I must admit that I wasn't the most ardent admirer of LeBron James never mind how he turned around the Cleveland Cavaliers since he set foot on the Quicken Loans Arena. I thought like Shaq when he first entered he had too much going on when he didn't earn anything yet.
But he did that first year of his as he won the Rookie of the Year Award. And every year he got better and better as did his team.
I thought it was a remarkable turnaround for him beginning with last season. Now that makes me sound still unimpressed that he towed the Cavs to the NBA Finals a few years ago where they were obviously not in the same class as the San Antonio Spurs. I thought he'd go the way of his buddy Carmelo Anthony who seemed to be a walking time bomb but James handled himself well on and off the court. Okay maybe those flirtations with the New York Knicks doesn't clean up his slate but at that point it was all talk but merely speculation.
And following last season where they were felled by the Boston Celtics there was a different look to him. A man with a mission, I said to myself and some friends at Solar Sports. Was I suprised how he took centerstage (along with Kobe Bryant) in the Beijing Olympics? Not at all and I wrote around August of last year that James would win the NBA's Maurice Pdoloff Award (named after the Association's first Commissioner) and he did.
That was the appetizer. Now for the entree... and the MVP Award that he received in his high school -- a nice touch considering that was where it all began -- solidifies how great a player he is. And he isn't done yet because he is favored to meet Kobe Bryant in the NBA Finals.
Should the two meet in the Finals, it will be the first time since 1998 when the new MVP squared off aginst the previous winner. The Finals then had Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls going up against Karl Malone and the Utah Jazz.
But he did that first year of his as he won the Rookie of the Year Award. And every year he got better and better as did his team.
I thought it was a remarkable turnaround for him beginning with last season. Now that makes me sound still unimpressed that he towed the Cavs to the NBA Finals a few years ago where they were obviously not in the same class as the San Antonio Spurs. I thought he'd go the way of his buddy Carmelo Anthony who seemed to be a walking time bomb but James handled himself well on and off the court. Okay maybe those flirtations with the New York Knicks doesn't clean up his slate but at that point it was all talk but merely speculation.
And following last season where they were felled by the Boston Celtics there was a different look to him. A man with a mission, I said to myself and some friends at Solar Sports. Was I suprised how he took centerstage (along with Kobe Bryant) in the Beijing Olympics? Not at all and I wrote around August of last year that James would win the NBA's Maurice Pdoloff Award (named after the Association's first Commissioner) and he did.
That was the appetizer. Now for the entree... and the MVP Award that he received in his high school -- a nice touch considering that was where it all began -- solidifies how great a player he is. And he isn't done yet because he is favored to meet Kobe Bryant in the NBA Finals.
Should the two meet in the Finals, it will be the first time since 1998 when the new MVP squared off aginst the previous winner. The Finals then had Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls going up against Karl Malone and the Utah Jazz.
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