What If LeBron James Never Wins an NBA Championship?
When it comes to team sports, players will always be judged by the number of championships they won in their careers.
Regardless of how many points they scored, touchdowns they passed or home runs they hit, passionate fans will only remember one thing and one thing only: championships.
Winning a championship is the only thing that matters to most people. However, sometimes the best player does not always win. It has happened before, and it will happen again in sports.
In the National Basketball Association, several former NBA greats played their entire careers without winning a title. Elgin Baylor, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, John Stockton, Patrick Ewing and Nate Thurmond are all in the Hall of Fame—none of which won a championship.
Although they never won an NBA title, they left a legacy that will stand the test of time. Others such as Bernard King, Dominique Wilkins, Reggie Miller and Allen Iverson also played without winning one. But you will not find many basketball fans who will say that each of those players' careers were all for nothing.
Like I said earlier, sometimes the better team won. That was the case for Malone, Stockton, Ewing, Thurmond, King, Iverson, Barkley, Miller and Wilkins. They often ran into a team in the playoffs that was more superior in talent than the teams they played on. Despite their talents, they often fell short of winning it all.
So, the question is: Are those players considered failures?
Some will say yes, but there is a minority—like myself—that say no. Not winning a championship does not make you a failure.
For those of you wondering where I am going with this, there is another player—who just so happens to be the best player in the game today—that may not win an NBA championship before his career is over.
That player is LeBron James of the Miami Heat.
LeBron James is the greatest talent in the game today. His skill set, size and athleticism allows him to overwhelm the opposition. While his on-the-court exploits have generated a legion of followers, his talent has failed to deliver a championship.
James has played nine seasons in the NBA. His accomplishments are too many to mention. James recently won his third Most Valuable Player award.
The only other players in league history to win the award at least three times are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (six), Michael Jordan and Bill Russell (five), Wilt Chamberlin (four), and Larry Bird, Moses Malone and Magic Johnson each won three MVPs. Other than James, each player won an NBA title.
No player in the history of the NBA is more scrutinized than LeBron James. He has become such an iconic figure that every time he fails to win, he is considered a failure.
Take for instance, Game 3 of Miami's current playoff series with the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers won the game 94-75. James scored 22 points—along with seven rebounds and three assists. Afterwards, a horde of James' critics once again weighed in on what he did not do.
Even though he scored 22 points, it was not enough. What few people misunderstood about that game was production from everyone else. Teammate Dwyane Wade played arguably his worst playoff game ever—scoring only five points.
Wade's performance was unheard of, but James would once again be the fall guy as Miami fell into a 2-1 hole with the Pacers in their Eastern Conference semifinal.
In Game 4, James redeemed himself with a playoff performance that will go down as one of the greatest ever. James scored 40 points, grabbed 18 rebounds and dished out nine assists in leading the Heat to a 101-93 win. The only player in playoff history to duplicate that type of performance was Baylor.
The Heat are now one win away from eliminating the Pacers. On Tuesday night, James had another herculean game—scoring 30 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in leading Miami to a 115-83 win in Game 5.
Game 6 is Thursday night in Indiana.
James has already played in two NBA Finals. In 2007, James' Cleveland Cavaliers were swept in four games by the San Antonio Spurs. Last season, James—who signed with the Heat prior to last season—lost to the Dallas Mavericks 4-2.
During the finals, James averaged 17.8 points. The number was a far cry from the 26.7 he averaged during the regular season. Again, James would be the scapegoat.
Now, the Heat are engaged in a tough series with the Pacers. Even if they win that series, Miami could run into the Boston Celtics—a team that James has struggled with at times. The road will get even tougher if Miami reaches the finals, against either the San Antonio Spurs or the Oklahoma City Thunder. Both teams have more talent than the Heat.
When James and Chris Bosh joined Wade in the summer of 2010, via the infamous "The Decision," James was mocked for saying the Heat could win multiple titles. Miami has yet to win a championship and may not win a title with LeBron James.
James could even play his entire NBA career and not win one title, but by all means, he will not tarnish his legacy.
We are witnessing the greatest athlete on the planet today. Yes, winning a championship would immortalize James amongst the game's former superstars, but even if he does not win a title, LeBron James will not be considered a failure.
