LeBron was reviled because he miscalculated how the public would take his decision. Most would have wished him well when leaving, but hated the production that was put on, particularly since nothing like that had been seen before, and the “not one not two not etc” comments. He also had a sore loser mentality attached to him after losing to the Magic and Celtics in the playoffs in back to back postseasons and walking off the court before bowing out of Cleveland. McDavid doesn’t have any of these issues or labels.
Unless the guy has a catastrophic injury or dies, I firmly believe we’re discussing his second Conn Smythe win, paired with a Cup this time, just 11 months from now.
Any more individual hardware and perhaps upping his game one final time to the tune of 160 points, and the stragglers arguing that he’s not #5 are going to be dismissed and laughed at, as they deserve.