MVP race nears its final stretch
Whether it's at the barbershop, the airport check-in counter or just about anywhere else I go these days, I usually hear one of two questions:
"Who is the best player in the NBA?"
Or …
"Who is the MVP?"
The two aren't necessarily the same player, but it's clear three names should be discussed in both debates: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. Let's take a look at the cases for each.
Dwyane Wade
In my opinion, D-Wade is the most dynamic and fun player to watch in basketball. Give me a ticket to just one game this season, and I'm choosing the Miami Heat so I can watch Wade.
D-Wade has made the pull-back dribble between the legs his signature move. His ability to break down defenses might be unmatched. And with Shaquille O'Neal no longer at his side, Wade receives nearly all of the attention from opposing teams. Name another Heat player that commands a double team.
Of the three players, Wade has the least with which to work. Kobe has Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum, and one of the best benches in basketball. LeBron has Mo Williams and a team of savvy veterans who already have been through some wars with him.
D-Wade? Miami's lack of experience – coaching staff included – sometimes holds him back.
D-Wade has made up for that with a flair for the dramatic that rates among the best in the league. Few players have made the number of pressure-packed shots he has hit this season.
LeBron James
LeBron is the best athlete we have ever seen in the NBA. No one can match his combination of size, speed, strength, athleticism and skill.
As a result, LeBron makes it easy for his teammates to get shots. If you are a spot-up shooter, you should want to make Cleveland your home. LeBron will extend your career by setting you up for wide-open looks.
If you're a point guard and the defense is pressuring you, just give the ball to LeBron and he becomes your point forward. The Cavs continually put the ball in his hands at the top of the circle and ask him to make a play. On the break he is a runaway train, an instant assist if you pitch the ball ahead to him.
Post-up game not working? No problem. LeBron can go inside and draw fouls on the best big men. Need help on defense because your man is blowing by you? No problem. LeBron is quick enough and long enough to help, then recover on his own man.
If I were a free agent and had to pick a team, I'd sign with the Cavs. LeBron is the best teammate in basketball.
Kobe Bryant
If you're talking about basketball assassins, you're talking about Kobe Bryant. No player is more feared. Poll NBA players about whom they least like to guard, and most of them will probably say Kobe.
Which player is deadliest with the game on the line? Kobe. He not only lives to win, he enjoys demoralizing opponents. That edge is what separates him from LeBron and D-Wade. He's the guy who kicked sand on your face at the beach.
Kobe almost has a Jordan-like aura among NBA players, and for good reason. He has more offensive skill then anyone in basketball. If Jordan is No. 1, Kobe is 1A. He isn't Jordan to my generation, but Kobe is tops to the now generation. Believe that.
Kobe actually has more offensive moves than Jordan and shoots the 3-pointer slightly better. And who scored 81 points in a game? Not MJ.
This season, Kobe also has had the best supporting cast, by far. That has limited some of his numbers, but, still, no one takes on the challenge of the moment better than Kobe. Game-winning shots, guarding the best player – you name it and Kobe does it.
In my opinion, Kobe is the best player on the planet.
Final verdict
So if D-Wade is the most dynamic player, and LeBron is the best teammate, and Kobe is the most ruthless … then who is this season's MVP?
The MVP doesn't always go to the best player on the planet. If that was the case, Michael Jordan never would have given up the award. To me, the MVP is the player who squeezes every ounce of talent from his teammates, who pulls every victory possible from his team, who leads his team to new heights.
Sorry, Kobe. We predicted the Lakers would be this good. You really haven't stolen five or six more wins than we expected. I also think the MVP has to go to a player on one of the four best teams. Sorry, D-Wade.
Whom does that leave? LeBron James. My choice for MVP.
