LeBron needs to lose weight

[Samurai Swoosh]

Yes, I said it.

And this isn't another excessive criticisms of LeBron that has been en-vogue since July 2010.

I'm saying it based off what I have seen this year, and after just having watched highlights of his from 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 (he really started bulking up more last year)

But he needs to lose some weight to regain some of his explosive quickness and leaping ability.

What's the point of him being as big as he is if he doesn't play in the post, doesn't rebound, and now due to his size and maybe age and mileage catching up to him (seeing as how he can't score and play diverse enough basketball with his skills to warrant being slower) can't blow by defenders with his first step?

His first step used to be lethal. Watching his game highlights up until last year, he would explode by people and rise up. I've noticed this year he's getting a little less higher on dunks, but the more noticeable thing to me is that he isn't just exploding by people anymore already at only 25 years old.

Against the Knicks and Wizards I saw him have to make extra moves with the ball that just a year or two ago he didn't have to in order to get by people. He wasn't exactly blowing by Gallinari, and Nick Young stayed in front of him fairly well too.

Does anyone else not think he needs to regain his explosiveness in order to be truly effective? I mean as of right now the Heat are ballin, and he's a great sidekick to what Wade has been doing. But I think with a little less weight, and more quickness and explosion, the Heat would be even more dangerous.

His body needs to be where it was at in 2007 and 2008, specifically. Right now he's built like Karl Malone, but trying to play like smooth, sleek, doberman-esque Scottie Pippen of the early to late 90's.

Anyone else agree?

[B-Low]

Losing the ego would take him down to about 230 or so. That's a start.

[ShaqAttack3234]

Yes, I said it.

And this isn't another excessive criticisms of LeBron that has been en-vogue since July 2010.

I'm saying it based off what I have seen this year, and after just having watched highlights of his from 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 (he really started bulking up more last year)

But he needs to lose some weight to regain some of his explosive quickness and leaping ability.

What's the point of him being as big as he is if he doesn't play in the post, doesn't rebound, and now due to his size and maybe age and mileage catching up to him (seeing as how he can't score and play diverse enough basketball with his skills to warrant being slower) can't blow by defenders with his first step?

His first step used to be lethal. Watching his game highlights up until last year, he would explode by people and rise up. I've noticed this year he's getting a little less higher on dunks, but the more noticeable thing to me is that he isn't just exploding by people anymore already at only 25 years old.

Against the Knicks and Wizards I saw him have to make extra moves with the ball that just a year or two ago he didn't have to in order to get by people. He wasn't exactly blowing by Gallinari, and Nick Young stayed in front of him fairly well too.

Lebron's strength helps him finish with contact, he does this better than any perimeter player I've seen in a long time. He played his best basketball in 2009 and 2010 and he was already big. Being 6'8" and 265 or whatever he is with his ball handling skills and his athleticism(which is still great), is part of what makes him so tough to defend.

and he's a great sidekick to what Wade has been doing.

[StillKill24]

Losing the ego would take him down to about 230 or so. That's a start.

[LEFT4DEAD]

Yes, I said it.

And this isn't another excessive criticisms of LeBron that has been en-vogue since July 2010.

I'm saying it based off what I have seen this year, and after just having watched highlights of his from 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 (he really started bulking up more last year)

But he needs to lose some weight to regain some of his explosive quickness and leaping ability.

What's the point of him being as big as he is if he doesn't play in the post, doesn't rebound, and now due to his size and maybe age and mileage catching up to him (seeing as how he can't score and play diverse enough basketball with his skills to warrant being slower) can't blow by defenders with his first step?

His first step used to be lethal. Watching his game highlights up until last year, he would explode by people and rise up. I've noticed this year he's getting a little less higher on dunks, but the more noticeable thing to me is that he isn't just exploding by people anymore already at only 25 years old.

Against the Knicks and Wizards I saw him have to make extra moves with the ball that just a year or two ago he didn't have to in order to get by people. He wasn't exactly blowing by Gallinari, and Nick Young stayed in front of him fairly well too.

Does anyone else not think he needs to regain his explosiveness in order to be truly effective? I mean as of right now the Heat are ballin, and he's a great sidekick to what Wade has been doing. But I think with a little less weight, and more quickness and explosion, the Heat would be even more dangerous.

His body needs to be where it was at in 2007 and 2008, specifically. Right now he's built like Karl Malone, but trying to play like smooth, sleek, doberman-esque Scottie Pippen of the early to late 90's.

Anyone else agree?

Damn! For a moment I tought you were talking about some scrub who is getting 20 min per game and scoring 10 ppg and is in his 30's.

[CMsam]

Lebron's strength helps him finish with contact, he does this better than any perimeter player I've seen in a long time. He played his best basketball in 2009 and 2010 and he was already big. Being 6'8" and 265 or whatever he is with his ball handling skills and his athleticism(which is still great), is part of what makes him so tough to defend.

I think it's a fair question to ask if a leaner Lebron might be a bit more explosive. The guy is right that its not like Lebron bangs around in the post.

