How LeBron Re-Shaped his and Cleveland’s Legacy

Mathew Huff

6/27/16

The Cleveland Cavaliers pulled off the unthinkable in this year’s NBA Finals. Led by the chosen one, LeBron James, the Cavs were able to become the first team in NBA history to come from a 3 to 1 deficit in the finals and knock of the regular season record setting Golden State Warriors. What can easily go unnoticed is how easily LeBron’s legacy could have been tarnished along with Cleveland’s if they had lost this year. Let’s put this in perspective, if they had lost, LeBron would have been 2-5 in NBA Finals throughout his career, while the “Cleveland Curse,” would have continued for a 53^rd straight year adding to Cleveland sports fans suffering. LeBron definitely has his fair share of critics already, but if he had lost this year’s finals, a plethora of new critics would have come out of the woodwork. Instead, LeBron and the Cavs pulled off a remarkable feat of defeating a team that looked like they had outmatched Cleveland, was rivaling the 95-96 Bulls for the greatest team of all time, and making history of their own along the way. Not only did LeBron repair his legacy, he also reclaimed his throne as the greatest player on earth right now by clearly outplaying Steph Curry in all facets of the game. On top of that, the cherry on top was delivering his promise to the city of Cleveland, bringing them their first sports title in 52 years, and ending many years of disappointment and suffering. By aiding Cleveland in their quest for a NBA title, suddenly the Drive, the Fumble, and the Shot that added so much salt in Cleveland’s wounds have now been healed providing a new found sense of relief and excitement that Cleveland has not felt in a half of a decade. LeBron is now being put in the discussion with the NBA greats again with Magic, Jordan, Kareem, and his fellow NBA peers of Kobe and Duncan. Suddenly the greatest of all time debates have heated up again, and Cleveland sports fans are rejoicing in what may be one of the most impressive NBA Finals victory in NBA history.

Elgin Baylor: The Forgotten NBA Legend

Mathew Huff

6/20/16

When it comes to the Mount Rushmore of NBA greats, many do not hesitate to name 4 or 5 NBA legends right off the top of their heads. Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell are just a few players that people sometimes name when it comes to the greatest NBA legends. The one player fans seemingly forget quite a bit however, is Elgin Baylor. Yes, the former Los Angeles Lakers small forward who was taken number one overall by the Minneapolis Lakers in the 1958 draft deserves to be put back in the conversation of the pantheon of NBA legends who transcended the league and revolutionized the way the game of basketball was played at the time. One thing that made Elgin Baylor so impressive is the fact that he started suffering from knee problems in the middle of his career and was able to lead the Lakers to consecutive finals appearances despite this. Yes, Baylor was 0 for 8 in the Finals throughout his career, but that should not take away from his greatness. Many people would list Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Patrick Ewing, or John Stockton as the greatest player to never win a championship, but Elgin Baylor should be put in this conversation as well. Baylor’s accomplishments add to his legacy as well, if you take into consideration his number 22 was retired by the Lakers, he was an 11 time all-star, former all-star game MVP, former Rookie of the Year, and made the All-NBA First Team 10 times throughout his illustrious career. Baylor put up outstanding numbers throughout his career as well as averaging 27.4 points per game, 13.5 rebounds a game, and 4.6 assists a game. Elgin Baylor also holds the record for most points in an NBA Finals game with 61 points against the Boston Celtics in 1962, an impressive record that still stands today.

One does not need to look only at statistics to understand Baylor’s greatness however, as he was one of the first NBA pioneers. He was considered undersized for his position, but put up incredible rebounding numbers and was one of the first players to revolutionize the game with his athleticism and great scoring ability. Elgin had an iconic way to score by utilizing his running bank shot which helped him become even more effective during his playing days. He was one of the first polarizing figures the league ever saw to alter the game in a unique way. The former Minneapolis Lakers owner Bob Short in a past interview credited Elgin Baylor for saving the franchise and preventing the team from going bankrupt. Yes, that is right, without Baylor the iconic Los Angeles Lakers may not even exist today. To top it all off, many individuals would rightly credit Elgin Baylor as the most underrated player in NBA history. Baylor also has received credit from some notable NBA peers such as Jerry West and Bill Sharman as one of the greatest players of all time, which goes to show just how dominant Elgin Baylor was in his playing days and yet another reason why Elgin needs to start being remembered more by analysts, avid fans, and even some players. In conclusion, it’s time for everyone to stop forgetting about Elgin Baylor and start appreciating what he brought to the game of basketball.