The Sports JayJC: Give it to him! #4! SLAM's New Top 50?

Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher added another
chapter to their journey as they collaborated for
a fourth championship.

Kobe got right down to business and finished the Finals Series in clean cut fashion as he dropped 30 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and collected 5 assists as well as 4 blocks. The Lakers returned the NBA championship trophy to Los Angeles and The 31 year old, Kobe Bryant happily accepted the Finals MVP award. This was a huge statement year for Kobe Bryant and the Lakers as he earned his first Finals MVP award and won his first championship without the Big Diesel. Coach Jackson solidified his coaching career with his tenth championship and the franchise made it 15 all time as World Champions. Congratulations to the Lakers! Back to back?...

It was a tough
one to swallow
for Dwight and
the Magic as
they helplessly
watch the time
wind down.

Unfortunately, we can only have one winner and the rest have to go home and hope for a better season in November. Hats off to Coach Van Gundy and the Magic as they made a gutsy run in the Eastern Conference playoffs and showed that they could contend with any team any day. The series may have been lost 4 games to 1 but it is definitely safe to say that this was down to the wire. (Minus game 1 and the final quarter of game 5). Congratulations to the Magic as well. See you in the playoffs next year. (With an even better Dwight... How scary.)

As I head for the stairs to my room, I see a fresh new issue of SLAM sitting in front of the steps, with a nice grin hanging on my face, I pick it up without even looking at the cover and go into my room. The previous cover was Kobe and LeBron face to face so I assumed that this one would have something to deal with the NBA Finals. Instead I got a different yet familiar face. Tell me if you recognize him

It's been six years since Michael Jordan's
name has been announced in the starting lineups
of an NBA game, yet he still graces the cover of
what some say is the most prestigious
basketball magazine in the market.

As I stare at the face of Mr. MJ himself, I'm wondering, "It's NBA finals time, and SLAM has the nerve to make a new top 50 list instead of discussing the playoff series? Only SLAM could and would." Why? Because they're SLAM, and in my opinion, no other basketball magazine can compare. Of course that is just a biased perspective. So as I opened up to the pages where it listed the all time greats, I excitedly anticipated where they might have put Kobe and LeBron. As Kobe rose to #12 on the all time list, I smirked as LeBron's picture stood next to the number 42.

Some of you LeBron lovers may be thinking, "Kobe 12? LeBron 42? Are they out of their mind?" Actually no. It's amazing that LeBron is even in the top 50 right now at his age. Sure he has two All Star MVP awards, a league MVP, the ROY honor, and plenty of other impressive accolades. But what has he really done? He is a 6'8" 270+ lb monster that bulldozes opponents and does whatever the heck he wants but is he really worthy of being called a great? Has he really done more than Scottie Pippen (at 27), Jason Kidd (at 28), or Kevin Garnett (at 30)? In the future,

LeBron could easily find himself in the top 10 in a new list, but that's based upon what he could do in the seasons to come. The man has shown that he belongs but he just doesn't deserve to be put any higher. SLAM did a terrific job of showing "King" James exactly where he belongs in the group of greats. The real #23 sits alone at #1 but this #23 has a lot more to prove before he can move from #42. Consider this an early honor, LeBron.

As for Kobe. Now that he has proven the doubters and critics wrong by winning a championship as the go to guy, he has done almost everything that consists of the ultimate shooting guard. Disccusion to compare with Jordan is now in session. Now is Kobe as good? Heck no! I love #24 but #23 (or should I say #2345. Just kidding) is seriously a once in a lifetime superfreak NBA prototype. Quit comparing Kobe with LeBron. They are two different positions and body types. Kobe and Jordan is a better comparison. But like I said, Jordan>Kobe. Always. Sorry Kobe, but you are just going to have to settle for second best shooting guard of all time.

Hmm.. Maybe if he reads this, he will want to push himself even harder and astonish us even more somehow in his final years of his prime and push Jordan for his money. Nah... But then again....

Let us reflect...