Who’s next?
Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and now Lebron James. The world of basketball has always been blessed with that dominant, unstoppable freak of nature that has reigned supreme in the NBA. The incredible athletes I listed above now belong among the pantheon of greatest players to every play the game of basketball. In other words, they’re the all-time Kings. Today’s King is Lebron, an unstoppable 6’8 super built freakazoid with a polished game that now extends to shooting 3 pointers. But let’s face it, despite his ultimate dominance and title as best player in the game, someone will eventually take his title as heir to the throne. He’s 32, played 14 seasons in the NBA and his reign will be coming to an end. So who takes his place when Lebron’s play dips, or retires?
Before I state my pick for the next King of the NBA, I should perhaps explain my criteria for my selection. The all-time Kings share a few traits:
- Scoring prowess – They can score at will and will score when necessary. When you need the King to take over a game offensively, he will. Jordan and Kobe top this list.
- Passing – They have an innate ability to pass. Of the list above, Magic and Lebron are at the top, but Bird and Jordan are not that far behind. Kobe’s inclusion as a passer might be surprising, but he was a fantastic play-maker when he wanted to play the role.
- Defense – Every great player atop the pantheon of basketball greatness played elite defense. Take a look at my list, all those guys were elite defenders at one point in their careers. Jordan probably runs away with this category, his defense is unmatched. However, the rest of these guys were annual defensive all-team selections in their prime.
- Clutch player – Simply put, they make the plays when you needed them to. Clutch plays are as much about defense as they are about offense. No one will question the clutch factor of these kings, they’re the best at executing when you most need it. And yes Lebron haters, King James is as clutch as they come.
- Dominance – Sheer dominance is hard to come by. The ability to control the flow and the pace of the game. The ability to dictate how the defense plays you. The ability to force opposing teams to make adjustments just to accommodate you. These are all innate qualities of the kings. Lebron’s performance in the 2016 NBA Finals is the epitome of this skill.
- Longevity – The number of years they spent at the top. Looking through the all-time Kings, they all spent at least 8 years dominating the league. Lebron is at 14 and counting.
- Health – Not many people talk about it, but health is incredibly important and it definitely contributes to a players legacy. People always like to wonder the “what if” scenarios with several players, but the kings won’t ever let you ponder it because they have stayed fresh and healthy throughout their prime years. Kobe couldn’t stay healthy during his twilight, but this wasn’t an issue during his prime. Players who are consistently injured during their best years cannot be factored into the decision making for the new heir.
Along with this, the kings also share similar accolades:
- Multiple championships – all the kings on my list have at least 3
- MVP (Most Valuable Player)
- Finals MVP
- Multiple All-NBA First Team
- Multiple All-Defensive Team
- Multiple All-Star Selections – they all have at least 12 all-star selections (Kobe leads the way with 18)
- And of course, they’re all in the Hall of Fame
Now this is quite a lofty billing to live up to, but that’s the point. Being a King requires the utmost skill and accolades. That is why Magic, Bird, Jordan, Kobe, and Lebron (when he retires) sit atop the NBA mountain as the best of the rest. It is important to note that my selection for the next King will not have checked all these boxes or accolades yet. I believe he will eventually get there when he retires. Before I reveal my pick, lets look at some of the players I considered for the throne.
Kevin Durant
The argument for:
- Elite scorer, dominant from his second year in the NBA
- Underrated defense. People rarely talk about his incredibly strong impact on the defensive end
- Extremely clutch and has stayed healthy for all but one year
- Multiple accolades and already an MVP
The argument against:
- Not the play-maker that the other Kings are.
- His move to the Warriors will impact his legacy. Yes he will probably win at least 1-2 championships, but he must now relegate the ball more often to Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. The Warriors system makes him more of a spot-up shooter and less of a ball dominant player. I’m afraid we might not see the KD we were accustomed to in OKC. It is possible he reinvents his game in a way that actually enhances the argument for him to be the next king, but until that happens, I view this as a negative.
Kevin Durant was the runner up and it was REALLY close. The guy after Kevin was also close and his potential is incredible…
Kawhi Leonard
The argument for:
- Elite defender, in the conversation for best defensive player in the NBA
- Best two-player in the NBA (great offensive and defensive combination)
- Only 25 years old and he’s just hitting his prime. Already a fantastic scorer
- Has been a clutch player and remained healthy throughout his entire career
The argument against:
- As with KD, not the best playmaker, but he has flashed potential to improve in this department
- Not a fluid scorer which makes me wonder if he will ever become a consistently dominating scorer who can take over games. His performance in the 2017 Playoffs however, is a positive sign.
After Durant and Leonard, there’s a sizable gap. No one comes close to these two yet, but I’ll list the 3rd runner-up…
Russell Westbrook
The argument for:
- A freak of nature, might be the most athletic player on this list.
- Very clutch and not afraid of the moment. He’s had plenty of clutch, memorable plays in 2017. Has also stayed healthy aside from one season.
