Lebron or Sabonis--who do you build a team around?

[sportjames23]

If you were able to draft either player now, which one would you build a team around?

[FatComputerNerd]

Tough call.

Probably Sabonis, assuming we aren't looking at injuries and whatnot.

Always take the big, and Sabonis in his prime was a GOAT caliber player.

[dreamwarrior]

Young Sabonis without a question. Greatest passing C ever. Played like he was in the 60's.

[stalkerforlife]

Sabonis.

Prime Sabonis would give any fan a Saboner.

[BuffaloBill]

Sabonis

[Kvnzhangyay]

Lebron because the game is not so much catered towards bigs anymore :confusedshrug:

Also Lebron is GOAT recruiter :lol

[Mr Exlax]

Gotta go with the quality big man. Even though I feel LeBron is the better player.

[Mr.Kite]

The man who singlehandedly destroyed team USA or the man who sat himself out of the finals game with 8 minutes to go?

[played0ut]

The vast majority of the time you always pick the quality big man first, even with hindsight.

Easier to build around and complement.


Tough call.

Probably Sabonis, assuming we aren't looking at injuries and whatnot.

Always take the big, and Sabonis in his prime was a GOAT caliber player.

[edrick]

The man who singlehandedly destroyed team USA or the man who sat himself out of the finals game with 8 minutes to go?

Sat himself out with 8 minutes remaining, and he still had more minutes played than any other player. They were also down big.

[SexSymbol]

easily Sabonis.
If he hadn't had any injuries and the iron curtain would've fallen sooner, he'd probably be the best C ever

[Mr.Kite]

Sat himself out with 8 minutes remaining, and he still had more minutes played than any other player. They were also down big.

Nope. Down by 11

[aj1987]

LeBron. Retarded question is retarded. It's like asking MJ or Ewing.

[Jameerthefear]

Lebron...

[navy]

Nope. Down by 11
They were down by 18

[bdreason]

The guy who didn't play the majority of his career in the minor leagues.

[aj1987]

They were down by 18
Shhh.... Miami was down 3 with 4 minutes to go in the 4th Q of game 5.

[NattyPButter]

Lebron...this thread just show the amount of trolls on this site. What has Sabonis done in the NBA? Not a damn thing.

[dubeta]

The real question should be LeBron or a MJ-Shaq combo and the answer would STILL be lebron

take the L OP

[played0ut]

Sat himself out with 8 minutes remaining, and he still had more minutes played than any other player. They were also down big.

MJ
>Down 16 in the fourth. Crowd was leaving and his teammates had already given up. Refuses to lose and leads the comeback. Ends up winning the game.

It was the 3rd game of the regular season.

Jerry West
>5 minutes left and down ten. Scores the next 10 points (no 3 point line) and makes two clutch free throws to win the game.

Lebron was the best player of the Heat, and arguably of the series.


But MJ/West/Bird ferociously refuse to ever lose. That's the difference between legends and regular greats.

[TheMarkMadsen]

You never take Lebron in these type of hypotheticals

Because if you pick the other star bran will just follow him to your team anyways.

[Jameerthefear]

how did west refuse to lose when he lost so much

[aj1987]

Lebron...this thread just show the amount of trolls on this site. What has Sabonis done in the NBA? Not a damn thing.
This is ISH. Mcilvaine >>>>>>>> LeBron.

[Rodmantheman]

Lebron

[atljonesbro]

LeBron. Another case of people thinking they're edgy picking Sabonis

[played0ut]

how did west refuse to lose when he lost so much

Russell was the same way-- but with a much better team. You see someone playing with that heart and refusing to give up, you can't help but respect it.

After the Finals game, Russell and Havlicek went to the Lakers locker room. Russell just held his hand quietly and Havlicek said, "I love you, Jerry."



It's been decades and Jerry West still barely stand to go to Boston.

[LongLiveTheKing]

Stupid question it's obvious Lebron is better

[nzahir]

Lebron...this thread just show the amount of trolls on this site. What has Sabonis done in the NBA? Not a damn thing.
This

[JT123]

You never take Lebron in these type of hypotheticals

Because if you pick the other star bran will just follow him to your team anyways.
Gotta admit this made me lol. First time you have made a good joke. :cheers:

[Milbuck]

Lebron.

