It is hardly surprising that LeBron James has racked up individual awards in his career. He is a gifted athlete, although he admits that he prefers to win NBA titles over these.
In 2012, Bron kept his feet on the ground after bagging his third MVP award. After winning the first MVP with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2009, James would win the next two with the Miami Heat (2010 and 2012). That feat pushed LBJ into an elite circle of nine players who have won it at least three times.
"Less than 10 years ago, I had dreams of being in the NBA. I had dreams of putting on an NBA uniform. I never dreamt about being a Most Valuable Player," James said via UPI .
That season, "The King" averaged 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.9 steals in 62 regular season games. That performance resulted in him getting 1,074 points, including 85 first-place votes. He was way ahead of Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who tallied LeBron with 889 points.
Sweet season for LBJ
Although winning the MVP award was an accomplishment, the 2011-12 season was even sweeter for James and the Heat . They reached the NBA Finals and defeated the Thunder in five games. So aside from winning his third MVP plum, winning his first NBA title made that run sweeter for the top pick of the 2003 Draft. It was vindication for Bron, who admitted he had to push himself harder after falling short in 2011 against the Dallas Mavericks.
"For us to reach our potential, I had to be f****g ten times better than I was in the previous June finals," James shared when he appeared on the "Mind the Game" podcast .
Chris Bosh, another player who won his first ring with the Heat, witnessed LeBron's monster performance that year. As far as he is concerned, that 2012 championship was the best memory of his career and the fifth best for James.
" That second year (with Miami), he was on another planet. I don't know what the hell was going on, I don't know where he is, I mean he wasn't missing. I will take his 5th best career and that will be the best of mine," the All-Star center-forward quipped .
James would win another one with the Heat in 2013. His other two titles were with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and the Los Angeles Lakers, his current team, in 2020.
Despite his age, James continues to be a force in the league. He is still working on winning a 5th NBA championship, which can hopefully materialize before he wraps up his pro basketball career.
Related: "No skill detected" - LeBron James responds to critics who say he's just been "running people over" his whole career
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