LeBron James: Can He Be Considered the Best Player in NBA History?

Over the years, the legend of LeBron James has grown. Born in the United States, he has been competing in the best way in the best league in the world for 20 seasons. These outstanding performances have led him to be considered one of the most outstanding basketball players in the entire history of this sport. The top star of the Lakers is close to breaking a new record, thus becoming the top scorer in NBA history. With this, the door is reopened to be considered the best basketball player of all time, leaving legends like Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar aside.

The 'King James'

The career of “King James” has been full of records and accolades. His history as a professional athlete began in 2003, when the Cleveland Cavaliers selected him first in this Draft. From that moment, LeBron showed that he was ready to enter the Olympus of the NBA. In his first season, he was chosen as the Rookie of the Year, taking over the hearts of all Cleveland fans, who saw him as the new standard-bearer for this institution. With the passing of the seasons, the young forward became one of the best players in his position, thus remaining for 19 consecutive years with a position in the NBA all-star game.

During his career, the basketball player has won four awards for the best player of the season (2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013), has been NBA champion four times (2012, 2013, 2016 and 2020), has obtained the title of the Eastern Conference nine times (2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018), and one in the West (2020).

Inside the History Books

In his time in the best basketball league in the world, the basketball player has had the chance to play with three teams: the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers. In these three sets, the forward has won the NBA championship, titles that have led him to be considered one of the most important athletes of these three institutions. It is a historical milestone for this athlete.

Another of the most valuable awards in his career is being the first player in NBA history to score 30 points or more in 6 consecutive games, averaging 60% or more from the field. In addition, he was the first player in NBA history to record 2,000 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists in seven seasons. Statistics that have boosted his legend in this sport.

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The Star that Never Stops Shining

As if these individual and joint recognitions were few, it should be mentioned that this athlete has also been fundamental to the history of his country. LeBron James has claimed a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympic Games, a bronze medal at the FIBA World Cup in 2007, and two gold medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. His last great record is about to be completed. The Lakers star will become the top points scorer in the NBA, surpassing the mark of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a player who managed to convert 38,387 points during his career. By breaking this mark, there is no doubt that LeBron can be considered the best of all time. His impressive stats make him worthy of the title, regardless of how much you like his style of play.

For many NBA fans, the Lakers forward has to be considered the best ever. For others, it could be Michael Jordan, legend of the Chicago Bulls, who changed the approach of this sport. Other candidates could be Larry Bird, legendary basketball player for the Boston Celtics, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or any great player like Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant and Bill Russell, who have gone through this magical sport leaving their mark.

The truth is that the legendary career of LeBron James cannot be forgotten, as at 38 years of age, he is still considered one of the greatest exponents of the sport. Everything seems to indicate that he will continue to be the talk of the town until his retirement from the courts.