Who was more athletic in their primes/peak: Lebron James vs. Michael Jordan

Discuss

The tendancy would be to say LeBron, but IMO Jordan dunked on far more people and was far more creative with the basketball in the air.

LeBron had power, but he doesn't really play a power game (sits on the perimeter mostly).

Jordan was quicker and more agile.

LeBron was as good or better of an overall athlete, but Michael was clearly ahead of LeBron in terms of being a basketball athlete, if that makes sense.

Some athletic attributes are more important in basketball.

MJ had that finesse, agility and body control that clearly surpasses Lebron's (tho Cav Lebron's body control was very very very good as well), which made him so much more fun to watch. those 3 traits are all athletic qualities that work well in bball so I would give MJ the edge here.

Stronger Lebron, but overall Jordan was more athletic.

Lets see - coordination, flexibility, precision, power, speed, endurance, balance, awareness efficiency, better hops (considering height) and timing.

At what Lebron is better? At power, thats it.

LeBron honestly has more of a football player's physique/athletic ability.

[QUOTE=Da Heroic One]Discuss[/QUOTE]


is u on drugs or u just brainwashed retarded kid that were born in the 90s?

MJ was and is the best athletic player that ever played bball....

[QUOTE=Soundwave]The tendancy would be to say LeBron, but IMO Jordan dunked on far more people and was far more creative with the basketball in the air.

LeBron had power, but he doesn't really play a power game (sits on the perimeter mostly).

Jordan was quicker and more agile.[/QUOTE]
This......

I think even though Bron is much bigger, I still think MJ was stronger (comparitively speaking) Bron uses that massive frame to generate all that power on his dunks, MJ only used a fraction of that mass yet still obsorbed more contact and was stil able to power over people in a day when you could literally shove a player away from the basket.

[QUOTE=Soundwave]The tendancy would be to say LeBron, but IMO Jordan dunked on far more people and was far more creative with the basketball in the air.

LeBron had power, but he doesn't really play a power game (sits on the perimeter mostly).

Jordan was quicker and more agile.[/QUOTE]

agree.

Lebron is just like a truck that goes straight forward. All strength and power but that's it. If a team plays defense and zone and jamming the box, he can't change directions like Wade and will just hit the wall.

[QUOTE=Harison]Stronger Lebron, but overall Jordan was more athletic.

Lets see - coordination, flexibility, precision, power, speed, endurance, balance, awareness efficiency, better hops (considering height) and timing.

At what Lebron is better? [B]At power[/B], thats it.[/QUOTE]

Are you sure ? =)

MJ vs Anthony Mason

[img]http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn200/nbacardDOTnet/zz%20NBA%20Photo%20Gallery/Michael%20Jordan/VS/Charlotte%20Hornets/mj-against-anthony-mason.gif[/img]


Yes, this guy.

[img]http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn200/nbacardDOTnet/zz%20NBA%20Photo%20Gallery/y%20NBA%20etc/1%20New%20York%20Knicks/Anthony%20Mason/masonhead.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn200/nbacardDOTnet/zz%20NBA%20Photo%20Gallery/y%20NBA%20etc/1%20New%20York%20Knicks/Anthony%20Mason/mason_divac.jpg[/img]

That might be the most prettiest thing in basketball - the Jordan fade.

Not sure how bumping Anthony Mason once with his back and shooting a fade away jumper makes Jordan powerful. It's not like he backed him down under the basket. Not that he wasn't strong, but Jordan more powerful than Lebron is laughable. Hell Pippen had more power than Jordan and he isn't as powerful as Lebron either.

LeBron

Give both MJ and LeBron similar skill-level and basketball IQ, who would be the more productive player? LeBron, easily. I can't imagine MJ putting up the numbers LeBron did from 06-08 with a jumper that weak. LeBron basically averaged 30/8/7 for 3 consecutive seasons while shooting in the mid-30's on jump shots. He simply had a GODLY body.

