Lebron james in his athlethic prime

[juju151111]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQLUvMNRQ-o

[SacJB Shady]

But what you guys gotta remember is he's a post up layer now, he bulldozes people with his size. He's more of a power forward/guard now.

[juju151111]

But what you guys gotta remember is he's a post up layer now, he bulldozes people with his size. He's more of a power forward/guard now.
He has gained weight and look sluggish at time. His first step in Cleveland was fast has hell and even through he was slightly slimmer he was still the biggest SF so he still got to the the line. I find it stupid that people think 12-13 LJ is way better 09-10 LJ. He has a better team. That's about it. He can post up more now, but back then his athletic ability didn't call for that. Just like 1990 Mj. His stamina, first step etc.... was elite and didn't really need a Post game. He was chasing down blocks in the open court and still had enough stamina to avg 29ppg.

[SacJB Shady]

He has gained weight and look sluggish at time. His first step in Cleveland was fast has hell and even through he was slightly slimmer he was still the biggest SF so he still got to the the line. I find it stupid that people think 12-13 LJ is way better 09-10 LJ. He has a better team. That's about it. He can post up more now, but back then his athletic ability didn't call for that. Just like 1990 Mj. His stamina, first step etc.... was elite and didn't really need a Post game. He was chasing down blocks in the open court and still had enough stamina to avg 29ppg.


Lebron shot 56 percent last year. Plus he's proved to be more clutch later in his career. How do you expect lebron to lose weight? his body matured.

[Indian guy]

He's 24 there. His current athleticism is appropriate for his age (29). This isn't 2011 or 2012 anymore. He has regained plenty of his old ability since last season. Now about 85% the athlete he used to be back in Cleveland.

And I don't think anyone has argued current LeBron is much better than his '09 and '10 self. The debate could go either way. He IS definitely smarter and more skilled though. Does that make up for the loss in athleticism? I don't think it matters much. His current ability is better suited for the team he plays on now.


But what you guys gotta remember is he's a post up layer now

Yeah....no. This is the first season he has actually shown a desire to play down low, but sees too much attention to ever actually execute any back-to-the-basket moves. Prior to this season? Simply never posted up. And why people think otherwise is beyond me.

[juju151111]

Lebron shot 56 percent last year. Plus he's proved to be more clutch later in his career. How do you expect lebron to lose weight? his body matured.
LJ shot 56% because he was cherrypicking shots because his team was that good. Give 09 LJ 13 Heat and tell him cherrypick and he does the samething. LJ was clutch in his cle days. He was also leading the league in 4th Q scoring for a while. LJ started being looked at bad in 10 because they claimed he quit.

[juju151111]

He's 24 there. His current athleticism is appropriate for his age (29). This isn't 2011 or 2012 anymore. He has regained plenty of his old ability since last season. Now about 85% the athlete he used to be back in Cleveland.

And I don't think anyone has argued current LeBron is much better than his '09 and '10 self. The debate could go either way. He IS definitely smarter and more skilled though. Does that make up for the loss in athleticism? I don't think it matters much. His current ability is better suited for the team he plays on now.



Yeah....no. This is the first season he has actually shown a desire to play down low, but sees too much attention to ever actually execute any back-to-the-basket moves. Prior to this season? Simply never posted up. And why people think otherwise is beyond me.
LJ started posting up in 12 not tgis season. It has been increasing ever since.

[Greg Oden 50]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQLUvMNRQ-o

michael jordan is much better :no:

[Kblaze8855]

Yeah....no. This is the first season he has actually shown a desire to play down low, but sees too much attention to ever actually execute any back-to-the-basket moves. Prior to this season? Simply never posted up. And why people think otherwise is beyond me.

People think otherwise because they watched him do it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpkCofW4gUA

Pretty good reason id say.

Hes had games for years where he would just decide to post up a lot. Cant say why...but it was fairly obvious when he did it.

I dont think thats even the only time he did it vs the Bucks. That wasnt the game I remembered him doing it but it was the first that came up.

[Leftimage]

Check out the LAST dunk in this video (vs Philly). Hardly any effort, almost free-throw line dunk... 2012-13 season.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BSBwzPxHyA

[chazzy]

I still don't get how people cant admit he's not quite as athletic as he once was. Straight up fanboy denial, or bandwagon fans who didn't watch younger Lebron

[juju151111]

Check out the LAST dunk in this video (vs Philly). Hardly any effort, almost free-throw line dunk... 2012-13 season.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BSBwzPxHyA
I never said he wasn't athletic still. He just not at the level of athleticism and stamina he had in Cle. He is a athletic freak. Him losing a step doesn't mean he can't dunk anymore. Look at Mj from 87-90. He was still a freak in 92 and 93, but he just didn't have the same burst/stamina.

[Kblaze8855]

That dunk vs philly wasnt good enough to end that video with. He will probably be able to do that at 40. Doctor J did it at 47.

[tmacattack33]

He still had great athletecism last year, but yeah it wasn't legendary like it was in Cleveland.

[Leftimage]

I still don't get how people cant admit he's not quite as athletic as he once was. Straight up fanboy denial, or bandwagon fans who didn't watch younger Lebron

No one is denying he is less athletic. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to recognize how irrefutable that is. But from there, to begin suggesting he is a shell of his former self, athletically... even saying he has ''lost a step'' is a little dubious imo.

