Team Championship + MVP = The “Best” Player

Have you ever really argued about who the best player in the NBA is? We’re talking past or present here: Michael Jordan vs. Larry Bird, Bill Russell vs. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, or Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James. I’m sure you have. And if not, I’m sure you will.

But let’s get the facts straight. How do you even define what the “best” player is? Do we measure this by the number of MVPs he’s won or do we measure it by the number of team championships gained? This, ladies and gentlemen, is where it gets interesting.

To be honest, I think the “best” player has to have a combination of individual skill and talent as well as the ability to make his or her team better. Let’s look at Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who played college ball at UCLA, contributing in large part to the Bruins’ 88 win and 2 losses over the course of three national championship seasons.

Not only was he a standout in his college years, but Kareem continued to shine in the big leagues with his 20-year long career in the NBA. He currently holds the record for most team championships and MVP titles, with 6 a piece, denoting that yes, both accomplishments define who the best player really is. Next in line is Michael Jordan, with 6 championships and 5 MVPs, who many argue to be another one of the “best” players in NBA history.

This is a very debatable topic, one that sports fanatics like myself truly enjoy talking about. With Kobe and LeBron fans clashing views day in and day out, it’s obvious that the best player is, and will probably always be a personal opinion. But really, the best player can only REALLY be defined in time, once they’ve made a mark and some type of history. Right now, Kobe leads LeBron in championships with 4 (LeBron has yet to win one) but the two NBA All-Stars are tied with one MVP a piece. Again, these players are still young and in due time we shall see who the “better” player is.

In terms of actually defining what makes the “best” player, it’s definitely a combination of both individual skill and the ability to make a team better. Just look at Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He was a team player and an outstanding athlete – the 6 Championships and 6 MVPs prove it. If you don’t think he’s one of the best to play the game of hoops, you have a lot of schooling to do. When people hear his name, sports fans or not, they don’t even question who he is because he was THAT good. If you don’t believe me, just ask Coach John Wooden.