Rodman: Lebron would be just an average player in Jordan's era

[CFAN38]

Lebron would have played PF and he would have destroyed.

He could have played Center too. Like a quick Center that would run the floor and make plays and dunk.

In the 80s and 90s teams actually had real centers. There is no way Lebron effectively plays center back then. Hakeem, Robinson,Ewing, Young Shaq, Smits,young mourning, Daughert, Divac. The current NBA is so slim at true center if you exclude duncan as a PF the elite are Marc Gasol, Hibbert, Howard and I guess Bynum. Howard is really big PF size and would have struggled in the 90s.   

[scaryjerry]

a prime Dennis Rodman would probably make Lebron look average

[Juneauz]

I'm gonna remove my green glasses for a second just to say that this statement is ridiculous.

[Eja117]

I think without the roids and PEDs in the 80s when everyone was skinnier Lebron would have had a very different body and might have been a different player. Also the refs wouldn't have treated him like their only son. But I don't think that's what Rodman was talking about

[fairweatherfan]

Lebron would have played PF and he would have destroyed.

Actually one thing I wonder about the hypothetical is if LeBron would've been shunted into being a full-time PG if he'd come into the league during Magic's prime. 

[staticcc]

crazy. then what would pierce, durant, melo, cp3, garnett, wade, duncan and all other players lebron's better than be like in the 80s and 90s? all just average too? I beg to differ.

[timobusa]

Lebron would have played PF and he would have destroyed.

He could have played Center too. Like a quick Center that would run the floor and make plays and dunk.

In the 80s and 90s teams actually had real centers. There is no way Lebron effectively plays center back then. Hakeem, Robinson,Ewing, Young Shaq, Smits,young mourning, Daughert, Divac. The current NBA is so slim at true center if you exclude duncan as a PF the elite are Marc Gasol, Hibbert, Howard and I guess Bynum. Howard is really big PF size and would have struggled in the 90s.

Hakeem was 6'10 Lebron is 6'9 whats the difference? If anything Lebron has the advantage because he is bigger in size, stronger and more athletic. Think Ben Wallace type of Center but can make plays and 100 times better offensively.
 

[BballTim]

Lebron would have played PF and he would have destroyed.

He could have played Center too. Like a quick Center that would run the floor and make plays and dunk.

In the 80s and 90s teams actually had real centers. There is no way Lebron effectively plays center back then. Hakeem, Robinson,Ewing, Young Shaq, Smits,young mourning, Daughert, Divac. The current NBA is so slim at true center if you exclude duncan as a PF the elite are Marc Gasol, Hibbert, Howard and I guess Bynum. Howard is really big PF size and would have struggled in the 90s.

Hakeem was 6'10 Lebron is 6'9 whats the difference? If anything Lebron has the advantage because he is bigger in size, stronger and more athletic. Think Ben Wallace type of Center but can make plays and 100 times better offensively.

  LeBron doesn't defend or rebound like Wallace does and trying to score against good defensive bigs has traditionally been the weakest part of his offensive game. Hakeem would have little trouble scoring on LeBron and would do a pretty good job of keeping LeBron away from the rim on the other end. Not talking about which is the better player, but one was clearly a better center.

[CelticFanInLosAngeles]

Lebron would have played PF and he would have destroyed.

He could have played Center too. Like a quick Center that would run the floor and make plays and dunk.

In the 80s and 90s teams actually had real centers. There is no way Lebron effectively plays center back then. Hakeem, Robinson,Ewing, Young Shaq, Smits,young mourning, Daughert, Divac. The current NBA is so slim at true center if you exclude duncan as a PF the elite are Marc Gasol, Hibbert, Howard and I guess Bynum. Howard is really big PF size and would have struggled in the 90s.

Hakeem was 6'10 Lebron is 6'9 whats the difference? If anything Lebron has the advantage because he is bigger in size, stronger and more athletic. Think Ben Wallace type of Center but can make plays and 100 times better offensively.

Lebron averages a triple-double in the 90's. I don't care for the guy, but when you think about it, Pippen was consider one of the best at that time. Lebron is twice the player Scottie ever was.

[TheTruthFot18]

Just Dennis looking for attention. I'm a constant heat hater but Lebron is great in any era. A 90s comparison would be to say he is pippen with Karl Malone's body.   The worm lost his mind years ago....

Hate the player but respect the game/talent.

[action781]

Lebron would have played PF and he would have destroyed.

He could have played Center too. Like a quick Center that would run the floor and make plays and dunk.

In the 80s and 90s teams actually had real centers. There is no way Lebron effectively plays center back then. Hakeem, Robinson,Ewing, Young Shaq, Smits,young mourning, Daughert, Divac. The current NBA is so slim at true center if you exclude duncan as a PF the elite are Marc Gasol, Hibbert, Howard and I guess Bynum. Howard is really big PF size and would have struggled in the 90s.

Hakeem was 6'10 Lebron is 6'9 whats the difference? If anything Lebron has the advantage because he is bigger in size, stronger and more athletic. Think Ben Wallace type of Center but can make plays and 100 times better offensively.

This is off on so many levels.

Hakeem was 7 feet, not 6'10.

Funny that you misquote Hakeem's height considerably, while also calling Lebron 6'9" when google and nba.com both list him at 6'8".   Hakeem had 3-4 inches on Lebron.  Hence why Hakeem was a center (in an era of true centers) and Lebron is a SF (in an era that lacks front court height).

You're comparing Ben Wallace and Lebron James?  Ben Wallace used to guard centers like Shaq in 2004.  Can you seriously imagine Lebron taking on that task?  Lebron has nowhere near the level of strength and physical toughness to be compared to Ben Wallace.

[crimson_stallion]

Just Dennis looking for attention. I'm a constant heat hater but Lebron is great in any era. A 90s comparison would be to say he is pippen with Karl Malone's body.   The worm lost his mind years ago....

Lebron is not even close to Karl Malone's body...

It's like comparing Thor to the Hulk.  Sure Thor is big,  but the hulk is pure beast.

[BASS_THUMPER]

i really feel he would be seen as an average player in the 90's..
kats was bigger and stronger then..

[BASS_THUMPER]

and how he crys about everything..he would get no respect in the 90's

[Kane3387]

Physically Lebron would be fine, but mentally I don't think he would fair as well.

And it's the mental aspect that separates the greats.

LeBron has grown in the AAU era where everyone at his talent level is coddled and catered too. Everyone is friends, etc.

I feel the competitive nature of players is much weaker today then in the 80s and 90s.

Would he be mentally tough enough to deal with the physical play every night where he doesn't get calls and his competitors generally have a dislike for him?

Players respected each other back then but they didn't like each other all that much. They weren't friends and constantly hugging and going to dinner and stuff after games.

I do think Rodman would own Bosh. I think Pippen would destroy this shadow version of Wade and I think Jordan would obsess over finding the weaknesses in James game so much that it would be on his mind every waking moment. He would dream of it. I think he would find some and he would exploit them.

I think Jordan would own James from a mental standpoint.

I think James would be an All-Star in that era, but he doesn't have the mental toughness consistently, from what I have seen, to dominate that era to the tune of 4 out of 5 MVPs like today.