[InTheDrink]

If Lebron retired today. Here's the list. In order.

1. Jordan.
2. Bryant.
3. Magic.
4. Kareem.
5. Lebron.

If Lebron wins 7 rings he will easily be considered better than Jordan. His achievements aside from rings including stats are going to be much superior to Jordan's....

Lebron only needs 4 rings to be considered number 1 on that list.

i'd argue that kareem is #2 since you can really only compare gueys relative to their era

#1 or #2 in PER every year for his first TWELVE years in the league (9 years at #1)

that's crazy

the problem with kareem is that everyone remembers him AFTER those 12 years when he was still great but getting old and not nearly the rebounder or defender he had been....the mid-late 70's was a shit era in the nba but the nba was loaded with talent for his first several years...and he dominated

[Goat Milk]

i'd argue that kareem is #2 since you can really only compare gueys relative to their era

#1 or #2 in PER every year for his first TWELVE years in the league (9 years at #1)

that's crazy

the problem with kareem is that everyone remembers him AFTER those 12 years when he was still great but getting old and not nearly the rebounder or defender he had been....the mid-late 70's was a shit era in the nba but the nba was loaded with talent for his first several years...and he dominated

Yeah you can make the argument but I really think Jordan and Kobe are a good amount separated from everyone else. Even Magic knows Bryant is the best laker of all time, and has said it many times. If you just look at what he can do at 17 years in the league, there's no one in history that really compares. James may be able to do the same.

Kobe is going to come back from a torn achilles and still be the 2nd best player in the world imo. In his 18th year in the league... How many guys in history can we say that about? None if I remember right.

50 years from now, people will look back and put those 3 guys in the conversation for best player ever. I'm certain. Jordan. Bryant. James. And then you'll have someone try to throw in a Russell.

Hopefully I'm still around to shatter that argument.

[ThaTopMoron]

what... is this thread gonna be bumped in 9 years if he wins 5 more in that time span ?

[Slimpickens]

These guys were all out to beat the washed up Spurs. The competition can only get stronger from here. I wouldnt be handing him 4 or 5 more rings right now. You FN kidding me?

[ChalkyDog]

I don't give a shit if the Lakers win a championship next season, Kobe isn't ever going to be in the top 5.

LeBron is the only person in the known universe that can crack that, but that depends on a lot.

However, if I am making a team from ever, LeBron makes a very compelling case for making it. Add him to the obvious choices of:

PG - Magic
SG - MJ
SF - Bird (LeBron)
PF - Bill Russell
C - Kareem

I understand Bill was a Center, but he would start on the greatest team ever assembled. Bird gets the nod to start, but as a basketball fan - the idea of LeBron right there is fantastic.

Anyway, I'm pretty toasty from the hawks winning the cup. Shouldn't even be thinking about the NBA, but between the draft and all this lebron hype - it's hard not to.

Anyway, Kobe doesn't have a prayer to start on that team, and he would be further down than the 6th man. Behind Shaq, behind O and absolutely behind either Bird or Bron.