(Photoshop, Wes Goldberg)
LeBron James gave a “killer” response to a question about his killer instinct in a recent interview with ESPN.
"When people think about the killer instinct, they always think of MJ and Kobe. Do people underestimate your killer instinct? People say you have it but not like those two. Do you think you have it like they do?Ahh. I’ll just put it this way, man. There are different ways to hunt. I watch the Discovery Channel all the time, and you look at all these animals in the wild. And they all hunt a different way to feed their families. They all kill a different way. Lions do it strategically — two females will lead, and then everybody else will come in. Hyenas will just go for it. There are different ways to kill, and I don’t think people understand that. Everybody wants everybody to kill the same way. Everybody wants everybody to kill like MJ or kill like Kobe. Magic didn’t kill the way they killed. Does that mean he didn’t have a killer instinct? Kareem didn’t either. But does that mean Kareem didn’t have a killer instinct? The same with Bird. That doesn’t mean you don’t have a killer instinct. Tim Duncan don’t kill like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, but I’ve played against Tim Duncan twice in the Finals and I know for sure he’s got a killer instinct. So there are different ways to kill. MJ had a killer instinct for sure. But if people really think that MJ didn’t talk to nobody and didn’t smile on the court, they’re crazy. They’re crazy. I’ve seen him. I was watching a clip the other day of him blocking Charles Barkley, and they’re laughing about the play — on the floor. Right now, if I block Kevin Durant on the floor, or I block Carmelo Anthony and we laugh about it? Ahh, I’m going to get killed [laughing]. I’m telling you. But there are different ways of killing."
First of all, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? WHAT AN AWESOME RESPONSE.
Second, no other NBA player in the association right now gives this answer. Not one. This is pure LeBron. Of course he watches the Discovery Channel looking for any tip that a Waterfall Toad may offer him in splitting a double team, or how a Snow Monkey might teach him the ways of the perfect fall-away jumper.
Not only is this answer excellent, it is also insightful. Metaphors exist because they make understanding things easier, if used correctly. In this instance, LeBron nailed it.
It sounds like Michael Jordan is the hyena and LeBron is the lion.
So, here is a video of Jordan chasing down and killing a wildebeest.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=tqjiJa4TOlc
And here is a video of LeBron strategically stalking a baby buffalo.