after this season Kobe will need about 10,500 points to pass Kareem. Let's say he plays 5 more seasons. He will need to average 25.6 points a game for 5 more seasons. What you think?
No, young MJ did not have a good jump shot. And even older MJ never had much range on his shot (LeBron is already better from range than MJ ever was). Young MJ played a lot like Wade. Also, it is asinine to assume that LeBron will not improve his range as his athleticism wanes. It's not like his jumper is bad-- it's just not elite level (and why should he take jumpers now if he has the option to go to the hoop?) A jump shot is one of the few things a professional basketball player can actually significantly improve with practice (unlike things like a first step and, to some degree, rebounding and passing). Look at Magic Johnson, who had zero range when he came into the league and ended up being a great FT shooter and added range out to 3 in his later years.
There's no way Kobe averages 25+ for 5 years. But maybe if he could somehow play until he is 40 he could do it.
MJ's seventh season in the league he won a ring. Was his jumper not any good then? Lebron's 8th season in the league, and his jumper is not even in the same category as Lebron's.
that's why is prlly an overrated stat anyways. Pete Rose played forever even when he sucked, just to add up more hits on the all time hits record.
You keep comparing seasons but it's not like MJ was twiddling his thumbs when he was 18. He was basically playing basketball full-time. Maybe the extra mileage of a few NBA seasons will shorten LeBron's career somewhat, but he's not going to be a gimp in 5 years when he is 30.. barring catastrophic injury, he'll still be on of the most athletic players in the league. KG (also out of high school) was still an athletic freak at 30 and is still one of the better players in the league at 35. Moses Malone (also out of high school) averaged 20/12 when he was around 35. There aren't enough data points to say, but generally it looks like elite players who start early have long careers.
We'll see..LBJ's been in the league for about 8 years, correct? Can anyone tell me exactly which part of his game is significantly improved? This is not a cynical rhetorical question...I actually don't know. As for Kobe, he never had the athletic talent as LBJ or even Tmac, but he's always been arguably the best student of the game. It all comes down to whether one values physical dominance or impeccable skill. MJ and Hakeem had both...Kobe has the latter, no doubt. Shaq was a beast, and was very skilled as well...but as his athleticism diminished, be became quite irrelevant quite fast. So we'll see how LBJ's career plays out.
I think it's a little different for guys like guards and small forwards. You have to be able to shoot to have a long lasting career. I think the physical style Lebron's play will take a bigger toll on him. Although, we have not seen a freak like this before. Again tho, i still think his athleticism is more impressive than his basketball skills
It is difficult to say, just by going from the numbers, since he set the bar so high right off the bat (putting up better numbers in his 2nd year than anyone in the league). His shot selection is definitely improved and that is reflected in his percentages. His range is improved. But numbers-wise, there's really not much more he can do. Obviously if he can sustain this level for 5+ years, he'll already be crashing the record books. Kobe was a tremendous athlete during the first three-peat-- best among swingmen IMO. And Shaq is in no ways irrelevant-- he's just injured so he's limited in the #games he can play, but in those he does play he is still a factor. Very few bigs at his age can say the same (compare 39 y/o Shaq to 39 y/o Hakeem, who was much more "skilled"). This argument basically comes down to: LeBron is only an "athlete" while Kobe (etc) is a "basketball player". And that is just flat out incorrect. LeBron may be more athletic than other players just as Shaq was more athletic, but what distinguishes them from players like James White or Desagna Diop is ultimately skill.
one of the great point guards of all time. He can still shoot the ball too. Not just pass. Same with Steve Nash. is 33 Lebron gonna be a great shooter? No
OMG, LeBron in his rookie year was a better shooter than Jason Kidd in his best season. Kidd is one of the all-time worst NBA shooters but he's had a career because he's good at everything else. Same with LeBron, except he's not a bad shooter either.
I hope heat could win this game since LA is in the west. By the way, why did someone compare James to MJ? Could you image MJ would leave his team to join Wade? It is not all about the number or percentage that one player can score at this or that year, it is about total package. Wade has completed more things than Queen James so far, I do not even want to mention Kobe name here.
