I will admit. When I watched The Decision back in July 2010, I hoped that James would choose the New York Knicks. Instead, James opted to join the Miami Heat. Since then, I have disliked everything about him.
A week after James' announcement, point guard Jeremy Lin was busy trying to find his home in the NBA. Lin outplayed John Wall in a summer league game and turned some heads. But it wouldn't be until February 2012 when Lin would explode onto the scene with the Knicks.
James and Lin have had two very different paths in the NBA. James is arguably the best player in the league and a lock to make the NBA Hall of Fame one day. Lin had a phenomenal stretch of games and captured the hearts of fans in New York and all over the world. Given the choice, I would pick Lin over James for the Knicks. There is no question about it.
James is clearly more talented than Lin. I can't debate that. But their attitudes are very different. I perceive James to be an arrogant diva. The best players usually are. But sometimes the best have character. Enter Tim Duncan. There is a great Sports Illustrated article about Duncan called 21 Shades Of Gray. It describes how one of the best players in the history of the NBA is so quiet, humble, unselfish and coachable. I think Lin is similar to Duncan in this respect. Lin is the type of player I want leading the Knicks. He is someone that people want to cheer for.
Why can't James make change for a dollar? Because he has no fourth quarter. That is one of the running jokes about James. He has been criticized for his poor late-game performances. That should be disconcerting to his fans. On the other hand, Lin tends to play better in crunch time. He is fearless. He wants to take the last shot.
Finally, I can't imagine Lin ever doing something like this. In that video, James disrespected the game and his opponents. Saying that NBA Championships are easy was a slap in the face to all prior champions.
So go ahead and call me crazy. Leave a comment below. But given what I now know about James and Lin right now, Lin is the clear choice for me. Lin is the player I want on the Knicks.
More from Edwin Torres:
My Petition to Keep Jeremy Lin in a New York Knicks Uniform: Fan's Take
LeBron James' Flopping is a Disgrace to the NBA: Fan's Take
Did Racism Keep Jeremy Lin Down? Fan View
Edwin Torres was born in New York City. He has been a Knicks fan since the early 1980s. He has visited Madison Square Garden on many occasions to watch the Knicks and his favorite player, Patrick Ewing. For more articles, follow him on Twitter @FlipPoker.
No comments:
Post a Comment