(Allowing time for the 'Boos' to die down and the tomatoes to whizz by my head. OK, I get it. No, really I get it.)
I guess that previous statement isn't completely true. I remember the infamous Salt Lake City Dagger over Bryon Russell, but that's about it. At age 20 going on 21, I feel like I was robbed of one of the purest, more exciting eras in sports history.
But hey, there's no use crying over spilled milk right? Especially when I'm currently knee-deep in the LeBron James Era.
Looking back, I don't think there was ever a cemented era in my lifetime. I don't think there was a Kobe Bryant Era, a Shaquille O'Neal Era, a Tim Duncan Era or even an Allen Iverson Era to bridge the gap between the Jordan Era and the current LeBron Era. I was old enough to remember the Lakers' reign on top back in the early 2000s and remember that Kobe and O'Neal were unworldly together. Like peanut butter and jelly. You couldn't have one without the other. And that's the reason why I don't think either claimed the era as their own. They were a two-headed monster destroying everything in sight (mainly, the Kings' window of opportunity), yet Shaq and Kobe will always be remembered for what they accomplished together. But is that necessarily a bad thing? Hardly.
We'll always remember that Lakers squad for the three-peat and the incredible dynamic between its two superstars. They carried the sport coming off one of the most exciting decades in NBA history. Their domination speaks in volumes to their unworldly skill and competitive fire. To this day, I still believe the Kobe-Shaq Alley-Oop vs. the Blazers is the single greatest sports highlight ever.
(Quick Tangent: Some of the other best sports highlights of my time: Tiger's improbable chip-in at The Masters in 2005 and ensuing fist pump. Tiger's slithery birdie putt on 18 to tie Rocco Mediate at Torrey Pines in the 2008 U.S. Open and ensuing DOUBLE-FISTED fist pump. Rocco Mediate's reaction to Tiger's birdie putt. Mark McGwire's record-breaking 62nd home run in 1998. Rafael Palmeiro pointing at congress vehemently denying ever using steroids in 2005. Baron Davis posterizing Andrea Kirilenko in the 2007 NBA playoffs. Kevin Garnett's "ANYTHING IS POSSIBLLLLLLLE" exclamation after winning the 2008 NBA Finals. Vince Carter's dunk over 7-footer, Frenchman Frederic Weis in the 2000 summer Olympics in Sydney ."The Helmet Catch." Brady Quinn sitting alone in the green room at the 2007 NFL Draft. Michael Crabtree's reaction when Darius Heyward-Bey was taken by the Oakland Raiders at number 7 in the 2008 Draft.)
Still, during the early 00's you couldn't separate the two, no matter how hard you tried. When you talked about the Lakers - or basketball in general - you talked about Shaq AND Kobe. It was never one or the other. In a sense, they were like Mary Kate and Ashley Olson. They were dynamo together yet their mystique vanished a little bit when they were mentioned apart. In La-La Land it got to a certain point where both names effortlessly meshed together to form one long alias, like Bennifer or Brangelina, as it became almost ludicrous to say one without the other.
(Quick Tangent 2: Other inseparable pairings during their respective primes: Spencer and Heidi. Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Carson Daly and TRL. Eminem and Dr. Dre. Will Smith and Carlton Banks. Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff. Eric Forman and Donna Pinciotti. Will Ferrel and John C. Reilly. Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson. Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino.)
Tim Duncan on the other hand is a different case. Tim Duncan is a sure shot Hall-of-Famer with the hardware (four rings) and accolades (Rookie of the Year 1998, 2-time NBA MVP, 3-time NBA Finals MVP, 11-time all-star) to prove it. He too came up during the post-Jordan Era and succeeded.
Paired with David Robinson in 1998 the Spurs had all the makings of an up-and-coming dynasty (which in hindsight proved to be true: four titles in eight years) and Duncan had all the makings of an era-defining superstar. However, as time passed Duncan adopted the Tiger Woods mentality towards the media, Just Answer The Question. Trying to get some personality out of Timmy was like pulling teeth. Timmy had the polished skills to go head-to-head with any superstar of his generation, yet he lacked a certain "it" factor that would've elevated him to a whole 'nother level. Superduperstardom. He didn't have Shaq's flamboyant personality or Kobe's youthful charisma or Iverson's outspoken opinions ("PRACTICE?!?!?").
(This is why this clip is such a trip and so fun to watch.)
There's no doubt, Tim Duncan will go down as one of the top 25 players ever to play in the game of basketball, but his era - much like his personality - will be remembered quietly.
Enter King James.
I still remember being on a family trip in Reno and watching one of his televised high school games (back when high school basketball games weren't normally televised). At the time I wasn't thinking much of it; a freakish athlete playing against high school scrubs, big cahoot. Looking back in hindsight LeBron James was much more than an up-and-coming superstar.
He, was the era defining superstar the NBA desperately needed. During and after the Shaq trade, the media religiously dubbed Kobe Bryant as the next Michael Jordan. The parallels between the two were rounding into shape but the comparison never seemed to stick. It goes without saying, Kobe Bryant was hell bent on being the first Kobe Bryant rather than the second Michael Jordan. Instead of assuming the role of Jordan 2.0 Kobe separated himself from the notion and the comparisons were kaput.
(Quick Tangent 3: With the hip-hop industry turning to a younger nucleus of fresh faces here are a few of "The Nexts": Charles Hamilton - The Next Kanye West. B.o.B. - The Next Andre 3000. Asher Roth - The Next Eminem. Drake - The Next Lil Wayne. Lupe Fiasco - The Next Jay-Z. Ne-Yo - The Next Brian McKnight. Keyshia Cole - The Next Mary J. Blige. Keri Hilson - The Next Toni Braxton.)
