Words are thrown around like loose change on a roller coaster. When players, coaches, and pundits feel the need to compliment one another, professional sports go to another level. Guys attach the words "superstar" and "player" to each other. They are all players, but they can't all be superstars.
Is it possible that they can?
No, at that! It can't be that many superstars in the league. A player doesn't need to make a few highlights to be a great player. When asked by a reporter for his list of superstars playing in the NBA today, he came up with four. He was reminded of two of the others. James, Curry, Antetokounmpo, and Durant are some of the best athletes in the world.
Many people don't agree with the Hall of Fames' statement. I might add a few names to that list, but it isn't as long as some people think. Two years ago, Luka Doni was crowned as a Superstar. I wanted to see him lead the Mavs past the first round of the playoffs before I considered it. Dallas made it to the western conference finals. Doni was added to the list.
I feel like I'm going to lose my mind over these people. The debate gets murky after a few players. Can we still think of him as a great player? Is there anyone else that you would like to see? The league's Most Valuable Player was decided at the end of the season, with the winner going to Jokic. Joki became a back-to-backMVP.
Most people don't need that. It's one hell of an accomplishment to win the same award in a row. Only 14 players in the history of the NBA have won the same award in back-to-back years. Three of them did it three times. When you get bounced in the first round of the playoffs, it makes it easy to not include Joki on the superstars list.
Think about this before you say anything. Think about Steve Nash from a decade ago. He won the Most Valuable Player award in the mid-2000s. Nash was a great player but didn't consider himself a star. Right now, I see Joki in that way. When it was "show me" time, what did all those pretty numbers do? The Nuggets left early.
Many of us would like to be included in the conversation about superstars. He won a scoring title and played in more games than any other player. That is the most games the center has played in a season. There are two things that keep him on the borderline of the star/superstar discussion. The availability is 2. He hasn't led the 76ers to the Eastern Conference finals.
Everyone in the NBA is capable of posting gaudy statistics based on their role with the team. After falling off the map in San Antonio the previous two seasons, DeMar DeRozan averaged almost 28ppg for Chicago. Even though he just finished a great season, no one is thinking of him as a superstars. The majority of people felt that he should have won the award.
I have two big men looking in, but I think it is close for Joki. There was a time when Joki got the Nuggets to the conference finals. The Nuggets haven't made it past the semi-finals since that WCF appearance, and Joki won his two most valuable player awards. I have Embiid and Joki on the verge of becoming superstars.
Leonard was viewed as a true superstar at one point. We need to show some consistency if availability is part of the formula that keeps Embidd out of the club. When healthy, Kawhi is one of the best players in the NBA because of his offensive and defensive skills. He was considered a top two-way player before he injured his knee in the playoffs. He is coming off the list until he proves he is one of the best players in the league.
James Harden has been included in this discussion for a long time, but now he is more of an unimportant player. Since entering the NBA, Anthony Davis has been called a top-five talent but hasn't been able to break into the top tier of superstars.
When the Lakers won it all in the bubble, Davis was great, but he was not the main driver. James wasn't prepared for the changeover after he handed over the keys to Davis. Davis hasn't stepped up and led when it's been his time.
After flirting with the title of superstar this year, he was too inconsistent during the playoffs to plant his flag on that mountain. Trae Young could be next in line to become a megastar, but he is not there yet. Over the last couple of years, I have heard that Donovan Mitchell is a star, but I can't agree. He's a great player. Not a big deal.
When it looked like Damian was going to become a star, he got hurt and missed more than half the season. The two players played in the same number of games this year. Irving is living in outer space. Irving will never be a superstar, but Lillard is close to it. Dame is just outside of the superstars tier due to the rough start last year.
All the players mentioned can be considered exceptional, but I don't think a few great moments are enough to make them superstars. Doing it as the leader of the team year after year is what makes it work. Winning awards and accolades are only part of the equation, but team success is just as important.
Four of the players mentioned have won awards. The four NBA superstars are considered to be legitimate superstars. There isn't a debate about that. Luka was added to the group but he wasn't left off. He doesn't have any of the awards that were mentioned. He'll get there in time.
The term "great team" should also be retained, as it should be reserved for the best of the best. Two great teams have been in the NBA since 2010. The Miami Heat of the early00s had James, Wade, and Bosh. In the same decade, the Golden State Warriors.
It's all done. There were only a few teams that won more than one title. Both teams had great players. The rule is the same when it comes to superstars. The meaning of the word is no longer the same if there are so many superstars.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
