LeBron: The new MJ?

With Sports Illustrated putting him on their cover and asking "Best Ever?", The hype over LeBron has never been greater. But is he the next Michael Jordan? Will he ever equal or surpass the Air Jordan? Or, more importantly, is he the man who can become the face of the NBA to the millions of people who don't follow it? Does he have the combination of skill, good looks, and publicity to become a worldwide household name? Some would say he already has. While I was wathcing the Cavaliers lose to Indiana last night, my mom came in. When she saw I was watching basketball, she was clearly uninterested, but then she heard the announcer say, "Cleveland Cavaliers", her face lit up. "LeBron James!" She said. He was a player whom she could identify, and her interest in the game skyrocketed. She still didn't watch it with me, but it proved to me something. She had no idea (and didn't care) that LeBron was having a bad shooting night and didn't yet have a field goal. He was just a player she knew. The only one she knew. For years, this was Micheal Jordan's role: to be an icon of the NBA. LeBron has become a David Beckham-esque figure; he might be the best player, or he might not, but he is the connection point between non-fans and his sport. We must also remember that when Micheal Jordan was in his second year, he wasn't even an All-Star. LeBron's career so far has been more successful than that of Jordan when he was at the same point. Mabye, someday, LeBron will win seven titles, exceeding Jordan and removing all doubt of his greatness.