LeBron James: 5 All-Time Greats Comparisons Besides Michael Jordan
LeBron James is one of the best NBA players to ever lace up a pair of sneakers and he knows has the chance to win a championship with the Miami Heat this season.
A title would further cement his legacy, but people are going overboard with the comparisons of LeBron James and Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan.
Jordan was the best player to ever play the game and when he retired, he took six titles with him.
LeBron is a great all-around player and there will be a place as one of the greats when all is said and done. While he is great, James is no Jordan.
This list is of five players that he could finish near in the all time rankings of NBA players when all is said and done. Enjoy!
5. Oscar Robertson
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Another big time player that compares well to LeBron James would be former Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks forward Oscar Robertson.
Robertson was smaller in size than James was but he was a physical specimen whose likeness the league had never seen before. Robertson was an aggressive player that attacked the rim hard and opened the floor up for teammates.
While LeBron has the size advantage and a two points per game average advantage (27.1 points for LeBron and 25.7 for Robertson), it is Robertson that averaged almost ten assists per game over his career.
I think James is already better than Robertson ever was because he plays in an era that has a lot more skill on the floor for every play.
4. Magic Johnson
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Another comparison that has to be considered to LeBron James now that he is a member of the Miami Heat is that of Magic Johnson.
At time this season, the Heat have called upon James to run their offense from the point and he has looked like Johnson out there.
They are very similar in size and I have always felt that James would be the most effective point guard in history if that’s the role he accepted.
They both play two different positions so the numbers aren’t as comparable, but from a size, speed and style standpoint, Johnson and James are closer than they appear.
3. Dominique Wilkins
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Another comparison that makes a lot of sense is that of LeBron James and Dominique Wilkins.
Atlanta Hawks forward Wilkins was one of the best offensive forwards to ever play the game and his style of attacking the net is very similar to that of James.
They both share that aggressive streak that can get them to the hoop and to the foul line. Both James and Wilkins could also throw down some great dunks.
While Wilkins averaged 24.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game over his career, he trails James in every major statistical average.
The question will be whether or not James can keep it up for his whole career like Wilkins did for his.
2. Larry Bird
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While I believe they have some of the same qualities, I still believe that former Boston Celtics forward Larry Bird is a better all around player than LeBron James.
There is still plenty of time in his career to prove otherwise, but until he proves his defensive merit over his entire career and dominates the postseason like Bird, he will not be as good.
James is the perfect small forward and this postseason has really shown that his defense can be as good as his offense.
Bird averaged 24.3 points, 10 rebounds and 6.3 assists a game over his career and while he may trail in points and assists per game against LeBron’s averages, James has a long way to go to match the career achievements of Bird.
1. Elgin Baylor
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I think one of the strongest comparisons that can be made to LeBron James would be that of Lakers forward Elgin Baylor.
While Baylor was smaller than James in stature, his play on the court was more consistent than James’ ever was.
Through Baylor’s stellar career, he averaged 27.4 points, 13.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. James on the other hand, has averaged 27.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game.
These two players may not have had the same body and play style, but their numbers are very similar.
