If LeBron was in the 84 draft...

[jongib369]

Which pick would he be if he had the same hype coming out of high school? The first two picks were Centers, and I doubt the Rockets would chose him over Hakeem......But over Bowie or Jordan seems possible....Especially since no one knew how good Jordan was going to be

Also if Jordan didn't go to the Bulls and ended up on the Mavericks or 76ers how would those teams turn out that very season?

[Im so nba'd out]

LeBron would go #1 in every single draft cept prolly 2 kaj and shaq draft

[TheReal Kendall]

Probably 2nd or 3rd. I doubt Rockets take him over Hakeem

[played0ut]

3rd.


Below Bowie and above Michael Jordan. No one gets picked over Hakeem except maybe Shaq/Wilt/Kareem

[Nash]

Now I didn't live in 1984 but if the Hakeem hype was bigger than the crazy Lebron hype in 2003 then that is sick.

[D-FENS]

3rd.


Below Bowie and above Michael Jordan. No one gets picked over Hakeem except maybe Shaq/Wilt/Kareem

And Ewing and Duncan

[Rubio2Gasol]

Out of high school? No Nike Campaign?

About 15th.

[jongib369]

3rd.


Below Bowie and above Michael Jordan. No one gets picked over Hakeem except maybe Shaq/Wilt/Kareem
I'd say he'd probably go 2nd or 3rd.....But, think the list of players that'd be drafted over him is a bit longer. Wilt, Kareem, Shaq, Duncan, Robinson...possibly Walton (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAnC4cBXAuY) and Ewing too...Basically any great big man is to much of a gamble to pass over. It'd be close with some other players too....People would have a hell of a time choosing between him, Magic and Bias.

[played0ut]

yeah. My list is a bit short but essentially all the great bigs.


I think Lebron would probably be 1st tier pick out of all non-bigs in NBA history.

[dreamwarrior]

You'd take a high schooler over this man?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9kVVBJvXvo

[Milbuck]

Lebron and Drexler :biggums:

[jongib369]

yeah. My list is a bit short but essentially all the great bigs.


I think Lebron would probably be 1st tier pick out of all non-bigs in NBA history.
Yeah the list of people I'd take over him is pretty short...Wish he would of maximized his potential and Learned better footwork/post moves early on.

Could you imagine if he had the footwork/post moves of someone like McHale or Jefferson?

[jongib369]

Lebron and Drexler :biggums:

Jordan, Erving and Malone too

:eek:

[played0ut]

If he went into college with a great coach, yeah.

Folks on Open Court were talking about MJ / Bird had flawless fundamentals, how it make the game much easier for them, and it was all due to great college coaching.

Most people don't know this but MJ's college coach (Dean Smith) held him down in shooting and forced him to learn fundamentally sound team ball.



But Lebron's still young-ish. He has a great grasp of how to play the game effectively. Footwork/post moves could still be learned.

[pauk]

I think he might still be #1, seeing him play the potential / what he was going to do in the NBA from the very get go was inevitable, this was no ordinary sized/talanted/skilled 18 year old Guard.... if all were 18 years old in 84' draft Lebron i think is the only perimeter exception in NBA history i think would still get picked #1 over any big.... if he had a chance to be drafted at 20-21 instead (stayed in college) then you are looking at a guy in college who is averaging a 30 point triple double and literally dominating all positions on both ends (could you imagine what Lebron would be doing with those kiddies?).... would be even tougher to try and pick Lebron over anyone....

[ZaaaaaH]

LeBron goes #1 Every year besides KAJ and Shaq which is still arguable.

LeBron was The Biggest hype since KAJ and could be bigger due to social media and internet.

[fpliii]

I think he might still be #1, seeing him play the potential / what he was going to do in the NBA from the very get go was inevitable, this was no ordinary sized/talanted/skilled 18 year old Guard.... if all were 18 years old in 84' draft Lebron i think is the only perimeter exception in NBA history i think would still get picked #1 over any big.... if he had a chance to be drafted at 20-21 instead (stayed in college) then you are looking at a guy in college who is averaging a 30 point triple double and literally dominating all positions on both ends (could you imagine what Lebron would be doing with those kiddies?).... would be even tougher to try and pick Lebron over anyone....
C'mon pauk...

Nobody back then, or today, is taking LeBron over Hakeem in any draft. Sorry. Houston probably wouldn't take MJ over Hakeem if the draft was held again today with complete hindsight.

No disrespect to LeBron, but there's no way in hell you leave a two-way center (who also was an athletic freak) on the board.

[20Four]

LeBron goes #1 Every year besides KAJ and Shaq which is still arguable.

