If LeBron James wins his third championship next year, where will he rank all-time?

[KOBE143]

He will enter the top 50 for sure..

[Crafty]

3 FMVPs, 3 Championships and 4 or 5 RS MVPs? Top 5 max

[chazzy]

Around Shaq

[poido123]

Around Shaq

What I want to know is, why should he be ever ranked above Shaq? Lebron hasn't and probably never will reach the same peak as a Jordan or Shaq, so I don't see why this guy is being placed right near the top 5?

Until someone gives me a good explanation or case, Shaq will always remain above Lebron. Which means he will never reach top 5.

[plowking]

What I want to know is, why should he be ever ranked above Shaq? Lebron hasn't and probably never will reach the same peak as a Jordan or Shaq, so I don't see why this guy is being placed right near the top 5?

Until someone gives me a good explanation or case, Shaq will always remain above Lebron. Which means he will never reach top 5.

So why do we rank Shaq below Jordan. Shaq had a better peak than him too.

[pauk]

That would make his resume look something like:

5 x MVP
3 x FMVP
3 x Champion
8 x 1st All-NBA
6 x 1st All-Defensive
1 x ROTY
10 x All-Star
While being the best player in the NBA for many years....

Compare that to a guy who usually is ranked top 5-6 (Larry Bird):

3 x MVP
2 x FMVP
3 x Champion
9 x 1st All-NBA
1 x ROTY
12 x All-Star

.....and now you may know where Lebron might be headed.... infact Lebrons accolades at this very moment right now is actually pretty comparable / if not better than Birds....

[poido123]

That would make his resume look something like:

5 x MVP
3 x FMVP
3 x Champion
8 x 1st All-NBA
6 x 1st All-Defensive
1 x ROTY
10 x All-Star
While being the best player in the NBA for many years....

Compare that to a guy who usually is ranked top 5-6 (Larry Bird):

3 x MVP
2 x FMVP
3 x Champion
9 x 1st All-NBA
1 x ROTY
12 x All-Star

.....and now you may know where Lebron might be headed....

It really comes down to personal opinion on who you think is better. russell has all the rings in the world, but Jordan is still considered by most to be GOAT.

Rookie of the year? You could call that an achievement, but id hardly use that in judging an alltime great.

Bird is a better player to me, but judging players in different eras is always going to have that element of doubt, no matter which way you look at it.

Bird was a 3 time champion in a stronger era with players who are currently in GOAT lists...How many top 20 alltime players is Lebron playing now in their prime? If you want to count Duncan and KG, both out of their primes, sure. But really, this era lacks the greats. You have Lebron who is top 10 alltime, and then a big tail off. Durant is a tier under but will struggle to be in the top 15 when its all said and done.

[poido123]

So why do we rank Shaq below Jordan. Shaq had a better peak than him too.

Overall body of work, Jordan has the equivalent best peak as Shaq, if not slightly lower. Jordan has more titles, better playoff performer and more clutch.

Lebron has none of those over Shaq, he has more MVP's but he had to join a great team to get as many as he has now.

Top team and one of the top players in the league = MVP's.

[Fresh Kid]

That would make his resume look something like:

5 x MVP
3 x FMVP
3 x Champion
8 x 1st All-NBA
6 x 1st All-Defensive
1 x ROTY
10 x All-Star
While being the best player in the NBA for many years....

Compare that to a guy who usually is ranked top 5-6 (Larry Bird):

3 x MVP
2 x FMVP
3 x Champion
9 x 1st All-NBA
1 x ROTY
12 x All-Star

.....and now you may know where Lebron might be headed.... infact Lebrons accolades at this very moment right now is actually pretty comparable / if not better than Birds....

larry bird had more heart than lebron and won his championship rings the right way.

[plowking]

Overall body of work, Jordan has the equivalent best peak as Shaq, if not slightly lower. Jordan has more titles, better playoff performer and more clutch.

Lebron has none of those over Shaq, he has more MVP's but he had to join a great team to get as many as he has now.

Top team and one of the top players in the league = MVP's.

Of course the body of work on Lebron isn't going to be as good as Shaq. He hasn't played nearly as much.

Lebron's peak is just as good as Jordan and Shaq's in that case.

[poido123]

[QUOTE=plowking]Of course the body of work on Lebron isn't going to be as good as Shaq. He hasn't played nearly as much.

Lebron's peak is just as good as Jordan and Shaq's in that case.[/QUOTE]




I doubt any player in the next 50 years will reach a peak like Shaq or Jordan. Jordan because of his amazing achievements in playoffs against HOF and top 20 players. Shaq because of his incredible numbers and size/strength that I doubt I'll ever see in my lifetime along with his achievements.

[Fresh Kid]

Of course the body of work on Lebron isn't going to be as good as Shaq. He hasn't played nearly as much.

Lebron's peak is just as good as Jordan and Shaq's in that case.

What a brainwashed victim.

[HurricaneKid]

larry bird had more heart than lebron and won his championship rings the right way.

By playing with 7 HoF?

[thabisyo]

larry bird had more heart than lebron and won his championship rings the right way.

Stop with the bullshit

[SilkkTheShocker]

Anyone that doesn't already have him in the top 10 has an agenda against him. The fact is, he will retire no worse than top 3 on the lis.