NBA MVP 2012: Another MVP Wouldn't Cement LeBron James' Legacy as All-Time Great

Despite the fact that LeBron James is almost a shoo-in for the 2012 NBA MVP award, winning another still doesn't put him amongst the all-time greats.

For that, LeBron will have to win not just one championship. Not two, not three, not four...

It takes rings combined with MVP seasons to be considered the greatest of all time, and if you dispute that, you're disputing reality.

Whether he likes it or not, LeBron will always be compared to the likes of some of the greatest stars in the game—namely Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. After getting that first ring, which is likely to happen this season, the hunt will begin for more.

After all, James himself said he expected to win more. It's multiple or bust at this point, especially when you are as good as LeBron is on a team with two great players next to you in Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh.

But you won't hear me faulting him for that or taking anything away from him for having those two players on his team.

The reason the Jordan and Bryant comparison will be made is not simply because of skill, but because of what they accomplished. Both of those players have two things in common—Phil Jackson and dynasties.

They have set the standard, as have players before them, of what an all-time great should be. If LeBron wants, or even simpler, if his fans want him to be in that category, even they must see he needs to win multiple titles.

However, I don't think six will be necessary, and one dynasty such as a three-peat could do the trick. LBJ's numbers are on pace to be better than both Jordan and Bryant's numbers, and that gives him a leg up over both.

James has achieved just about everything in his career that he needs to in order to make him an all-time great. Rings are the only thing left for this man to accomplish and accomplishing the same thing again doesn't put LeBron in any better standing as one of the greats in NBA history.