[QUOTE=Indian guy]LeBron

Give both MJ and LeBron similar skill-level and basketball IQ, who would be the more productive player? LeBron, easily. I can't imagine MJ putting up the numbers LeBron did from 06-08 with a jumper that weak. LeBron basically averaged 30/8/7 for 3 consecutive seasons while shooting in the mid-30's on jump shots. He simply had a GODLY body.[/QUOTE]
problem is he doesnt have the dribbling, shooting skills of MJ, he also doesnt have the finesse aerial moves MJ had, MJ could literally glide through the air and adjust to defense on the fly, Lebron goes straight to the basket in a straight line with raw power, he then either gets blocked, fouled or loses the ball. Plus to say Jordan didnt have power, he was getting hand checked and bodied up all the time unlike the g@y hacks players receive now to warrant fouls. I truly believe most posters on this sight are 15 yrs old and below because they seem to comment on stuff they have never seen.

[QUOTE=Indian guy]LeBron

Give both MJ and LeBron similar skill-level and basketball IQ, who would be the more productive player? LeBron, easily. I can't imagine MJ putting up the numbers LeBron did from 06-08 [B]with a jumper that weak[/B]. LeBron basically averaged 30/8/7 for 3 consecutive seasons while shooting in the mid-30's on jump shots. [B]He simply had a GODLY body.[/B][/QUOTE]
Just when I thought you were just an ignorant you turned out to be gay also

[QUOTE=1Time4YourMind]MJ had that finesse, agility and body control that clearly surpasses Lebron's (tho Cav Lebron's body control was very very very good as well), which made him so much more fun to watch. those 3 traits are all athletic qualities that work well in bball so I would give MJ the edge here.[/QUOTE]

THIS

[QUOTE=Indian guy]LeBron

Give both MJ and LeBron similar skill-level and basketball IQ, who would be the more productive player? LeBron, easily. I can't imagine MJ putting up the numbers LeBron did from 06-08 with a jumper that weak. LeBron basically averaged 30/8/7 for 3 consecutive seasons while shooting in the mid-30's on jump shots. He simply had a GODLY body.[/QUOTE]

If anything that's more because of the era Bron is playing in. Jordan is clearly more agile and nimble off the dribble. If Lebron had to contend with hand checking and frankly having to deal with physical play instead of getting every little touch foul...his numbers wouldn't be near what they were 06-08.

[quote=Round Mound]THIS[/quote]

Barkley sucks

if we measure athleticism by just speed, hops, and strength, then lebron had a stronger total package.

but basketball ain't all about that... jordan was slick and moved like mosquito. people tend to disregard agility and fluiditiy as forms of athleticism. jordan got that sh!t all day. no way in hell he gets shut out from driving into the hole from the dallas zone.

Forget the athletic stuff, what made MJ great was his mental toughness, he was gonna kick your ass and there wasn't a god damned thing you could do about it, he didn't shy away from the big moment, when the game was on the line, he DEMANDED the ball, he would take over the game but he was also smart enough that if he got double teamed, he would kick it out to Paxson or Kerr.

LBJ shrinks when he needs to step up and take over in the 4th and it has to do with his mentality, I have no idea how he can improve on that but he will have to or he will stay ringless.

WTF :facepalm :facepalm

MJ: 1985 Slam Dunk Runner Up at age 21.
MJ: 1987 Slam Dunk Champion at age 23.
MJ: 1988 Slam Dunk Champion at age 24.

The only reason why MJ missed 1986 Slam Dunk contest because of broken foot.
The only reason why MJ missed 1989 Slam Dunk contest because of Groin injury
The only reason why MJ missed 1990 Slam DUnk contest because he wanted to give others a chance to win.

LBJ missed Slam Dunk Contest because he cannot create athletic innovative dunks & will make fool of himself in dunk contest.

[QUOTE=Harison]Stronger Lebron, but overall Jordan was more athletic.

Lets see - coordination, flexibility, precision, power, speed, endurance, balance, awareness efficiency, better hops (considering height) and timing.

At what Lebron is better? At power, thats it.[/QUOTE]

I concur with your overall point, but ironically enough, last year on [i]Sportscenter[/i], Robert Horry stated that while everyone talks about James' strength, Jordan proved exceptionally strong in his own right, implying that he was no less strong than LeBron. And of course, Horry played against both men.

Overall, I'd say that Jordan constituted the better athlete because of how he combined finesse with explosiveness, but James is the more unique athlete given his combination of size and explosiveness.

