team headed for the playoffs? There is one, and only one, reason why the answer to that question is yes — LeBron James. Without him, Cleveland would be duking it out with Hawks, Hornets and Bobcats for the top pick in next year’s draft. LeBron has taken his supporting cast and elevated their play while players such as Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady post great individual numbers on lackluster teams. In less than two years, James has learned a lesson that has escaped Bryant and McGrady throughout their careers.
James represents an anomaly in today’s sports society — a highly touted youngster who has lived up to, and even exceeded, his hype. And for a player who has been on ESPN since before he was old enough to vote, that is making a statement. Despite having the weight of an entire franchise on his back, James has played better than advertised.
However, plenty of people have been waiting for him to slip. Two years ago, LeBron was fighting for his prep eligibility after wearing a couple of free throwback jerseys. Wow, what a criminal. He was answering questions about a suspicious Hummer. He joined a team with perennially hot head Ricky Davis. The hurdles have been there. LeBron has simply refused to trip.
James has done nothing but handle himself with class throughout his career. The same cannot be said for Bryant or say, Carmelo Anthony, the man nearly everyone pitted against LeBron last season. While Anthony is busy toting backpacks containing marijuana and making guest appearances in underground movies with drug dealers, James is rebuilding a franchise.
Funny, wasn’t that supposed to be Anthony’s role? He was the proven winner, having captured an NCAA Championship in his lone college campaign. He was the one who would be able to make the adjustment to the rigors of the NBA. He was the one with the silky smooth mid-range jumper.
In his two seasons, Anthony has been called a ball hog by his teammates on numerous occasions, refused to enter a game and led the Nuggets to underachievement. Now, he’s stuck with new coach George Karl. Ouch.
LeBron, on the other hand, has head coach Paul Silas and teammates praising his every move. The bad news for the rest of the league (and the good news for Silas) is James is only 20 years old. The Jordan comparisons won’t stop, but LeBron doesn’t need to fill M.J.’s shoes. He’s got his own to grow into.
