Nick Wright and Cris Carter react to LeBron James being named to a league-record 12th All-NBA First Team.
- The All-NBA team is very important when you're evaluating guys, historically and career wise. And the forward spot-- because the way it works is there's two guards, two forwards, one center. So since LeBron's come into the league, the people he's been competing with for one of those two first team spots are Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard as of late. That for 12 years, 12 of LeBron's 15 years, he's been one of the two best players at the deepest position in the league, it's-- to me, it's remarkable.
And LeBron now has more first team All-NBA selections than Jordan had complete years in Chicago. That's not a LeBron's greater than Jordan thing, that's a just think of how many memories you have for Jordan's time in Chicago. His entirety there of complete seasons, he played 11 full years there. LeBron's been one of the best forwards in the league 12 times. He has two other-- he has a second and a third team, as well, so-- or two second teams, as well. So 14 of his 15 years he's been on a All-NBA team.
- Yeah, it's very, very important. And for those who are LeBron historians or fans of LeBron, this will be one of the topics they'll be able to go to if they're trying to make an honest comparison between LeBron and the other great players, most notably Michael Jordan. In this difference right here, in how long he could stay in his prime, how long could he stay as one of the best players in the NBA, that's going to be one of the message points. If he's ever going to catch up with Jordan, or ever go beyond Michael Jordan, it's, man, NBA first team 12 years. He's going to add onto that.
Now, can he get another ring. Because those will be the arguments that-- because the playoff record, finals record, the six MVPs, that is unapproachable. So LeBron can only go to these other little areas that I believe been valuable, critical to the argument for people like Nick Wright.
- And this is-- because, for some people, the Jordan six rings will always make Jordan the greatest player ever, six for six. Our friend Isaiah Thomas, when he was here, the guy he brings up is Kareem. Like if the LeBron, Kareem totality of their careers, that's where this is most applicable. When you look at how great-- how long Kareem was great, how long he extended his prime, that's the territory LeBron was approaching and is now-- I don't know if he's quite surpassed the length of Kareem's prime, but he's neck and neck with him, and doesn't appear to be slowing down.