LeBron James is without any doubt one of the greatest basketball players of all time. If not, he wouldn’t be the subject of the never-ending GOAT debate that involves him and Michael Jordan.
But it’s safe to say that The King had to earn a couple of rings to make a strong case for himself. James was already seen as a great player when he was in Cleveland, but it wasn’t until he moved to Miami that he finally won a championship.
In the summer of 2010, after failing to succeed with the Cavaliers, LeBron made a career-changing decision by joining the Heat. In South Beach, he formed a Big Three with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Together, they went on to win two NBA Finals.
“I think I would still be at this level no matter if I would’ve came here (Miami) or not,” James said, via ESPN. “Let’s not get it twisted: the four years I was here, it was amazing. I loved everything about it. Loved this franchise, this franchise is top tier, it’s one of the best franchises in the world. But as far as my career, my career was going to be my career as far as individually, because I know how much I put into the game and I know how much I strived to be as great as I can be. [But] as far as what I was able to learn here was second to none, that’s for sure.”
LeBron James and Norris Cole react after a play on their way to defeating the Charlotte Bobcats 109-98 in the 2014 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
His comments gave a lot to talk about, as some people seem to question whether LeBron would be the same dominant player if he hadn’t won those rings. But former point guard Norris Cole, who spent three seasons next to James in Miami, agrees with LeBron.
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LeBron James guarantees he would still be a NBA legend without the Miami Heat
Norris Cole agrees LeBron’s move to Miami has nothing to do with his dominance
“Yes, I believe. I mean, he was dominant when he came there. He had coming off of what, two MVPs in three years? As a player, he was gonna be dominant. I think what Miami helped him do, though, was put some structure in on detailed things. It was subtle things,” Cole said, via Gil’s Arena.
Selected by the Heat in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft, Cole spent three seasons in Miami, being part of the 2012 and 2013 championship-winning teams. He couldn’t find much success in his following stints in New Orleans and Oklahoma, but Cole can still take pride in having two rings on his résumé. Besides, both of them were next to a legend like James.
James pursuing another championship
While it may be true that James would be a dominant player regardless of his titles, the truth is that his championships help him challenge for the GOAT status. In fact, one of the strongest arguments from those who claim Jordan is still above him is the number of rings each one has.
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Would LeBron be as dominant if he didn\'t play for the Heat?
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MJ has won all six NBA Finals he played in with the Chicago Bulls, whereas LeBron so far has four championships to show off. Unlike Jordan, he did lose NBA Finals. But at 38, he’s still looking for a coveted fifth ring.
James has already accomplished impressive feats, including surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time top scorer. But as long as he’s active, he will be chasing more rings that reflect his dominance.