[QUOTE=DCL]if we measure athleticism by just speed, hops, and strength, then lebron had a stronger total package.

but basketball ain't all about that... jordan was slick and moved like mosquito. people tend to disregard agility and fluiditiy as forms of athleticism. jordan got that sh!t all day. no way in hell he gets shut out from driving into the hole from the dallas zone.[/QUOTE]

I'm not sure that James is better at any of those first three attributes; see my previous post.

But your salient point is correct: aspects such as fluidity, balance, coordination, and agility must also be reckoned with and Jordan enjoys clear edges in those areas.

[QUOTE=GMATCallahan]I concur with your overall point, but ironically enough, last year on [i]Sportscenter[/i], Robert Horry stated that while everyone talks about James' strength, Jordan proved exceptionally strong in his own right, implying that he was no less strong than LeBron. And of course, Horry played against both men.

Overall, I'd say that Jordan constituted the better athlete because of how he combined finesse with explosiveness, but James is the more unique athlete given his combination of size and explosiveness.[/QUOTE]
is kevin johnson more athletic than both of them?

:D

[QUOTE=Indian guy]LeBron

Give both MJ and LeBron similar skill-level and basketball IQ, who would be the more productive player? LeBron, easily. I can't imagine MJ putting up the numbers LeBron did from 06-08 with a jumper that weak. LeBron basically averaged 30/8/7 for 3 consecutive seasons while shooting in the mid-30's on jump shots. He simply had a GODLY body.[/QUOTE]

In other words, if James possessed a better jump-shot, he would have been averaging 32-37 points per game, like Jordan from 1987-1990 and again in 1993 ...

[url]http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jordami01.html[/url]

Jordan averaged well over 30 points per contest in several seasons, thus negating your argument.

[QUOTE=Soundwave]The tendancy would be to say LeBron, but IMO Jordan dunked on far more people and was far more creative with the basketball in the air.

[b]LeBron had power, but he doesn't really play a power game (sits on the perimeter mostly).[/b]

Jordan was quicker and more agile.[/QUOTE]

Hence the incongruity in James' game that has eventually risen to the surface in the majority of the last five postseasons, thus costing him a championship.

Magic Johnson developed a credible jump-shot, but imagine if he needed to constantly revert to a perimeter game rather than posting-up and playing middle-in.

[QUOTE=Laimbeer_Rodman]Just when I thought you were just an ignorant you turned out to be gay also[/QUOTE]
I'm sorry this made me laugh too

:oldlol:

MJ. He had one of the quickest feet.He was more agile.Much better hangtime..Better leaper.He was strong as hell for his size.

Lebron is probably only stronger.What makes Lebron's unique is he has almost Jordan like athleticism with almost body of Malone.

Jordan in prime was one of the quickest players ever.And let's not even talk about his hang time.He was almost walking in the air.

[QUOTE=ronniec]agree.

Lebron is just like a truck that goes straight forward. All strength and power but that's it. If a team plays defense and zone and jamming the box, he can't change directions like Wade and will just hit the wall.[/QUOTE]

Yes, James doesn't really slither or maneuver much and even a far less explosive athlete such as Magic Johnson proved greatly superior in that regard. To compensate, James needs the post-up game that he has never developed with any consistency or comprehensiveness.

[QUOTE=rodman91]MJ. He had one of the quickest feet.He was more agile.Much better hangtime..Better leaper.He was strong as hell for his size.

Lebron is probably only stronger.What makes Lebron's unique is he has almost Jordan like athleticism with almost body of Malone.

[b]Jordan in prime was one of the quickest players ever.[/b]And let's not even talk about his hang time.He was almost walking in the air.[/QUOTE]

Yes, Jordan possessed the quickness of a small, explosive point guard in the body of a big guard.

I really don't understand what's so difficult to understand. If 84-90 MJ was given the same skill-set as 04-08 LeBron, would he be putting up 30/7/7? The answer is NO. As much of a freak MJ was, his game was a lot more reliant on skill than LeBron's ever was. At 6'6, 190 pounds, he would never be able to barrel into defenders possession-after-possession and maintain the kind of production LeBron did. He wasn't THAT gifted.

