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I keep seeing writers saying that LeBron James is built like Karl Malone. Like Bill Simmons in this article on ESPN:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/st ... ortCat=nba

"LeBron is the greatest natural athlete in NBA history. Has to be. Karl Malone's height, weight and muscles, only if you gave him the Jordan/Erving/Thompson DNA strain, Magic's passing eye and Bo Jackson's breathtaking combination of power and finesse."

I'm not going to get into "Magic's passing eye" because that's a whole other topic. But Karl Malone's muscles? I think a younger Malone was bigger, not to even mention prime/old Malone. I wish these writer's would stop exaggerating about LeBron's physical gifts. One day it might reach Wilt levels of exaggeration. LeBron does not have these muscles:

Malone's only listed as being 10lbs heavier but there is no way LeBron''s as big as Malone. That was an era where players really looked after their bodies seemingly moreso than now despite advancements in training facilities and such. David Robinson was another one like Malone.

it's close enough at the same age for his point to stand. the league has never seen a player with Lebron's combination of size, strength, athleticism, ball handling, passing, scoring.

BLKOUT wrote:Malone's only listed as being 10lbs heavier but there is no way LeBron''s as big as Malone. That was an era where players really looked after their bodies seemingly moreso than now despite advancements in training facilities and such. David Robinson was another one like Malone.

I think players in Malone's era were just more into oiling up their bodies. And their hair too for that matter. Just a lot of oil in general. It must've just been invented or something, a real novelty

He's definitely built similar to Malone. The pics from above where of Malone later in his career when he put on more muscle mass.

This is what Karl looked like in his late 20's:

1991 (Age 26-27)


1992 (Age 27-28)


Definitely disagree with him having "Magic's passing eye" though. That's taking it a bit too far as he isn't anywhere near the passer Magic was, nor has he shown that he has comparable court vision.

Having a body builder like body != great athleticism

semi-sentient wrote:He's definitely built similar to Malone. The pics from above where of Malone later in his career when he put on more muscle mass.

Definitely disagree with him having "Magic's passing eye" though. That's taking it a bit too far as he isn't anywhere near the passer Magic was, nor has he shown that he has comparable court vision.

I don't think he is the same mass wise. LeBron is quite a bit leaner. Malone was just bigger IMO, even in his rookie year. Here's a pic from his rookie year:



And when the writer's refer to him being built like Malone, I think they are talking about older/prime Malone anyways.

lj4mvp wrote:it's close enough at the same age for his point to stand. the league has never seen a player with Lebron's combination of size, strength, athleticism, ball handling, passing, scoring.

I'm not saying LeBron isn't a physical freak. It's just that too many writer's are going overboard in their adulation of him. A combination of Malone's muscles, Jordan's athleticism, Magic's vision, etc., etc.,.... that's going a bit overboard.

Fair point, but players like LeBron aren't going to train to put on muscle bulk like Malone did. Weight training is far more targeted these days. For instance, LeBron probably twists an ankle every couple of weeks, but rarely even leaves the game. That has to do with the specific training he's done to both strengthen and increase the flexibility of the muscles around his ankles.

Anyway, such comparisons always lead to hyperbole, but the bottom line is when LeBron is tearing toward the hole, most players around the league don't want to step in his way. And when someone does, LeBron uses those other skills to change his momentum on a dime, and get the shot up, or pass it out to an open guy.

Lebron might not have each of those guys peak attributes...but he's pretty close...

From the SF position, hes built like Malone.
From the SF position, hes got the passing eye of Magic

etc, take into consideration of different positions.

this obsession with comparing players physiques is bordering on homo-erotic. seriously, is it that important an issue that it needs to be dissected on a ball forum much less have an article written about it? next thing you know bill simmons is writing about hypothetical penis size comparisons.

The Main Event wrote:this obsession with comparing players physiques is bordering on homo-erotic. seriously, is it that important an issue that it needs to be dissected on a ball forum much less have an article written about it? next thing you know bill simmons is writing about hypothetical penis size comparisons.

I'd read that article. I feel like Simmons would knock it out of the ballpark.

the last time i took bill simmons seriously was around 10th grade.

hes funny though

Malone's body was more body builder to lebron's tight end. Watch clips of malone dunking and you see there's an awkwardness to it, he wasn't aerodynamic. Lebron is just naturally built he doesn't workout like malone im sure, if he did it would take away some of his hops and quickness.

semi-sentient wrote:He's definitely built similar to Malone. The pics from above where of Malone later in his career when he put on more muscle mass.

This is what Karl looked like in his late 20's:

1991 (Age 26-27)


1992 (Age 27-28)


Definitely disagree with him having "Magic's passing eye" though. That's taking it a bit too far as he isn't anywhere near the passer Magic was, nor has he shown that he has comparable court vision.

Well yeah, maybe LeBron is built like a pre-jacked Malone, but then you could say he's as strong as a pre-pubescent Shaq - still Shaq nonetheless - or a teenage Ben Wallace.

Ortho Stice wrote:

semi-sentient wrote:He's definitely built similar to Malone. The pics from above where of Malone later in his career when he put on more muscle mass.

This is what Karl looked like in his late 20's:

1991 (Age 26-27)


1992 (Age 27-28)


Definitely disagree with him having "Magic's passing eye" though. That's taking it a bit too far as he isn't anywhere near the passer Magic was, nor has he shown that he has comparable court vision.

Well yeah, maybe LeBron is built like a pre-jacked Malone, but then you could say he's as strong as a pre-pubescent Shaq - still Shaq nonetheless - or a teenage Ben Wallace.

Shaq wasn't that built as a late teen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WGJCp4eJa4

D.Brasco wrote:Malone's body was more body builder to lebron's tight end. Watch clips of malone dunking and you see there's an awkwardness to it, he wasn't aerodynamic. Lebron is just naturally built he doesn't workout like malone im sure, if he did it would take away some of his hops and quickness.

Don't ever comment on Lebron's "tight end" again.