Thursday, May 19, 2011

Origin Of Chosen 2

So there's this guy named LeBron James, and before he even played a single minute in the NBA, a lot of writers in the media already declared him: 'King James'. Currently, James is in his mid 20's, and many argue that he is the greatest basketball player to have ever stepped on the hardwood. I personally agree; I think that he is the greatest basketball player of all time- surpassing guys like Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird, Oscar Robertson and Kobe Bryant.

His athleticism is unmatched throughout the history of the league. No one has ever seen such an unstoppable force. He plows through traffic and rises higher than anyone on the court- gazing down at others as though he were a god. He makes NBA professionals look like mere mortals.

James single-handedly carries fantasy teams as he contributes positively in every single statistical category in basketball. The numbers he puts up are eye-popping and history-making. Every move he makes is a highlight reel for SportsCenter. But he's more than just a stat-padder or a highlight-producer.

He plays the position of small forward for his team, but it's clear that he's too fast to be a small forward, and he's too strong to be a small forward. That's right. He's too fast, and he's too strong. He's versatile in every way; he can play every single position, and he can play it well. Point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, center. You name it; he can do it all. Not only can he play any position, he can also guard any and every position,- from the quickest of point guards to the strongest of centers.

His defense is top-notch. He's big, long, and quick. He is extremely well-coordinated and has outstanding body control and exceptional grace. His reflexes are amazing, his footwork admirable, his fundamentals exemplary and his basketball IQ through the roof.

His court vision is as excellent as the elite of the elite point guards in the league. He is the super cream of the cream of the crop. For a player as talented as James, his unselfishness on the court as a distributor is awe-worthy.

James is a first-class teammate. Rather than discouraging his teammates when they fail (like Jordan and Bryant), James encourages his teammates and supports them no matter the circumstance.

The impact he has on his team is massive. When he played for the Cavaliers in the '09-'10 season, the Cavs led the NBA for the second season in a row with a 61-21 record. When he left, the Cavaliers were second to last in the league with a 19-63 record with pretty much the same roster, sans LeBron. In contrast, when Michael Jordan left his team in '93, the Bulls still managed a very respectable 55-27 record (a 2 win drop-off from the 57-25 record they had the year before) before falling to the Knicks in 7 games in the Eastern Conference Semis.

He is the reason why a mediocre player like Mo Williams received an All-Star berth.

His one man fast break is not only a sight to behold but also an automatic two points (and perhaps three if the defender is shameless enough to be willing to put himself in yet another LeBron James poster).

When an opposing player breaks away for a seemingly uncontested and easy lay-in, everybody sees LeBron James start to sprint from the other side of the court and thinks, "There's no way..." Everyone watches open-mouthed as LeBron runs the full length of the court and comes from behind with a vicious block. Then everyone thinks, "Did I just witness that?"

To sum it up, LeBron James is simply superior to every single player that has ever played the game of basketball.

Before 'The Decision', before LeBron bolted for Miami, LeBron James played for Cleveland. There, he drove to work every day, and on his way, he saw a 10-story building with his picture on it. He was Cleveland's savior. He was the chosen one- the one who was to save the city from a championship drought that lasted as long as who-knows-when. In the eyes of the Clevelanders, he could do no wrong. What he wanted, he got. What he said, went. He was the King of Cleveland. He became a global icon, idolized by millions upon millions. And so, one can imagine what that kind of attention did for his ego. Feeding into it all, Mr. James went to the tattoo parlor and got a tattoo across his back that read: Chosen 1.

Now every King has a Jester, and LeBron's jester was one former teammate, Anderson Varejao. One particular day, Varejao thought it would be quite hilarious if he showed up to practice with a fake tattoo on his back that read: 'Chosen 2'.


We are the Anderson Varejao of the world. We're not gifted with other-worldly talents. We're not famous, and we don't have any kind of superstar-status-syndrome. We just work hard, and sometimes, we want a good laugh every once in a while.

We are Chosen 2 (Two?/Too?/To...?).

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