This summer’s free agent de jure, LeBron James, headlines the initial installment in a 3-Part series where we’ll give you the NBA players who best represent “The Equalizer,” a person who levels the playing field so everyone gets a fair shake. There aren’t many players capable of navigating the various obstacles blocking the path to equanimity in the most dire of on-court situations, but our three Equalizers fit the bill — both on and off the court.
The greatest player in the world changed the fortunes of a perennially sad-sack city and franchise who had only ever seen success when he rocked his No. 23 for the Cavaliers. LeBron’s very presence in Cleveland immediately catapulted them to the top of Vegas’ big board for championship contention. He is the biggest gun on the block, and anybody who possesses his muscular 6-8 frame, basketball smarts, deft ball-handling, vision and ability to think one or two plays ahead of everyone else on the court, will always be in a basketball game and competing for titles.
No matter the tools or teammates around him, everybody becomes a deep threat when LeBron is controlling the rock and making all five defenders sweat his presence. Despite some sad-sack lineups in Cleveland, he was already doing it all despite an inchoate game in Ohio. Perhaps it was his overwhelming size and skill advantage that necessitated some additional experience before he could take the final step to becoming a full-bore equalizer.
He proved in Miami he wasn’t afraid of the moment and made a calculated risked heading back to Cleveland this summer. But now there’s an increased emphasis on post play, where he is impossible to guard one-on-one, and a more strategic perimeter attack. Somehow he’s come into his own AFTER winning four MVP awards.
There is no one like him, and all his 30’s will prove is where he’ll fall on the all-time rankings, where he already rests comfortably in most observer’s top 10.
Tell us who you would choose as an NBA Equalizer using #TheEqualizer. We can’t think of any better than the three contemporary stars we’ve already chosen. Come back next week as we explain why Kobe Bryant joins LeBron as our next on-court Equalizer.
Who would you choose as an NBA Equalizer?
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