Kobe Bryant, The Legend

I was devastated and shocked to hear the passing of NBA legend, Kobe Bryant.  I feel like there's a hole in my chest.  I feel like the world is no longer whole.  And to hear that his daughter was with him and perished along with him just breaks my heart further.  I can only imagine what he must have been thinking in his final moments; probably about his daughter, Gianna.  Kobe Bryant was not only a great basketball player, but to me he was my favorite basketball player of all time.

I got into sports in the late 90s/early 2000s.  Around that time, I hadn't fully attached to the Seattle teams yet.  I became a fan of the dynasties of that time.  In the NFL, I cheered for the Denver Broncos.  In MLB, I cheered for the Yankees.  And in the NBA, I cheered for the Lakers.  Of those three teams, I grew most attached to the Lakers, because the Sonics were going through a rebuilding phase, and because the Lakers back then were so good and fun to watch.

I grew attached to one player in particular, one Kobe Bryant.  He was the Lakers leading scorer every year and their most exciting player.  His ability to sink fadeaway jumpers was unparalleled.  Even as I started growing attached to the Sonics, he was still my favorite player even though he was a rival of my favorite team.  Watching him match up with Ray Allen when the Lakers and Sonics played was always a joy to watch.

Kobe's in every NBA video game I've ever owned, from NBA Hangtime as a youngster to NBA Live '09.  To me, he is synonymous with NBA star; nobody could rival him in career accomplishments.  He was the leader on the most well-known basketball team in the world in one of the biggest cities in the world.  Hard to top that.

I didn't follow his later career too much, because after the Sonics left for Oklahoma City, I lost interest in basketball.  I still cheered him on, and I'm glad he was able to get one more ring, post-Shaq.  His 81-point game was incredible, something I never thought would happen in my lifetime.  That game only further cemented his legacy as one of the greatest to ever do it.  To me, he will be the greatest, because he ascended during the rise and peak of the NBA.  I didn't see much of Michael Jordan's career, and I've stopped watching NBA basketball during most of Lebron's career.  But Kobe was there for all of it, and I don't think there will be anybody greater in my eyes.

I hate that this happened.  He was gone way too soon.  He was very invested in things after his playing days, and I can only imagine what great things he would've gone on to do.  And his daughter, who may have had a career in basketball herself, had her life cut way too short.  It breaks my heart.

The only thing we can do is grieve and move on.  I have a special place in my heart for the Lakers organization, and now because of Kobe's passing, I always will.  There will never be another Kobe, no one to match him in stats and accomplishments.  His playing days were done, but he will still be sorely missed from this world.  RIP Kobe.

LeBron James - The Greatest Ever?

LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers just won the 2015-16 NBA Title, the first major sports championship for the city of Cleveland in 52 YEARS.  He of course won the Finals MVP, and after appearing in six straight NBA Finals with two different teams, finally won one for his hometown team.  People are starting to debate if he is the greatest ever.  Of course, the one to compare him to would be His Airness, Michael Jordan.  Is LeBron catching MJ?  You betcha.  Will he surpass him?  That'll be up to basketball fans for years to come.

LeBron's career has taken many turns.  Drafted straight out of high school, he and the Cavs struggled to have much success, but he did bring them to the NBA Finals in 2007, but they were swept by the San Antonio Spurs.  In 2010, LeBron was heavily criticized for leaving the Cavaliers and joining the Heat to play with his good friends Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, but he cannot be criticized for leaving the Cavs.  LeBron was given very little help, with no significant post players or ball handlers around him.  Sure, he basically left the Cavs empty-handed, but is it his fault they couldn't acquire any significant players before or after he left?  They certainly had the cap space after he left, but nope.  LeBron was hated by many, including Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, and many fans were photographed burning his jersey.  But can you really blame him?  The Cavaliers refused to give him much help, so he had to go somewhere where he could get help.  LeBron wanted to win, and the Cavs wouldn't let him.  LeBron knew he would never be seen as great, staying in Cleveland and never having success in the playoffs thanks to ownership and management not providing him with talented players around him.

So LeBron went and won two championships in Miami in 2012 and 2013.  After having experienced success, he felt the only thing better than winning championships was to win them for Cleveland.  So he headed back to the Cavaliers.  Some forgave, some still remembered the hurt they felt.  But this time, LeBron was given help in the form of draft pick Kyrie Irving and trade acquisition Kevin Love.  And just yesterday, those three were instrumental in getting the Cleveland Cavaliers their first championship.

Most people would still agree that MJ is better than LBJ, but LBJ still has plenty of years to go.  I believe LeBron in his prime would win one-on-one against Michael, because of his advantage physically.  He's not any slower, and would more than likely out muscle MJ in the post.  But in terms of best player, we have to wait and see.  And even when LeBron's career is over we'll probably still not know.  That's fine with me.  There are countless debates throughout sports and entertainment about who is better: Ruth or Aaron, Montana or Brady, Woods or Palmer, Batman or Superman, Hepburn or Streep, etc.  Basketball will have it's Jordan and James, and basketball fans should not only be fine with that, but embrace it.  Some might be perturbed that MJ might not be solely known as the greatest ever, but if LeBron keeps winning, he deserves to be in that conversation.

I'll just be happy to have been able to watch them both.  Heck there will be even be the third person who might be saying Kobe was the greatest ever, or an old-timer who will say Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, or Oscar Robertson.  I don't think LBJ will ever surpass MJ, but as long as people speak of him in the same breath and debate him with Michael Jordan, I think that would Mr. James happy enough.