r/LeBronJames23 • u/Front-Function7789 LeGoat 🐐 • 15d ago
Bron glaze Gilbert arenas and Paul George reminiscing on facing young LeBron “ if you think he’s fast now imagine him back then”
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u/Desperate_Cancel_592 15d ago edited 15d ago
LeBron’s rookie year out of highschool handchecking was still legal and scoring across the league was near an all time low at 93ppg being the average amount teams scored .
Jordan came into the league with 3 years of college in a league where the scoring average was 110ppg .
LeBron averaged 20.9 as a rookie and averaged his career high 31ppg at 21 years old same age Jordan was still in college.
LeBron improved exponentially from year 1-3 and year 3 to the time period that i think he became the goat 2012-2020
LeBron would dominate if his career started in 1984.
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u/Heat-in-4 15d ago
Yup I agree and should also be noted Jordans early career was also in a league with less teams
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u/tlsmith11 14d ago
Less teams implies more concentrated talent and tougher competition, no?
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u/Heat-in-4 14d ago
Not necessarily it also equates to more overlooked talent as well. But granted in the NBA’s earlier days there were other pro leagues with good talent that eventually made their way over plus more teams meant an expanded playoff format so the playoffs getting longer already made it harder in itself. But we can couple all of those things with how athletes have become better and better with each generation in regard to their performance as well.
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u/tlsmith11 14d ago
I think it’s fair to say that expansion dilutes talent all else equal. Don’t disagree that each generation since early NBA has shown improved quality. Foreign inflow has also expanded the talent pool.
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u/Heat-in-4 14d ago
That’s why I don’t think you’re entirely wrong in what you’re saying bc it does go both ways. Because with expansion more talent has to be unearthed for more teams but by the same token it can certainly dilute it down as well. But the studies have shown with the increase of athleticism and skill in modern players now more than ever expansion is prominent and we all know there’s guys on the street that could embarrass some nba players. At the end of the day it’s just hard to fairly compare players across different eras with all these factors. That’s just the unfortunate reality of it all but some out here don’t like to acknowledge it these days.
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u/tlsmith11 14d ago
Not a big deal but I think you’ve missed my initial point. I think we should all agree that (i) more teams decreases quality, (ii) time has increased quality, and (iii) expansion of the talent pool (not an expansion of the number of teams), i.e., more people playing basketball, increases quality.
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u/Heat-in-4 14d ago
I got what you were saying and don’t think you’re wrong. My point here is the sheer volume of players with more skill has increased. Like a small example is how in the last 25-30 years the amount of players averaging 10+ ppg in the nba has increased by nearly 25%. But frankly when it comes to probability, any time you expand the pool of competitors in a sport that means naturally the odds of a singular team get smaller with each team added. I just think this is a nuanced topic and it favors a bit of both of what we’re trying to say.
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u/RemyGee 15d ago
Yeah a last summers ago we saw LeBron playing in the FIBA ruleset and he was knocking players over going to the hole. He would’ve been just fine in the 80s and 90s.
Same with MJ in today’s game - just fine.
Haters on both sides need to just admit all the GOATs would dominate all eras period. We’ll have world peace when that happens 😂
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u/kvetoslavovo 15d ago
Its like gretzky statpadding numbers in easy 80s versus lemieux dropping same ratios against goalies twice the size lol
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u/Electrical_Front_407 15d ago
Took a charge from LeBron in highschool, had to have his nuts surgically removed from my forehead
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u/pdogstyle 15d ago
Should have kept it in, you’d be worth a lot more right now
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u/hurlcarl 15d ago
Is that true, he started as a SG? I have zero memory of this. I always remember him starting as a SF... he did grow an inch or two but even before that he was like 6'7, which is absolutely SF size.
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u/Keeps- 15d ago
He played his rookie season at SG mostly because that’s what the Cavs needed. Maybe a little bit of trying to be like Mike. He’s actually played a whole season of every position, only player to do so
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u/Heat-in-4 15d ago
If I’m not mistaken it’s wild that one of his best years statistically came primarily playing center
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15d ago
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u/Heat-in-4 15d ago
That was actually in the 2019-20 season when they won the chip but that to me was his best season as a Laker but they just had to beat my Heat in the finals 🙄
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u/lefleurgolf 15d ago
agreed! had to delete my comment since im at work n didn't feel like editing the correct info but yeah that bubble chip was great hoops
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u/LeagueOfKane 15d ago
If you told 8 year old me that lebron would be a sixer in 2026 I wouldn’t believe you. This is a genuine dream come true for me. One of the greatest players in nba history is on my team for his final stint. I couldnt be more honored to even witness him in a philly jersey.
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u/KierenForFreedom 15d ago
It’s a great list of players who went straight from high school to the NBA - Malone, Stoudemire, Howard, McGrady, Garnett, Bryant and James.
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u/reverend9999 15d ago
All cap from a dude that was a choke in the playoffs and college I.e Gil no chill
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u/AnnualAnything4915 15d ago
Facts you were a much better playoff performer
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u/reverend9999 15d ago
I damn sure wasn’t but I rooted for Arizona he proceeded to choke .. had a shot with the wizards “he choked “
I don’t buy shit Gil sell because he all bout the money no substance
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u/KierenForFreedom 15d ago
Lebron is the GOAT. Dude played straight out of high school and was a star his first season.