Michael Jordan is the reason I fell in love with basketball. As a kid I remember my dad, aka "Big Fro," talking about Michael like he was a superhuman, mythical living legend.
And that he was.
Clearly, MJ was my favorite childhood basketball player. Growing up, I didn't really care about any teams other than the Chicago Bulls. After Michael retired, Stephon Marbury became my favorite player. I was mesmerized by Starbury's quickness, explosiveness and ability to dominate a game as a scorer and/or distributor. And as his career spiraled out of control and people began to hate him more and more, my admiration for him only increased.
I have always supported athletes who are held to unfair expectations. Steph's situation with the Knicks is strikingly similar to Carmelo Anthony's right now. The media and public like to blame a struggling team's star player, instead of focusing on the fact that their supporting cast is barely NBA level. Anyone who expected Steph's Knicks to thrive, didn't know basketball. The same goes for people calling for Melo's head in New York (although the haters have quieted down since his already-legendary 62-point performance on Friday).
After Starbury faded into tragic oblivion, Kobe Bryant became my favorite player. Why? Because to this day, he still reminds me of Jordan more than anyone. Unshakable confidence, uncanny ability, fearless under the brightest of bright lights. But now, as Kobe limps toward retirement (and isn't even active), it's time for him to pass the torch. Let's take a look at the candidates...
Honorable Mention
Dwight Howard, C, Houston Rockets: Like Marbury as a Knick,
Chris Bosh early in his tenure with the Heat or even
Carlos Boozer with the Bulls, I tend to root for the guy who everyone likes to bash. Dwight has been referred to as "the biggest baby in the NBA" and a "headcase" and yet he's the best true center of his generation. Everyone knows he's one of the premier rebounders and defenders in the game, but his excellent offensive ability is often overlooked or dismissed altogether. Dwight has a quick first step for a player of his size and stature, and he's arguably the strongest two-hand finisher of the last decade. Novice fans forget how difficult it is for a 7-footer to catch and finish with the consistency of a superstar like Howard.
James Harden, SG/SF, Houston Rockets: One of the two or three most gifted offensive players in the world, and let's be real...world-class offense is a lot more fun to watch than world-class defense. I appreciate and understand the value of quality team defense, but that doesn't make it more fun to watch than an offensive player who can put an entire team on his shoulders at crunch time. That's Harden in a nutshell.
Goran Dragic, PG, Phoenix Suns: I call him "Mini-Harden." Lefty, quick, explosive, fearless and most of all...unpredictable. Dragic, like Harden, can turn a coach's, "No, no, no!" into a "nice shot, good job" in a matter of seconds.
Nikola Pekovic, C, Minnesota Timberwolves: "Pek" is one of the most consistent and under-appreciated players in the NBA. Personally, I value consistency as much or more than anything else. Pek always plays with maximum effort, but he's not simply a hustle player -- he's actually one of the most skilled finishers in the game. As an undersized center with little-to-no hops, Pek has become an efficient and effective scorer because of his incredibly soft touch around the rim. Any team in the league would be lucky to have him.
Paul George, SF, Indiana Pacers: Everyone seems to love this guy these days, right? "PG" is one of my favorite players because of the way he went toe-to-toe with LeBron James in back-to-back postseasons. LeBron is one of the top two players in the world so he won out over time, but PG proved he was a superstar on the rise and his stock continues to climb as the Pacers dominate the Eastern Conference this year.
Jeremy Lamb, SG/SF, Oklahoma City Thunder: Can you say, UConn bias? I'm not ashamed to admit it in this case. Along with another tough, confident, fearless guard who you'll see in my top 10, "Lamb Chop" led my Huskies to the 2010-11 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship. I am ecstatic to see Jeremy getting the run he deserves with the white-hot Thunder, and I imagine his role will only increase over time.
