Who is a better athlete at 23? MJ or LJ???

[Andy Jick]

surprised this thread hasn't been moved yet...have no idea what this has to do with the celtics.  i guess Lebron's powers to mesmerize us are stronger than we realize...

[cordobes]

I think the more relevant question should be who is the better basketball player. At their current age I would go with Lebron. I watched MJ play he is probably the best basketball player who has ever played. But, if Lebron ever learns to close games out the way MJ did then he might actually surpass MJ. Keep in mind his age.

At age 24 -- the same age as Lebron will be in about a week -- MJ was putting up significantly better numbers.

Also, defensively, he led the league in steals, and had 1.6 blocks as a guard.  He's significantly better than Lebron on defense.

Statistically, sure. But Lebron is easily the best defender. The versatility he offers is just too valuable.

[celticmaestro]

While I've already made my feelings known on this topic, I'd like to add that I feel a lot more comfortable comparing LeBron to MJ than Kobe to MJ. Not because LeBron is better than Kobe (imo he's not... yet), but because he could get close to MJ. I don't think he'll never overtake Jordan bit I predict that when all is said and done he'll have had a more successful career than Kobe and thus earn the right to a comparison to the best.

[Roy Hobbs]

I think the more relevant question should be who is the better basketball player. At their current age I would go with Lebron. I watched MJ play he is probably the best basketball player who has ever played. But, if Lebron ever learns to close games out the way MJ did then he might actually surpass MJ. Keep in mind his age.

At age 24 -- the same age as Lebron will be in about a week -- MJ was putting up significantly better numbers.

Also, defensively, he led the league in steals, and had 1.6 blocks as a guard.  He's significantly better than Lebron on defense.

Statistically, sure. But Lebron is easily the best defender. The versatility he offers is just too valuable.

Is this one of those things you post just to be controversial?  "Easily" better than MJ?  Jordan was a lock down defender.  Lebron isn't.  Yes, he may have the size to guard more players (although MJ could guard all guards, and probably some SFs if Pippen wasn't on his team), but he doesn't shut down anybody.

[nickagneta]

I think the more relevant question should be who is the better basketball player. At their current age I would go with Lebron. I watched MJ play he is probably the best basketball player who has ever played. But, if Lebron ever learns to close games out the way MJ did then he might actually surpass MJ. Keep in mind his age.

At age 24 -- the same age as Lebron will be in about a week -- MJ was putting up significantly better numbers.

Also, defensively, he led the league in steals, and had 1.6 blocks as a guard.  He's significantly better than Lebron on defense.

Statistically, sure. But Lebron is easily the best defender. The versatility he offers is just too valuable.

Is this one of those things you post just to be controversial?  "Easily" better than MJ?  Jordan was a lock down defender.  Lebron isn't.  Yes, he may have the size to guard more players (although MJ could guard all guards, and probably some SFs if Pippen wasn't on his team), but he doesn't shut down anybody.

After I read that "LeBron is a much bettr defender than MJ" line my mind flashed back to the season opener when on three separate occasions Pierce faked Lebron completely out of his jockstrap. MJ didn't get faked that bad but once or twice a year. Lebron, three times in one game.

[indeedproceed]

At 22 there wasn't an argument, at 23 it was close...as Lebron turns 24 the bar really gets up there.

[QuinielaBox]

I have to give the edge to MJ - quicker and more agile plus a better outside shooter. Lebron has work to do to get to MJ's level.

[JBcat]

Lebron has the luxury of Z and Varejao on his team and now Ben Wallace. All big men superior to most of the front lines Jordan Played with. Williams is a better PG than B.J. Armstrong or Steve Kerr, so the Pippen comment is irrelevant.

Saying that the Cavs right now are better than or close to the Bulls of the 90s is absurd.

Lebron may be a bulldozer, he may be able to jump, and he may be a lot of things. He is not better than Michael Jordan and never will be offensively, defensively or as a team player.

No argument there. He has a long way to go, but the potential is there.

When has Lebron ever taken the game to another level against the best teams in the league and 'willed' his team to win when it matters in the playoffs? It hasnt happened yet, period.

This is exactly what Lebron has done the last two years in the playoffs. How do you think they made the finals, and almost beat us last year?

Lebron and MJ are different animals. Jourdan would still be a  great athlete in today's NBA, but LBJ is a freak of nature. There are simply no athletes in the world like him Usain Bolt, Dwight Howard, etc. The fact that people can even debate between him and MJ (speed, quickness, explosiveness, body control), I think proves LBJ is the better athlete because he's 2in taller and about 40-60lbs heavier. MJ may have been a better athlete relative to the rest of the league when he played, but LBJ is the definition of each generation getting bigger, faster, stronger.

With that said LBJ is nowhere near the competitor prime MJ was, and will probably never get to MJ's level of skill or accomplishment.

Never said the Cavs were better as a team, just that Lebron currently has a better supporting cast of PF/C cummatively on his frontline than Jordan ever had. Jordan had Horace Grant, Dennis Rodman (not even both at the same time) and a cast of centers by committee.

The Bulls of that era were a 'big three' of their own with Jordan/Pippen/Rodman. The supporting cast was not that good and pretty much obscure. None were ever all stars to my knowledge. Harper/Kukoc/Perdue/Kerr/Paxson/Wennington/Longley/Armstrong were not any better or as good as Lebrons current supporting cast IMO.

Lebron did take his team to the playoffs with some success, that is true. He still has never won an NBA championship and that is the true measure of greatness in this league. This is not my rule, just the facts that players are historically graded against.

I think Lebron is a very talented player. I also think he is headed down a short road of success if he doesnt curb his weight gain very soon. No matter how much of an athlete he may be, his body will not hold up long under the strain of that weight he carries.

Charles Barkley was a great athlete that happened to be very thick and heavy in his youth. He wisely lost weight, while maintaining his athleticism and it arguably extended his NBA career for several years.

There are numerous other examples who are not as talented as Lebron but the facts are the same.

Good point how his weight gain could curtail his athleticism as he gets older.  It reminds me of grandmama Larry Johnson who was very athletic early in his career but injuries slowed him down.  Shawn Kemp's weight gain certainly did him in. LBJ will certainly have to watch his weight at 275+ as he gets older it will carry some risk.