https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3Mj28gDRWY
LeBron James is still the best basketball player in the world right now, and even before his Cavs finished their stunning upset of the Golden State Warriors last season — coming from a 3-1 deficit against a 73-win team sporting the league’s first unanimous MVP — he had already claimed the crown as the best player since Michael Jordan (yes, even better than Kobe Bean Bryant).
But it really wasn’t that long ago when the LeBron narrative was a lot different, even if a lot has happened in the ensuing years. Sure, midway through last season Steph Curry was considered by many to be the best in the game, but four years before the 2015-16 campaign, the biggest storyline about James focused on his inability to take the big shot in the big moments. James’ stubborn insistence on making the right play in crunch-time situations annoyed the old guard who saw Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant pass up open teammates to take more difficult shots when the game was on the line. They were — and, in a lot of ways, still are — of the impression that big-time players should take big-time shots even if they pass up an open teammate. Making the correct pass was considered wilting from the moment. Except, neither Michael or Kobe could pass like LeBron, and a recent mix showcasing some of James’ most remarkable dimes the last few years shows why he’s the greatest passing forward of all time. Sorry, Larry, but it’s true, and you know it.
That old belief about LeBron is total rubbish, as most astute NBA watchers now know. The last time we can remember giving it any credence was in the 2013 Finals when Gregg Popovich’s Spurs dared LeBron to beat them from outside. For the first five and half games of that series, the ruse worked, but then LeBron went crazy in the second half of that iconic Game 6, and started swishing three-pointers in Game 7 — including the clinching jumper over the outstretched arms of Kawhi Leonard in the final minute of the game.
So when Kyrie Irving took the life-changing three-pointer that put the Cavs up for good in the closing moments of Game 7 this past June, thankfully it didn’t then devolve into another in a long line of referendums on James’ bonafides as one of the greatest players the game has ever seen, and certainly the greatest of his generation.
That’s because we know better, and part of it is enjoying just how otherworldly James’ passes can be, and how astounding his dishing totals have already become. He’s only 31, but he’s already 18th all-time in assists, and first among forwards. This past season he joined Oscar Robertson as the only two players among the top 25 in all-time assists and points for a career. In May, before he and the Cavs shocked the world, he knocked Magic Johnson out of the No. 1 spot for triple doubles in the postseason.
LeBron James finished with a 20-point triple-double in Game 2, passing Magic Johnson for most in playoff history. pic.twitter.com/NmkViH6UMc
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 20, 2016
We could go on with the accolades, but instead let’s just look at some of the dimes from the mix above. Who else has the vision, the strength, and the moxy to do something like this?
https://i.giphy.com/ukOSdy0dfDFCg.gif
And who besides Magic has the size — remember James is 6-foot-8, 250 pounds — and the wherewithal to spin at the high post for a 180-degree pocket pass that splits two defenders for an easy dunk?
https://i.giphy.com/V34GAJCLXAvZe.gif
That’s bonkers.
One of our favorites is when James is posting up on the left block and and just flicks it with his right hand along the baseline for an easy score. There were a few of those in the mix above.
https://i.giphy.com/s7xEKap4UTE7C.gif
https://i.giphy.com/Jv9xVhDtARrXi.gif
Then there are the touch passes, which always remind us of the aforementioned Larry Bird. LeBron uses them equally as well, thinking one pass ahead of the defense so his teammate catching the ball has a wide-open look. The best is when he does it mid-air, though, whether off a rebound or an errant pass he’s leaping to save:
https://i.giphy.com/10cdz7UHXdHNe0.gif
https://i.giphy.com/vqbUkL7Q1WHXa.gif
True, LeBron can lose his shooting touch on occasion and he’s now playing with one of the best young scoring guards in NBA history, but those caveats on his greatness are easy to ignore when you simply watch the way he involves his teammates.
LeBron James is the best passing forward of all time, and the inclusion of “forward” in that sentence might need to be omitted by the end of his career. Such is the brilliance of LeBron.
