Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton is on the short list of the best defenders to ever dawn the iconic gold helmet. His second interception of the 2021 opener at Florida State showed the national audience what Notre Dame observers had already known, and assuming he decides to enter the NFL draft early, he’ll undoubtedly have his name called really early in the first round.
Hamilton does it all as he’s the rare combination of speed, size, and instincts that make him an elite defender, but he does have one flaw that keeps showing itself time and time again and it has nothing to do with football.
Daily reminder that Lebron is the best to ever pick up a basketball https://t.co/luusYeSvVQ
— Kyle Hamilton (@kyledhamilton_) November 2, 2021
Kyle, Kyle, Kyle. I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed. I know you’ve stated this opinion before but can this be the final time?
Yes, LeBron James is a better passer and rebounder than Michael Jordan ever was. Not that James can’t take over a game scoring, he certainly has during the very big moments, but Jordan never completely vanished in a key postseason moment like James, either. What one accomplishes obviously goes into the debate but what about what one doesn’t do?
In June of 2011 James at his absolute peak of dominance. He was completing his first year in Miami and after some difficulties during the regular season, still helped guide the Heat to the NBA Finals. It was with the Heat leading the series 2-1 that James folded up like a cheap suit and scored just eight points in game four. Miami lost complete control of the series, ultimately falling to a less talented Dallas Mavericks team in six games.
Eight points in an NBA Finals game for a man who likes to be called “The King”. Let that sink in.
The tide of that series changed because of James and that’s not meant as a compliment to King James (insert eyeroll). I don’t care what happened before or after, the 2011 NBA Finals will forever keep LeBron James from being the greatest basketball player of all-time.
James guiding Cleveland to a shocking 2016 NBA Finals upset over a 73-win Golden State team was incredible, but it doesn’t erase what happened five years earlier. It should also be noted that Draymond Green’s idiocy that series should be thanked daily by Camp James.
As should Ray Allen for his heroics bailing out James and the Heat in the 2013 NBA Finals.
Sure Jordan’s teams lost series over the years and he missed game-winning shots or went cold down the stretch at times, but did he ever just bury himself in a corner not wanting to take on a challenge?
Kyle Hamilton was just 10 years old during the 2011 NBA Finals so he was certainly old enough to remember it, just like I was 11 years old during the 1997 NBA Finals when the other legend in this debate faced a Game Five road contest with the series tied 2-2, and did anything but fold up.
Sure, I’m a Chicagoland kid that grew up at the peak of the Bulls dynasty but even without viewing things from that lens it’s not a debate. It’d be like anyone who says Aaron Rodgers is better than Tom Brady. Sure, Rodgers may be more talented at many things, but when it actually comes down to winning time, who walks out with the huge victory time and time again?
Kyle Hamilton is a great football player, seems like a great young man that you’d be proud to have as a friend or family member, but he couldn’t be more wrong about who the greatest basketball player of all-time is.
I suppose we can consider a scratch on a Ferrari.
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