LeBron James Isn't Michael Jordan, but Is That What We Really Want?

I can still remember the days of my youth; days spent watching the Chicago WGN network and not missing a single Chicago Bulls game. It wasn't because of how good they were or because WGN was practically the only local channel our cable picked up; it was because the greatest player to ever step foot on a basketball court played for them.

It's kind of cliche in a way, describing Michael Jordan as the very best ever, because we've all given in to that fact. Sure, Wilt Chamberlain was dominant and Bill Russell has 11 rings, but it was the way that Michael Jordan captured an audience.

Jordan dominated the game of basketball for 15 years. He was one of the biggest trash-talkers ever, but that seemed to be lost in his essence. He wasn't the greatest shooter when he first started, but that gets lost in the pages of history because we remember how clutch he was in the end. He retired for two years to play baseball, but when he returned, he picked up right where he left off and won three more championships.

Jordan made you watch basketball. He made it so that you were glued to your seat, and when it came time for a commercial, you sprinted to your kitchen as fast as you could to grab something to eat or drink just so you wouldn't miss a single second of when he was playing. Had he not retired for two seasons, he would have eight championships in a row.

Jordan is and was the greatest of all time, so why are we always looking to crown someone new?

LeBron James is in a lose-lose situation. Let me start out by saying this: I personally think that LeBron James is the most physically gifted player the NBA has ever seen, but he's not the most gifted player.

James was hyped so much out of high school, fans were practically crowning him as being better than Jordan when he entered the league at 18. Now he's 26, he's lost two championships and is still trying to win a ring, but Jordan was 27 when he won his first ring.

James still has plenty of time to be a dominant player, and quite possibly match the six championships that Jordan has, but will that be enough? James is one of the most hated players in basketball right now because of "The Decision."

If he wins six championships, he will forever be seen as the guy who needed two superstars beside him to win.

Back to the title question, though; is this what we really want? I'm a huge LeBron James fan, probably one of the biggest out there. I was extremely happy when he chose to play for Miami and I wanted him to get his first ring this season.

It was painful to watch him not succeed in the finals when he absolutely dominated against the Bulls and the Boston Celtics, but with all of that being said, I don't want him to replace Jordan.

Jordan hasn't played a game since 2003, but he's still spoken of in whispers with the younger crowds. Kids that never got the chance to see him play are still buying his shoes and his clothes. They still talk about him like he is some kind of a god amongst men.

Jordan not only captured an audience, he demanded your attention. He was spectacular in every aspect of the game. He's possibly the most recognizable athlete ever. People who aren't even basketball fans know about Michael Jordan. People who aren't even sports fans know about Michael Jordan.

So I beg the question: do we really want someone to replace all of that? Do we really want LeBron James to replace Michael Jordan?

In my opinion, absolutely not.

I don't ever want Jordan's image or his legacy to be replaced because of what he did for the the game of basketball and what he did for sports. He's a living legend, the biggest icon ever, and we would be foolish to want to replace him with someone else.