- Elite scorer who led the NBA with 31 PPG (Points Per Game) this season.
- Very strong passer, in the conversation for best or second best passer in the league
The argument against:
- He is a strong defensive player guarding layups and mid-range shots, but he shows a total lack of commitment in guarding 3 pointers. Therefore I question if he will ever be an elite defender.
- Although he’s always been a strong player, his dominance has just begun, can he keep it up for 5-6 years more? Longevity is vital in becoming a king.
- Tends to go out of control in stretches which results in bad plays and bad shots. This trait is not seen in any of the Kings. They make smart plays which result in easy points and stops.
Other guys considered:
- Stephen Curry – dominant scorer but injury riddled in several years, has yet to play like a superstar in the NBA Finals
- James Harden – refuses to play defense, has not performed up to his standard in the playoffs
- Anthony Davis – a fantastic, dominant big man, but I wonder if he’ll ever win a championship in New Orleans
- Karl Anthony Towns – looks like the next superstar of the NBA, but his defense is still an issue
- Ben Simmons – He hasn’t played yet, but the #1 overall pick from 2016 is going to be a great player. His passing and play-making mirrors that of Magic Johnson and Lebron James.
Without further ado, let me show you the next King of the NBA, the new heir to the throne:
His name is Giannis Antetokounmpo and he is going to rock the world of sports. The young 22 year old Greek Freak of the Milwaukee Bucks is going to be the next heir to the throne. Let me make my case by first covering his incredible physical gifts.
He is the definition of “freak of nature”. Seriously they should put his name under this phrase in the dictionary. He’s 6’11, fairly light at 222 lbs, and has a 7’3 wingspan. Now when you couple his incredible length with athleticism, you get this and this. Not to mention that he strides the court like a gracious gazelle. This makes him unguardable when he attacks the rim. Just watch this montage. Just look at that length and his looooong strides when he attacks the rim. How do you guard that? Not to mention that he’s quick for a guy who is that tall. By the way did I forget to mention that he’s ONLY 22? Now lets talk about his versatility.
He can play ALL 5 positions on the court. He played SG (shooting guard) when he first came into the league, he was then switched to the PG (point guard) position…yes you read that right, point guard. How the hell do you guard a 6’11 point guard? The dude can literally see over everyone on the court and know exactly where to place the ball. Playing Giannis at PG is unfair, just check out this video from bballbreakdown describing why. Now he’s currently playing SF (small forward), but he can easily play PF (power forward) and his height also allows him to play Center. Let me reiterate, ALL 5 positions. So how is his scoring?
He averaged 23 PPG in the 2017 season. It was just his 4th season in the NBA and you can bet he’ll explode next year and average at least 25 – 27 PPG. The Bucks coaching staff will unleash him and you can bet he’ll rack up the points given that no one can stop him when he attacks the rim. Now, how about his defense?
As I mentioned, all the Kings were elite defenders at one point in their careers, and Giannis might already be elite in this category. Not only does his height and wingspan make him a shot blocker, but because of his relatively light size and surprisingly quick feet, he is also a fantastic perimeter defender who bothers guards and gets easy steals. Just watch this incredible montage. You’ll also notice that his blocks and steals on defense often lead to easy points in the fast break. It’s an overlooked ability who’s importance cannot be stressed enough in today’s NBA. The ability for someone like Giannis to make a block, get the rebound, and go coast to coast for an easy bucket, or make a pinpoint pass on the break to his teammate comes at a premium in today’s NBA. This is a skill only a handful of players possess (Kawhi, Lebron, Kevin Durant).
I forgot to mention, Giannis is the only player in NBA history to finish a season in the top 20 of the 5 major statistical categories (points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks). This was his stat line in the 2016-2017 NBA season:
22.9 PTS (points) 8.7 REB (rebounds) 5.4 AST (assists) 1.6 STL (steals) 1.9 BLK (blocks)
He’s only 22 years old and he’s already accomplished an incredible feat such as this. The only thing holding him back is his jump shot. Admittedly he’s not a great shooter, but shooting is teachable. He can still shoot, just not that well. He shot only 27% from 3s, but his overall shooting percentage was 52%. Jason Kidd has often talked up this young kid’s work ethic, comparing it to Hall of Famers. If there’s any truth to Kidd’s statement, then I have no doubt he will improve as a shooter. Just imagine seeing a player as dominant as he is when attacking the basket, having a strong shooting stroke. This skill will put him over the top and make him an unguardable offensive juggernaut.
The Greek Freak will win multiple MVP’s and multiple championships. He will become the most dominant two way player in the NBA. And most important, when he retires, he will go down as a “once in a lifetime” generational player and in the conversation of best to ever play.
When Lebron gives up his throne, young Giannis Antetokounmpo will take over as the King of the basketball world for the next decade or so. In doing so, the Greek Freak will join the pantheon of basketball greatness when he retires.
Slam Dunk 