Will Lebron ever surpass Bird at the SF GOAT?

[Wazmankg]

DJ is also in the HOF -- so let's make that 4 -- joining Larry in his 4th season. (I won't count Bill Walton who was an old stiff guy by '86)

Cowens & Maravich his 1st season.. they were at the end of the line, though. But yeah, got to hand it to Larry for sticking with that ragtag bunch.

 

[bksballer89]

No.

Bird was clutch and he didn't jump around from team to team trying to be on the next super team. He worked hard for his team to get better and help make his teammates better.

I really hope this is a joke.

 

[The Derski]

Don't know if it's relevant or not but LeBron would absolutely demolish Bird in one on one.

 

[SDPaddlefish]

Can you imagine LeBron vs Bird one on one in their primes? 21-6 LeBron.

Doesn't matter when considering who was better. A one on one game takes away a critical aspect of the game where Bird was superior to LeBron (and everyone else except Magic), that being court awareness. Bird always knew where everyone was and anticipating where they would go next. He was always anticipating what players from both teams would do next. B-ball is a team game and this court awareness is what raised
Bird to the superstar level.

 

[peyton0813]

I think that Lebron James has already passed him. He is more skillful than Bird was. Lebron can really do anything shoot, drive to the hoop, and rebound.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Is this thread a few years old or something?

 

[Shanemansj13]

Pretty sure he already has. The only question now is where he will rank among MJ, Kareem and Magic.

4th as we speak

 

[Carnzo]

I'l take Lebron but I won't be happy about it.
The Bird is the word

 

[Shanemansj13]

Can you imagine LeBron vs Bird one on one in their primes? 21-6 LeBron.

I would take Lebron but Bird was as physical as they come. I think it would be a very close game and I think Bird could hang 1-on-1 with anyone, including MJ. He was a such a great competitor

 

[Shanemansj13]

No.

Bird was clutch and he didn't jump around from team to team trying to be on the next super team. He worked hard for his team to get better and help make his teammates better.

lmao Lebron is exactly that. He makes his teammates better, for example Kyrie. It's like you don't watch basketball lol

 

[WiggyRuss]

lmao Lebron is exactly that. He makes his teammates better, for example Kyrie. It's like you don't watch basketball lol

LeBron's leadership and work ethic is 2nd to none.

His competivieness might not be pathologicial like a Jordan or Kobe or even Bird to a certain extent----- but he is an amazing teammate and makes everyone around him so much better.

I mean- look at that game last night. Korver hadnt scored 29 since he was with the Sixers against the Knicks-and STEPHON MARBURY AND EDDY CURRY were on the Knicks.

all of a sudden at age 36 he goes for 29 points on 12 shots?--- i love Korver----- but there is one guy that makes that all possible.

I REALLY love Kyrie's game, obviously, but Kyrie has benefited enormously from LeBron- not only just from on the floor stuff- but leadership, knowing how to win etc.

LEBron is 32. I agree with @trojanfan12 that right now LeBron is in the top 5- but there are certainly arguments that a few guys are still ahead of him like kareem, magic, jordan, ----- but considering he is only 32 and still have some prime years left- there is no reason why i think LeBron will retire as anything less than a fairly solid consensus as the 2nd best ever.....

i think that he is REALLY REALLY close if not already passed Magic- but considering LeBron is sitll going im okay for deferring to Magic for right now (though- strangely enough- LEBron has already played dozens more games then Magic did in his career).

 

[Mebert]

Can you imagine LeBron vs Bird one on one in their primes? 21-6 LeBron.

Lebron has passed Bird, but the 1 on 1 argument is not relevant.

I am willing to bet that Jamal Crawford would beat the majority of the league 1 on 1, nobody considers him elite.

 

[broncosmitty]

Unless Bird decides to call offensive fouls when Lebron inevitably bull rushes his way to the basket.

Or if Bird gets in his head and makes him cry.

 

[trojanfan12]

4th as we speak

That's where I have him too. I think MJ is unattainable, but with couple more titles, I could see him passing Magic and maybe Kareem.

 

[trojanfan12]

i think that he is REALLY REALLY close if not already passed Magic- but considering LeBron is sitll going im okay for deferring to Magic for right now (though- strangely enough- LEBron has already played dozens more games then Magic did in his career).

He's gonna need another ring or 2 to pass Magic. As for Lebron playing dozens more games, he's in his 14th year compared to Magic playing 13 years. Lebron is 32, when Magic was 32, he had to retire from the league. So, nothing strange about it.

So basically, Magic accomplished more in less time.

 

[WiggyRuss]

He's gonna need another ring or 2 to pass Magic. As for Lebron playing dozens more games, he's in his 14th year compared to Magic playing 13 years. Lebron is 32, when Magic was 32, he had to retire from the league. So, nothing strange about it.

So basically, Magic accomplished more in less time.

longevity is a concern though for Magic when you have him so high all time. Out of all those guys that are way up there- he is definitely at the very very very very low end.

playing at a All NBA level for an extra 4-5 years and a few hundred extra games is extremely significant.

 

[logic]

No.

Bird was clutch and he didn't jump around from team to team trying to be on the next super team. He worked hard for his team to get better and help make his teammates better.

You do realize that there was no unrestricted free agency until 1988. Even if he wanted to he could not have jumped around from team to team as the Celtics had the right to match any offer that was made, and they definitely would have for Bird. This and, as others have stated, he was already on a super team; unless he was jumping to the Lakers any jump would have been a step down.

 

[DJ]

He's gonna need another ring or 2 to pass Magic. As for Lebron playing dozens more games, he's in his 14th year compared to Magic playing 13 years. Lebron is 32, when Magic was 32, he had to retire from the league. So, nothing strange about it.

So basically, Magic accomplished more in less time.

Yep. And Magic went to college so he had less time in the NBA than James who jumped to the league straight from HS.

 

[trojanfan12]

longevity is a concern though for Magic when you have him so high all time. Out of all those guys that are way up there- he is definitely at the very very very very low end.

playing at a All NBA level for an extra 4-5 years and a few hundred extra games is extremely significant.

I think it depends on why the player's career was shortened. Magic didn't just decide to walk away from the game at 32. He was forced to retire.

He played, so far, 1 fewer season than Lebron has and still has a better resume. If they end up with the same number of rings, or even if Lebron only gets 4, you can use longevity as another tiebreaker. But as of now, Lebron has work to do to catch him.

Fortunately for Lebron, he has time to get the work done. Now we just need to see if he can.

 

[larryjohn]

You do realize that there was no unrestricted free agency until 1988. Even if he wanted to he could not have jumped around from team to team as the Celtics had the right to match any offer that was made, and they definitely would have for Bird. This and, as others have stated, he was already on a super team; unless he was jumping to the Lakers any jump would have been a step down.

He would have had to do it the old fashioned way -- just force the team to trade him -- like Kareem did to the Bucks.