LeBron Reigns Supreme

By Brendan Weber

After winning his fourth NBA Most Valuable Player award in five seasons, LeBron James has continued to cement his legacy as one of the best players in the game of basketball.

On Sunday, it was announced that James received 120 out of a possible 121 first-place votes to win the prestigious award, one vote shy of making NBA history.

The 120 votes James received tied him with future Hall-of-Famer Shaquille O'Neal as the only players to win the award with that many votes.

Even though he fell short of the record, James had one of the best seasons of his career. The six-foot, eight-inch tall forward averaged 26.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game during the regular season. More impressively, James shot 56.5 percent from the field and 40.6 percent from beyond the three-point line, the most productive shooting season he has had during his illustrious career. Not to mention, James helped lead the Miami Heat to an incredible 27-game regular season winning streak.

With the award, James joined an elite group of NBA legends. Along with the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell and Michael Jordan, James became the fifth player in NBA history to win the MVP award four times. Furthermore, James joined Russell as the only player to win the award four times in a span of five seasons. In a television interview with ESPN, James said that being placed in that exclusive club of legends is "an honor and is very humbling."

"King James" has made a name for himself as a superstar in the NBA ever since his career began in 2003. A physical specimen and talented all-around player, James has the credentials to be distinguished as one of the best to ever play the game. In addition to his four MVPs, James has accumulated All-NBA First Team honors six times, All Defensive Team honors four times and two All-Star game MVPs.

Miami Heat President Pat Riley, who has around 50 years of NBA experience and has watched many of the greats play, believes James is the best of them all.

Although many critics still debate his ability to perform under pressure, it is difficult to question the amount of talent James displays on the court. He reached the pinnacle of the sport last season by winning the NBA Finals with the Heat, along with the Finals MVP award. Although he is far away from Jordan or Abdul-Jabbar when it comes to championship rings, James has the skill, confidence and supporting cast around him to win multiple titles and solidify his position as one of the greatest players to ever play in the association.

James is looking to add another championship ring to his collection with a victory in the NBA Finals this June. With the MVP honors now over and done with, James said, "I'm excited to get back to basketball now."

Brendan Weber is a freshman communication major and associate reporter for The Santa Clara.

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