There is a possibility in the next few weeks to see four of the greatest athletes in the world compete against each other at the biggest stages of their sports.
LeBron James and the
Cleveland Cavaliers versus Kobe Byrant and the
Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals or Roger Federer versus Rafael Nadal in the French Open Finals, though the Cavs did lay an egg in Game One of Eastern Conference Finals against the
Orlando Magic.
Denver isn't cooperating either, by taking Game Two of the Western Confernce Finals against the
Lakers.
Which matchup would you rather see? Let's look at some criteria that may help you decide.
Competitor's Current Status in Their Sport:
In both sports, tennis and basketball, these guys are at the top of the sport.
Nadal is the No. 1, ranked male tennis player in the world. Federer is No. 2. They both have won multiple grand slams. They are by far and away the two best players in tennis, having met in seven of the last 13 grand slam finals.
James recently won the award as the Most Valuable Player in the NBA for the 2008-2009 season. He has been on every All-NBA and NBA All-Star team since 2005.
Bryant was generally regarded as the best all-around player in the NBA in post Michael Jordan era, until this season, when James won the MVP.
Bryant is a seven-time All-Defensive Team member, an 11 time All-Star, and a seven-time All-NBA member. He also was the MVP in the NBA for the 2007-2008 season.
Since basketball doesn't have an individual ranking system, there is the debate about who is the No. 1 player and who is No. 2. All we do know is James and Bryant are the top two.
Nadal is only 22-years-old, and already has six grand slam titles. He's won four French Opens, one Wimbledon, and one Australian open.
Federer has his sights set on Pete Sampras's all-time grand slam record of 14. Federer has 13 grand slam titles. He's won three Australian Opens, five Wimbledon, and US Open titles each. He's only 27-years-old.
That's a total of 21 grand slam titles between the two since 2003. That also means since Federer's first Grand Slam title, the 2003 Wimbledon Championship, they have won 21 of the last 23 Grand Slams!
Byrant is a three time NBA Champion. Bryant and Lakers won the NBA title in 2000, 2001, and 2002.
James has never won an NBA Title.
While James and Byrant only get one shot a year, and Nadal and Federer get four, this favors the tennis players, and it's not even close.
When the two best players or teams in their sport meet on tbiggest stages year after year, you get the most compelling rivalry in sports today. That's what Federer and Nadal have.
Some of their matches are among the greatest of all-time. The Wimbledon final of 2008 was in a word, epic. Even with all this though, two struggle for the notoriety they deserve outside of the world of tennis and their home countries.
A rivalry like this should start a tennis craze worldwide, but it just hasn't.
The NBA has always been driven by individual players. Jordan's singular greatness carried the NBA throughout the '90s. In the '80s it was Magic and Bird. For the next five years it could be James and Bryant. I know the NBA sure hopes so.
Bryant and James are so huge they had other Olympians asking for their autographs during 2008 Beijing games. Personally it's the first NBA Final, I am eagerly hoping for in many years.
The games are in prime time in the USA. Basketball is a worldwide sport, and who wouldn't want to see the two biggest stars in the game go after it.
Well I guess if you're a Denver Nuggets or Orlando Magic fan you don't.
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