There are many legends of the game who do not rate LeBron James as high as they should – Larry Bird is not one of them.
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Larry Bird has been a vocal supporter of LeBron James, a refreshing take from the legends of the yesteryears. A lot of the players from the past have always come out and been critical of him, but the Celtics legend sticks to his stand. He acknowledges that LeBron is as good a player as one can get.
When former Pacer GM David Morway wanted to trade for a couple of players from Cleveland, Bird wanted none of it. “I ain’t takin’ any of them f*#king guys up there” is all he had to say. He felt that James was so good, that people around him were much better than they were. This is such a contradictory statement to what the league narrative is because everyone thinks he makes his teammates worse.
Below is an excerpt from Zac Lowe and Ian Thomsen’s podcast:
“You know Michael Jordan came out and said I never would have done what LeBron did. Larry Bird had never said anything about it, and I was in his office, and he was like ‘LeBron should do whatever he wants. He’s as good as any player I’ve ever seen.’ He said, ‘In fact, when he comes up here to play I just watch him the whole time. The world is looking at LeBron like he’s a failure at that time. Larry isn’t buying any of it. He sees what LeBron is, and what he can be.”
LeBron James may not win another ring in what is left of his career – but that is not a bad thing in any form
At the age of 37, LeBron will not be in the league for long. Most young NBA fans do not know of a league without the King. Once he does decide to hang up his boots, the league will not be the same. His mere presence draws millions of views, and any game after him will feel weird. The man has done everything he possibly can to cement his legacy as one of the best players the world has ever seen.
To win one championship takes the blood sweat and tears of a collective organization. Winning four requires so much more. To win a city their first championship in 50 years while being counted out by possibly everyone else, you need to be LeBron Raymone James Sr.
By the end of it all, he will be the only member of the 30/10/10 club, the highest total points in the regular season, and overall points combined. This along with his innumerable individual accolades makes him an all-time great, and someone who should be given more respect. If Larry Bird could do it, so can the others.
