Lebron vs Hakeem.

[DMAVS41]

No. Many times though. Im talking for today. His advantage over his peers would be much greater than theirs for the most part.

Kobe id take him over every time as well though. I suspect that leads into a "Why Magic/Bird at times and not Kobe/Lebron" thing that would make it seem like an old school/new school issue but it isnt. Hakeem is from the same era they are in a way. Shit if Magic went to 4 years of college he would have come in in what....81 or so?

I dont think Hakeem is flat better than all of them. But I think he would need to do the least to stand out these days.

Not at all. I was just curious.

I guess I don't see how you can say you'd take Hakeem every time, but that is fine. I wouldn't obviously.

Although I do think it's a little difficult to defend your taking of Hakeem every time over Lebron...and not every time over Bird or Magic (especially with the defensive part of your argument)...but that is just me.

[pauk]

Got alot of work cut out for me here, lol... ill try reply as much as possible when i get home.

[VIntageNOvel]

Got alot of work cut out for me here, lol... ill try reply as much as possible when i get home.

writing another essay

[Sarcastic]

Disagree. Players like Al Jeff, Dwight Howard, Zach Randolph, Aldridge, etc would be force-fed the ball back in the 80's and 90's.

People love to diminish Howard as some no skilled, muscle pumped douche, but in reality he has plenty of skills that translate well, hence why he does score at an efficient rate. He'd be a good center in any era.

Al Jefferson, Dwight Howard, Zach Randolph, and Aldridge are no where near the skill level of Hakeem Olajuwon.

Do you think people will pay $10,000 for a week to learn post moves from Dwight Howard? I seriously doubt it.

[Pointguard]

Magic and Bird brought the game to a different level. They decentralized the game. In its most basic form the center is closest to the basic and likely to get the easiest shots. But when thinker/skilled players came to the game it was like bringing an air dimension to a ground game or turning checkers to chess. You can flank a center by nature of his local. But try catching a guy that can fly and can be anywhere. Shaq was the most dominant center in modern times but he was a clear second to Jordan. With the way most of you rank players, Hakeem wouldn't be in this conversation if baseball wasn't in Jordan's heart.

I give Hakeem the individual defensive edge. He's is straight up better. But the team and mental aspect is way to much to overlook overall.

With four other players on the court and Lebron's influence on them is just going to give you more impact. Lebron's figuring out offenses at a level Hakeem simply can't and could not affect. Too many players on Miami overflow with crazy confidence.

Hakeem was one of the few centers that played the full Wilt model of center responsibilities. Score, Rebound, protect the paint, block, pass out of double teams, etc. If you are a traditionalist he's doing all of this, together, at the highest level in modern times.

Lebron is unique in that his level of responsibility from the perimeter is as complete in obvious responsibilities. But there is a big difference. Lebron adapts at levels Hakeem never could. Lebron can ignite his team into the best running team in the league. Or he can slow the game down. He can choose which players he wants to get on. He can flip the opponents game plan on them. He can go outside if they pack the game in. He will penetrate or post if they don't. He can do all of this on the fly with his teammates excelling with him and feeding off of it.

I am not so ready to give Hakeem total impact on the defensive end either.
On the defensive end Lebron's team is a bit better than any Hakeem team I can recall. The real kicker is that when Lebron is not playing they aren't that good. And its something you have to consider. Lebron's versatility, in the present game, means he can guard directly almost any player in the game (a legit 98%+) now and slow them down some. Hakeem was great defensively but he was going to watch Jordan beat him without much interference. At least Lebron could be effective in some way. Adaption is major.

Lebron keeps his shooters happy, he can adapt his team into a great defense, assist with their great shooting, lead them into the best running game, he can break the defense down in at least a half dozen ways, he mentally refocus his team to change at a whole different level. Hakeem was great under the basket but the game isn't played there anymore and everybody knows where to look for him. The sword had its day.

[Kblaze8855]

Hakeem was great defensively but he was going to watch Jordan beat him without much interference. At least Lebron could be effective in some way. Adaption is major.

Just stuck out to me....

The Rockets, in fact, had a 5-1 record vs. Jordan and the Bulls from 1991 through 1993, the span of Chicago's first "three-peat."

After a loss on his home floor at Chicago Stadium in 1993, Jordan said, "We have no answer for the big guy. It's a good thing they won't ever make it to the (NBA) Finals, because I don't think we could beat them."

In some of those games he had:

23/10/5 7 blocks and 2 steals

32/17/ 9 blocks and 3 steals

24/11/8 blocks

28/13/7/5/4

18/17/ 5 blocks 4 steals

28/11/ 6 blocks


Hell he had 32/16/5/4/4 vs us when he was older.

I remember them playing the Rockets...hakeem did not just watch Jordan beat him. He usually beat Jordan when they were both top of their games in the early 90s.

[daj0264]

Lebron isnt even in the top 20 ever what makes people think he is better than Hakeem?

[dh144498]

Lebron isnt even in the top 20 ever what makes people think he is better than Hakeem?

[aj1987]

Got alot of work cut out for me here, lol... ill try reply as much as possible when i get home.

[Kblaze8855]

I might just lock it right now to be a dick.

[dh144498]

I might just lock it right now to be a dick.

[Greg Oden 50]

LeBron plays in a weak era hv no Quailty Big Man,ThUnders are the the worst Finals Team in NBA All timE

[pauk]

Steve Nash has more MVPs than Isiah Thomas. That doesn't make him better. Heck Derrick Rose has more MVPs than Isiah. The MVP is not a great tool to rate players against each other for several reasons. For one, the voting rules have changed. The players themselves used to vote. Now the media does. Also the definition of what truly is the MVP has never been defined.

Michael Jordan should probably have 10 MVPs, but instead he only has 5. The voters change their opinions from year to year on who should get the award. Sometimes they like to crown a past champion, and sometimes they get fatigue and want to give it to a new guy.


On top of that, the competition is different from era to era. Dirk has an MVP, but he never competed with Magic, Bird, nor Michael to get it. It's just an awful awful awful way to try to judge players from different eras.

Its about context in which Lebron indeed was the best player in the game with or without MVP... and Lebron didnt have 1 MVP or 2 MVPs....... he had 4 MVPs..... 1... 2... 3... 4....

[daj0264]

Its about context in which Lebron indeed was the best player in the game with or without MVP... and Lebron didnt have 1 MVP or 2 MVPs....... he had 4 MVPs..... 1... 2... 3... 4....

How many mvps?

[Greg Oden 50]

Its about context in which Lebron indeed was the best player in the game with or without MVP... and Lebron didnt have 1 MVP or 2 MVPs....... he had 4 MVPs..... 1... 2... 3... 4....

LBJ hv no DPOY,never avg 40 ppg in any series