If there ever was a time to be a fan of all things comic related, it’s now. For several years, DC and especially Marvel Comics, have brought the world’s most intriguing super heroes to the silver screen. As a lifelong comic fan, I’m happy that the transcendence from paper to film has allowed these incredible stories to be all the more accessible for the general public. However, not all great heroes have made their screen debut yet. Regardless, superheroes are the “it” thing right now, and many fans will find that almost every superhero has a parallel trait, story, or physical characteristic to someone they know.
For many, the parallels come more naturally when comparing heroes (or villains in some cases) to athletes. Their natural athletic gifts are at times astonishing, making them the closest attachment we have in the real world to superheroes. The NBA is home to some of the best athletes and big personalities in all of professional sports. There are some noticeable and subtle characteristics that NBA players share with comic characters. In what will be a summer long series during a year full of superhero movies, eDraft is excited to bring a fun, and not so serious, analysis of our NBA stars counterparts in the comics.
Now that the NBA Finals are finally here, we are going to witness heroics on a nightly basis by some of the most talented players the world has to offer. Let’s take a look at some of the heroes the NBA Finals have to offer before exploring the rest of the NBA’s comic counterparts.
It’s time to drop some comic knowledge on you folks, here are the NBA’s equivalent to DC and Marvel superheroes for the Cavaliers Big Three. As always, we welcome debates so if you want to share just comment!
The Cleveland Cavaliers
LeBron James is Superman
King James has obviously been an important figure in NBA history, for mostly good reasons. His unselfish play has ushered in a new generation of NBA norms. Much like Superman, LeBron understands that he can’t do it all himself, so he creates team wherever he goes that has other powerful players on it. As seen recently in “Batman V. Superman Dawn of Justice”, Supes can be an absolutely polarizing figure among the public and his peers. Many people hate his unnatural physical abilities, while others nearly worship him.
LeBron has drawn identical feelings from the NBA universe over time. Both of their immense powers allowed them to defeat enemies over time without so much as breaking a sweat. Their near invulnerability is unrivaled as LeBron is rarely hurt and only needs time to recharge as Superman does by drawing light from the Sun. When hardships ensue or battles are about to be waged, Superman will withdraw into the Fortress of Solitude to prepare.
LeBron is infamous for his withdrawals from social media during the playoffs. Like Superman’s love for Smallville, LeBron cares deeply about where he is from and promises to protect his people. When Superman left to create the Justice League with Batman (Dwyane Wade), a dominant team was formed. Superman often catches flack for not having a “killer instinct” and being passive at times in group settings, but that’s what makes Superman so important. He has the ability to take himself out of the equation and see what is best for the team. Now that he is returned home, LeBron has become a beaming symbol of hope to countless Cleveland fans. We will have to see if he is their savior or not.
Kevin Love is Moon Knight
Love often seems enigmatic to most knowledgeable NBA fans. His time in Minnesota was spent basically as a mercenary who produced massive stats, but for what purpose? Nothing came of Love’s success with the Timberwolves besides the attention he drew from other organizations.
Marc Spector was a mercenary prior to dawning the cape, while on a dig in Egypt, he came across a powerful statue which gave him a second chance at life after being left for dead in freezing temperatures. Similarly, Love was left for dead in Minnesota until he joined the Cavaliers in the quest for a meaningful NBA career. Moon Knight’s mystical powers are derived from the Egyptian God, Knoshu, and the strength of his powers are greatly affected by the status of the moon. Kevin Love seems as though his powers wax and wane on based on something out of his control as well.
Love is supremely talented, however, his consistency as a big time player has been brought into question over time. Spector is a world class martial artist and Olympian, as Love is a world class rebounder. He is specifically trained to handle enemies in the best way he knows how and when the moon is full, or the night is right, Love is one of the best players in the NBA. Not to mention, one of his best teammates was Spiderman throughout many comic story lines..
Kyrie Irving is Spiderman
Peter Parker is one of the most popular characters of all time because of his relatability. His sense of humor, kindness, and general likability have drawn interest from countless fans even from his debut as Spiderman. Kyrie Irving is an everyday young man with extraordinary powers on the basketball court, and with problems that anyone can empathize with. When Irving debuted in the NBA, he had little to no help on the Cavaliers.
Over time, his talent generated the interest of more established heroes as was clear in this summer’s box office smash “Captain American: Civil War”. Irving’s abilities are at times amazing. He has seemingly blinding speed and control over the basketball. At times, it seems like Irving has the ball webbed to him while he’s dribbling. His acrobatic moves while driving to the lane have made him one of the best finishers in the NBA around the rim.
Similar to Spidey, Irving isn’t a visually stunning specimen in stature compared to his counterparts and you may not even notice him while walking down the street in a city. Akin to Spidey, Irving seems more human than many heroes because of seemingly normal life and the consequences that he must endure as we do. Irving has been slowed by injuries at times.
Last year, Irving was kept out of the NBA Finals due to injuries in his legs which pulled the sympathy of many NBA fans wishing to see a truly fair fight. Spiderman’s worst injury was sustained in the MC2 universe where he loses his legs in a battle with the Green Goblin. Irving’s injuries make him easy to sympathize with, but it’s his personality that draws the most interest. His hilarious portrayal of Uncle Drew is a classic piece of pop culture now and increased his popularity. At only 24, Irving has immense potential and much like Peter Parker, we will get to grow with him as his powers grow.