Rank in order on who had better first two seasons.

[aj1987]

Wade made the playoffs because he had better teams. I remember him hitting the game winner (a floater against the hornets) but he wasn't the standout star if that team. Odom was there along with several other big time players.

Again, pretty much confirms that you weren't following the NBA back then. People were calling Wade a superstar and he was quite clearly the best player on the Heat. Dude put up 21/4/6/1/1 on 57% and was the best player on the court in the ECSF against a 61 win Pacers team. That team, if you didn't know, had the DPOY (Artest) and a legit rim protecter in O'Neal.

Then Shaq came along. And while 2006 Shaq was a shell of his former self, he was still dominant in 2005 and had a huge case for mvp. Wade played well against the Wizards and great against Detroit. But it's not fair to make an anaolgy given the discrepancy in talent in both teams.

No shit. Shaq was amazing, but the only game Wade missed due to his rib injury, Miami lost in embarrassing fashion, scoring only 66 and losing by 25. Miami was up 3-2 and they could've closed it out making the Finals and quite possibly winning a title. Dude was putting up 30/6/5/1/2 before he went down.

As far as defense goes,that's also unfair. Perimeter olayers are more wary of driving when there's a Shaq behind you guarding the big post. Lebron had Z behind him. Or drew gooden.

Are you actually being serious? Please tell me who the elite rim protecters in '09 and '10 were.

Alright eff off. If you're here to discuss basketball properly, that's fine. It's been 13 years but I was watching lebron since the McDonald's game in 2003. If you weren't that's fine.
Don't melt down and snarkly insinuate that someone didn't watch a player because he disagrees with you about something.

I've been respectful with you throughout this. Maintain decorum.

You're one of the worst trolls on this board. GTFOH with your BS. If you actually did watch LeBron back then, then it's obvious that you're just talking out of your ass about LeBron getting doubled. Prime and peak LeBron didn't get consistently doubled.

[Real14]

Just to let everyone know that I was also a Wade fan back in his first two years. I would put him number 1 but he had Prime Shaq on his team in 05. Melo didn't had any support like Wade, plus played in wild wild west, that's why I put him at the top spot. LeBron failed to make playoffs both seasons in the crappy east, that's why he is last place LeBronze.

[FKAri]

Just to let everyone know that I was also a Wade fan back in his first two years. I would put him number 1 but he had Prime Shaq on his team in 05. Melo didn't had any support like Wade, plus played in wild wild west, that's why I put him at the top spot. LeBron failed to make playoffs both seasons in the crappy east, that's why he is last place LeBronze.

lol @ Real pandering. Nigguh ain't nobody in this thread talking about Melo. Everyone just started discussing Wade vs Lebron

[GrapeApe]

Lebron put up 27/7/7 for the season. He was easily the best. Wade played with prime Shaq that year, who should've been MVP.

If you think 2005 Shaq was in his prime, you never saw prime Shaq.

2005 Wade had the best overall season of the three. The numbers you cited for Lebron in the regular season, Wade put up in the PLAYOFFS. He was a top 3 player in the 2005 playoffs and he was 2-0 without Shaq. If not for his rib injury in the ECF, he would have taken his team to the finals in just his second season. Wade clearly overtook Shaq in the playoffs as the Heat's best and most important player. Shaq had 2 opportunities to step up when Wade was injured and couldn't get it done.

Lebron has little argument above Wade in 2005, and it goes without saying that Wade was better in 2006.

[RRR3]

The Cavs had a winning record in 2005 FWIW.

[Papaya Petee]

The Cavs had a winning record in 2005 FWIW.

Sure, but the difference between 42-40 and 59-23 is huge.
Just like many people thought Wade> LeBron in 2009. But once you include team records and playoff success, everyone knows LeBron had a better season. Same thing in 2005. Numbers wise one could say LeBron> Wade during the regular season, but once you look at Wades great playoff run and team success nobody can possibly believe LeBron had a better year.

[Bankaii]

I think Wade was the best in their rookie season but those using the playoffs as a reason is disingenuous.

In one of those series Wade wasn't even the best player, and even so had Odom and Eddie Jones carrying the load with him. Then he had slightly prime Shaq co-leading with him.

Who was suppose to co-lead young Bron: Big Z or 22 year old Boozer?

[Smoke117]

LMFAO...did real14 sarcastic just call a 32 year old Shaq on Miami in 05 still a prime Shaq? Do you guys actually even watch basketball? Are you being facetious?...because you have to be to say some stupid ass shit like this.

[tpols]

No other moronic Lebron stans would agree you mean...any objective person can easily see Wade was better than Lebron in their first two seasons. It's not enough Lebron is better all time and a top 10 player...you have to manufacture nonsense like this too? Bitch.

[Dragonyeuw]

Wade and Bron were basically equals their first 3 years, or slight edge to Wade given their playoff performance, and were pretty much on par through 2011 minus Wade's injury years. Lebron's overall versatility and physical prowess won out in the end, but it feels so long since Wade has been truly 'elite', that we're forgetting this guy in 2007( pre shoulder injury) was putting up like 29,8,6 on 58% TS. That's close to the kind of numbers( rebounding aside, and Wade is 4 inches shorter and 50 pounds lighter) that 2009 era Bron was putting up and everyone creaming their pants over.

[Human Error]

Season 1 and 2
1. Lebron
2. Wade
3. Carmelo

Season 3 ~ now
1. Lebron
2. Wade
3. Bosh

[raprap]

LeBron didn't make the playoffs in his first two years so this isn't a very good comparison between the 3.

Anyways ill go

Wade
Melo
LeBron

Base on their team success

And

Wade
LeBron
Melo

Base on their individual production.

[NBAGOAT]

Sure, but the difference between 42-40 and 59-23 is huge.
Just like many people thought Wade> LeBron in 2009. But once you include team records and playoff success, everyone knows LeBron had a better season. Same thing in 2005. Numbers wise one could say LeBron> Wade during the regular season, but once you look at Wades great playoff run and team success nobody can possibly believe LeBron had a better year.

no the difference is Lebron had better numbers in 09 too. wade won one big metric which was ppg and it was like 30ppg to 28.5ppg. it's pretty big consensus lebron had a better rs too in 09(look at mvp voting for example). the context is still way different. lebron's best teammate in 09 was a lower tier all star. shaq wasn't prime level but still easily top 5 and had a good argument for being more important than wade during the RS. i still pick wade for 05 but even with lebron missing the PS and wade playing great, it's close since bron had a better rs.

[Papaya Petee]

no the difference is Lebron had better numbers in 09 too. wade won one big metric which was ppg and it was like 30ppg to 28.5ppg. it's pretty big consensus lebron had a better rs too in 09(look at mvp voting for example). the context is still way different. lebron's best teammate in 09 was a lower tier all star. shaq wasn't prime level but still easily top 5 and had a good argument for being more important than wade during the RS. i still pick wade for 05 but even with lebron missing the PS and wade playing great, it's close since bron had a better rs.

Umm what?
Wade averaged more points, assists, steals, blocks, and shot a higher FG% than LeBron in 2008-2009

[NBAGOAT]

Umm what?
Wade averaged more points, assists, steals, blocks, and shot a higher FG% than LeBron in 2008-2009

well i didn't really care much about steals or blocks. srry about the assists but i don't count fg%, it's pretty useless at measuring efficiency for wings especially in today's game where almost every guy takes 3's(i'll only cite it since some people here hate ts% or even efg% for some reason). 59.1 to 57.4 for ts and 53.0 to 51.6 for efg. bron wins all the box score metrics pretty clearly and stuff like rapm too.