He is slightly less explosive, with ever so slightly less hops. I'd argue he's retained his athleticism to a greater extent than the average player over 10 years. I'd say Jordan's drop-off (athleticism) was slightly more pronounced between his rookie season and the tail end of the first three-peat.

I would nonetheless like to see Bron shed 10 pounds - Just because I can't really see what the downside would be. He'd still be stronger than 90% of NBA power forwards at 240.

[Indian guy]

People think otherwise because they watched him do it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpkCofW4gUA

Pretty good reason id say.



Way to take what I said too literally. Yes, once in a blue moon there will be a game where LeBron will decide to post up quite a bit, but it's simply not a consistent part of his game. The poster I was responding to said "he's a post-up player now", meaning it's a dominant part of his game, when it's something he has probably done 2-3 times at best per game from 11-13. And that's what you'll see if you watch ANY of his full-game highlights on YT for those 3 seasons. This is the first season where he actually wants to do it a lot more. Let's see where it goes.

[juju151111]

No one is denying he is less athletic. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to recognize how irrefutable that is. But from there, to begin suggesting he is a shell of his former self, athletically... even saying he has ''lost a step'' is a little dubious imo.

He is slightly less explosive, with ever so slightly less hops. I'd argue he's retained his athleticism to a greater extent than the average player over 10 years. I'd say Jordan's drop-off (athleticism) was slightly more pronounced between his rookie season and the tail end of the first three-peat.

I would nonetheless like to see Bron shed 10 pounds - Just because I can't really see what the downside would be. He'd still be stronger than 90% of NBA power forwards at 240.
Mj was 33-35 through. LJ in his late 20s is just like Mj in his Late 20s. Mj looked to conserve some energy by not going for every block opportunity or going 110% on every play. In the 80s Mj was all over the floor defensively putting up 100 blks and 100stls, but still putting up offensive numbers by flying all over the field. LJ is similar. You don't see him going for all those chase down blocks anymore or he seems all over the field. He paces himself now.

[Kblaze8855]

Way to take what I said too literally. Yes, once in a blue moon there will be a game where LeBron will decide to post up quite a bit, but it's simply not a consistent part of his game. The poster I was responding to said "he's a post-up player now", meaning it's a dominant part of his game, when it's something he has probably done 2-3 times at best per game from 11-13. And that's what you'll see if you watch ANY of his full-game highlights on YT for those 3 seasons. This is the first season where he actually wants to do it a lot more. Let's see where it goes.

This:


Prior to this season? Simply never posted up. And why people think otherwise is beyond me.


Looks like an effort to be taken serious to me. Even to thje point of being incredulous at the idea of people thinking otherwise.

People do quite a bit of that with Lebron. Especially on this issue.

Lebron has simply done too much scoring in the post to say anything like he simply never did it and you cant even understand why anyone would think he has.

Its just...watching basketball. Something about Lebron makes people either flat out lie or somehow not notice the obvious. There are still people saying he flat out cant shoot when hes been a solid midrange shooter for years and hes made over 1000 threes.

Its accurate to say Lebron isnt a great post scorer and that he isnt a great shooter. But people instead say shit like he has no post game and cant shoot.

It just isnt being real.

[Indian guy]

This:

Lebron has simply done too much scoring in the post to say anything like he simply never did it

It was an obvious exaggeration on my part. Doesn't change the fact that it has been an irrelevant part of his game from 11-13. LeBron does not post up more than a couple of times a game. Thus, the notion that he is now a "post-up player" or is something he does frequently is ridiculous. If anyone disagrees, they have countless full-game highlights of LeBron on YT at their disposal to prove otherwise.

[Kblaze8855]

So you say he never posts up and you have no idea why anyone thinks he does....other guy says:



But what you guys gotta remember is he's a post up layer now, he bulldozes people with his size. He's more of a power forward/guard now.

Neither of you are right but hes at least half right. Lebron is pretty much a faceup power forward in the halfcourt now. Just one with handles.

Hes Hornets Anthony Mason on the Captain America serum.

He sprinkles in some of the trademark "Why is he standing 35 feet from the basket?" put his head down and charge plays but from what ive seen he plays in roughly the same places Amare did when he was young. But he has no Nash to run with.

Odd game really. Cant think of many like it.

[Mass Debator]

I think the Heat need Lebron with size more than slim Lebron. Bigger Lebron is still quicker than 99% of the league's power fowards and his strength is up there with them. He can slide over to guard the big men on occasion and be more effective in the rebounding department.

[DuMa]

Miami benefits more with Lebron being able to slide into a PF mismatch nightmare because of their lack of big men.

the trouble is that the league is catching up to them and creating their own SF turned into PFs as well. time will tell when its caught up with LeBron

[NattyPButter]

Not seeing at and I watched him since High School.

[lilgodfather1]

LeBron in his athletic prime could touch the top of the backboard. Am I the only person on this board who remembers that failed alley oop attempt from Mo against the Blazers, where LeBron literally had his nipples at rim level.

[Solefade]

this is seriously GOAT in-game dunk



this was when LeBron was the quickest player in the league

[Hoopz2332]

:pimp:

[Velocirap31]

1 dribble to travel 3/4 of the court is a little ridiculous though.