All we have heard over the last few years is how good Lebron is going to be. And don't get me wrong I think he is one of the best talents I have ever seen in my short 18 years of my life. But lets not for get Carmelo, we was the last time a Freshman lead a team to a championship? Syracuse did not even make the tournament last year! When Carmelo played Lebron in a High School game they both played well, Lebron scored 33 points and Carmelo scored 34. More important is that Carmelo's team won. Did you know that the last summer Carmelo played in Venezuela on the Junior National Team? And that he scored 15.6ppg on 22mpg? I am liking Carmelo more and more as each day goes by, Lebron better watch out because there just might be a "sleeper star" who just might be better then you.
Dont think it matters at this point, there both going to be top draft picks, but i think Lebron is better than Anthony, looks like hes got more size and stronger than anthony.
I think it's a tough call. Lebron has the hype. So anyone who doesn't take him will be destroyed by the fans and media. But Carmelo has proven a lot more than Lebron could even conceive of at this point. Someone like Rudy T would probably take Carmelo. And it would be hard to argue with that pick. He has one step on Lebron in terms of his achievement. And once more he showed skills that freshman don't normally have. He played intelligent basketball. And not the kind of intelligent ball that goes unnoticed. You could really see it on the court. Packer would say something and then you could see Carmelo doing it on the same play. Kinda freaked me out to see that. Just cause you never do. I haven't seen much of Lebron to compare. But as far as Carmelo being a better player. I think it's possible. At worst I see him being like Glenn Robinson.
I think Carmelo is quicker and has more athleticism than Glenn Robinson. I am trying to think of someone to compare him too, maybe a less physical more athletic Charles Barkley?
Ummmmmmm....you have got to be the only person here that thinks that. Brakely? His fat ass, although I respect him and think he was a fantastic player. How is Carmelo NOT more athletic?!?!
You must not have seen Barkley in his 76er days. Barkley was a very good shot blocker for a guy his size, and was as explosive as Stoudemire is, with regards to jumping. He also went coast to coast on fastbreaks with regularity. Barkley in his heyday was 2X's more athletic than Anthony is right now. You seem to only remember Barkley in his Houston days, where he would just back his ass into the paint.
You seem to not have seen Carmelo play, when was the last time Bakery did a 360 dunk? Carmelo did one as a high school senior in the dunk contest. Barkley played 110%, but he never had the athleticism of Carmelo. Anyway this tread is about Lebron and Carmelo, not Barkley and Carmelo.
And how the hell does doing a 360 dunk prove you're more athletic than Barkley in his prime? Barkley was only 6'4, yet still powerful enough to throw people around on the blocks, dunk on people with regularity, and make guards look silly on the fastbreak. And no, I'm not talking about the old version of Barkley that we ended up with in Houston. Melo has a ways to go before people can dub him as "more athletic than Barkley". I think a mixture Mash and GRob define Melo's game well.
Dunks are hardly an indication of athleticism, something that is a very common misnomer. And yes, I did see Carmelo play, probably before you did, when I saw him play for Oak Hill during his SR year of HS. Pound for pound, Barkley is one the most athletic players in NBA history, if you consider he was 6 ft 4, 250 lbs. There will never be a guy with his size who could run and jump like him.
I am thinking Mashburn with a better 1st step and better passing skills--and Mash isn't bad in those departments. Melo's defense may not be there yet, but I have little doubt he will be very effective offensively. That said Barkley in his heyday was an athletic freak--more so than Pippen or Grant Hill and really unlike any other player I can think of because along with great hops, quickness and agility he was as strong as an ox. I don't think Melo is the athletic equal of Pippen or Hill, let alone the completely unguardable Barkley in his heyday.
James and Anthony will have great careers in the NBA. I would choose James because he has more potential. Anthony is bashed on this board because Cuse beat the UT. In my opinion, the top 4 draft picks are James, Milicic, Anthony and Bosh, the only top center prospect.
Bosh is more of a power forward prospect. Anyways, I don't think there is really too much comparison btween James and Anthony. Both are special players and have great shots at being NBA stars but James has the complete and total package, and 'Melo lacks in a few areas. James is an utter specimen. A basketball super human sent from the gods. He's 6'-8" 240 lbs and has cat like quickness, agility, and body control. He can shoot, drive, a dribble with the best. He also posesses that freakish run and jump gift that Carter, Bryant, and McGrady posess. James has some of the best basketball smarts I've seen in a while for a kid his age. He also has terrific vision. He's an unselfish player, loves to pass, and does so like a Magic Johnson. He has the ability to play pg, sg, and sf in the NBA. Carmelo is going to be penciled in as strictly a 3. Both are really strong court presences and character guys that have the abilities and attitudes to work hard and to maximize their potentials. Now, Anthony is no scrub either, nonetheless. I don't think he gets enough credit for how athletic he really is. He's not James, but is still a great athlete. He can't jump out of the gym, but has good strength, handles, and great ball movement skills. He also might have a better jumpshot than James (right now). Anthony posesses great moves to the basket and can really penetrate, although it's nothing like I've seen James do. 'Melo already has great size and the ability to add more muscle tone, as he has already shown this past summer by bulkin up 15 lbs. If James puts it all together there is no doubt in my mind that he could be the better pro. That is not to say that Anthony won't be an all-star caliber player in the future, it's just that James has more, almost everything to offer to the hardwood. There is one thing that James will never achieve and that's an NCAA championship. He will never be a freshman and lead his team to the final 4 and never get best player of the year honors in college. I don't know if that means anything to him or not? One other thing; Anthony shwed that he could step into college and become the most dominant player against far superior competition in the NCAA as a freshman. James is still dominating high schoolers. Although, he did dominate the McDonald's All American game. That's just food for thought!
rnuss, I don't think there is any question Anthony is a better shooter than James and I don't think it can be assumed James can catch up to him in that department. Much hunch is Anthony is a better pro next year than James because of hisa shooting edge--though I wouldn't hedge any bets he will better than him down the line. BTW what is the age difference between these two (months? years?)--NBAdraft.net is down so I didn't know where to look quickly.
I checked and Melo and Lebron are only 7 months apart in age. Both are currently 18, Melo will be 19 by draft day. Milicek is only 17 right now. These 3 look like your solid #1-#3 picks to me.
Carmelo will be 19 May 29th, LeBron will be 19 December 30. So yea they are 7 months apart, not that much at all. So Carmelo is 7 months older, but has a college championship. LeBron will be the #1 pick, but it is hard to say atleast for me, that LeBron will be the better pro.
