LeBron James: 10 Reasons King James Is Heir to MVP Throne in 2011-12

Derrick Rose is the reigning MVP in the NBA, but his place on the MVP thrown will soon be taken by "the King." LeBron James will take the title as the NBA's most valuable player and will do so in a landslide this season.

No doubt, Rose had a coming-out party last season. And yes, most have the NBA Finals still ingrained in their minds and will discard James due to his fourth-quarter performances.

What many forget is how Rose won rather than why. Rose's MVP campaign took flight early and then the snowball effect took place thanks to a ton of national media support.

While Rose was being heralded as the MVP months before the voting took place, James was still being portrayed as a villain by fans and the media alike.

That villain tag has since fallen to the wayside—unless, of course, you are in Cleveland—and now "King James" can get a fair shake to reclaim his thrown.

Scoring Leader

LeBron James has already ascended to the top of the scoring mountain. It may be only seven games into the new NBA season, but James is currently the league's leading scorer.

James is averaging 29.9 points per game through his first seven games. His nearest opponent on that list is Carmelo Anthony with 27.8 points.

King James has only scored under 20 points once this season. That game was against the Charlotte Bobcats where Chris Bosh scored 24, Dwyane Wade scored 22 and the Miami Heat blew out Charlotte by 39 points.

Kevin Durant, your scoring title could be in danger.

Field-Goal Percentage

Out of all the top scoring leaders in the league, LeBron James' field-goal percentage is over 10 percent better than the next five behind him in scoring. He has been shooting just shy of 60 percent at 59.5 percent.

The closes player to his shooting percentage of the top 50 scorers in the league is Dwight Howard at 58.9 percent. I think you can guess why Howard's field-goal percentage is so high.

James not only scores in bunches, but he has proven throughout his career and through the first 10 percent of this season that he takes quality shots. Obviously, his field-goal percentage will not stay at this level, but he has increased every season he's been in the league except for the 2006-2007 season.

Last season he shot 51 percent from the field. Looks like he's off to a good start to continue his upward trend.

Top 10 in Assists

LeBron James sits at No.9 in the league in assists-per-game through seven games. The players in front of him have being an assist artist as part of their job description and it's a central part of their position's purpose.

James is a forward who makes his team better not only by scoring but by getting his teammates involved as well.

This is not a small phenomenon either. James ended the 2010-2011 season with an average of seven assists per game and finished No. 12 in the league. He currently is averaging 7.4 this season.

Top 25 in Rebounds

I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this slide.

LeBron James is currently No. 25 in the league when it comes to rebounds. The Miami Heat forward has averaged 7.7 rebounds each game.

His current total is .6 over his career average.

James' rebounding production allows the Heat to get out in the break and limit extra chances for the opposing offense. If he keeps his production up, the Heat could be in a prime position for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Miami Heat's Early Form

The Miami Heat started off their season on Christmas Day with a bang. At one point in the fourth quarter, the Heat were up on the defending champions the Dallas Mavericks by over 30.

The Heat won their first five games and have won seven of eight. Their play will gain any extra attention they already haven't garnered due to who's on their team.

Miami's presence in the limelight will add to LeBron James' ability to win the MVP. Playing on national television several times throughout the season should only enhance the King's chances.

Dwyane Wade

The Big Three contain two of the world's best players: LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

Playing alongside one of the best guards in the league only enhances James' MVP candidacy. Wade's able to help James by nailing shots, getting No. 6 open and pushing the break alongside the 6'8" forward.

Wade and James will only continue to become more lethal as the season goes along. With a season and finals run under their belts, the duo will be looking to cash in on their opportunity to play with each other.

Erik Spoelstra

Whether you think Erik Spoelstra is the right man for the job or not, the guy is a pretty good coach. Spoelstra's defensive tactics play right into the hands of his personnel, and in particular, LeBron James.

The Miami Heat coach has had a full offseason to make adjustments after the inaugural season of the Big Three. His understanding of how his team works with and around James is crucial.

Just as essential is Spoelstra's knowledge of what makes James tick. Placing James in the right positions and putting him in ideal circumstances will squeeze the most out of the superstar's talent.

James will have his coach to thank if he wins an MVP trophy down in Miami.

Chris Bosh

Chris Bosh was largely overhyped going into last season and he didn't do much to prove the critics wrong. He did not look comfortable but definitely looked a little lost as he was blinded by the limelight.

As Bosh comes out of his blinded state this season, LeBron James will be the one guiding him. James has Dwyane Wade as his right-hand man but he also must bring Bosh up to be on his left side.

It's pretty simple with a player like James. He can be the top scorer in the league but that alone will not win him an MVP crown. He must raise the level of play of his surrounding players.

Bosh's 18.9 points per game is slightly under his 20-point-per-game career average, but if LeBron can continue to dish the rock that total could increase, making his impact even more meaningful.

Last Season's Totals

LeBron James' stat line averages from last season went like this: 26.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and seven assists. If "King James" can put up those types of numbers again during the shortened regular season, he'll be the MVP.

Derrick Rose had an incredible season last year and has gotten off to a nice start this season, but whether or not he can keep this level of play going in consecutive years has yet to be seen.

His totals warranted an MVP award and would win him the title this season.

Villain Tag Is Gone

I hinted towards this in the intro slide. LeBron James went from being one of the league's most popular players to being voted the most hated player in the league.

The angst from his regrettable one-hour special that announced his move away from Cleveland, Ohio to the beaches of Miami was still palpable. James' MVP-like numbers were overlooked due to his villain persona labeled on him by the fans and media.

The Miami Heat will still draw the Beatles-like crowds in arenas throughout the league, but will not be cascaded with boos.

Talk about LeBron James this season will be more about his play rather than the hysteria that follows the superstar and his team.