You can start with stats but it would be best you didn't unless we are talking about Fantasy Basketball. Was Oscar Robertson the greatest player of all time for averaging a triple double in a season?
One season does not make a great player (and for what it's worth, Robertson's stats decline steadily after his first couple of years). Furthermore, I never said stats were the only measure of what makes LeBron every bit as good as Jordan.
Do you really think Jordan would be incapable of getting a couple more defensive rebounds or assists?
Why didn't he then?
As far as versatility goes, it is a nice skill but it doesn't make you the best.
Not by its lonesome, I agree. That's why I mention it alongside several other factors.
And I think it is tremendously unfair for you to criticize that winning/championships should not be taken in to account when choosing the best basketball player of all time but you throw in friendships. Is BJ Armstrong going to throw away his championships for some time fishing time with MJ.
Why can people not read the entire line? I mentioned friendships with regards to being TEAMMATES.
What is more relevant is how much better guys become playing with a particular guy.
Well, LeBron took a team that lost 26 games in a row the year after he left to the NBA playoffs. I'd say that's pretty good.
Other than those 3 Amigos Celtic teams, since 2007 what teams were competitive to the point that they can compare to Pat Riley's Knicks, or the Pacers, or the Heat?
The Pacers and the Bulls, for starters.
Very much so. Jordan was asked to play up to 20% of the games minutes in those series and he along with his team couldn't get the job done. He is certainly partially to blame for the years his teams couldn't get it done.
I'm sorry, but that's absurd. Blaming the best player on a team, if not in the league/world, for the failures of others is silly. If everyone on the team played as well as Jordan or LeBron, do you really think the team would lose?
I'm not sure where the mentality of blaming the best player for the worst came to be, but I hate it.
Thinking about Jordan seems to have made you have a Freudian slip.
And yes, I agree one player can't win by himself.
Are we really throwing friendship into this equation?
No, we're throwing "being a good teammate" into the equation. Why are so many people not reading the entire sentence?
And again the thing for me (and feel free to disagree because it's simply my opinion) is that I could never, ever, put James in my top 5 or 10 of all time. The man couldn't hack it on his own
Except that he did, taking an awful Cavs team to the Finals.
He chose to take the easy way out, plain and simple.
No, he chose to have power over his career. There's a big difference.
True. Did he run off and go join their team so he could win? Nope. They were drafted, recruited, etc. He would've stayed there and played with whoever was sent his way.
And he wouldn't have won.
That's why it's such a terrible argument.
Going by Sly's logic Oscar Robertson is the greatest all-time if you want to measure an individual by his standards. Since versatility means more than a player being the focal point of their team's success.
Oh, is LeBron NOT the focal point of his team's success? You're being dishonest again.
Also being friendly and players wanting to play with him means more than commanding his players to play at their highest level.
I'm sorry, is there a reason why being a great teammate shows LeBron isn't commanding his players to play at their highest level?
In Cleveland the logic was he lacked the help.
And still took them to the NBA Finals.
So why did Carlos Boozer cite LeBron as one of his reasons for signing with Utah years back?
Source? Because everything I've seen says Boozer was let out of his deal so he could re-sign with the Cavs, but took more money in Utah.
So what would be the excuse if LeBron played on a team with Melo and CP3 and still didn't win a championship? What would be excuse?
I'm sorry, are you asking for a hypothetical for something which is likely to never happen?
Again with the dishonesty from you.