“LeBron James is the best basketball player I’ve ever seen” – Marcus Spears brushes off Michael Jordan era comparisons in praise for LeBron's evolution
LeBron James became the NBA’s youngest player to reach 36,000 points on Tuesday. James is the third player to reach the milestone.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who retired in 1989 after 20 seasons, is the league's all-time leading scorer with 38,387 points. Karl Malone, who retired in 2004 after 19 seasons, is second with 36,928 points. And James, with 36,001 points, could surpass Malone this season.
In a video posted to “First Take” on Wednesday, ESPN sports analyst Marcus Spears declared:
“LeBron James is the best basketball player I’ve ever seen.”
.@mspears96 celebrates LeBron’s greatness after another career milestone.
“LeBron James is the BEST basketball player I’ve ever seen in my life!” https://t.co/rcsmQvXvf1
LeBron James is "The King"
LeBron James has averaged 27.0 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game in 1,325 regular-season appearances through 19 seasons.
James has won four championships (2012 and 2013 with the Miami Heat, 2016 with the Cleveland Cavaliers and 2020 with the Lakers). He was the NBA Finals MVP in each of those years. Plus, he's a 17-time All-Star, a three-time All-Star Game MVP and a six-time All-Defensive team member.
Needless to say, “The King” has earned his crown.
But is he the best player ever?
Spears said James is the greatest, and he explained:
“I know that this argument goes all over the place, but to me personally, LeBron is the greatest. What it really boils down to is … not only how his game has evolved, but the journey it took to get there”
James has been playing professional basketball for more than half of his life — he was born Dec. 30, 1984, and was drafted by the Cavaliers on June 26, 2003. The gap between the dates is 6,752 days.
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James has been around long enough to see the gameplay shift through new generations. James’ basketball IQ showcases allows him to adapt his game in the face of changes. When he needed to learn how to shoot deep, he did. At a time when LeBron was already well known as a superstar, he still managed to evolve.
Spears touched on James' growth in saying:
“We talked about him not being able to shoot, so he became a better shooter. We talked about his post game, he went and became a better post player. He implemented things about his game, about his career, and he continued to get better at a time when he was already the best in the game.”
LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan
Of course, the Michael Jordan comparison is going to pop up. In the debate over who is or was the greatest to ever do it in the NBA, Jordan’s name shines bright in the conversation. The man who became the mark for superstardom in the NBA will forever be weaved tightly within the talks of “the greatest.”
Spears, a former NFL player, said his opinion is not merely personal but backed by evidence. There is nothing he says one can really immediately disagree with aside from personal bias.
“For me, as I’m 38 years old, and I know that the Jordan era, and I know people will fight tooth and nail for MJ. LeBron James is the best basketball player I’ve ever seen in my life,” Spears said.
Spears graduated from Southern Lab in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 2001 and played four years for Louisiana State University before being drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the first round in 2005.
Jordan initially retired in 1998 but then returned to the NBA with the Washington Wizards in 2001-02 and 2002-03. So, Jordan's first retirement coincided with the final three seasons of Spears' high school career, when Spears was also one of the nation's top basketball recruits.
James, meanwhile, was a national high school star before being drafted first overall in 2003 by Cleveland. So, Spears, who will turn 39 in March, and James, who turns 37 on Thursday, are contemporaries.
Spears clarified that James was simply the greatest he has seen playing in real time — implying he never got to see enough of Jordan, who turns 59 in February, to form a differing opinion. It seemed less of a comparison, and more of an acknowledgement of the greatness he has witnessed with his own eyes.
LeBron James' ever-growing basketball IQ
LeBron James' statistical growth through his longevity speaks volumes for how high his basketball IQ can grow. There seems to be no limit to which area of the game he can learn to grow and dominate.
Michael Jordan was, of course, much the same in his 15 seasons.
Criticized for his poor outside shooting, Jordan feverishly developed his shot, especially from 3-point range (17.3% as a rookie). Criticized as merely an offensive showman, he became a devil on defense. Jordan was the 1987-88 Defensive Player of the Year and a nine-time All-Defensive team member who led the league in steals three times.
Jordan's burning desire to eliminate any perceived weakness was one of his defining characteristics.
James is averaging 27.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game at his age. His Lakers (17-18) may only stand seventh in the Western Conference, but his latest milestone speaks volumes. Being the youngest player to reach 36,000 points is one of the biggest accomplishments of his career. It proves his long-standing dominance, his ability to evolve and the level of his basketball IQ.
James dropped a triple-double in a 132-123 win at the Houston Rockets on Tuesday. He finished with 32 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists — even with superstar Russell Westbrook also notching a triple-double. James' greatness, even with his team's poor record, seems to be standing out more as of late.
Carmelo Anthony and Westbrook, who have combined for 19 All-Star appearances, are known for their dominance. When stacked beside James, however, LeBron is almost coaching the two. When James is with them, he is seen trying to elevate their basketball IQ. This is mark of greatness from James.
Spears talked about the impact James has had with his presence and absence from franchises:
“We talked about super teams and how he created those, but those teams don’t do much after he leaves. I don’t think it's a coincidence, I just think it's LeBron James being a part of those rosters.”
James has an oozing effect with his greatness, which is to say it pours into the players on his team. “The King” takes time to point out positives and negatives in everyone's game and coach them into better decisions, ultimately influencing an evolution into the next step of their games.
James' greatness is backed enough by his stats and accolades but can really be seen in the effect he has on those around him.