If we've learned one thing about the NBA during what could be the most exciting postseason ever, it's that there is no such thing as "The Next Michael Jordan."

Let's be honest. The search for a single person to replace Jordan began right around this time 11 years ago. It was supposed to be Allen Iverson. Yeah, right.

Most recently, the title was supposed to be claimed by Kobe Bryant and/or LeBron James. Closer, but still not quite. The bottom line is, the Jordans of the world only come around once.

Jordan wasn't "The Next Magic" or "The Next Larry Legend." He was simply MJ. There will never be another Jordan, no matter how badly we want to find one. However, during this wild search we're ignoring something very exciting: the NBA is back.

The last decade of basketball is going to be largely remembered for negatives: a lockout, Iverson talking about practice, the Pacers-Pistons brawl, Kobe running Shaquille O'Neal out of Los Angeles, the Donaghy officiating scandal, etc., etc., etc.

The two best players of the generation, Shaq and Tim Duncan, are probably two of the best 10 players ever. But that doesn't mean they were fun to watch. Big men never are. Basketball is at its best when the perimeter players are dominant.

For those of you who turned off the NBA since Jordan's game-winning shot to clinch his sixth title, it's time to tune back in. While we don't have a single player to replace Jordan, the league now has a collective group of great players that can bring back the casual fans that stopped watching.

I count 10 players aged 30 or younger who have the potential to be the best player on a championship team: Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose, Rajon Rondo, Brandon Roy, Bryant and James. We don't know where a lot of these players will call home after next season because some will be free agents, but whichever team they play for is a title contender from day one.

Add to that a group of well-run teams that will be competitive for the foreseeable future (San Antonio, Phoenix, Houston, Dallas and Utah), and that makes half the teams in the league that could make a title run sometime in the next decade. And one has to think some of the other teams not mentioned will get turned around and be competitive, too.

We never did find the guy to take Michael Jordan's place, but we're on the verge of the most competitive era in basketball history. It's time to hop back on the NBA bandwagon. There's still plenty of room alongside me.