[QUOTE=Indian guy]I really don't understand what's so difficult to understand. If 84-90 MJ was given the same skill-set as 04-08 LeBron, would he be putting up 30/7/7? The answer is NO. As much of a freak MJ was, his game was a lot more reliant on skill than LeBron's ever was. At 6'6, 190 pounds, he would never be able to barrel into defenders possession-after-possession and maintain the kind of production LeBron did. He wasn't THAT gifted.[/QUOTE]

Does LeBron even barrel into defenders possession-after-possession?

Seems to me at least 50% of the time, he plays on the perimeter and settles for step back jumpers.

He uses his 6'9 frame mostly to look over the defence for passing.

A younger Jordan goes to the hole more than LeBron does, that was basically the bulk of Jordan's game as a youngster actually.

You don't have to "run over" someone when you can simply blow past them and then jump over the help defence.

Id go with jordan. He was the total package. He was cat quick, lightning fast and had huge hands. And his strength was deceptive. Anybody got that vid of jordan shattering the glass on a dunk? Or that video where he catches a basketball with the palm of his hand as if it were a tennis ball?

[QUOTE=Indian guy]I really don't understand what's so difficult to understand. If 84-90 MJ was given the same skill-set as 04-08 LeBron, would he be putting up 30/7/7? The answer is NO. As much of a freak MJ was, his game was a lot more reliant on skill than LeBron's ever was. At 6'6, 190 pounds, he would never be able to barrel into defenders possession-after-possession and maintain the kind of production LeBron did. He wasn't THAT gifted.[/QUOTE]
I don't remember jordan being that skilled in the begining of his career. I mean, he had skill, but he really relied on his athleticism in his early years

I can say with fair certainty a 26-year-old Jordan would've been a much harder cover for 33-year-old Shawn Marion in a series.

Especially if he had Wade and Bosh on the floor with him (cannot play Jordan rules defence).

Marion probably would've gotten dunked on a few times. Ditto for that Mavs rookie big man who was getting a lot of minutes. Jordan would've posterized him for sure :oldlol:

LeBron is simply not fast enough to get past a defence like that at will, most 6'9 guys aren't.

[QUOTE=Soundwave]Does LeBron even barrel into defenders possession-after-possession?[/quote]

04-09 LeBron absolutely did. Obviously, he's a different player today, but the OP asked for athletic PEAK. 04-08 LeBron took jumpers as a LAST resort.

[quote]A younger Jordan goes to the hole more than LeBron does, that was basically the bulk of Jordan's game as a youngster actually.[/quote]

Look up MJ and LeBron's FTA per shot. LeBron's way ahead.

Robert Horry on Jordan's strength.

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09sCTRPLiBM[/url]

[QUOTE=Indian guy]04-09 LeBron absolutely did. Obviously, he's a different player today, but the OP asked for athletic PEAK. 04-08 LeBron took jumpers as a LAST resort.



Look up MJ and LeBron's FTA per shot. LeBron's way ahead.[/QUOTE]

With today's p*ssy rules, sure.

A younger Jordan would be shooting boat loads of free throws today if defenders weren't able to hang all over him (ie: Bad Boy Pistons).

Not a chance in hell LeBron goes to the hole more than a younger Jordan used to. LeBron settles for jumpers far more often than a young Jordan, even the Cleveland version.

That's not a knock on LeBron, it's probably just reality -- at 6'9 you simply cannot be *that* fast. It's just impossible to have the first step Jordan had at that height. It would be like asking Shaq to have the first step that LeBron does, it's impossible to keep going up 3 inches and maintaining that level of speed.

A young Jordan would've shredded a 33/34 year old Marion apart.

[QUOTE=Soundwave]With today's p*ssy rules, sure.[/quote]

MJ's best years in terms of FTA came in the 80's, where defense was ABSOLUTELY NOT better than what it is today.

[quote]A younger Jordan would be shooting boat loads of free throws today[/quote]

A younger MJ WAS shooting boat-load of free throws in his rim-attacking days of 84-89. He averaged 9.6 FTA per game during that 5 year span. His game changed from 89-90 onwards in order to fit in Phil Jackson's equal-opportunity offense. Not to mention his ever-improving jumper and further maturation of his game forced him to change too. He didn't really need to attack the basket as much as before. And compared to 04-08 LeBron, he NEVER needed to attack the basket as much as him. There's a reason why LeBron's FTA/shot is so much higher than MJ's.