[selrahc]

definitely sabonis. lebron could abandon your team at any time. dude doesnt know what loyalty is at all.

[SupermanOnSteroids]

Oh I'll completely pick Sabonis because i'm a total ****ing moron.

[RoundMoundOfReb]

Oh I'll completely pick Sabonis because i'm a total ****ing moron.

:roll:

[oarabbus]

All you people clowning on Sabonis, he would have been Shaq level were it not for injuries. And I pick Shaq to build around over Bron even though Bron is the better/more skilled player.

[atljonesbro]

All you people clowning on Sabonis, he would have been Shaq level were it not for injuries. And I pick Shaq to build around over Bron even though Bron is the better/more skilled player.
People always see things that don't work it for some reason in sports in the best case scenario. Your statement is not likely

[oarabbus]

People always see things that don't work it for some reason in sports in the best case scenario. Your statement is not likely


Dude made it to the WCF with such a fcuked up body he could have gotten a handicap permit, no joke. He was a monster. There's no "best case scenario" the dude embarrassed the USA team. We know how good he was.

We talking about drafting them at the beginning of their careers to build around? Give me the extremely talented, athletic, good shooter, amazing passer 7'3" guy. I don't think I could blame someone for building around Oden, Drob, Hakeem, Duncan, Yao, Hakeem, etc over Bron either.

[Nowitness]

lebonis

[sportjames23]

Sabonis mix:

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

[Quizno]

sabonis had two dads, so i'm going with lebron

[Prometheus]

You never take Lebron in these type of hypotheticals

Because if you pick the other star bran will just follow him to your team anyways.

lol this was good. wat the hell madsen, i'll rep ya for it you stupid bag of shit

:oldlol:

[Rose]

LeBron.

[LBJFTW]

Sabonis easily. He wouldn't quit on his team just because a teammate

[OncePerMonth]

If you were able to draft either player now, which one would you build a team around?

My initial thought was absolutely LeBron, but after thinking about it, it is really tough. I think I take LeBron because he is a sure thing, but a healthy Sabonis could be unstoppable in this league.

[Harison]

Depends. If both stay healthy throughout their careers, then definitely Sabonis. But if he goes through the same health issues, then definitely Lebron.

[scandisk_]

Sabas bitches! :rockon:

If only he played earlier, it would've been really hard for MJ and the bulls to go 6

[Lebron23]

Lebron. He's a top 10 player of all time. Sabonis was not even in the same level as Moses and Karl Malone.

[Sakkreth]

If the draft came and they both were 18 at the time u would have to go with Sabonis. At 18 Sabonis was already dominant in europe which isn't nba ofcourse, but LeBron was dominat well.. at highschool which is nothing compared to professional play in europe. Sabonis was 7'3 (arguably 7'4, if he entered nba today he would get listed 7'4) which had no weakness to his game, could do anything on the floor even with that size, you don't pass on that.

Now if that would turn out to be a better pick we don't know, because we don't know for sure how good Sabonis would had been (imo top 5 all time), and LeBron is top 10 locked player all-time, also Sabonis had injury problems, how much of it he would have avoided if he didn't play in USSR is also a question, he was forced to play through injuries sometimes and treatment obviously wasn't as good either as he would had at the time in US.

[FatComputerNerd]

Most of you are probably too young to remember watching Sabonis play in real-time...

Even an old and hobbled Sabonis in Portland was still an all-star caliber player (or very close too it), and I remember him giving a lot of guys in the league (including a young Shaq) issues.

[Sakkreth]

Most of you are probably too young to remember watching Sabonis play in real-time...

Even an old and hobbled Sabonis in Portland was still an all-star caliber player (or very close too it), and I remember him giving a lot of guys in the league (including a young Shaq) issues.

Think of Sabonis u've seen in NBA with his skillset and add athleticism and speed to that player( which he had pre injuries). He was dunking over people, running fast break and was even used for full court press against guards. And yeah he was good rim protector too. Now tell me what he couldn't do ? When u think about it it's unfair.

