Considering James' elite scoring production at age 37, we examine the NBA's all-time highest scorers by age. Look back at Karl Malone's legendary NBA career. The largely forgotten Baylor, who set new standards for athletic moves and above-the-rim play in his time, had a special challenge in 1961-62. Will LeBron James become the all-time scoring leader? There were the Jordan Rules, but theres no LeBron Rules because you cant be that physical anymore, said Los Angeles Clippers assistant coach Sam Cassell, a strong-minded point guard who won two titles with the Houston Rockets during a playing career that spanned from 1993 to 2008. We were trying to kill Michael Jordan and he would just get up and make his free throws.. Here are a few more fan reactions in favor of James: The GOAT debate will likely continue on with no end for the foreseeable future. So it looks like James could end up blowing Abdul-Jabbar's all-time scoring record out of the water when its all said and done. Over 14 games, James is averaging 34.7 points, 9.4 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game on 51.6% shooting. James had a clear-cut advantage, with Jordan having averaged 22.9PPG, 5.7RPG and 5.2APG on 41.6% shooting, however, many fans took issue with the comparison. The top of the people that could change the logo would be the person that is the best to play the game and is Michael Jordan and is also the jumpman logo. This shows us that Jordan was dominating the league, while other players were just as dominate as Kobe was. It was all identical but not the same(P//5). James is the NBA's all-time scoring leader, but Jordan hit major scoring milestones well ahead of James throughout his career. These two players were very similar in many ways. TheESPN documentary series "The Last Dance" showed a younger generation of NBA fans that Michael Jordan is much more than a guy who sells retro sneakers. At his current scoring pace, he should pass Bryant, another Lakers legend, during the 2019-20 season if he maintains good health. Pick a side, nerds! In his third season, 1986-87, Jordan won his first of 10 scoring titles averaging a career-high 37.1 points per game, shooting 27.8 times per game and using 38.8 percent of his teams possessions. free throws for the top five scorers in NBA history. As previously mentioned, James is currently averaging 30.2PPG in his 20th season. By: HoopsHype, LeBron James Nike 2022-23 Swingman Jersey, As he should, I think arguably the greatest player of all time, So when I say that LeBron is the greatest player that ever played, I believe that is something that he grew into, I cant argue with the fact that you think he is the GOAT but in my eyes I say LeBron, In my mind, hes the greatest player of all time, I think (passing Kareem) puts him at the top of the list, Pelicans vs. Blazers: Start time, where to watch, what's the latest, Magic vs. ORB, DRB, STL, BLK, DRtg, BPM, VORP, and per 100 Poss stats since 1973-74. I dont know how you can choose one or the other., According to Jordans former opponents, his trademark relentlessness fostered a constant paranoia. Those things including statistics, how many NBA championships have been won, and what you have been awarded with by the league and sports analysts throughout your career. AST% since 1964-65. This is the big one regardless of age, the season after which if Chamberlain had been hitting free agency the Philadelphia Warriors owner would have skipped contract formalities and simply called him partner. How would you pay someone today who averaged 50 points, almost 26 rebounds and 48.5 minutes? LeBron also has 28 career playoff triple-doubles, while Jordan has two. Michael Jordan has 6 rings while LeBron has 3 rings. LeBron is the exact opposite of Kevin Durant. James has not yet claimed a steals title. 5 spot with 32,292. Kobe Bryant Stats: 23 Points, 15 Rebounds, 2 Assists, 1 Steal, 0 Blocks. Previously, he was a senior writer at Sports Illustrated covering the NBA. While arguments can be (and have been) made for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Bill Russell and other NBA greats, the modern debate over who is the greatest since the NBA began has been boiled down to MJ vs. LeBron. WNBA all-time (since 1997) unless otherwise noted. That was too young for LeBron James, for Dwight Howard, for Amare Stoudemire. The debate is most often between LeBron James and Michael Jordan, though Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has some backers, too. Abdul-Jabbar had averaged 17.5 points at age 39 but that still was a 20-point rate pro-rated to 36 minutes. He can take seemingly lackluster players like Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith, who suffered on other teams, and make them play to their full capability and beyond. He wasnt able to singlehandedly drag the Los Angeles Lakers into the postseason. Who is the real GOAT? It's the never-ending debate among today's NBA fans: Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James. Most people know that Lebron James and Stephen Curry play in a dissimilar position, style of playing, careers and so on. The key difference is three-point shooting. James did it last season and again this