Is LeBron the best rebounding SF ever?

[ProfessorMurder]

I think Melo is a better rebounder than LeBron, even though he averages less.

[kurple]

you put Larry Bird and Lebron on the same court against each other, who gonna get more rebounds?

when did you become such a bad poster?

[Pointguard]

I think yall already covered the proven top three, which would be really hard to crack: Rodman/Baylor/Bird.

Lebron definitely has a case. Lebron is the only one that could be a pure Small Forward/Point Forward and rebound the way he rebounds. Rodman wasn't really a small forward by any measure of the stick - he was a defensive rebounding forward his entire career as he never had SF responsibilities offensively at all (flank the wings, score, pass, shoot, help with handling the rock, post, etc).

The argument against Bird is that he rarely guarded SF's and usually guarded PF's which made rebounding alot easier. He couldn't guard Durant effectively and rebound like Lebron - to be honest, I doubt that anybody could. Lebron would have to be fourth but he was by far the greatest multitasking rebounding SF ever, in a class all of his own like Wilt and KG are at their positions.

[OldSchoolBBall]

you put Larry Bird and Lebron on the same court against each other, who gonna get more rebounds?

Easily Bird.

[Kingwillball]

Easily Bird.

Not Easy if Lebron focused on Rebounds.. He is averaging 10 Rebounds per gm since 2nd round of Playoffs..

[Round Mound]

Not Easy if Lebron focused on Rebounds.. He is averaging 10 Rebounds per gm since 2nd round of Playoffs..

Bird Averaged 15.3 RPG in a Finals Series

[(e)]

I'd say no, although he is a good rebounder. I think he makes it a point to go after rebounds (as he should). As a whole, Miami isn't all that great on the glass - which makes it easier for Lebron to shine.

Put him on a team with Noah, Taj, Boozer and Asik and I doubt he gets more boards than Luol Deng does. Not taking away from Lebron, just saying with his abilities and his situation, he's able to shine with his numbers.

[eliteballer]

Bird was also competing with McHale and Parish for boards.

Marion averaged double digit boards some years.

There are a lot of good rebounding SFs

Seriously, Bron averages 1.2 offensive boards for his career. That is NOT good

[Owl]

I would add Anthony Mason and Jerome Lane to the list. Charles Barkley played a lot of 3 for the 1st half of his career too.

I would also suggest that Baylor played in an era before their was a great distinction between the different forward positions (at least so far as I'm aware), so it could be argued that he was a power rather than small forward (Breaks of the Game refers to him as such, but includes someone opining that he was actually a power forward, iirc). He was also called Mr Inside to Jerry West's Mr Outside. Anyway I'd defer to someone who knows how the Lakers lined up, but it seems to me that his position was at least fluid.

So no LeBron isn't the best rebounder ever at the SF, in part, perhaps, because his other responsibilities require him not to be in a position to do so, but he is certainly amongst the best. And this playoffs (playing some pf) he has shown tremendous ability on the boards.

[Owl]

Bird was also competing with McHale and Parish for boards.

Marion averaged double digit boards some years.

There are a lot of good rebounding SFs

Seriously, Bron averages 1.2 offensive boards for his career. That is NOT good

And if the question were is LeBron a great offensive rebounder the answer would be no. But then he's rarely in a position to crash the boards on offense in any case.
So whilst he, as shown by many posters, isn't the best, judging him based on offensive rebounds is hardly fair.

[97 bulls]

Rebounding can often be more a matter of design than anything else. Bird and players like him that may start at SF but play defense vs the weaker of the two forwards and tend to hangg around the post. Which would net him more rebounds. Then you have perimeter oriented forwards that may not have had as many rebounds due to their role on defense.

Then you also must include the other bigs.

As well as how many great rebounder are in the league as a whole. Lebron James plays in a leagu full of terrible rebounding bigs

[no pun intended]

[G-train]

Lebron is basically a guard getting power forward rebound numbers, pretty amazing stuff. That is a core key to his great play, 6'8 250 playing guard.
Regardless its probably Bird, but it is debateable, and that is pretty good company to be debateable with.

[chips93]

you put Larry Bird and Lebron on the same court against each other, who gonna get more rebounds?

logic and reasoning would suggest bird, consdering he has put up better rebounding numbers, despite playing alongside much better rebounders (parish&mchale >>>bosh&heats scrub center)

racial prejudices would suggest lebron

[gtfomyface]

shawn marion?