ShareThisFor one moment, set aside the never-ending debate about whether LeBron James will someday be worthy of being compared to Michael Jordan.
James accepting his first MVP award at his high school was a feel-good story in a cynical sports world.
First, let's set the scene.
Instead of traveling on I-77 from Cleveland to Akron, James drove to his hometown through his old neighborhood, an impoverished area.
St. Vincent-St. Mary High School's gym was built in 1950. The walls are white-and-green painted cement blocks. Baskets are attached to square wooden backboards.
James thanked everyone -- his single mother, the Akron family who took him in when he was in grade school when his mother needed help, relatives, friends, even former NBA greats Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone and Bill Russell for paving the way.
Barbara Wood, a librarian at St. Vincent-St. Mary, recalled how she corrected his grammar -- that it wasn't "fiddy cent," but it's fifty with an S on the end.
Anyone who has seen James' entertaining television commercials can relate to why he wanted to be the first NBA player to accept the MVP award at his high school.
Statistically, it was a no-brainer, which is why James was a landslide winner, receiving 109 of 121 first-place votes.
James averaged 28.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.2 assists to become only the fourth player in NBA history to lead a 50-win team in scoring, rebounds, assists and steals.
He led the league with seven triple-doubles, led the Cavaliers to a 21-game improvement, home-court advantage throughout the playoffs and a franchise-record 66 wins. In the Cavs' win at Atlanta Saturday night (Cleveland's NBA record 7th straight playoff win by 10 points or more), James piled up 47 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists.
James, 24, was the eighth player to win an MVP before his 25th birthday but the first in 30 years since Malone, who followed Bob Pettit, Wilt Chamberlain, Russell, Abdul-Jabbar, Wes Unseld and Bob McAdoo in the under-25 MVP club.
Unseld is the name that underscores James' unique skills and how the NBA has evolved.
At 6-7, 250 pounds, Unseld was a center/power forward when he won the award 40 years ago. James, 6-8, 250 pounds, probably could play all five positions.
Seven points shy of 13,000 for his career, James will be the youngest to reach 15,000 next season. His 27.5 career scoring average is tops among active players.
Critics have pointed to two flaws on his resume -- no MVPs and zero championship rings. What some fail to recall is Jordan didn't win his first of his five MVPs until age 25, the same season he won the first of six NBA titles.
It's doubtful James, or anyone else, will win six titles. Whether James earns his first ring this season, his ultimate goal, won't be determined for another month. But Cleveland's double-digit playoff wins are proof James and the Cavs has as good a shot as anyone.
But James' MVP coronation at his old high school was more than basketball, which team is the favorite or his place in NBA history.
Media and fans constantly will scrutinize James' still-very-young career for another decade but he reminded everyone to enjoy the ride and thank people who helped you get where you are today.
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
columnMust credit Oklahoma City Oklahoman