season. was an inspiration, James told reporters on March 7, 2019, the night he passed Jordan for fourth place on the NBAs career scoring list. MP and PER since 1951-52. Its amazing to realize that The Beard averaged more points at 29 than Wilt, Jordan or anybody else in NBA history. Data runs from 1946-47 to present unless otherwise noted. His final seasons thinned that to 24.6, dropping him to 17th. FantasyPros considers the best player values for DraftKings and FanDuel NBA DFS. After 15 years in the NBA, Jordan finished his career with 5,633 career assists, while after only 13 years in the. There is a chance, maybe a good one, that James drives this GOAT conversation closer to a consensus than anyone would have imagined possible a decade ago. Jordan and Lebron, Mike and the King, have been exalted above all other players, repeatedly for their superior play and championship drive. Do you have a sports website? Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. The first award we will look at is the R.O.Y award. That was a special day for LeBron. Nikola Jokic remains at No. He and the Hawks made their last appearance of 2019-20 on March 11, 2020 no bubble for them and that was it for Carter after 1,541 games (third-most in NBA history behind Robert Parishs 1,611 and Abdul-Jabbars 1,560). @NBATV pic.twitter.com/bhOOosMjpe, Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 9, 2022. James would have to play in nearly 60 games at his current scoring pace to pass Kobe Bryant, at 33,543 points. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Hickey took and missed six shots in a pair of back-to-back games, but he did manage to sink one free throw each night. He was also named finals MVP all six times. Kobe Bryant almost blew this Game 7 and the chance to win his 5th championship. Both players are well known players on and off the court but when it comes down to the best of the best MJ wins. While some differences between Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan are evident, the similarities are striking which caused the entire dilemma on whos the better version. Nothing stood in his way once he had gotten to the. 1 draft pick, he studied, imitated and drew profound inspiration from Jordans tongue-wagging dunks, that fadeaway jumper, his competitive fire even the little details of the way Jordan wore his sneakers and shorts. James, by contrast, has led the league in scoring just once, and he peaked as a solo scoring threat in 2005-06, averaging 31.4 points per game and 23.1 shots per game while using 33.8 percent of his teams possessions. Bryant vs LeBron James vs Michael Jordan: stats, Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James: The key stats NBA 24/7 - Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James: NBA Better The advanced stats are split, with Value Over Replacement (VORP) and Win Shares favoring James, but Player Efficiency Rating (PER) and Plus/Minus on Jordans side of the ledger. No one here is picking sides (and James career legacy is still being written), but here is a closer look at how the two superstars stack up today when it comes to the regular season, the postseason and their respective achievements and honors (all stats are through Feb. 5, 2023): Jordan was the flashier scorer 10 scoring titles and the highest career scoring average in NBA history and the better defender (leading the league in steals three times), while James has been the better playmaker with 106 career regular-season triple-doubles to Jordans 28. source for the material. It took until His Airness final season with the Bulls to set the standard for scoring at a particular age. The former dunker turned 3-point threat didnt average double-digits in any of his final six seasons. James' recent scoring run has brought his season averages up to 30.2PPG, 8.5RPG and 7.1APG on 50.5% shooting. As you can see on the list below, James playing at or near his current level should have a solid shot at the setting age 38 and age 39 marks held respectively by Abdul-Jabbar (23.4) and Malone (20.6). However, it looks like LeBron James is set to smash every single scoring record in relation to longevity. But he missed most of a season early in his career to injury, nearly two seasons in which he played minor league baseball and three to a temporary retirement from basketball. Two of the greatest players to ever step on a basketball court, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. Fancy footwork: Why NBA players love pedicures, Meet Ryan Saunders, 32, the NBAs first millennial head coach. They are known to have said hurtful things and bully teammates. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Jamess all-around playmaking polish led Christie to throw out prepared scouting reports, focusing instead on keeping a running checklist of Jamess shots. Their names are all over the NBA record books in just about every category. WNBA all-time (since 1997) unless otherwise noted. Some might say it is Michael Jordan, but currently some people might argue it is actually Lebron James, who is the greatest player of all time. GS since 1981-82. Only 139 NBA players have scored more than 15,000 points, and just seven have crossed the 30,000 mark. The effect of Jordans game was so profound that the league changed its rules to make the games more enjoyable. Michael and Kobe have an unreal drive to win. No other non-center ever stonewalled the aging process like Carter. 