When LeBron entered the league in 2003 the expectations seemed insurmountable. Not even Michael Jordan faced this much limelight in his rookie campaign. The era was desperate for fresh face. In the 2003-2004 season Kobe had Shaq were playing for an unprecedented 4-peat, Kevin Garnett was finally getting his shot at a title, and we got our first glimpse of "The Next Jordan."
Over the last six years, we've already seen LeBron hit full Jordan mode (2007 Eastern Conference Playoffs vs. the Pistons) and something tells me, his best is yet to come. His physical presence can only be compared to that of an in-shape Shaq and his athleticism is off the charts. I remember watching his 48-point coming out party against the Pistons at a friend's house. We sat there in complete disbelief, instinctively realizing we was watching something special. I finally had my first real basketball memory. Something to tell my grandkids about.
Two seasons full of thousands of highlight dunks and dozes of awe-inspiring shots later, the NBA finally has an era to hang its hat on. The LeBron Era.
Seeing LeBron in these playoffs has only added to his ceiling. I remember predicting two things about King James about three years into his still-budding career: 1. he was going to average a triple-double over the course of one season and 2. he was going to be the best NBA player in history. Yep, history. Was that second predication premature? Of course. Was it considered basketball nonsense at the time? No doubt. But was I that far off? I don't think so.
Michael Jordan won his first title in his seventh year in the league, LeBron looks like he's going to win his first in his sixth. Jordan won his first MVP in his fourth year, LeBron just won his first in his sixth (becoming the youngest player to win the award in the process, by the way). All I'm saying is he's getting there. Quickly.
More important than all the accolades and praise, is the inner fire needed to compete at the highest level each and every game. LeBron is channeling his inner MJ with every playoff game. He senses it. He can taste it. His fire may not burn as fiercely as Jordan's did but it's pretty damn close. He makes the game look so easy. For instance, in game 2 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals, with the clock running down in the first half LeBron dribbled the ball across half-court, did a little step back and heaved the ball from 40-feet. Swoosh. Heaved is actually the wrong word. He didn't "heave" the ball, he shot it. Beautifully. Just like he was shooting it from 10 feet. In form. Elbow above the knee. 40-footer, nothing but net. I mean, Wow.
Though I may not have been around to see Jordan's 63 point explosion in the Boston Garden, or "The Shot," or his famous dunk on Patrick Ewing, who knows what highlights the King has in store for us Generation Y'ers. Stay tuned.
Who knows, we may even get a "Space Jam 2" out of it.
2 comments:
The Lebron Era? Personally I think you need at least ONE ring, if not two or three, before you can get a whole "era" named after you. So it may go without saying that I don't think he deserves the title of "King" James just yet, king of what exactly? If he doesn't have the ring to prove it he shouldn't have that name. And I also think the NBA is way watered down from what it used to be. As in Jordan having to go through the Pistons bad boys, where now there is really no such comparison because the NBA kicks everyone out for a hard foul. And that's another thing Jordan played GREAT D, he won awards for his defense, not just his offense, not that James can't defend a good player, just that the NBA as a whole seems pretty lax on the defensive end until about the 4th quarter at least. As a basketball player myself, I have lost much interest in the NBA because of all the travels, flops, missed midrange jump shots and free throws, and the guy who just lets Lebron go coast to coast (how are you even IN the NBA if you can't play D?).
I feel like the only history I am witnessing (or not since I have slowly watched less and less, the Lakers are even playing as I write this and my TV is not on) is the decline of the NBA since the Jordan Era, which you have rightly titled the "Lebron Era".
First off I'd just like to say nice blog, I should've started reading this awhile back.
The Lebron Era. I'm not going to lie, it doesn't have the same ring as the Jordan era, but maybe it's just because I haven't said it as much. Was your prediction a little premature-maybe. Is it right on-yes. Lebron James is in my opinion the best player since Jordan, hell, since Wilt to have the opportunity to completely wrap up the term GOAT as his own.
The man is big. Really big. The guy is strong, fast, quick. He's one of the most gregarious players in the league, and it seems like Kobe's work ethic rubbed off on Lebron over the summer during the olympics. The guy is good, and he's got more talent and more originality than any player since Jordan came into the league.
Is this his era yet though? No. If Kobe wins this Finals this decade will go down as his. Part of the reason why it isn't already his is because of the sex scandal. He robbed himself of the marketing opportunity to put himself on par with Jordan (and marketability plays a huge part in how people perceive a player).
Even though Lebron has all this talent, he has yet to show me one very, very important thing-the ever present assassin. Lebron is good in the last few seconds, but Kobe has been there so many times and has hit so many shots. Yeah, Kobe has missed a lot, but so did Jordan, just people like to forget about those.
As far as this decade goes, how can you forget about 81? I could go on for days about why Kobe is still a better player than Lebron, although Lebron has the greater upside (but I'll spare you the eye strain, and space under your blog). What it really comes down to is who is going to win this Finals. If the Lakers pull it off, if Kobe brings home his first personal championship, people will look back and say this is when Kobe owned the league. Kobe won't have dominated it the way Jordan did, but they will look back and say that decade is when Kobe Bryant played. Come 2010-2019 though, there'll be some spectacular battles, but barring injury, I think Lebron can and will be king.
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