Vince Carter, SG/SF, Dallas Mavericks: Loved him during his stint with my Nets. Smooth, confident, fun to watch and always willing to carry the team during periods of offensive stagnation. What a tremendous career "Half-Man, Half-Amazing" has had. Hope he gets the credit he deserves in the Hall of Fame.
Kevin Durant, SG/SF, Oklahoma City Thunder: He's everybody's favorite player right now. I love him, I'm just trying to avoid the cliche selections.
Top 10: My Favorite Players to Watch
10. Gerald Green, SG/SF, Phoenix Suns
9. Nate Robinson, G, Denver Nuggets
I can't believe he tore his ACL and is out for the season. What a devastating blow for the Nuggets and all fans of explosive athleticism or streak-shooting a la Allen Iverson or Nick Van Exel. Nate is simply a joy to watch -- never afraid of his opponent or The Moment. When I coach youth players, this is the type of confidence I'd like to instill in them. You will be missed for the rest of the season, Nate-Rob.
8. Joe Johnson, SG, Brooklyn Nets
The numbers don't lie...Joe Johnson is one of the premier closers in the history of the NBA. He has the highest field goal percentage on game-winning shot attempts over the past three seasons. If he could play with that type of efficiency and focus for 48 minutes a night (like Kevin Durant or LeBron James, true superstars) he would definitely be my favorite player in the world. Until then, he resides in the bottom half of my top 10.
7. Mike Conley, Jr., PG, Memphis Grizzlies
Everyone likes a guy who suits up, quietly goes about his business and always gets the job done well, right?
Well, that's pretty much Mike Conley. I love this guy. In college, scouts and analysts were highly critical of his perimeter shooting, but every time I watched Ohio State in a tight game, Conley was usually the one knocking down the clutch outside shots. Of course, since then his shooting mechanics and touch have only continued to improve on a yearly basis. Now he is regarded by opposing defenses as a legitimate three-point shooting threat.
In addition, Conley's ability to drive and finish with his right hand (that's his off hand) has drastically improved to the point where you don't even have to play him to his right. It makes no difference. He drives quickly and effectively with both hands. And, any time I've watched this guy in the postseason, he rises to the occasion down the stretch of close games. He's also one of the premier defenders at the point guard position. There is nothing not to like about this guy. I would take him over more-heralded point guards -- like say, Kyrie Irving -- any day of the week.
6. Dirk Nowitzki, PF, Dallas Mavericks
If "The Big German" wasn't nearing retirement, he'd definitely be in my top five. However, I can't punish Kobe for being on his way out, and not do the same to Dirk. That wouldn't be fair. Therefore here he sits, one outside of the big five.
Anyone who doesn't like Dirk either doesn't know basketball or is a die-hard fan of the Miami Heat. Otherwise, you have to admire this guy. A seven-footer with the pure shooting stroke of legends like Larry Bird, Jerry West and Reggie Miller. The consummate teammate -- always willing to take pay cuts to allow the Mavs the opportunity to strengthen their roster. Always willing to make the right team play, even if there's a decent shot available to him. Always says all of the right things to the media.
In general, such a true class act. Basketball wise? I can't think of a more satisfying performance than his spirited, relentless assault of the more athletic, talented and publicized Heat in the 2010-11 NBA Finals. I will never forget that series or his deserving teammates including Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Jason Terry and Tyson Chandler -- all first-time champions.
5. Kemba Walker, PG, Charlotte Bobcats
Finally a great draft pick by Michael Jordan. Yikes, it took awhile. What Michael likely saw in Kemba is what we all see these days...a kid who plays basketball with joy, passion, swagger and pure natural ability. Kemba was a hero for my Huskies during our 2010-11 National Championship run, and now he's taking a lackluster NBA franchise and turning it into a playoff contender in the hapless Eastern Conference. Is that really a compliment? I'm not entirely sure.
Anyway, any of the Bobcats shortcomings have nothing to do with Kemba. He continues to impress with his ankle-breaking ballhandling, pretty mid-range game and late-game three-point makes.
