LeBron James was the best player in the NBA for the entire 2012-2013 regular season, a fact backed up by any statistical measure, including team wins and losses. However, when LeBron was voted as the league's most valuable player for the fourth time in five years, one writer did not vote for "King" James as his MVP, instead choosing Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks.
Although the NBA does not release the ballots of the voting writers, Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe has owned up to his choice of Anthony. He said that he felt Anthony was more valuable to the Knicks than James was to the Heat, owing to James' superior supporting cast. Washburn acknowledged that James is the better player.
"If you were to take Anthony off the Knicks, they are a lottery team. James plays with two other All-Stars, the league's all-time 3-point leader, a defensive stalwart, and a fearless point guard. The Heat are loaded. If LeBron was taken away from the Heat, they still would be a fifth or sixth seed. He is the best player of this generation, a multifaceted superstar with the physical prowess of Adonis, but I chose to reward a player who has lifted his team to new heights."
Anthony was the top per game scorer in the NBA this season, notching 28.7 points a night as opposed to 26.8 by James. Other than that category, James averaged one rebound more per game than Anthony and 4.7 more assists. James also shot a ludicrous 56.5 percent from the field, while Anthony was a far less efficient 45 percent. James also scored his points while jacking up four less shots per game.
While James seemed miffed that he wasn't a unanimous choice, he was more annoyed that he wasn't selected as the Defensive Player of the Year, which went to Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol.
"I tried harder to win defensive player of the year than I did MVP," James said. "That's my goal. Coach (Erik Spoelstra) had me guarding every position. We'll try again next year."
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