For every LeBron fan read this... And I couldn't agree more

Not very right, different decades of basketball, different styles, different defensive resistance.
It's like comparing Pete Maravic and Larry Bird (maybe a too extreme example) they were alike, but basketball was different

Because if you are saying that the Jordan, Magic, Bird, and Oscar decade was easier than LBJ then you have some explaining to do. LeBron is the first superstar to have the hand-checking rule in his favor for his ENTIRE career. If anything LBJ have a easier time. Please explain....

I didn't read it. Too long of an article.

the game played today is at a slower pace if lebron played then he would of had stats like this 40 pt 14reb 12 ast

Thats basically what I wanted to say, the main thing it was different and you can't compare them
If you do Chamberlain had almost 50 ppg, but probaly Shaq or Howard would have similar numbers back then

Really good article. I like LeBron but I don't think he should ever be compared to Jordan no matter what he does. The same for Kobe. All players affect the game in different ways and I think it's borderline disrespectful to compare LeBron or Kobe to Jordan, not just because of what Jordan has done but also because of what Kobe has done and what LeBron has already done and will do. I'm sure it's a great honor to hear people say Oh he's the next Jordan, he's the next Big O, he's the next this, he's the next that. But LeBron and Kobe are trying to carve out their own legacies in the league so that one day players coming in will be compared to them, they aren't trying to find a home in the shadow of a great player. What would you rather hear, this is LeBron the next coming of Jordan or this is LeBron there will never be another player like him?

Get the hell out of here... If anything LeBron's stats has been credited from the soft league... WHAT? Do you remember the Jordan rules? DEFENSE was the biggest difference from then to now. How can any of you say that? LOL... LeBron's lack of game would be showcased in the 80's and 90's... They wouldnn't let him get to the rim like that... YES with that 6-8, 260 body... Y'all crazy... I give you a case on how LeBron isn't near to Elite or the best player and you guys come back with, "so YOU CAN"T SAY that because its two different times"? WHAT? ESPECIALLY when LeBron is benefitting from it... LOL... Yall just won't admit it... This is sad....

I agree w/ this article. I was just talking to my brother about this last week. LeBron is a great player, BUT he's not there yet... Let's just give him time. He's not on the level of a Jordan, Magic or Bird yet. YES... He's probably more talented (I mean, he's 6-8 260... Strong, long arms, can run, jump, court vision, etc... A freak of nature) & his statistics are comparable, but I don't think he's as competitive as those three. Jordan, Magic & Bird would've snatched your throat out on the court & then stepped on your heart. LeBron would rather laugh it up w/ you before the tip. I'm not saying LeBron isn't competitive... He's just isn't competitive as those three. He's not even as competitive as Kobe. LeBron also doesn't have the leadership abilities those three have. When MJ played, I truly believed & knew in my heart that he would NOT let his team lose. Most importantly, his team had his same swagger. LeBron put up huge numbers vs Orlando, but I NEVER thought they'd win that series. Cleveland was at Orlando's mercy & you could see it in their body language & on their faces. I NEVER saw that in a Jordan led team.

Let's stop getting caught up in his freak of nature abilities... The dunks, run down blocks, etc. I mean, yea... Admire them, but let's not get confused. LeBron is a special player... The FIRST to EVER live up to the hype. STILL... He's not there yet. Let's give him time to get a go to move, improve his footwork, develop post moves, improve off the ball offense, free-throw shooting & jump shot. Let's give him time to become an All-NBA 1st Team Defender before we give him the nod just because of his run down "ESPN Highlight" blocks. It's scary how good he can be. He's just not there yet though.

The game back then had the illegal defense rule, where you basically couldnt play zone defense. That made 1on1 a premium back then. Lebron wouldve had more ridiculous if they played that way now without zone defenses.

Don't have a mid-range game and a post game with NO go to moves... So, him running to the basket and BECOMING THE NUMBER 1 freethrow shooter in the league wouldn't happen as much... What you don't understand about the hand-checking rule? That rule is more meaningful than the illegal defense... Of which is only 3 seconds now... And teams still don't use a zone...

64% from the paint... The next perimeter player 54%... LeBron went to the freethrow the most of any perimeter player... Howard was #1, but you know why... And LeBron was #2... So, you force LeBron to take more jumpers like they did in the 80's and he will only shoot 30% like he did in the 2000's... And you guys say he will score more? LOL...

You can tell a lot of people on here really don't understand basketball. The hand checking rule was huge. It was a defensive game back when Magic, Bird & Jordan played. The game was a lot rougher. Flagrants you see today were just hard fouls back then. The NBA is soft now... You can't touch anybody, especially on the perimeter. You see guys like Chris Paul, Steve Nash, etc getting into the lane & finishing at the rim so easily. Ha ha that wouldn't have happened back then. They would've been D'd up on the perimeter & then knocked on their ass.

When did they take away hand checking???

When I watch a game, I get disgusted at some of the fouls they called. Basically if you touch someone when they shoot, its a foul. And if someone runs right at you, all you can do is stand there. If you put up your arms, its a foul. They almost never call a foul on the offense. Players like Lebron can just run into someone a get a 2 free throws. Back then you had to actually be a good shooter, not just run right by guys and do layups, and get fouled if they touch you.

I agree w/ you Rubio. Some of the touch fouls are pretty pathetic. But the NBA is about being a star now, if your name begins with Kobe or LeBron you will get that foul every time. Pretty soon Stern is going to have to hire someone to change diapers for all the crybabies in the League.

this guy shouldn't have a job

we're again comparing two players by rings on their hand?

I don't recall Lebron having anybody even close to the likes of Scottie Pippen on his side...

If you honestly believe that titles are all about 1 player, then you shouldn't have a job and you don't know what you're talking about. How many times have we seen great players not win things because there's nobody to take the pressure off. Kobe couldn't win without a 2nd all-star, Michael NEVER WON without another legit all-star.

it's just another stupid author trying to make a name by criticizing Lebron but doesn't understand the league

A great player can be held short by a bad GM. Jim Paxson royally screwed the Cavs and we're finally getting out of his cap problem he created

I'm not gonna go into who is better between Jordan/Kobe/LeBron, but I defeinitely think the league continues to improve from a defensive stand point. People like to say how it was rougher in the 80's and 90's when Jordan played because there were no hand check rules and they fouled harder. But that's because they had to foul in order to stay in front of guys. The players today are more athletic and put more pressure then ever on defense. The game evolves and it only gets tougher. No more getting guarded straight up by Craig Ehlo. Also, people over exagerate the effects of the hand check rule. You still were'nt allowed to put 2 hands on people or grab them. It just meant one hand extended, and a lot of players still get away with that today. Jordan would be great in any era. but to say he played in a tougher era is wrong.

with many of the people above who talked about the different time period. i believe now there are many players that could have been stars back then. the competition wasnt as good as it is now. nowadays there are child prodigys playing basketball at the age of 10 it seems like. ok i exaggertated but u get my point. never will there be a player in todays game who will avergae 50pts or rebounds for a season

Even if they tried to foul LeBron, he would have plenty of and 1's with his strength and he is a great perimeter scorer so he's a decent enough shooter to produce even more than he does now. Fouling LeBron plays into his hands, because he would convert the and 1 very often when driving