Basketball and anime would appear to be two vastly different universes, but the similarities between NBA legends and One Piece characters are striking. As a fan of both, we couldn’t help but notice how the careers of some players are a reflection of the lives of some of Eiichiro Oda’s most renowned pirates.
At their core, both NBA and One Piece tell stories of ambition, perseverance, and legacy. If you’ve made it past the Dressrosa arc, this article should be largely spoiler-free for you. Now, let’s analyze the most fitting comparisons, starting with one of the most obvious.
NBA and One Piece parallels: Who Gol D. Roger is in the NBA world?
Let’s start with the greatest of all time from both worlds. There is no debate about this one as Michael Jordan is the GOAT when it comes to basketball, and Gol D. Roger is likewise the unchallenged pirate king of Eiichiro Oda‘s One Piece.
Jordan’s six titles and record of perfection in the Finals cement his legendary status, just as Roger was the first and last pirate to achieve the feat of making it to Laugh Tale and learning the true history of the world. Both are the benchmarks by which all future champions are measured.
Following a first retirement, Jordan came back to the NBA to finish off another three-peat with the Bulls. This echoes Roger’s last adventure, where he assembled his crew for one final journey that ended with him realizing his final objective before his eventual execution.
Other notable parallels: The shared legacy of greatness
The next notable parallel should be Kobe Bryant as red-haired Shanks. Their career trajectories and leadership styles bear remarkable similarities. Kobe and Michael Jordan were noted to have had extremely similar on-court tendencies, similar to Shanks, who was once a member of Gol D. Roger’s crew in One Piece, where he learned from the all-time great pirate.
Much like Kobe, who played alongside and learned from Shaquille O’Neal before emerging as a leader, Shanks learned in the shadow of Roger’s example before establishing a significant reputation in the pirate world.
Moreover in NBA, the intense in-game rivalry between Kobe and Shaq routinely resulted in on-court altercations, despite their deep mutual respect. The tension is reminiscent of the conflict between Whitebeard and Shanks, two giants of their era.
Also, fans have long theorized that Shanks will meet his end at the hands of Blackbeard’s men, setting the stage for the final saga. Similarly, Kobe’s storied career was brought to an untimely end in the 2013 Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors, a team many likened to the merciless Blackbeard Pirates because of their supremacy and ability to break dynasties.
Another major similarity should be LeBron James as Monkey D. Luffy. LeBron James has long been considered the prodigal son, a talent set to challenge Michael Jordan’s throne as the greatest player of all time. Luffy, the One Piece protagonist, is similarly slated with a fate whereby he shall inevitably surpass Gol D. Roger as the best pirate.
When Luffy defeated Doflamingo in Dressrosa, people didn’t think he was capable. But by sheer determination, he beat the odds. LeBron’s equivalent moment came in 2016, when he led the Cavaliers to beat the 73-9 Warriors, coming back from a 3-1 deficit in the Finals, something nobody believed was possible.
Similarly, Luffy’s biggest failure occurred at Marineford, where he was left useless as his brother Ace was slain in front of him. The moment of misery is reminiscent of LeBron’s 2011 NBA Finals game where he appeared to freeze up under the pressure against the Dallas Mavericks, suffering a devastating loss that fueled his eventual redemption.
Ultimately, we have to say that the beauty of storytelling, whether sports or anime is that it offers us infinite parallels to admire greatness in every shape and form. Whether Jordan is overpowering the NBA or Roger is dominating the seas, LeBron fighting for his position among the greats, or Luffy seeking the Pirate King title, these individuals have made their respective worlds in ways few others have.
One Piece is currently available to watch on Crunchyroll.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
