Where Does Lebron Rank All Time

[Ilikesports17]

Wow. Just Wow.

Im going to hate hearing all the Hot Takes this week, but Lebron James this series was absolutely terrific. I know Kyrie brought it tonight, and the Draymond issue, but the fact is that Lebron James carried his team to a ring. Hes been to 7 finals, 6 in a row and now he completely dominated a series against a 73 win massive favorite. I thought they were dead in the water after 2 games. I could not fathom them coming back and it took a Herculean effort. He now has 3 titles and more importantly he finally won the one he wasnt supposed to win. Huge boost to King James resume. I hate him, I really do, but you have to recognize greatness. I think tonights performance puts him at #2 overall, but I never watched many of the greats (Bird, Johnson, Jordan) play, so I may be prisoner of the moment/generation. That said, his resume is really impressive with tonights win. Prior to this series I would have put him maybe 5th, but Magic and Bird, for me, dont have anything that can quite match this series win.

What does everyone think?

Again, Im a 20 year old kid, my first favorite player was Gerald Green(i.e. I have no Edited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline.n idea what Im talking about half the time) , Id like to hear what the old heads think.

One things for sure, Lebron James is the best Ive ever seen.

[PhoSita]

He's in the conversation right behind Jordan along with Kareem, Magic, and Russell.

If he stays on his current trajectory I think he will end up with a very strong argument for #1.

[Clench123]

I would say 3rd

[Banner18now!]

Wow. Just Wow.

Im going to hate hearing all the Hot Takes this week, but Lebron James this series was absolutely terrific. I know Kyrie brought it tonight, and the Draymond issue, but the fact is that Lebron James carried his team to a ring. Hes been to 7 finals, 6 in a row and now he completely dominated a series against a 73 win massive favorite. I thought they were dead in the water after 2 games. I could not fathom them coming back and it took a Herculean effort. He now has 3 titles and more importantly he finally won the one he wasnt supposed to win. Huge boost to King James resume. I hate him, I really do, but you have to recognize greatness. I think tonights performance puts him at #2 overall, but I never watched many of the greats (Bird, Johnson, Jordan) play, so I may be prisoner of the moment/generation. That said, his resume is really impressive with tonights win. Prior to this series I would have put him maybe 5th, but Magic and Bird, for me, dont have anything that can quite match this series win.

What does everyone think?

Again, Im a 20 year old kid, my first favorite player was Gerald Green(i.e. I have no ****n idea what Im talking about half the time) , Id like to hear what the old heads think.

One things for sure, Lebron James is the best Ive ever seen.

Bird in 84 beating a favored Lakers team. Magic his rookie year playing center no less in a game beating a favored team. Bird and Magic had their moments but people who didn't watch back then don't realize it. I would put Lebron somewhere around 6-9. Again his career isn't over. Also many factors have allowed him to go to 6 straight NBA finals. What competition did he have in the East the last 6 years?? An aging Celtics team in 2012? He had no great teams to get by. Again great athletic player, rebounder, defender, passer but Magic and Bird were better in their prime. 

[Vox_Populi]

I don't think there have been 5 players better than him. There might even be less.

[oldtype]

Clear third at this point imo.  Only Jordan and Russell are ahead.

[Ilikesports17]

I have no idea what to do with Russell because that NBA was so different from todays.

I can at least say Ive gone back and watched a bunch of Larry Bird and Michael Jordan games, Ive only seen grainy snippets of Russell.

[tarheelsxxiii]

17th

[LarBrd33]

Definitely top 5.  His resume is better than Jordan at the same age.  He has a chance to go down as the greatest ever and one could make the case that if you Ignored the context of competition, surrounding talent, etc - he's the greatest basketball player the world has ever seen. 

What I mean by that is - basketball isn't an individual sport.  Whether you like it or not, who a player has on his team and who he plays against makes a huge difference.  Pippen lead the Bulls to 55 wins when Jordan left.   Brons teams couldn't even make the playoffs after he left.   And nobody has ever successfully defeated a 73 win defending champion.  But if we are putting all of these guys in a draft and trying to build a team around one player - I think there's a legitimate case to be made that Lebron would be the #1 pick. 

When we rank players we consider their resume.  That's totally fine.  But if we are asking who the best player ever is - that might legitimately be Lebron. His combination of skill, size and athleticism is unprecedented.

Consider this...  I genuinely believe that if I had the #1 pick in the 1984 draft, I'd still take Hakeem over Jordan.  Just the simple fact that you know Hakeem will make your team a contender in that era regardless of surrounding talent.  As incredible as Jordan was, his team failed to finish above .500 for his first 3 seasons and it wasn't until another hall of famer joined him that his team had a winning season.  Whereas, with Hakeem you know that the 7 footer is going to give you team a chance to contend every season regardless of the talent you put around him.  There's also a chance that Jordan doesn't become Jordan if he doesn't have the same experiences he had early on in Chicago.  Hakeem is a safe bet.  Alt universe Jordan will still be a superstar, but in a big mans game he might not end up with the right supporting cast to win 6 titles.

[celticmania]

Can you guys finally admit he's better than Bird please?

[Ilikesports17]

Can you guys finally admit he's better than Bird please?

Prior to this series his resume, in my opinion was inferior to Bird's. Now it is superior, and he looks like he will only add to it.