[ImmortalD24]

I think his weight is fine. Although, it does seem as though LeBron reached his peak in mid 2007.

[LA_Showtime]

He doesn't need to right now. He's playing fine. He'll probably shed some weight once his athleticism declines, though.

[TAZORAC]

Yes, I said it.

And this isn't another excessive criticisms of LeBron that has been en-vogue since July 2010.

I'm saying it based off what I have seen this year, and after just having watched highlights of his from 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 (he really started bulking up more last year)

But he needs to lose some weight to regain some of his explosive quickness and leaping ability.

What's the point of him being as big as he is if he doesn't play in the post, doesn't rebound, and now due to his size and maybe age and mileage catching up to him (seeing as how he can't score and play diverse enough basketball with his skills to warrant being slower) can't blow by defenders with his first step?

His first step used to be lethal. Watching his game highlights up until last year, he would explode by people and rise up. I've noticed this year he's getting a little less higher on dunks, but the more noticeable thing to me is that he isn't just exploding by people anymore already at only 25 years old.

Against the Knicks and Wizards I saw him have to make extra moves with the ball that just a year or two ago he didn't have to in order to get by people. He wasn't exactly blowing by Gallinari, and Nick Young stayed in front of him fairly well too.

Does anyone else not think he needs to regain his explosiveness in order to be truly effective? I mean as of right now the Heat are ballin, and he's a great sidekick to what Wade has been doing. But I think with a little less weight, and more quickness and explosion, the Heat would be even more dangerous.

His body needs to be where it was at in 2007 and 2008, specifically. Right now he's built like Karl Malone, but trying to play like smooth, sleek, doberman-esque Scottie Pippen of the early to late 90's.

Anyone else agree?

not at all, thats why he get's so many AND 1'S

[alenleomessi]

He is just fine

No homo

[Harrison_Barnes]

He is just fine

No homo

I agree with you.. although OP does make a good point.. I just believe that he will only need to start cutting weight when his athleticism really starts to decline.

Oh and by the way.. saying no homo makes you look like a homo.

[ShaqAttack3234]

Strength in finishing at the rim doesn't come from physical size. At all. It takes strength, but more mental and skillful than it is brute strength. And like I said, he was still leaner in 2009 then he was in 2010.

You act like LeBron wasn't a great finisher pre 2010. He was still the game's most powerful finisher at the rim. He was still a diesel physique in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. Now he's just bigger for no reason, and he is visibly slower off the dribble.

Playing devil's advocate what's the point in being "big" to finish at the rim (even though I told you that is moot) if he can't even get to the rim as regularly off the dribble as he used to because he's carrying excess weight?

People are so consumed with size, he was a smoother player in year's past than what I've seen from him this year. He needs to be quicker. He's not playing in the post where he's taking a lot of punishment.

I don't see that big of a difference in Lebron's physique between 2009 and 2010. And 2010 was Lebron's best or second best season, rivaled only by 2009 when he was still 260+ in 2009.

Regardless of whether Lebron wasn't as explosive athletically in 2010, he was still a much better player than he was in 2007 for example.

And yes, Wade has been their best player in the vast majority of their wins. They struggled mightily when he wasn't playing well, but viola ... what do you know, a huge winning streak occurs once Wade played himself into shape like he always does every season, garners player of the week award, and the Heat have been rolling ever since they have let Wade do more with the ball, and not worry about walking on toes of LeBron's and Bosh's games. Wade is the better player. He's also finally playing defense, and rebounding at a very nice rate for a 6'4 SG ...

So Wade gets a pass for playing like shit when they lose just because they win when he plays well?

Wade

Wins- 25.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 4.3 apg, 54 FG%, 2.7 TO
Losses- 18.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 3.9 apg, 34.2 FG%, 4.9 TO

Lebron

Wins- 23.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 7 apg, 49.7 FG%, 3.6 TO
Losses- 26 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 7.6 apg, 40.7 FG%, 4.4 TO

Wade may be better in wins, but we can't disregard his poor play in losses. I mean when you're shooting 34% and averaging 1 more turnover than assist, you're hurting the team.

At worst, Lebron and Wade are 1A/1B, but it's still too early to call either of them a sidekick, particularly Lebron who is leading the team in scoring and assists.

If either of them is a "sidekick" it's Wade, they've both been up and down this season, so it'll take a lot more than 29 games(games in which Wade hasn't even been better than Lebron in on average) for me to even call it reasonable to call Lebron a sidekick considering Lebron has been better since Wade's injury in 2007.

Isn't your whole argument against Kobe being called a sidekick in 2001 and 2002 that he was still an elite player? Well, that's a big double standard because Lebron and Wade are both elite players regardless of who is number 1 and number 2 on the team.

[evilmonkey]

LOL

[ace_gold_26]

Wow another lebron hater. I had enough of who is the sidekick its none both wade and lebron are superstars.

[knightfall88]

Wow another lebron hater. I had enough of who is the sidekick its none both wade and lebron are superstars.

and when the time comes, I bet both them are going to win the FMVP?