LeBron James: Why NBA Fans Must Praise King James' Historic Season

LeBron James' MVP-caliber season for the Miami Heat is not getting enough attention in the public sphere.

No, seriously.

We see the highlights every night, and we see the fast-break plays, but we don't seen an emphasis on just how valuable of a basketball player he's been this year.

James is freak athlete, a talent unlike we've ever seen in the league before, but nowhere near enough emphasis is being placed on just how dominant of a performance he's putting out on the court.

Entering Monday, James is averaging 29.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.7 steals per game.

But that's not all.

James is also shooting a ridiculous 55.2 percent from the floor, as well as an eye-popping 41.5 percent from beyond the three-point line.

He's establishing career-high marks in his shooting percentages, rebounds and is enjoying his highest scoring mark since he was still wearing a Cleveland uniform.

The best part?

James is averaging 37:30 per game this season—the lowest mark of his career.

This is where James and efficiency have developed a brand new bond.

James is averaging a higher scoring output than he did last season despite taking just 0.3 more shots per game. He is also making a full shot more per game despite the modest increase.

Missing just one game this season to date, James has racked up 13 games of at least 30 points to pair with 10 double-double performances.

Still not impressed?

James has a current player efficiency rating (PER) of 32.82. No. 2 on that list? Kevin Durant, checking in at 26.91.

The gap between the top two spots is quite large.

His usage rate sits at 31.2, second to just Kobe Bryant (35.3), illustrates how involved he has been on offense.

The fact that he's able to be so enveloped in all aspects of the attack and is currently enjoying such a renaissance in terms of his efficiency is utterly remarkable.

Does he have a convincing case for the MVP Award? Absolutely.

Nobody is playing the brand of basketball James is currently in Miami for the Heat.

James' game has changed this season.

He's finishing at the rim at a 78.2 percent clip, the highest mark of his career. He's also shooting at a higher percentage from three to nine feet as well as 10-15 feet (via Hoopdata).

He's working the glass like we haven't seen from him previously in his career, and James is really asserting himself under the basket at both ends of the floor.

It's more than just the stats James is putting up. As Tom Haberstroh of ESPN writes, he's changing the way he plays:

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Another catalyst for James' emergence has been his slow migration to the post. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has planted James on the block more often this season, which has indirectly kept his ill-advised 3-point attempts to a minimum.

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As good as he has been, the critics and detractors will point to his struggles in the 2011 NBA Finals and the fact that he doesn't have a championship ring.

That's true. He hasn't won a title.

It's not as if his career is going to end tomorrow; it's highly unlikely James will never get another opportunity to come away with a win on the biggest stage.

Is that going to prevent us from seeing the greatness that is LeBron James' season?

If it does, that is a real shame.

Players like LeBron come around once in a generation if fans are lucky.

A polarizing figure and undoubtedly someone who causes a divide in opinion among the masses, James should be appreciated for what he's doing on the basketball court.

Like him, love him or despise him, we should all respect what James is doing in the game right now.

Miami is rolling along, and James is the engine that makes the Heat car drive.

Buckle up.