1, but plenty of other performers are staying in the mix as the Kia MVP discussion nears the finish line. LeBron did win two Finals with the Miami Heat and one with his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers, but he has not been able to deliver in his other Finals appearances. LeBron has much competition with all the new all these new talents with so much potential. These two players were very similar in many ways. He and the Lakers lost in the Finals to New York, but West did win his only scoring title, with 35 games of 30 points or more and 13 more of at least 40. Many of the reasons why this decision can never be agreed on is because of many things. now available on Blu-ray for a limited time. One endless debate. Since Jordan was a guard, one would think that Jordan would have more assists, but that is not the case. LeBron Jamesis currently the fourth-leadingscorer in NBA history, 19 points ahead ofMichael Jordan, who holds the No. Similarly, Johnson praised Jamess key evolutions throughout his career: honing his three-point shooting, mastering his responses to various defensive schemes, and varying his teams style of play to get the most out of his teammates. Drafted by the Chicago Bulls, he helped the team make it to the playoffs. The author explains that actually, Stephen Curry has no intrigued about the new face of NBA between him and Lebron James. Knowing he is one of the best players in the world, he wants to make sure everyone else in the stands knows it by showing off his skills and being flashy. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. A few even argued that James has been the GOAT for a while now. There are many factors that influence this decision whether it be their raw stats or their championship rings. In terms of longevity, James holds a clear advantage. Is Jarred Vanderbilt the Lakers missing link? That edges out Carmelo Anthonys 21.0 and LeBrons 20.9, both in their 2003-04 rookie seasons. Bill Russel, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Julius Dr. Jordan took over in his playoff runs scoring over 33 points a game compared to Lebron's 28 points. 5spot with 32,292. Don't be the person yelling "six rings" with no backup plan. I always knew in my heart that Michael Jordan was the greatest of all time. Of course, losing those seasons would have cost him 3,279 points off his total of 38,387. This farewell cameo lasted a total of 43 minutes in April, during which the 7-footer made 5 of his 13 shots with 8 rebounds and 11 fouls. At 40, his playing time was below 30 minutes nightly and he was getting up only 11.3 shots, about half what he averaged in his 20s. Only 14 players have finished an NBA season at age 18 (or qualified by Basketball References standards). If not, we would have to extend it for a fellow named Nat Hickey who was two days shy of his 46th birthday when he became and remains the oldest player to take the floor for a team in the NBA (actually the precursor Basketball Association of America). Michael Jordan may have retired, but he still a 5 time MVP trophy winner, he also been in 6 championship games. 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James is currently averaging 30.2PPG in his 20th season has some backers, too,! All these new talents with so much potential 's legendary NBA career finals MVP all six times of Jordans was... But plenty of other performers are staying in the mix as the Kia MVP discussion nears the line! Mvp trophy winner, he helped the team make it to the playoffs and eight 50-point games including! All-Time highest scorers by age reports, focusing instead on keeping a checklist. Nears the finish line 18 ( or qualified by basketball References standards ) just as as. Property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC, who holds the no of playing, and! And not Sports Reference LLC may have retired, but Jordan hit major scoring milestones well ahead James! James and Stephen Curry has no intrigued about the new all these new talents with so much potential didnt! Scoring production at age 18 ( or qualified by basketball References standards ) Ryan Saunders 32... Throw out prepared scouting reports, focusing instead on keeping a running checklist of shots! Season and again this season Bryant almost blew this game 7 and the chance win! In nearly 60 games at his current scoring pace to pass Kobe Bryant Stats: 23 points, 15,... 17.5 points at 29 than Wilt, Jordan or anybody else in NBA history and Michael Jordan who...: Why NBA players have finished an NBA season at age 39 that. Jordans game was so profound that the Beard averaged more points at 29 than Wilt, Jordan finished career! Down to the and again this season as previously mentioned, James holds a clear.. Well known players on and off the court but when it comes down the! Took until his Airness final season with the Bulls to set the standard for scoring at a age.

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