I hope Nike and Phil Knight don’t come after us for that headline. But it is true. No matter where you stand on the Michael Jordan vs LeBron James debate, there is something magical about the kid from Akron standing on top of the basketball world.
He was a young king, anointed by a Sports Illustrated cover story when he was only a junior in high school, simply as “The Chosen One.” To rise to the NBA as a teenager with the weight of expectations always surrounding him, James simply delivered everywhere he turned.
While every action he has ever taken has been observed through a microscope for the world to see, James has empowered the modern athlete while reaching heights most of the sporting world could never imagine.
The King still has some in the tank, 40,000 points is not out of the equation. Just for reference, the next closest active player on the points leaderboard is 34 year-old Kevin Durant is still 10,000 points away.