Only thing that can knock him down now would be a PED scandal.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

Definitely top 5.  His resume is better than Jordan at the same age.  He has a chance to go down as the greatest ever and one could make the case that if you Ignored the context of competition, surrounding talent, etc - he's the greatest basketball player the world has ever seen. 

What I mean by that is - basketball isn't an individual sport.  Whether you like it or not, who a player has on his team and who he plays against makes a huge difference.  Pippen lead the Bulls to 55 wins when Jordan left.   Brons teams couldn't even make the playoffs after he left.   And nobody has ever successfully defeated a 73 win defending champion.  But if we are putting all of these guys in a draft and trying to build a team around one player - I think there's a legitimate case to be made that Lebron would be the #1 pick. 

When we rank players we consider their resume.  That's totally fine.  But if we are asking who the best player ever is - that might legitimately be Lebron. His combination of skill, size and athleticism is unprecedented.

Consider this...  I genuinely believe that if I had the #1 pick in the 1984 draft, I'd still take Hakeem over Jordan.  Just the simple fact that you know Hakeem will make your team a contender in that era regardless of surrounding talent.  As incredible as Jordan was, his team failed to finish above .500 for his first 3 seasons and it wasn't until another hall of famer joined him that his team had a winning season.  Whereas, with Hakeem you know that the 7 footer is going to give you team a chance to contend every season regardless of the talent you put around him.  There's also a chance that Jordan doesn't become Jordan if he doesn't have the same experiences he had early on in Chicago.  Hakeem is a safe bet.  Alt universe Jordan will still be a superstar, but in a big mans game he might not end up with the right supporting cast to win 6 titles.

I see you keep saying that but let's not act like that team was the same players only without LBJ.

[chiken Green]

The highest Lebron can reach is 2..
The guy who sits at the top has never been beaten in 6 Finals.. The confetti has never come down with someone else crying holding the Trophy..  There is no human being playing that can say they bested that man in the finals..
People scrambled to form teams to combat that man and they all failed..
At this point Lebron will be lucky to break even with Championships..   
Yes he is a physical Specimen but His Clutch Gene is d@mn near Non Existent.. 
IF you asked Tim Duncan who was the Greatest player of his Era he should rightfully say himself - he beat the man 2 out of 3 (last time he beat him he was old as heck)

Right now he is Along side of Bird and behind Duncan, Magic and Kobe..  He could possibly catch those guys.. but He has to many finals losses to ever be the Goat.
big one though being down 3-1 against the GS.. Much respect for that one.. (but lets not get carried away)

[DarkAzcura]

The highest Lebron can reach is 2..
The guy who sits at the top has never been beaten in 6 Finals.. The confetti has never come down with someone else crying holding the Trophy..  There is no human being playing that can say they bested that man in the finals..
People scrambled to form teams to combat that man and they all failed..
At this point Lebron will be lucky to break even with Championships..   
Yes he is a physical Specimen but His Clutch Gene is d@mn near Non Existent.. 
IF you asked Tim Duncan who was the Greatest player of his Era he should rightfully say himself - he beat the man 2 out of 3 (last time he beat him he was old as heck)

Right now he is Along side of Bird and behind Duncan, Magic and Kobe..  He could possibly catch those guys.. but He has to many finals losses to ever be the Goat.
big one though being down 3-1 against the GS.. Much respect for that one.. (but lets not get carried away)

Not saying Lebron is better than Jordan at all, but using the 6-0 as reasoning isn't entirely great. Jordan went to the playoffs 13 times in his career. He won the championship 6 times. He was bested in the playoffs 7 times. So you are right that no one has ever bested him in the Finals, but many teams beat him in the playoffs still. Lebron has been to the Finals 7 times, which is something to take note of still. It's similar to the Brady/Montana situation in a way.

It's also important to note that by the time Jordan was 31, he had played in 3 Finals, while Lebron has played in 7. That's pretty insane.

[guava_wrench]

The highest Lebron can reach is 2..
The guy who sits at the top has never been beaten in 6 Finals.. The confetti has never come down with someone else crying holding the Trophy..  There is no human being playing that can say they bested that man in the finals..
People scrambled to form teams to combat that man and they all failed..
At this point Lebron will be lucky to break even with Championships..   
Yes he is a physical Specimen but His Clutch Gene is d@mn near Non Existent.. 
IF you asked Tim Duncan who was the Greatest player of his Era he should rightfully say himself - he beat the man 2 out of 3 (last time he beat him he was old as heck)

Right now he is Along side of Bird and behind Duncan, Magic and Kobe..  He could possibly catch those guys.. but He has to many finals losses to ever be the Goat.
big one though being down 3-1 against the GS.. Much respect for that one.. (but lets not get carried away)

Not saying Lebron is better than Jordan at all, but using the 6-0 as reasoning isn't entirely great. Jordan went to the playoffs 13 times in his career. He won the championship 6 times. He was bested in the playoffs 7 times. So you are right that no one has ever bested him in the Finals, but many teams beat him in the playoffs still. Lebron has been to the Finals 7 times, which is something to take note of still. It's similar to the Brady/Montana situation in a way.

It's also important to note that by the time Jordan was 31, he had played in 3 Finals, while Lebron has played in 7. That's pretty insane.

This is a great point. Finals losses are not a big deal. Making it to the finals is a great accomplishment.

What Jordan has though is that at his peak, he was undefeated in the playoffs 6 times in a row and then retired. Essentially, once he hit his peak, he never lost a playoff series.

Personally though, I find ranking players all-time to be a silly activity.