NBA- Who Is It For You?

The NBA's on lockout mode. Even broadcaster Bryant Gumbel's gotten in on the act and pretty much labeled David Stern as a "taskmaster". Good lord.

While the mud flies, allow me to posit this question- who is the best active player in the NBA, for your money?

ESPN recently released a list wherein Miami's Lebron James topped the charts as the NBA's most outstanding cager. For all intents and purposes, I would have to concur with Mark Stein and co.'s assessment.

For my 2 pesos, however, the best player in the NBA, in terms of being a leader, a winner, an all around athlete, and cerebral to the point of brilliant madness, is the Lakers' Kobe Bryant.

Bryant is a 5 time NBA champion, and as he has aged, he has grown wiser. He may not be the athletic freak King James is, nor is he as young, or as physically imposing, but lord knows that the Black Mamba is still one of (if not, the) savviest Closer in the game. Dirk Nowitzki, Dwyane Wade, and even Carmelo Anthony come close, but Bryant has proven himself in more pressure cooker situations, and here's the kicker- he had to play alongside Shaq's fat ego for several years, while still managing to be brilliant. It isn't that Kobe doesn't have an ego, nor is it because Kobe isn't a bad guy, even. Kobe knows who he is. He's been the "villain" for most of his career, and he's comfortable assuming that role. He's making the most of his black cape and Tommy Gun.

So who is number one in your book? Comparatives between basketball pundits always make for engaging coffeetable talk- especially during the down days of the lockout.

MC