Most similar player to LeBron all time?

[oaktownwarriors87]

75% Karl Malone
25% Scottie Pippen

[TroubleS0me]

Grant Hill
Its granted.

[Ol Roy]

Odd that Scottie Pippen isn't listed

[durantbird]

Odd that Scottie Pippen isn't listed

Good mention. I would've added him but not sure if it'll mess up with some current votes.

As I said in the OP, creating a poll here was inherently problematic as it only includes the options that came to my mind when opening the post, and some might look unsimilar to LeBron in others' eyes, but it still provides additional input that we would miss otherwise.

[giordunk]

When you play 20 years there's just so many players that he's shown glimpses of. Earlier in his career he had more of that beat you 1-on-1 type of mentality that the league used to value more and was a pure SF. Also had a lot of the pure athleticsism.

Later in his career, adopted more PF/bullyball type tendencies as the 4 position starts getting smaller around the league.

LeBron is the closest thing to Magic but really only a small part of his game is similar to Magic, and LeBron does so many things that Magic wouldn't dream of doing.

Maybe Grant Hill just by virtue of him being more versatile than Magic.

[DCasey91]

Only one of them listed actually played exactly like James that was Wade, none of the players listed came close.

Hill wasn't a big scorer, Magic, Birds a better shooter

The majority of Brons career he was streaky, massive bull inside and passed extremely well both were shot blockers

Legitimately they do the exact same things especially on the pull up 3's. carbon copies

How would Butler get a mention when he doesn't even register on the speed or explosiveness?

Heck malone was more finesse

It's like saying Dirk and KD are similar because they are tall but they are not similar at all.

It's silly

[LukaTheGOAT]

People say current Paolo's movements are similar to current Lebron in many ways.

[Special_Puppy]

Probably Karl Malone

[tone wone]

Jimmy Butler + Giannis.

Jimmy's halfcourt offense paired with Giannis' transition game gets you 90-95% post-Miami Lebron.

[1993Playoffs]

I see slight traces of Kobe and MJ in some seasons (14,17,18 , now)

[JLei]

People say current Paolo's movements are similar to current Lebron in many ways.

I mean this in the most complimentary way but Paolo very much reminds me of a post Solomon Hill injury Lebron (22, 23) without the elite court mapping but with a higher defensive motor.

That 50 point game you watch it and you just get the ball handling at that size and strength with a decent/ good jumper. It's really hard not to see it. He also has quite good passing chops. Doesn't manipulate the game but he passes well, accurately and because of his height can deliver passes that many can not.

The jumper still needs some cleaning up. A lot of young Lebron actually in that jumper where he's quite off balance hanging his legs back but as that improves a long with more experience he could be very similar to an old Lebron with really good defense and that's kind of top 5 player.

[JLei]

Offensively I think in terms of in the half court it's very clear Luka.

In terms of how the extract their influence on the game. They exert pressure from their size and consistently driving the ball towards the basket (Luka was 3rd in drives last year behind SGA, Brunson). Because of their size and passing ability they can hunt mismatches and can pick mercilessly at your teams weakness in the pick and roll (they are typically either too fast/ clever for bigs or way too big for guards to just switch) which makes their value hold up against any sort of defense in the playoffs.

Obviously Luka shoots more in the floater range because of his elite Decel and Lebron shoots more at the basket because of his elite speed and leaping ability but the avenue (The Drive to the basket) is the same and how and where they draw help from which leads to a lot of open 3's on the weak side when they force the help.

Transition it's obviously Giannis. They both basically top the league in volume and efficiency. You can't stop them once they get a head of steam with the ball. Physical freaks with ball handling skills.

Defensively. Transition wise probably also Giannis but I think Lebron is in a league of his own with his speed and closing ability.

Half court defensively? I'd say probably Draymond is the closest thing. In terms of their ability to switch 1-5. Their communication and quarterbacking.

Yes I just described an unbelievably perfect player and if he had the energy to do everything here all the time he would be. There are 8-10 minute stretches in the playoffs where we have seen like the most unreal level of basketball we've ever seen. (13 Finals Game 6 4th quarter, 16 Finals Game 6 most of it, 18 Finals Game 1).

It's also why he's the GOAT.

[DCasey91]

Watch on YouTube

No more evidence needed. It's Wade

Barrel chested, crazy speed, would bowl over guys, end dunking with 3-4 people in the way straight line drivers right in the middle of the rim

Shotblockers, Giannis can't shoot, both legit have the same % outside midrange (sub 40%)

That's the majority of Bron's career

Pull up 3, shot blockers I mean they have so many similarities in their game style

They have a ton of indiosyncracy

2 votes? This thread is a massive joke

Luka, Butler as Hill are more similar to James than Wade? Yeah right okay whatever

Now we're just naming names.

[FuShengTHEGreat]

I voted other that hasn't been mentioned at all..... Sixers Charles Barkley.

Obviously Chuck wasn't the lead by example type of leader like LBJ. Very below average there. Questionable defensive effort, although could make highlight reel blocks like LBJ

But unlike others on this poll, Barkley is one of the few players in NBA history like LBJ that won the genetic lottery with freakish one in a tens of millions athletic ability for their size. 99% of humans with their builds could never match their explosiveness and agility no matter how hard they worked out.

Chuck like LBJ was a absolute unstoppable freight train offensively in the open court.

Both LBJ and Sixers Chuck are amongst the most efficient scorers in NBA history.

[Harry Palmer]

Clyde Drexler

[tsherkin]

Clyde Drexler

How so?

[MacGill]

Yeah, I really don't get the Magic comparisons outside of size and vision, yet Magic is still a far better distributor overall. I'm tempted to say a Hill/Penny fusion but even then it doesn't seem right. To me, he's literally the first superstar player given the keys from such a young age and where the entire team was built around him for him to facilitate. And no one on the list played wing, end to end like LBJ. But he wasn't as good of a shooter as some of the others. Perhaps the start of the next crop of players who will take from his start and add to it. We'll see.....

[IG2]

Wade's a mini-LeBron in a lot of ways

Powerfully built and explosive, so like LeBron's his game is based around wreaking havoc off the drive with those 2 attributes. Their point of attack and how they move is very similar too.

[penbeast0]

Oscar with a bit more size and less of a PG mentality. Great scorer, check. Great Passer, check. Great Athlete, check. Serious personality and intolerant of teammate errors, check. Fundamental game emphasizing athleticism and overpowering opponents rather than fakes and jukes, check. Long healthy career for his era, check.

LeBron has a significant defensive edge and more explosion as well as more size but it's the closest comp I can make.