"To all the positions, I just bring a determination to win," James said. "Me being an unselfish player, I think that can carry on to my teammates. When you have one of the best players on the court being unselfish, I think that transfers to the other players."

When it comes to his 3-point shooting, James is no Reggie Miller, but he's already a better 3-point shooter than Michael Jordan ever was (save for one day in the 1992 NBA Finals against Portland that you may remember). Opposing coaches pray that James will fall in love with the 3-point shot, because he is virtually unguardable for one defender below the paint. Once you start sending double-teams his way, it's over. He's simply too unselfish and skilled to be hindered by that gambit. More often than not, he makes you pay for sending extra defenders his way.

Steve Kerr, who won championships with Jordan, was one of many NBA analysts who felt James was deserving of the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award a year ago (he finished second to Phoenix's Steve Nash). The main reason, despite James' 31.4 points per game, was James' passing.

"Of all the candidates, James is the most well-rounded," Kerr wrote in support of James' candidacy on yahoosports.com. "Perhaps James' best asset is his passing skill, because he truly makes his teammates better. James created countless open looks for other Cavs throughout the season, but he also recognized when he needed to take over games on his own."

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When it comes to pure scoring, James doesn't yet possess the full arsenal of tools that Jordan commanded, and it remains to be seen if he can summon Jordan's legendary will to win in championship moments. But in terms of understanding that he must trust his teammates and that he must elevate their play through his own, James at 21 years old is well ahead of where Jordan was in the early stages of his career.

But it's not only Jordan, the icon most want to measure James against. Of all the gifted young scorers who have come into the NBA over the past quarter century, James might have the most advanced approach to sharing the basketball. He knows that game plan will ultimately allow him to guide Cleveland to an NBA championship.

"Forget the talent and the athletic ability, it's his maturity that's light-years ahead," said Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers.