The best and the greatest

When there's a "Who/What is the best/greatest (fill in the blanks)", it eventually devolves into an argument of what the term really means. And it really comes down to what term is being used, because there's a distinct difference between best and greatest. For example, right now, LeBron James is the best player in the league. People who say Kobe is better clearly haven't watched James play. The kid (and at 24, he's still a kid in NBA years) is stronger than , faster than Bird or Magic, a more skilled ball handler than Russell or Chamberlain. He's capable of putting up a triple double every night, and he's become a defender who can guard any position on the floor. LeBron has a realistic chance at becoming the best to ever play the game.

However, he hasn't accomplished anything yet. Kobe has more rings, has an MVP, more scoring titles. Is LeBron a better player than Kobe? Yes. Is he a greater player than Kobe? Not yet. The term better or best refers to a measure of pure talent, those who have the ability and skill to do the most things. Greatness is a measurement of accomplishments the best have achieved.

There's a reason why there's such confusion over the two terms, and the reason can be directly linked to one player. A player with five MVP awards, ten All-NBA First Team designations, nine All-Defensive First Team honors, fourteen NBA All-Star Game appearances and three All-Star MVP, ten scoring titles, three steals titles, six NBA Finals MVP awards, and the 1988 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, the all time record in regular season and playoffs points per game. A player who is the standard of excellence and will always be compared with an upcoming superstar, whether it's Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, Dwayne Wade, Kobe Bryant, or LeBron James. A player who had no weaknesses on offense or defense, beat every great player in his time, and is being inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame this September.

Kobe and LeBron are successors to Michael Jordan. The best and greatest example of how the terms "best" and "greatest" can sometimes be the same thing.