Believe it or not,
Dirk Nowitzki and
Lebron James are more alike than you would think.
Just take a look.
Dirk Nowitzki, PF, Dallas Mavericks (7'0", 245lbs)
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1st Round Pick, #9 Overall, 1998
NBA MVP Award: 2007
10x NBA All-Star: 2002-11
11x All-NBA Team: 2001-11
NBA 3 Point Shootout Champ: 2006
11 Straight Playoff Appearances: 2001-11
1 NBA Finals Appearance: 2006
FIBA World Championship MVP: 2002
EuroBasket MVP (2005)
7x European Player of the Year
Lebron James, SF, Miami Heat (6'8", 250lbs)
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1st Round Pick, #1 Overall, 2003
NBA MVP Award: 2009 & 2010
NBA Rookie of the Year: 2004
NBA Scoring Champion: 2008
7x NBA All Star: 2005-11
2x All Star Game MVP: 2006 & 2008
7x All-NBA Team: 2005-11
3x All-Defensive First Team: 2009-11
7 Straight Playoff Appearances: 2005-11
1 NBA Finals Appearance: 2007
Kind of eerie actually. Maybe Lebron has a few more notches on his belt like a scoring title and ROY honors, but we can all agree these are two of the premier players in this league. However, the legacy of great players is defined by one simple thing; how many rings you got. That is also something the both share, zero. It may be unfair or unjust to make it so simplistic, but a ring is the ultimate prize. MVP awards are nice, scoring titles are great, and all the other accolades look great on the mantle, but it's the ring that drives these guys. For Dirk and Lebron, this finals match up will be the defining moment for one of their careers, and for two totally different reasons.
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For Dirk, the name of the game is redemption. No one will ever really bring up the 2006 collapse if the Mavericks are able to finish their remarkable run with a title this year. Does anyone even remember when Michael Jordan's Bulls used to get owned by the Detroit Pistons in the late 1980s?? Or Jordan's postseason struggles for his first 6 years in the league, losing to Boston or Detroit every season?? Or even the fact that during his initial comeback with the Bulls (when he wore the weird number 45 jersey) they got ousted by Orlando in 1995 during the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals? Noooooo!!! All we can remember are the two 3-peats and 6 rings! In terms of greatness and where a player ranks in the annals of the game, a ring is the ultimate equalizer. Karl Malone will never be mentioned when anyone makes a case for the greatest Power Forward of all time, nor will John Stockton when we talk about Point Guards. They're top 10 for sure, but can never be considered a #1 candidate at their position. Dirk has been in the league for 13 years, with 11 playoff appearances and only 1 finals appearance. This is his last, best hope at that elusive title that will ultimately be the deciding factor of where he will rank in the basketball world long after he stops playing., for redemption from the ghosts of finals past.
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For Lebron, it's the ultimate opportunity for validation. Whether we want to admit it or not, we were hooked on "The Decision" last summer. It was good drama that played out before the entire country. Fans were burning his jersey in the streets of Cleveland. The Cavs owner issued bold proclamations and outlandish statements bashing the former hometown hero for deserting the city and claiming Cleveland would hoist a trophy before James would ever sniff one. People from all over the country chimed in with their opinions, bashing Lebron for his "selfish" behavior and "grandstanding" by holding a prime time special to announce his moves. But I ask you, what did the man really do wrong?? He saw he was in a hopeless situation in Cleveland. If you don't believe me, just take a look at this year's series against the Bulls. Derrick Rose was essentially playing the part of Lebron James from his last two years in Cleveland; he was the league's best player on a team with nothing but bit players whose success depended entirely on his own performance. Just like they did to James, they turned all of their defensive efforts towards Rose and shut Chicago down. In a 7 game series, teams need to have options, but the Bulls had none. It was the same for Lebron during his time with the Cavaliers. It wasn't about the money, the Cavs could have matched any offer in the league. It wasn't about notoriety, he was the King of Ohio and essentially of the basketball universe in the Northeastern United States. It was about being in a situation that would lead to a title. He never stood a realistic chance in 2007. They were just the best team in a horrible conference that year and got destroyed by the Spurs in a four game sweep. But he got there, and he saw what it would take to win a championship. Lebron did what he did for the right reasons, to become a champion. But until he actually gets that ring on his finger, his "decision" will never be seen as anything but a betrayal to his hometown.
Winning cures everything, and makes amnesiacs of sports fans. It can provide redemption for those who squandered opportunites in the past, or it can confirm and validate the choices we make against what may be considered popular at the time. Only one will get what they're looking for.
Who's it gonna be?
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