LeBron James has surpassed all expectations during his 20-year career in the NBA. James was shouldered with the responsibility to become the greatest basketball player of all time, even before getting drafted into the NBA.
But for what it’s worth, the King has done a great job of fulfilling those expectations. Evidently, James has etched his name in NBA history with several records. But one of the lesser-known facts about LeBron is that he’s the only No. 1 overall pick drafted in the last 25 years to win the NBA Finals MVP award.
As shocking as it may sound, that’s the truth. Players like Tim Duncan and Shaquille O’Neal, who were drafted No. 1 overall, have also won the NBA Finals MVP in that time frame, but they were drafted prior to the specified time frame.
James won the award in the 2012 NBA Finals when the Miami Heat defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 4-1. He took home the honor once again in 2013 as the Heat registered a 4-3 series win vs. the San Antonio Spurs.
James then won the award in 2016. It was unarguably the toughest ring for the King as he led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA Championship after completing a 3-1 comeback vs. the 73-9 Golden State Warriors.
Finally, LeBron James became the NBA Finals MVP for the fourth time in his career in 2020. The Los Angeles Lakers dominated the Miami Heat and won 4-2.
Apart from him, no player drafted as the first overall pick in the last 25 years won the honor. But that doesn’t mean No. 1 overall picks haven’t won NBA Championships. In fact, here’s the list of players who fit the description and won a ring:
Andrew Bogut – 2015 NBA Championship
Kyrie Irving – 2016 NBA Championship
Anthony Davis – 2020 NBA Championship
Dwight Howard – 2020 NBA Championship
Andrew Wiggins – 2022 NBA Championship
James has proven once again that he’s in a class of his own, and there won’t be another player like him for at least a few decades.
LeBron James Can Win More NBA Championships In His Career
LeBron James was contemplating retirement following the Lakers’ 2023 Western Conference Finals exit. The Lakers were swept by the Denver Nuggets.
After weeks of drama around James’ future, he gave a dose of happiness to fans. James announced that he’ll play in the 2023-24 NBA season as a member of the Lakers.
James averaged 28.9 PPG, 8.3 RPG, and 6.8 APG in the 2022-23 season. Can the King maintain the same level of form in year 21? We will find out in a couple of months when the new season starts.
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