MJ, KB or LBJ

Except for a few remaining big names, major player transfers and signings had been done.  As I write this, Carmelo Anthony is reported to be on his way to the Houston Rockets, agreeing to a one year, $2.4 million deal.  Another Rocket, Clint Capella, is yet to finalize things with his team although he’s rumored to be Laker bound.  It’s a remote possibility as the Lakers already had signed 15 players, including new addition Michael Beasley.

Dallas finalized things with Dirk Nowitzki and agreed to a one year, $5 million deal.  When Dirk suits up at season opening, he enters the record books with 21 consecutive seasons in a single team.  He needs only 237 points to overtake Wilt Chamberlain at #5 on the NBA’s all-time top scorers.  Two prominent future HOFers remained unsigned up to the moment – Dwayne Wade and Vince Carter.

Recently inking a lifetime deal with Chinese apparel company Li-Ning, D-Wade is reportedly being wooed with a “monster deal” by Xinjiang Flying Tigers of the Chinese Basketball League.  At 36, he is thinking of retirement and if ever he does decides to play for one more season, he said it would be with Miami.  Nearing 40, Carter hopes to play two more seasons and entertained the idea of ending his career with Toronto.  Hopefully, the Raptors will accommodate him.  If Carter gets signed, he too will be on his 21st season, although on different teams.

Just for fun, let’s elaborate on the debate on who’s the better or maybe the best ever basketball player in the modern era.  Mention these names and everybody knows who they are.  We’ve heard of comparisons between them, three of basketball’s best who had ever laced up some Nikes on the hard court and fans of these athletes contend that one is better than the other.  They support their arguments with the record-setting deeds of their idols.   Even players, both active and retired, have joined the discussion.

Of course, there are others who insist that there are other generational greats who had played the game and had some outstanding accomplishments and can compare, if not surpass the on-court exploits of the three.  But most say that no one else can compare to these three high flyers – Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

Personally, just like comparing anybody else to MJ, Kobe or LeBron, there is no comparison.  MJ and KB both play the backcourt, LeBron is a wing player.  They have different styles of play and the similarity is that they are clutch players and have very strong desires to win. 

Jordan is number 4 all-time on the NBA’s scoring list with 32,292 points.  In 19 seasons with the league, MJ was the 1985 ROY awardee, twice a Slam Dunk champion, 14-time All-Star and was All-Star MVP 3 times.  He was a 10-times league scoring champion, won 6 NBA championships and was Finals MVP in all of those title runs.  Jordan was league MVP five times and won two Olympic gold medals.  He retired with career averages of 30 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals per game.

With his several endorsement deals, Jordan earns about $40 million a year and according to Forbes, is the third richest Afro-American behind investor Robert F. Smith and Oprah Winfrey with a net worth of $1.6 billion.

With 33,643 career points, Kobe sits at number 3 on the league’s all-time scoring list.  He is one of three players who had spent at least 20 consecutive seasons with a single team (Nowitzki, 21 and Tim Duncan 20).   He is an 18-time All-Star and a 4-time All-Star MVP.  He won 5 league championships and was 2-time Finals MVP.  Kobe was the league MVP in 2008, a 2-time scoring champion and the 1997 Slam Dunk king.  Like MJ, he won two Olympic gold medals.  Kobe’s net worth is about $400 million and receives $20 million annually from several endorsement deals.

LeBron appeared in 14 All-Stars and will be seen in several editions more.  Like MJ and KB, he won two Olympic golds.  He was league MVP four times and could be in for at least another one.  With 9 straight Finals appearance, LeBron won 3.  He was the 2004 ROY, the 2008 league scoring champion and is currently at seventh on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with 31,038 points.  If he just averages 22 points in at least 70 games this coming season, he will move up to fourth all-time, overtaking MJ.  He has a $33 million annual salary aside from the $52 million he gets yearly from endorsements.

MJ, KB, LBJ, exceptional players with really ridiculous earning powers.  Comparisons will always be there but there will never be another Jordan, never will be another Kobe, much less another LeBron.  In the same breath as Magic Johnson and Larry Bird are different from each other, so like Zaza Pachulia cannot compare to Luc Longley or Dominique Wilkins to Shawn Kemp or Spud Webb to Isaiah Thomas. 

Let the comparisons continue but each species is completely unique and distinct from each other.