Kobe is still better than Wade. Kobe is not really asserting himself too much because he doesn't have to, but he's just nuts when he has to be. Wade is pretty close, totally different style though.
For the record, yes I am in that age bracket, although I don't really know what that has to do with it. In fact I think me being a member of the new generation allows me to see things in a better perspective, since I can look at old clips objectively without the nostalgia and "awesome" factor old-timers seem to have. I could also argue that the two decades or so that have passed have changed the quality of bball players, what with advances in training, medicine, coaching, the opening up of the league internationally, and the "Jordanification" of swing players, and that while I concede that the 90's all stars would probably put up a big fight and maybe win over today's allstars, Allstar team 2009 would pretty much wipe the floor with the 1980 all star team, but my guess is unless we meet up in person with a whole bunch of clips we can look at there's no way I can convince you otherwise. I want to thank you though for trying to "enlighten" me in a very respectful manner and not devolving into a juvenile-oldie-moldie-homer/troll-hybrid (aka Tinman). Let's just agree to disagree and leave it at that. I will say this though: Jordan topped out at 6'4.75 without shoes and weighs something like 215 pounds. Lebron James is around 6'7.25 without shoes and weighs around 250-260 pounds. That 2.5 inch and 40 pound difference is roughly just .5 inches shy of the difference between Deron Williams and Aaron Brook's wikipedia stats. Theoretically speaking if we were able to get current LBJ and prime MJ to play one on one, what's going to prevent LBJ from posting MJ up and manhandling him in the post the way DW can do to AB? No matter how great or clutch MJ was in his prime, LBJ would destroy him one on one. The physical difference is just too big, and that's not a knock on MJ, but it just shows what a freak of nature LBJ really is.
These days anyone with a long arm sleeve is considered a superstar. Which means the Nuggets have like 5 superstars on their team.
We're not discussing who's the biggest/strongest and who will win a one on one pickup game. You're getting lost in the "wing player" generalization. Jordan played the 2 guard/shooting guard/off guard position, he is the quintessential definition of the 2 guard in the NBA, the best to play at that position. Sure MJ played PG early in his career and small forward later in his Wiz career, but he defined the 2 guard position. Lebron James primarily plays the small forward position even though he can play 4 positions. Versatility and being a freak of nature doesn't automatically mean you'll be the best. One thing MJ kept doing throughout his career is refining his game and honing his skills. His turnaround fadeaway in his later years was money, which Kobe has mimicked. Lebron still has no go to moves (unless you count dribbling at the top of the key and driving in against the whole team a go to move), he still outruns and outjumps over people to get his stats. It's the natural evolution of all great players, MJ did it and what Lebron still needs to do.
I think this is where you have it completely wrong. Because you're so young, all you have to go on is old clips. You didn't watch the "old-timers" play day in and day out. ESPN Classic doesn't show every game those guys played, so you're probably only familiar with a few games and then the highlight reels. That doesn't give you a realistic sense of what those players were like, any more than watching Sportscenter tells you everything you need to know about the modern NBA (just look at any of the ESPN "analysts" for proof of that).
Comparing Dwill to AB is stupid because DWill is probably the best pg in the league vs a pretty much unknown pg. I'm sure there are instances where smaller players dominated bigger players at their position (I.E Chris Paul) because they are way more skilled. Jordan had a complete game while Lebron still lacks a mid range game and he doesn't have much of a post up game. Jordan was definitely more skilled and he was also way more competitive than Lebron .
If you're not going to put them side by side and think what would happen if they went head to head then how else are you gonna compare them? You can't compare the rings because LBJ never had and will probably never have the caliber of team mates MJ had. Put LBJ in MJ's place along with Pippen and PJ and the Jordanaires and you'll still probably have those 6 rings at the end. Hell, you'd probably end up with more because LBJ wouldn't retire then unretire then retire again. LBJ isn't as skilled as MJ was, but as I said before his athletecism more than makes up for it. It's not like LBJ is just all power, he has really good vision, a high IQ, and can run and jump with the best of them. His jumper is still iffy, but considering he's just 24 yrs old I have no doubt that will get better as he gets older.
The comparison was made to point out that in terms of size, AB is to MJ as LBJ is to Dwill. That's how big the size disparity between the two is, I don't know why you seem to think their skill sets matter. Yes LBJ doesn't have a refined mid range game, but at this point in time that's the only flaw he has, and it wouldn't even matter against MJ because he'll just post him to death. And by "post" him I don't mean he's gonna do a drop step then link that to a shake and bake, I meant he's gonna back MJ down and then just throw it up there when he's near enough. Don't tell me MJ can prevent that from happening, he's not superman. No matter how competitive you are, someone 2 inches taller and 40 pounds heavier than you willl just push around like a sack of potatoes. I honestly think the Cavs are doing a disservice to LBJ by playing him at the 3. They should get another wing and put LBJ at the two, then you'll really see LBJ in action as he tears through puny guards instead of lanky forwards. Look at how good Artest has become since moved to the 2 spot.
Of course Jordan can prevent Lebron from posting him to death. Just because he has size doesn't mean he can get good position all the time. Just look at Yao Ming. How often do you see little guys push him way outside the paint? There's tons of tricks you can use when a bigger player tries to post you up. Jordan had 1 defensive player of the year award and was on the all defensive team first team 9 times. Sure he probably can't stop Lebron all the time but he wouldn't get posted to death.
Since the skill sets don't matter, I'm guessing you think the following players would also beat Michael Jordan in a game of one-on-one: Malik Allen, Ike Diogu, Joey Dorsey, Reggie Evans, Jason Maxiell, Paul Milsap, Brian Skinner, Craig Smith. All of those guys are right about 6'8" and 250 lbs, the same size as Lebron James.
Look, I'm not an LBJ fanboy or anything like that but MJ stopping LBJ from posting him to death is as impossible as AB stopping DW from posting him. Its not fanboyism, its fact-I just looked up Karl Malone's stats and he weighed roughly as much as LBJ. Of course, LBJ is probably not as strong as Malone was, but that alone should be enough to tell you that LBJ has a full fledged power forward's physique. MJ built his defensive reputation by taking on the other team's best wing or guard players, people who are essentially more or less his size. LBJ on the other hand is anything but that. Using Yao Ming as an example of a small guy pushing a big guy around I feel is wrong because Yao Ming has a high center of gravity, is uncoordinated due to his size (he floats like a butterfly compared to other giants though) and is prone to mental lapses and forgetting the basics of playing in the post when its crunch time. He's also really really slow, which makes it easier for the big babies and glen davises of the world to maneuver around him. If you're going to compare LBJ to a C, compare him to Shaq, because they both sported a scary combination of size, power and athletecism. Ever seen him get pushed around by small guys?
Have you seen Kobe play D on Lebron? Why doesn't Lebron post Kobe up every time if it was that simple to score over a smaller guy? Lebron couldn't even get pass Kobe and had to ask his teammates to give him screens often. On the offensive end Lebron couldn't guard Kobe. Being big also means that they slower as well.
Yes, and none of them can facilitate an offense, cross over opponents, split double teams, shoot jumpers all over the floor and a lot of other stuff a swing player usually does. The point is LBJ is not some big bruiser scrub, he's a legitimate franchise "closer" type of player like MJ and Kobe and Wade, except that unlike them he's 6'7 without shoes and 250 pounds. Its really mind-boggling to see someone so big and strong handle the ball and move as quickly as he does. That's why I think he's almost as good as Jordan already, because he can do most if not all KB and MJ can do, but they really won't be able to match his length, strength or athletecism on the court.
