OT: Is Lebron an all-time No. 1 pick?

[Howie Lindsey]

f you could draft any player in NBA history at their peak, who would it be? How about your top three?

Lebron is quickly moving up my list.

I'd still draft a great center first just because I believe it is that important, but Lebron is simply physically dominant.

 

[shadow force]

Regardless of how some feel about James, yeah, he would be an all time top 5 pick for me. His physical attributes and skills are too good to not have on an all time NBA team.

 

[Cue Card]

James is up there as one of the best overall #1 picks, but today I would go with Hakeem Olajuwon. Nobody had ever seen a big man with his skill set before and it is even more remarkable when you consider he didn't even play basketball until he was 15 years old.

 

[CardFan1130]

f you could draft any player in NBA history at their peak, who would it be? How about your top three?

Lebron is quickly moving up my list.

I'd still draft a great center first just because I believe it is that important, but Lebron is simply physically dominant.

It's a guard's league.

 

[CardFan1130]

Regardless of how some feel about James, yeah, he would be an all time top 5 pick for me. His physical attributes and skills are too good to not have on an all time NBA team.

I don't get the LBJ hate other than the admittedly poorly handled announcement. Seems like a heckuva down to earth dude and a good family man.

 

[J-Rye_UL]

With a #1 pick, I need a guy that is extremely versatile and makes their teammates better. It would probably come down to Magic Johnson or Lebron James. Jordan is the first name that popped in my head, but if I'm picking from a pool of all time greats, I don't need a ball dominant player with the #1 pick. The fact that James brought JR Smith, Shumpert, Thompson, Dellevadova, and Mosgov with him to the Finals speaks volumes about his ability to make his team better. As for centers, I want a guy that can defend and rebound at the highest level. May hold out for Bill Russell in the 2nd round. Depends how many teams are drafting. We ought to make this a thing over here.

 

[Steelers2012]

Bill Russell. Only player with 11 Championships (in addition to an NCAA Championship at San Francisco, and an Olympic Gold Medal ). 5 time NBA MVP; 12 time All-Star; Although he only averaged 15.1 points/gm in his career on loaded teams, he averaged 22.5 rebounds/gm and 4.3 assists/game.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/russebi01.html

 

[CardFan1130]

Russell was playing in a league with like 8 teams filled with a bunch of marginal white guys for the most part. He ain't averaging 22 rebs today. He was great for the era though. I know it's popular to romanticize and build up guys from the "good ol days" but let's not kid ourselves that in today's league you'd take Bill Russell over LeBron, Jordan et al.

 

[HedleyLamarr]

Bill Russell won two NCAA titles prior to his 11 NBA titles. Smartest big man ever to play the game. Never won the stats war, but always won the ring, and made the guys around him play so much better. He's my first pick, and it isn't close.

 

[CardFan1130]

Look at the era. Again, we tend to think the good ol days were better than they were.

 

[Steelers2012]

Russell was playing in a league with like 8 teams filled with a bunch of marginal white guys for the most part. He ain't averaging 22 rebs today. He was great for the era though. I know it's popular to romanticize and build up guys from the "good ol days" but let's not kid ourselves that in today's league you'd take Bill Russell over LeBron, Jordan et al.

Russell was playing with and against the very best of his era. That's like saying Cobb or Ruth played with marginal players. At least Russell was playing with and against the very best of every race in his era.

 

[HedleyLamarr]

Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Willis Reed, Earl Monroe, Jerry West, Cazzie Russell, Oscar Robertson, Wes Unseld, John Havliceck, Walt Frazier. Just a small sample of the "marginal white guys" that Russell bested year after year. He was the best.

 

[CardFan1130]

Meh. if you'd take any guy from the 50s or 60s over someone like Jordan or LBJ then you're crazy. the game has evolved thankfully.

 

[Cue Card]

I'm a huge Russell fan. The man was simply a great basketball player. He dominated the game at every level he played. He won 2 NCAA titles with little known San Francisco for crying out loud. He was an incredible talent, but today he would probably have been forced to play power forward.

My first overall would still be Olajuwon. I would take (in their prime) Magic at the point, Jordan at the 2, LeBron at the 3, Russell at the 4, and Olajuwon at the 5.

What a hell of a team that would have been!

 

[cardsfan53]

I think you have to take a big man(Wilt, Russell) or a player that is verstile and makes everyone aroud them better ( LeBron, Magic, Big O)

 

[J-Rye_UL]

When I think of dominant centers, there are a few guys I have on the same teir - Russell, Chamberlain, Jabar, Olajuwan, Robinson, Ewing, Shaq, and I'm sure a couple others that I left out. But guys like James and Magic are insanely unique. Remember, he said first pick in a draft, not most valuable player. If you pass on James or Magic with your first round pick, no one even close to them is going to fall to you in the 2nd round. If you pass on Russell, look at the other dominant bigs you may be able to get later.

We should seriously do a draft of all time players on this forum. Get 10-15 guys, have a 24 hour clock, and draft 15 teams full of 5 players + a 6th man. Then we hold a poll to see who has the best team after it's done. Winner gets a free year of premium Howie?

 

[HedleyLamarr]

I'll propose an all time starting five from the "old" days, and see if you young guys can beat it. Wilt Chamberlain in the post, Bill Russell at the four, Larry Bird at the three, Michael Jordon at the two, and Magic Johnson at the point. Like to see what LeBron and some of the modern guys would do against that group...

 

[J-Rye_UL]

I'll propose an all time starting five from the "old" days, and see if you young guys can beat it. Wilt Chamberlain in the post, Bill Russell at the four, Larry Bird at the three, Michael Jordon at the two, and Magic Johnson at the point. Like to see what LeBron and some of the modern guys would do against that group...

If I had to choose from guys who played in the 2000's

Shaq, Duncan, Durant, Kobe, Lebron

 

[Guy Gadbois]

I don't get the LBJ hate other than the admittedly poorly handled announcement. Seems like a heckuva down to earth dude and a good family man.

down to earth my freakin foot.

i'll tell you why he pisses me off. he's arrogant. and he's stupid.

i listened to that moron give his post game comments after sweeping the hawks. he had the audacity to reference Teddy Roosevelt's speech, "The Man in the Arena". On memorial day weekend no less. Looking as tough as he possibly could, he told all of us that if we had never been in the arena, then we don't know what it's like to be them.

Let me tell you something, Lebron. You have no freaking clue what being in a real "arena" is like, hombre. Why don't you ask our military vets about being in the arena. Or come spend a day in my emergency department, and talk to me about your little arena. Your arena is a game. No lives are on the line in your arena.

You're just a self important punk. And you have a lot to learn. Although I seriously doubt you ever will.

 

[BooneCo_Card]

I'll propose an all time starting five from the "old" days, and see if you young guys can beat it. Wilt Chamberlain in the post, Bill Russell at the four, Larry Bird at the three, Michael Jordon at the two, and Magic Johnson at the point. Like to see what LeBron and some of the modern guys would do against that group...

Great post . Everyone you mentioned were great passers who elevated the game of those around them. Not to mention being legends in their own right. When you leave off fellow legends Oscar, Kareem and Walton (rightfully so IMO), that is one strong lineup.

LeBron over Bird is a possibility. Both he and Tim Duncan who had great game and the ability to raise other's games. Shaq and Kobe were two great players who never elevated anyone else or wanted to share the stage. I hate to think about Shaq defending Wilt, much less trying to score on him and Russell.

 

[J-Rye_UL]

I hate to think about Shaq defending Wilt, much less trying to score on him and Russell.

I love to think about those matchups. Shaq would definitely hold his own.