Re: What has LeBron improved since his rookie year and how will he age?
He has improved his physical body - gotten stronger, bigger. That allows him to muscle through everybody and score. His game? Not so much. Shot the same free throw % last season as his rookie year. Still no reliable jumpshot.
Re: What has LeBron improved since his rookie year and how will he age?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ripthekik
He has improved his physical body - gotten stronger, bigger. That allows him to muscle through everybody and score. His game? Not so much. Shot the same free throw % last season as his rookie year. Still no reliable jumpshot.
Lebron of the last 2 years had the worst body of his NBA career. This should be obvious by watching him play.
Re: What has LeBron improved since his rookie year and how will he age?
LeBron's game has improved a lot since his rookie year, and he has refined his skills quite a lot. His defense has gone from Steve Nash-esque to one of the top defenders in the league. A lot of the credit for that has to go to the Olympics team in 2008 imo, but some of the credit has to go to Mike Brown for making him realise defense is what makes a player a champion. If he continues to improve his post game he could easily still be playing at an elite level into his 30's just like Kobe is currently.
As for how he will age he has three viable options to remain dominant.
The first option is simply stay the same way he is now. Continue to play the SF, post up smaller players, and bully his way to the hoop. I don't personally see this as the most effective way for him to remain one of the most impactful players in the NBA, but never the less it is an option for him.
If he decides to go this route I would expect his points to go down under 25 around 32/33, and his rebounds to go down slightly because of diminished leaping ability. Assists should stay roughly the same.
The second option is for him to play the point like Magic. His height would still allow him to guard other guards effectively despite the fact that he will have lost a lot of his athletecism. I would love to see him try this route, but I doubt that he will.
If he decides to go this route, which I would love to see personally, I would expect his points to go under 25, but his assists to go up over 10. Again his rebounds should go down, but this time should go down further because he is farther away from the basket, and his athletecism will have declined. Prediction 5 rebounds.
The third option, and the one that i think we will ultimately see him take is to play the power forward. Even with diminished athletecism he would still be a top 5 athlete at the position well into his 30's. He is big enough to bang effectively in the post, and should still be quick enough to drive past his man off a screen for a dunk/layup.
This is the most viable option for him, and it would allow him to maintain a 25+ ppg average because of offensive rebounding opportunities. I would expect his rebounds to go up because of being closer to the basket at most times. Assists would go down slightly, but 25/10/5 seasons are pretty rare.
Re: What has LeBron improved since his rookie year and how will he age?
He improved his shooting in 05 and 06 he started to improve his defense in 07 but he got worse as a shooter and offensive player. He put it all together in 09 consistent midrange jump shot elite defender close to 80% free throw shooting great passing. In 2010 he got a bit better in every way in 2011 he lost quite a bit athleticism and play making ability but he came a deadly shooter. In 2012 i don't think he improved in any well he got more athletic and his post game kind of improved but mainly he changed his approach. Early in the season he continued to rely on his jumpshot but in the playoffs he played off the ball and more on the inside. Lebron has also bulked up a lot and has improved his rebounding he was pretty average before 08.
Re: What has LeBron improved since his rookie year and how will he age?
He's improved in about every aspect, like many players of his caliber, but mostly in his build, defense, decision making, strategic approach to the game and leadership skills. He's also become a better rebounder and is beginning to look more comfortable in the post.
Re: What has LeBron improved since his rookie year and how will he age?
2004, 2005 - All raw, natural abilities
2006 - Improved jumper
2007 - Improved jumper more
2008 - Improved jumper more, defense improved
2009 - Defense improved more (became total package)
2010 - Total Package
2011 - Lost athleticism / play making ability, improved jumper more
2012 - Changed mindset, matured, regained a tad bit of athleticism, post game slightly improved
Re: What has LeBron improved since his rookie year and how will he age?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Money 23
2004, 2005 - All raw, natural abilities
2006 - Improved jumper
2007 - Improved jumper more
2008 - Improved jumper more, defense improved
2009 - Defense improved more (became total package)
2010 - Total Package
2011 - Lost athleticism / play making ability, improved jumper more
2012 - Changed mindset, matured, regained a tad bit of athleticism, post game slightly improved
What? The biggest improvement Lebron's ever had was in '04-'05. He improved literally every single aspect of his game, many things significantly so. And no, his jumper got worse by any possible measure in 2007 and 2008 compared to '06, what he really improved on in those years was his defense and decision making.
Re: What has LeBron improved since his rookie year and how will he age?
His team mates.
On a serious note he's regressed a bit in terms of getting to the rim but he's developed a serviceable post game and a magnificent near basket/midrange game,
Re: What has LeBron improved since his rookie year and how will he age?
More than anything his mentality. His mental game and post game are far better. He doesn't take long 3 pointers anymore or take tough perimeter jump shots as much as he used to. His mentality is now to attack, post up, and/or pass the ball.
He also knows how to ignore people, and how to win a championship.
What has LeBron improved since his rookie year and how will he age?
Lebron of the last 2 years had the worst body of his NBA career. This should be obvious by watching him play.
