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

[QUOTE=Soundwave]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]
We're talking about Lebron in his athletic prime, not this year's who has 80% of his old athleticism at best.

And I'd say basically the same thing as Indian Guy, Lebron from '06-'10 was comparable (or even better in the case of 1-footed leaping) to Jordan in pretty much every aspect despite being 60+ pounds heavier. Jordan's a better player because he has a better skillset and doesn't inexplicably check out of playoff series, not because he's a better athlete.

Both are top 5 athleticism all time in their athletic prime. The type that will get rarer and rarer as people with genes like theirs mix in more with regular people.

[QUOTE=che guevara]We're talking about Lebron in his athletic prime, not this year's who has 80% of his old athleticism at best.[/QUOTE]
I'd honestly say less than that ... and that's not even about me no longering liking him as a person or player. That's just honesty. Physically he looked about 65% - 70% the player he was even a year ago.

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

[QUOTE=KenneBell]This one really makes me mad and I brought it up on another board. How can Bron be such a good dancer and have such bad footwork? It makes no damn sense.[/QUOTE]
It really doesn't.

Michael Jordan and Lebron James are guys who had the best combination of size, speed, quickness, vertical, power, endurance, explosiveness, conditioning and durability ever. Its very debatable.

At prime that is, right now Lebron has added more muscle/weight and his mobility/quickness/acceleration has taken a hit somewhat, probably his vertical aswell. Have no idea why he keeps adding muscle and muscle, i mean for gods sake you are a perimeter player, heck even a point-forward / guard / pointguard offensively (and even defensively often guarding small pointguards), dont understand what he wants with that kindof 260-270 lbs weight at the perimeter (what perimeter player did ever carry such size?), it will just take a hit on his mobility/acceleration and even footwork, he should lose some of that weight unless he is gona use it to post up 24/7 (which he wont).

[QUOTE=sh0wtime]Michael Jordan and Lebron James are guys who had the best combination of size, speed, quickness, vertical, power, endurance, explosiveness, conditioning and durability ever. Its very debatable.[/QUOTE]

I wouldnt go that far. If I'm building a basketball player give me David Robinson's athletic profile before Lebrons....

Lebron is probably one of the top 5 athletes to ever touch a ball. But he is in the debate with guys like:

Jordan
Wilt
David Robinson
Hakeem
Shaq
KG

[QUOTE=IGOTGAME]I wouldnt go that far. If I'm building a basketball player give me David Robinson's athletic profile before Lebrons....

Lebron is probably one of the top 5 athletes to ever touch a ball. But he is in the debate with guys like:

Jordan
Wilt
David Robinson
Hakeem
Shaq
KG[/QUOTE]
Hakeem? Ummm, no.

[QUOTE=Samurai Swoosh]Hakeem? Ummm, no.[/QUOTE]

Hakeem is one of the great athletes to ever set foot in the NBA. Guy was a freak.

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDBYWCwAN2o[/url]

look at the block at 1:20. That is a great athlete

[QUOTE=IGOTGAME]Hakeem is one of the great athletes to ever set foot in the NBA. Guy was a freak.[/QUOTE]
You can come up with some more athletic dudes than Hakeem.

[QUOTE=Samurai Swoosh]You can come up with some more athletic dudes than Hakeem.[/QUOTE]

blake?

[QUOTE=CHi1PriDe]blake?[/QUOTE]
Kemp
Blake
Nate Robinson
Derrick Rose

All he did was list big men ... there is a lot more athletic people than the big men he named.

Jordan. Not even close.

LeBron has no moves.

No mid-range game, no crossovers, no fadeaways, no catch and shoot off a screen, no jab steps, no fakes, his jumper is inconsistent, no post up game, nothing at all. LeBron's game is basically iso, take a couple of dribbles, launch a 27-footer, or just bowl over dudes and get points.

:oldlol: @ traveling and running over dudes being his signature moves.

LeBron is basically Jerome Bettis playing basketball.

[QUOTE=che guevara]We're talking about Lebron in his athletic prime, not this year's who has 80% of his old athleticism at best.

And I'd say basically the same thing as Indian Guy, Lebron from '06-'10 was comparable (or even better in the case of 1-footed leaping) to Jordan in pretty much every aspect despite being 60+ pounds heavier. Jordan's a better player because he has a better skillset and doesn't inexplicably check out of playoff series, not because he's a better athlete.[/QUOTE]

LeBron had problems getting past older Celtic defenders in years past as a Cavalier also.

He just isn't as explosive off the dribble or with his first step as a younger Jordan.

Someone at 6'9 simply cannot be that fast.

Period. Skill has nothing to do with that.

Beyond that, LeBron doesn't seem to have the body control (agility) in the air that Jordan did. Jordan could jump over, around, and even shift his body in mid-air while taking contact and still lay or dunk the ball in. LeBron can do some of that, but not at the same level.

Also what good is all this athleticism if it's gone by age 26? LOL. How is that even possible? Aren't athletes today supposed to have access to far better training methods and supplements? Jordan was dunking on everyone and their grandma at age 26.

For football:LeBron

For basketball: Jordan