His 2009 playoffs performance was the single greatest in history of the league. It was better than any single post season by any player including jordan and hakeem, and yet his team still lost. He did choke in 12, but this is a team game.
The key word is "potential" in your argument. Sure, a lot of other players also have the potential. Lebron will be 28 by the end of the year, so he's no spring chicken. Having started playing at 18, he is in his prime at the very moment. I don't see how he can get much better than he is. Perhaps incremental improvements to his game. Like many people have said, Lebron relies more on his athleticism than skills. MJ is that rare combination of both finesse and athleticism. Many people forget, after MJ came out of his first retirement, he worked hard in the gym to stay in shape. He never missed a game during the second three-peat era. He was built and was in extremely good shape, but not stocky. He needed his quickness. All said and done, I personally think Kobe will be a lot closer to MJ than Lebron. Yes, Lebron just won his first ring and he did do some amazing things, but the defense just isn't the same today as it was in the 90s. At most, I'd say Lebron is top 5 at the end of his career but nowhere near the GOAT title.
Keyword here is CAN. Of course he CAN, he's always had the chance to prove why, people have been comparing him to MJ ever since he entered the NBA. These are some of the same talks that people had/have about Kobe. The legacy that Michael made only rivals some of the best sports athletes of all-time... the Muhammad Ali's and the Jackie Robinson's.. and the Babe Ruth's. Part of what makes Michael who he is, is what he did for the sport of basketball. He just made it so popular around the world, that isn't something that can be redone. Skill-set wise, that's up in the air. Two different players with two different styles of playing. Bottom line, I just think it's hard to touch someone like Jordan legacy. We'll see what LeBron can do though.
LBJ should end up with higher career totals, however MJ had the "It" factor that is difficult to quantify, which I can't see LBJ matching. If I was a casual fan and I had a choice of game tickets to the 72-10 Bulls or Miami's 2012 team, I'd take the Bulls.
I don't think you can name five current players who truly have a shot at GOAT. Even if KD won 10 scoring titles and 3 FMVP's, unless he starts doing something other than score, it will be hard for him to influence the game the same way. Who else? Dwight? Rose? Kobe is nowhere close to Jordan. How can people who supposedly watched both play say that? The only thing Kobe does that is similar to Jordan is shoot the ball and take the last shot (and play sg). He never carried a team on his back through anything, including the regular season. Which season was Kobe the undisputed best and most productive player in the league? You can name 1, maybe 2, and even they're debatable. You don't have to agree that LBJ is near MJ's legacy, but don't go and suggest Kobe is for even sillier reasons. Kobe might win in a contest of "# of seasons playing on a top-3, most stacked team in the league and highest-payroll." Maybe if LeBron started yelling at his teammates/opponents, screaming at his owners/coaches, and telling the media to suck it, that would be the "passion" and "fire" that will start persuading people he wants to win?
Sure, that's fair. Let Lebron have all his modern day training and put him in the past. Or how about giving those guys everything the players get now a days and putting them in the league today.
if ppl back than have the techniques/knowledge/technology that we have these days, who knows who wouldve been the best player of all time.
Lebron gets 1 ring and people all nut huggin... Lebron needs to win 4 more to be with Kobe and when he gets his 6th ... then we can talk with
LBJ's talent level is crazy......but I'm sorry....GOAT's don't flame out in the Finals. That is where legacies are cemented or forever damaged and 2011 has forever damaged his. As dominant as he was last year (and it was something to behold) that doesn't erase the fact that a player of his caliber averaged 3 points in the 4th quarters of that series. Its hard to imagine Jordan or Bryant having a similar flame-out in the prime of their careers. Being the GOAT involves more than just God given talent and hard training......its about rising to the moment at all times imho. That being said......LBJ will easily go down in the Top 5.
I truly, honestly, 100% believe that when Lebron James is finished in the NBA, we will think of him as the 2nd greatest player to ever play the game of basketball. I think Lebron certainly COULD pass him up, but even if his stats and championship numbers justify it, would people be willing to crown him ahead of Jordan? I don't know....I feel like people will have a really tough time putting him ahead of Jordan when it's all said and done if his career justifies such an action. I personally do not believe he'll pass Jordan. I think his Finals performance against the Mavericks will haunt his legacy far too much, so it will take him THAT MUCH MORE to overcome Jordan, and I just don't think he'll be able to, especially playing alongside Wade and Bosh. However, it's ignorant when people bash Lebron for playing with Wade and Bosh...How many rings did Jordan win without Scottie Pippen, who happens to be an all-time 50 greatest player? Exactly. That argument is pointless. But yes...I think Lebron will finish #2. He's got the first ring, and I feel like the flood gates will now officially be opened. He STILL has much to improve on. He can definitely improve his free throw shooting. He definitely can improve his outside shooting. And he definitely can improve his post game. Whether he passes up Jordan will be something that can only be debated once his career is over, but I truly believe that we are witnessing the 2nd greatest player to ever play the game, with the possibility to be the greatest. Lebron is just that good.
im pretty sure its only Kobe fans who think he's better bc of ring count. Especially considering he really only has 2 as the main guy...lol at 1 more and he can talk with MJ...
Right, b/c Pippen won a championship on his own and Jordan left his team in order to join forces with him. Pippen developed into the player he was with prime Jordan along the way.
You clearly didn't watch Kobe in the 04 or 08 Finals. If shooting under 40% four times in both series to lose to underdogs isn't a flameout (04 series was only 5 games btw) then I don't know what is. I would also say going 6-24 in G7 of the Finals is a flame out as well, even though his team won in the end.
That is quite a nice bit of bull****. Basically empty words without any proof. Its not mental makeup its having a good supporting cast. Magic had one of the greatest centers of all time playing with him, Big game James, etc. Kobe was second fiddle to Shaq for 3 titles. Bird had several HOFs on his team to help him out a lot and he was a poor playoff performer.
I don't remember Jordan doing that but Kobe had plenty of series and games where he was horrendous. Bird had many games like that too and his level of play on average was far worse in the postseason than in the regular season. Anyway I doubt he ever reaches Jordan and Kobe is nowhere near GOAT anyway. He is just below Hakeem in my opinion. Getting 3 rings as second fiddle to Shaq and a load of lifetime achievement awards is not impressive. He won 2 FMVPs but not in a dominant fashion. He was not even the clear cut best player in those run. The gap between him and Pau was not that big while the gap between say MJ and Pippen is quite large.