LeBron was The Biggest hype since KAJ and could be bigger due to social media and internet.
5>2 :roll:

[jongib369]

I think he might still be #1, seeing him play the potential / what he was going to do in the NBA from the very get go was inevitable, this was no ordinary sized/talanted/skilled 18 year old Guard.... if all were 18 years old in 84' draft Lebron i think is the only perimeter exception in NBA history i think would still get picked #1 over any big.... if he had a chance to be drafted at 20-21 instead (stayed in college) then you are looking at a guy in college who is averaging a 30 point triple double and literally dominating all positions on both ends (could you imagine what Lebron would be doing with those kiddies?).... would be even tougher to try and pick Lebron over anyone....
Not saying you're wrong, but even over guys like Wilt, Shaq and Kareem?

[20Four]

Not saying you're wrong, but even over guys like Wilt, Shaq and Kareem?
Pauk is just on lebrons nuts thats all

[L.Kizzle]

In 1984 he goes #3 or #4. You always take the dominant big over the guard/swingmen. Did you all forget this is the draft Bowie went before Jordan? It's been going on since Russell/Wilt/Alcindor/Walton/Sampson/Akeem/Ewing/Robinson/Shaq/Duncan/Yao ect. In recent years you had Oden over Durant.

[ZaaaaaH]

5>2 :roll:


LOL :roll:

Kobe is my Fav player dumb ass.

Wrong person to insult with that corny joke :lol

[Marchesk]

Lebron stans are too much. First of all, Wilt, KAJ and Ewing had more hype coming into the league. Secondly, a potential great big will always get picked first over a potential great perimiter player. And third, Lebron was coming out of high school, which is riskier than taking a great college player.

[Marchesk]

I think he might still be #1, seeing him play the potential / what he was going to do in the NBA from the very get go was inevitable, this was no ordinary sized/talanted/skilled 18 year old Guard.... if all were 18 years old in 84' draft Lebron i think is the only perimeter exception in NBA history i think would still get picked #1 over any big.... if he had a chance to be drafted at 20-21 instead (stayed in college) then you are looking at a guy in college who is averaging a 30 point triple double and literally dominating all positions on both ends (could you imagine what Lebron would be doing with those kiddies?).... would be even tougher to try and pick Lebron over anyone....

Try and be objective. There is no way that Lebron enters the league more highly touted than a Wilt or Kareem would. You're dreaming if you think otherwise. Maybe you've forgotten what Kareem did at UCLA. And no, Lebron would not have had a greater collegiate career than Kareem (nobody in history did), nor would have looked more dominant than Wilt.

[ZaaaaaH]

Try and be objective. There is no way that Lebron enters the league more highly touted than a Wilt or Kareem would. You're dreaming if you think otherwise. Maybe you've forgotten what Kareem did at UCLA. And no, Lebron would not have had a greater collegiate career than Kareem (nobody in history did), nor would have looked more dominant than Wilt.

I think you should try to be objective.

LeBron in Wilts Era would avg not just 50, he would avg 70/20/10.

As for Kareem I would agree

[Marchesk]

LeBron in Wilts Era would avg not just 50, he would avg 70/20/10.

This thread is about who would you take first out of college. Yeah, Lebron had a lot of hype coming out of high school. What sort of hype do you think Wilt might have had if he came out at the same time? There's existing film from the 50s discussing the potential of Wilt in high school. From the 1950s, way before ESPN, the Web, or the NBA being the major sport it is today.

[Marchesk]

LeBron was The Biggest hype since KAJ and could be bigger due to social media and internet.

Ewing and Sampson both get picked ahead of Lebron. You probably weren't around of the Ewing hype. It was said that his hands would be filled with rings when the Knicks won the lottery. He was supposed to be the next Bill Russell. Sampson was the next Kareem. Hell, Houston could have traded Sampson for Jordan early on in their careers.

[Marchesk]

The answer to the OPs question is definitely Hakeem. And Portland still takes Bowie. If they're passing on a 21 year old Jordan who won a title at UNC, they're definitely passing on 18 year old Lebron, or are we projecting Lebron into three years of college?

[deja vu]

No GM would be stupid enough to pick an overhyped high schooler over a generational talent big man. Hell, Duncan would have been picked over LeBron in 1997.

[ZaaaaaH]

Ewing and Sampson both get picked ahead of Lebron. You probably weren't around of the Ewing hype. It was said that his hands would be filled with rings when the Knicks won the lottery. He was supposed to be the next Bill Russell. Sampson was the next Kareem. Hell, Houston could have traded Sampson for Jordan early on in their careers.

I was around when Ewing was being drafted but what is ur point?

LeBron was hyped since Freshman of High School.

He was expected to win Rings too not just great he was hyped to be Better then the GOAT MJ. How much more hype do you need?

[raprap]

3 or 4

[ZaaaaaH]

No GM would be stupid enough to pick an overhyped high schooler over a generational talent big man. Hell, Duncan would have been picked over LeBron in 1997.

Melo proved that he was the Best player in Collage in his Freshman year and winning the NCAA Championship and he was still drafted 3rd.