[FatComputerNerd]

Good article on Sabonis I just came across from after Arvydas retired.

http://www.nba.com/blazers/special_features/Portland_will_miss_Arvydas_Sab-84264-41.html


Here is another great video (been posted before, I think by myself even): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18tnToDLHV4

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

In today's game, I would go with LeBron. The rules have completely benefited perimeter players, leaving bigs out to dry.

If LeBron were hypothetically transplanted into the 80s, Arvydas would be that guy obviously.

[FatComputerNerd]

In today's game, I would go with LeBron. The rules have completely benefited perimeter players, leaving bigs out to dry.

If LeBron were hypothetically transplanted into the 80s, Arvydas would be that guy obviously.

That's just it...even in todays era a healthy Sabonis would thrive. He didn't have great hops, but at his size didn't really need them. Meanwhile, he was still very athletic, and had a super-high b-ball IQ and court awareness.

He was a 7'3ish 300lbs center, but had great athleticism, could shoot threes, get down the floor for the finish after initiating the fast break, and passed as well as if not better than most point-guards.

We've really never seen another player like him that I can think of. It's like if you took Shaq, Dirk, and Kidd (or even Magic), combined their best attributes, and put them in one body.

[NBAplayoffs2001]

If you were able to draft either player now, which one would you build a team around?

Young Sabonis especially in today's game.

[stanlove1111]

LeBron. Retarded question is retarded. It's like asking MJ or Ewing.


Its ever worse then that. At least we know Ewing was a great center in the NBA.

Sabonis is a little like Earl The Goat...Legend although he never rally proved that he was really that good.

[Meticode]

LeBonis

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

I think you guys are overrating Sabonis a bit. The guy was a beast, no doubt, but LeBron was a transcendent talent - who from THE JUMP, had very little weaknesses when it pertained to the all-around game. I've never seen a kid from highschool get the acclamation he did, and in his first PRO game, exceed expectations. Think about that.

[NBAplayoffs2001]

I think you guys are overrating Sabonis a bit. The guy was a beast, no doubt, but LeBron was a transcendent talent - who from THE JUMP, had very little weaknesses when it pertained to the all-around game. I've never seen a kid from highschool get the acclamation he did, and in his first PRO game, exceed expectations. Think about that.

I'm really curious how many hours LeBron practiced daily in high school srs or if it just came naturally to him. I remember reading about him and how he chose SVSM because his best friend couldn't make the team at the local basketball powerhouse. I respect him for doing that.

[Rooster]

Dude made it to the WCF with such a fcuked up body he could have gotten a handicap permit, no joke. He was a monster. There's no "best case scenario" the dude embarrassed the USA team. We know how good he was.

We talking about drafting them at the beginning of their careers to build around? Give me the extremely talented, athletic, good shooter, amazing passer 7'3" guy. I don't think I could blame someone for building around Oden, Drob, Hakeem, Duncan, Yao, Hakeem, etc over Bron either.

Sabas myth spreading like a plague. Not once he embarrassed USA. :no:Kenny Smith embarrassed them Russians.

[SexSymbol]

Sabas was all-star level after multiple injuries and in his decline years.

[Lebron23]

LeBron james arguably the greatest hs player of all time.

[light]

The vast majority of the time you always pick the quality big man first, even with hindsight.

Easier to build around and complement.

LeBron and Sabonis are both quality big men.

So I think then you'd want the quality big man that can also be quality everywhere else on the floor.

100/100 times LeBron is taken before Sabonis in any draft by every GM that has ever existed. Sabonis' own mother would take LeBron before her son.

[FireDavidKahn]

Jesus christ...

[FireDavidKahn]

Tough call.

Probably Sabonis, assuming we aren't looking at injuries and whatnot.

Always take the big, and Sabonis in his prime was a GOAT caliber player.

You cannot win in the league without elite/super star wings.

[FireDavidKahn]

easily Sabonis.
If he hadn't had any injuries and the iron curtain would've fallen sooner, he'd probably be the best C ever

But he did have injuries.

If we want to play fantasy, lets give LeBron GOAT shooting ability like CUrry