4. Jamal Crawford, G, Los Angeles Clippers
You watch some guys play ball and can't help but think, "He must have been dribbling a basketball since he was two or three years old."
Jamal Crawford, aka "J-Crossover" is certainly one of those players. Known for his signature killer crossover and jaw-dropping one-on-one ability, Crawford is mesmerizing on the court. Also, a couple of years ago, he
made one of the funniest comments in league history. Please visit that link. If you love basketball, you will love that story.
I really enjoyed watching J-Cross during his days as a Knick, and my admiration for his natural offensive skills has only intensified over the years. Keep firing, Jamal!
3. Zach Randolph, PF, Memphis Grizzlies
Think about the evolution of the power forward position in the NBA. Karl Malone and Charles Barkley were the kings of the court awhile back, two moderately-sized bigs who would have struggled to dominate against the power forward crop that followed them: Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett. TD and KG brought raw size, length and incredible defensive ability to the position. Offensively, Dirk Nowitzki joined them to revolutionize the way we view and analyze power forwards.
Now it's the era of Blake Griffin (arguably the greatest athlete in the history of the position), LaMarcus Aldridge (the best all-around PF with a true low post game), Kevin Love (stretching the floor like Dirk) and DeMarcus Cousins (the wild card). And yet, as the talent pool expands, there is one constant...Zach Randolph, best known as "Z-Bo."
While Duncan, Garnett, Aldridge and Cousins are all at or around seven feet, Z-Bo stands just 6-foot-9 (a generous listing by the Grizzlies media staff). Z-Bo doesn't jump high or run fast. He doesn't have any natural gifts. What he does have is unparalleled offensive rebounding positioning, the softest and surest hands in the game and the unrelenting desire to outwork his bigger and more talented opponents on the glass. Z-Bo is the master of second-chance points, a statistic that directly coincides with a team's offensive morale. The more second-chance points, the more unstoppable an offensive unit feels.
Simply put, Z-Bo is a dream teammate. Gotta love this guy.
2. Russell Westbrook, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder
For the past couple of seasons, I've casually said to my friends, "Russell Westbrook is my favorite player right now." I don't know if that made it official or binding, but it would probably still be the case if he could stay on the court this season. Unfortunately, he is out again right now and the scorching-hot Thunder don't seem to mind.
What do I love about Russ? Well, he has the same kind of show-stopping athleticism that Gerald Green has (in different ways), but he's a far superior all-around basketball player. I think he's the best one-man fast break I've ever seen. And, like his teammate KD, he brings it every friggin' night. When you watch Westbrook play, you can feel how hungry he is to succeed. He has the hunger to prove himself on a nightly basis, and to earn that championship ring that has eluded him thus far.
Something tells me it's coming this season.
1. Carmelo Anthony, SF, New York Knicks
Okay, so this decision may or may not have been influenced by the fact that I was at Madison Square Garden for Melo's incredible 62-point performance against the helpless Bobcats. May or may not. I can't really say.
Anyway, Melo is the second-most gifted scorer in the NBA (behind Durant, of course) and he's the MOST unfairly treated basketball player in the universe. The fans complain about him. The media points at him when the Knicks struggle. And the referees NEVER give him a call, particularly at crunch time when Melo and the Knicks need it the most.
And yet, Melo takes the abuse in stride. Always calm, collected and insightful during interviews. Always doing his best to smile and have fun while playing the game. Always willing to take the big shot, even if opposing defenses know the ball is going to be in his hands in an isolation scenario.
You know what else I love? After Melo hit the halfcourt shot to end the first half of his 62-point game, I could see how much his teammates admired and looked up to him. The admiration was crystal clear. Even from a guy like Tyson Chandler, who already won a championship with the Dallas Mavs and has seen many spectacular performances in his career. He was in awe of what Melo was doing, and he was truly happy for his teammate and fellow leader.
Michael Jordan. Stephon Marbury. Kobe Bryant.
And now Carmelo Anthony. Number one in my book.
