You know, that's the same logic other fans and many members of the media have used to bash Yao for years now. Just let let it go. I think the whole witness thing is pretty funny, especially when Arenas poked fun at it, but I think you're taking it all a little too seriously. No need to feel any animosity towards the kid because of hype and shoe commercials. Some people like to just say 'overrated' without giving any credit. Don't be one of those guys. edit: haha, i also forgot to mention his giant and hilarious CHOSEN1 tattoo across his back. He's a product of the times. I don't hold it against him.
LMAO@ Sir Charles On the TNT Halftime show during the Spurs-Mavs game, He said "We're witnesses alright, witnesses to a butt-whopping!"
He can keep biting his nails, media just needs to make an effort not to show it and burn any existing footage---kind of like MJ getting his shot blocked
LeBron, the greatest player at age 21? Puh-leeze! The guy has definite skills, no doubt. But the ridiculous amount of hype surrounding him has soured me and apparently a lot of other folks. When he wins a championship and makes average teammates better (as Jordan did), give me a call. Until then, he's just numbers and flashy dunks.
It all depends on your frame of reference. If you said that Yao would revolutionize the NBA - yep he's sure as hell overhyped. But he's underrated in the context of all those who said he'd be the next Muresan. LeBron James...has few such detractors, so the context is completely different. Try again please.
not really. MJ: 28.2, 6.5, 5.9, 2.4 stl, .8 blks, 51.5%, PER=25.8 on a team that scored 109 ppg LJ: 31.4, 7.0, 6.6, 1.6 stl, .8 blks, 48%, PER=28.1 on a team that scored 97.5 ppg. and jordan started 1-9 in the playoffs while lebron is already in the 2nd round (admittedly the wizards aren't the 80's celtics but then jordan probably wouldn't have been in the playoffs today as his first 3 teams didn't even crack .500 but there were only 23 teams so damn near everyone made it). i usually hate hype as much as anyone but i can't go against it with lebron. 30/7/6 has been done 4 times ever (or by 4 people, i forget) and in times when scoring was a lot higher and by guys like oscar robertson and jordan when he was older. dropping triple doubles and 40 point games and multiple game winners in one playoff series (even against the wizards D) is amazing. he's the most physically imposing and gifted perimeter player ever and, barring injury, i don't see what will stop him from dominating at or above this level for another 10-12 years. yes he has to win the titles but we aren't going to wait 12 years before deciding if we should give him a lot of props or not and wait til the 6th title happens before annointing him. if he never gets the help mj got but wins 3 does that make him not as great? if the spurs don't hand the bulls a near HOF PF for will perdue does jordan go over 3? anyway, i'm actually starting to dislike lebron for being so damn good and i don't see anything stopping his rise.
Well said, Francis 4 Prez. I also second the stance taken by KeepKenny. Just like Yao, Lebron has no control over the amount of hype that surrounds him. All he can do is play to the best of his ability, and I think it's safe to say he's doing that. If he's not, GOOD GOD! I also disagree that Lebron has to win the six titles to be considered as good as Jordan. If he has talents equal to Pippen and Rodman around him, yeah, he better meet or surpass that mark, but it's not all up to him. It's a team sport. Incidentally, I think Hakeem could have won more titles if he had a Pippin or Drexler around him earlier in his career.
You didn't demonstrate the falsity of my claim. Saying Jordan in his rookie season was better than LeBron this season is just stating an opinion, one I happen to disagree with. Here's a list of the top 50 players 21 years and under, by PER, since 1978: Top 50 Season, 21 years or under Shaq is someone I somehow managed to overlook. He took a huge step forward in his second season (he was second to LeBron for top PER by a 20 year old).
Lebron at 21 > Jordan at 21. I'll have to go with francis for prez on this one. Lebron's hype is well deserved.
Are you suggesting that Yao has not carried a certain stigma surrounding him because of the hype of a few early prognosticators? Even when he was averaging 19.5 and 9.5 at the all-star break, tons of people in the media were hinting that he did not deserve an all-star spot. Their reasoning: "he has not lived up to the lofty expectations so many of us have had when he was drafted," (an actual quote, can't remember from whom) even though it has been shown numerous times that his doubters far outnumbered his believers at the time. Even on fan boards similar to this one, no one would give Yao any props or recognize what he does well. Some Laker fans even said they wouldn't trade Odom for him before this season began. All they remember are the early undeserved all-star appearances and that brief window in time during his rookie year where he was hailed as a revolutionizer of the game, etc. Lebron's growing legion of (fan) haters is reminding me of Yao's situation. And you are right in that no one in the media is criticizing him right now. However, we all know that the media can and will turn when it's to their advantage. After a few more years of playoff failures, I'm sure they'll start to bash him too. Remember that Kobe used to be the golden boy on the NBA. My point is that us Rockets fans of all people should be hesitant to ignore Lebron's skills and just call him overrated or overhyped. Did it not piss you off when Yao was voted the 2nd most overrated player earlier this year? From the tone of your posts, you seem to believe that how a player is rated by the media is more important than what he actually brings to the table.
How about a 20-year-old who wins the championship in his rookie year by putting up 42 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals in the deciding game -- and who did all this without any help from his starting center, who was injured? I'm referring, of course, to Magic Johnson. Kareem didn't play in game 6 of the 1980 finals due to injury, but Magic found a way to beat the 76ers (starring Dr. J and Darryl Dawkins) with one of the most amazing performances I have ever seen from anyone, never mind a rookie. As far as I am concerned, Magic was the greatest player of all time. Sorry, fellow Rockets fans, but Hakeem is only #2 on my personal list. Lebron is a great player, I have no doubt, but he is not at Magic's level and probably never will be.
i disagree, jordan was not as mentally mature as lebron is. Jordan was still trying to do it by himself untl he was like 27( and almost was). i remember a young olajuwon was the same way. eventually they both bought in to the team concept. I assure you Lebron is far from harold miner. this isn't hype. the hype doesn't hurt though. i also disagree with jordan having average teammates. maybe though average, amazing role players. for the same reason usa is losinsg ground on world tournaments, Foreign teams have ROLE players. let's analyze the 90"s bulls. You have a the best 3 point shooter in the game,(paxson at that time percentage wise), all time 50 pippen, best euro( at that point Kukoc), Best rebounder in the last 30 years(Rodman), BJ armstrong, Ron Harper, The best three point shooter in league history I believe.(kerr). Cartwright was worthless though, I'll give you that. what made jordan so special is his ability to get to the free throw line. I'd be willing to bet that jordan hit more 40 percent more free throws than field goals. I believe lebron is has the same maybe more potential than jordan, but i think jodan had some sweet teammates.
Although Wilt did not play the NBA basketball until he was 23, I'd like to see what Queen James put up in two seasons when compared to Wilt's rookie stat: 38 ppg and 27 rpg. If that's not the single best rookie stat in the league, I don't know what you are talking about.
And in his 3rd year playing in the league, Wilt was averaging: 50.4 ppg and 26 rpg. What was Queen averaging the past season to deserve all the accolades?
He had good role players, but let's not go overboard here... Most overrated player ever named to to top 50 all time....Pippen Best euro - that and 25 cents will get you a lollipop in the league at the time. Moses Malone may have something to say about Rodman being the best in the last 30 years - some think Moses was the best rebounder of all time. Rodman was a great rebounder and defender - but he was a zero on offense.
