Michael Jordan is deemed to be the best basketball player with debates being made between him and LeBron James. Being the3rd overall pick by the Chicago Bulls in 1984; Jordon won 6 NBA championships with the Bulls. He also won 6 finals MVP awards and was a 14-time NBA all-star. From leading the league in scoring his rookie year, he established himself as a top-notch shooter early in his career. Michaels‘ growth mindset was a big part of his success. As he viewed the failures in his career as opportunities to get better and work harder on. Improving the process of preparation at every aspect of the game to give the best possible. Jordan also has had a big role in the NBA’s global popularity. He had
an effective role as the undisputed leader of the 1992 U.S. Olympic “Dream Team” averaging 14.9 points and having the team high if 23.1 minutes. As he was important in defending the opposite teams’ top players, this helped with the NBA’s worldwide presence as more became interested. Combined with his successful Air Jordan brand, his fame and success turned the NBA into something everyone around the world wanted to see.
Drafted 1st overall in the 2003 draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James is often mentioned in the greatest of all time conversations. As a 4-time NBA champion, 4–time NBA finals MVP, and a 22-time all-star including this season, James has shown his love for the game and that he knows how to win. His versatility has played a big role in his career, being able to play multiple positions all at once. Listed as a small forward, the role is already versatile, with people in this role scoring, defending, rebounding, and playmaking. Lebron can play this position as well as center, having the ability to be an effective
defender and power forward being a nice ball handler. James has had a big role in player empowerment such as influencing team decisions and trade requests. A perfect example of this is the “Big Decision” in 2010. In the decision, he explained his choice to join Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, which would then be known as the Big Three. With free agency at the end of his contract, he was able to pick what team he wanted to sign with. This showed that stars should determine their own future in the league as well as contract structures. Normalizing having stars come together on the same team influenced trades with big stars like Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis and more.
Being the 13th pick by the Charlotte Hornets in the 1996 NBA draft and later traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, the day after, Kobe Bryant became a sensational talent that would be remembered for generations to come. He was a 5-time NBA champion, Two-time NBA ,Finals MVP and was an 18-time all-star starter. A big part of his success
was his “Mamba Mentality” which is a philosophy that focused on persistent self-improvement and intense dedication to become the best version of yourself. His elite performance redefined how the league players handled their preparation and discipline towards the game. Emphasizing that the best should strive to improve their game daily and have intense film study. Players like Jayson Tatum, Kyrie Irving, Devin Booker, and Paul George have modeled their game after Kobe. These players and more have studied Bryant’s game, as his elaborate skill set made him one of the best. With most adopting his “Mamba Mentality” pushing themselves to have a similar mindset with
goals focused on improvement and preparing for the game mentally.
Drafted 7th in the 2009 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry has revolutionized the way modern basketball is played. Being a 4-time NBA champion, Finals MVP, 12-time all-star starter, and the league’s all-time leader in 3-pointers made, Curry has had an impact on off-ball movement and 3-point shots during his career. Off-ball movement is the art of moving, cutting and screening without the basketball to create open passing lanes. His constant movement on the court required
defenders to follow him constantly, making space for his teammates to score. More teams have adopted this “organized chaos” approach by allowing their players to make decisions about the game while it is happening to not make it as predictable. This also makes players use their basketball knowledge to analyze the defense to make the calls necessary. Curry has also had a big influence on the three- point line, expanding shooting ranges across the entire league. With everyone shooting more deep shots, defenders have to guard upfront making it a massive floor space.
These men have revolutionized the sport of basketball in many ways. As more generations are getting involved with basketball, they will be mentioned and will have big influences as others advance their game. They will forever have a lasting impact on the game.
