The Wade Era?

In a recent conversation on ESPN's 1st & 10, analysts Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless named their top NBA players and agreed that Miami Heat superstar Dwyane Wade is the best player in the NBA. 

For a long time, the "black mamba" Kobe Bryant was named the best player in the NBA.  He was the new Michael Jordan and the face of NBA superstars.  Times have changed and Dwyane Wade's Commendable skills have taken him out of the shadows.  I always believed that he was one of the most underrated players in the game and probably still is. As an undersized shooting guard, he dominates the game in a way Michael Jordan did, with acrobatic finishes and clutch performances. Call Smith and Bayless crazy, but I agree with their assertions.

ESPN and The True Hoops Network had LeBron James on the top of the list.

"It's pathetic that LeBron is No.1," said Smith. 

Just by the number, Wade qualifies to be called the best player. In eight years, he has career averages of 25 points, 2 steals, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds a game. He has also been titled the best blocking guard by multiple analysts.  He will probably go down as the best player to never win a regular season MVP. 

Wade has never won a regular season MVP but did lead the Miami Heat to a championship in 2006 against the Dallas Mavericks and was awarded with the playoffs MVP.  

Smith and Bayless both included Kobe Bryant and scoring champ Kevin Durant in the top five, but left out LeBron James because of his habit to become invisible in late-game situations.