Rodman: Lebron would be 'average' in the 80's/90's

blumeany · Post #1 » by **blumeany** » Fri Jun 7, 2013 3:46 pm

http://nba.si.com/2013/06/07/dennis-rod ... el-jordan/

“If LeBron was playing in the late ’80s or early ’90s,” Rodman said, “he’d be just an average player.”

Rodman went on to tell The Dan Patrick Show in an interview that aired Friday that LeBron is “a great player, a helluva player,” but the Hall of Fame rebounding ace said Jordan dominated a much tougher era in leading the Bulls to six titles in the 1990s.

“If Michael played today … really? If he played the game today at 28 years old, he would average 40 points a game, probably more,” said Rodman, who won three titles as Jordan’s teammate with Chicago.

SHOTS FIRED!!!! :lol:

BahamaBull · Post #2 » by **BahamaBull** » Fri Jun 7, 2013 3:53 pm

Love Dennis...Hate Lebron...

But there's no way LBJ would be "average" in any era...

Air Poohdini · Post #3 » by **Air Poohdini** » Fri Jun 7, 2013 3:56 pm

LeBron wouldn't be average, but he would get hit a lot more than what complains about getting hit now.

Trm3 · Post #4 » by **Trm3** » Fri Jun 7, 2013 4:01 pm

dingdeng wrote:Love Dennis...Hate Lebron...

But there's no way LBJ would be "average" in any era...

I think he would, he's a baby..dude can't handle the physical play now days and it's nothing compared to what it used to be. He'd go running off the court like he did in Indy. Let's see what that flopping gets him in the 80's and 90's, when there wasn't any. The Pistons would beat him down..and the Knicks...and the late 90's Pacers with Antonio/Dale Davis..and the Bulls.

Art Vandelay · Post #5 » by **Art Vandelay** » Fri Jun 7, 2013 4:06 pm

It can't compare. I love Dennis but he's wrong on this one. LeBron would be a great player in any era. He'd be a different player, wouldn't have the same attitude due to not growing up in the spotlight he came up in and would likely be beloved by whatever city he played for (and likely the rest of the NBA).

By the way, ya know why LeBron flops and complains on every play now? Cause it works and the refs buy it.

SlimD235 · Post #6 » by **SlimD235** » Fri Jun 7, 2013 4:07 pm

If one of the original members of the Bad Boys in Detroit didn't think twice about throwing MJ around, of course LeBron would be average. Mj fought back. LeBron would just cry, complain, and get sent home. Totally agree with Rodman that he would be average (aka not the superstar he is today)

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

cars4978 · Post #7 » by **cars4978** » Fri Jun 7, 2013 4:08 pm

If that era Pistons went at Pippen because they thought he was soft, I can only imagine what Lebron would see. His game would translate, especially his midrange game...but mentally I'd wonder if he could get through it.

Former Roy · Post #8 » by **Former Roy** » Fri Jun 7, 2013 4:09 pm

That's, nonsense

BahamaBull · Post #9 » by **BahamaBull** » Fri Jun 7, 2013 4:13 pm

I think hes dead right on the 98 Bulls todays Heat matchup...I wouldn't be surprised if we sweep them...Matchups are just perfect...

You have a 7-2 center who can bother Lebron and Wade and protect the rim in Luc Longley.
You have Pippen and Rodman who can guard Lebron better than anyone in todays game.
You have Michael guarding Wade...
Lebron and Wade would be exhausted by having to guard Michael and Scottie.
Ron Harper would eat Mario Chalmers alive on D and O.
Heat would be out coached every game.
Bulls are winners and proven. Heat are not,,,

No contest...

patryk7754 · Post #10 » by **patryk7754** » Fri Jun 7, 2013 4:14 pm

No he wouldn't be. Hes probably saying that because he flops a lot but in that era he wouldn't flop and he'd still be the most athletic player in the NBA.

AAU Teammate · Post #11 » by **AAU Teammate** » Fri Jun 7, 2013 4:16 pm

The Diplomat!!

Post #12 » by **RedBulls23** » Fri Jun 7, 2013 4:21 pm

Haha...I love Dennis.

Lebron wouldn't be average, not close to it. But I could see him being close to a guy like Scottie offensively in the 90's where you could be more physical with him.

mrlancers · Post #13 » by **mrlancers** » Fri Jun 7, 2013 4:22 pm

LeBron plays in a different generation. If he was born twenty years earlier, the style of play would have made him a more physically imposing player. But because the game has gotten soft, so have the athletes. But there's no question that LeBron's skill set and athleticism alone would have made him a top five player in the league in ANY era.

gardenofsound · Post #14 » by **gardenofsound** » Fri Jun 7, 2013 4:23 pm

His game would have to have been different. It was a lot more physical then and the handcheck was allowed. Offensively I don't think he would have been on the same plane as he is now and would have probably been used more in the post due to his body and build. He would have been an insanely good defender though.

gardenofsound · Post #15 » by **gardenofsound** » Fri Jun 7, 2013 4:26 pm

SlimD235 wrote:If one of the original members of the Bad Boys in Detroit didn't think twice about throwing MJ around, of course LeBron would be average. Mj fought back. LeBron would just cry, complain, and get sent home. Totally agree with Rodman that he would be average (aka not the superstar he is today)

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Lebron is a product of his era. I'm 100% certain he wouldn't be the crybaby and flop he is now if he played in an era or league where that type of behavior were not rewarded.

blumeany · Post #16 » by **blumeany** » Fri Jun 7, 2013 4:34 pm

But wait, does 80's/90's Lebron actually go to college for four years? Does he get tutored under a really good coach and come out a completely different person and player? Maybe.

cars4978 · Post #17 » by **cars4978** » Fri Jun 7, 2013 4:34 pm

gardenofsound wrote:
SlimD235 wrote:If one of the original members of the Bad Boys in Detroit didn't think twice about throwing MJ around, of course LeBron would be average. Mj fought back. LeBron would just cry, complain, and get sent home. Totally agree with Rodman that he would be average (aka not the superstar he is today)

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Lebron is a product of his era. I'm 100% certain he wouldn't be the crybaby and flop he is now if he played in an era or league where that type of behavior were not rewarded.

Now that's a fun debate. In the 80's he wouldn't have been such a coddled teenager, he wouldn't have been called the King....

If we transport James back to that era, we'd have to redo all of it. And I think Garden is right.

bigchief3angle · Post #18 » by **bigchief3angle** » Fri Jun 7, 2013 4:45 pm

That's an interesting question. No question that LeBron is better than average in any era.

That said LeBron's biggest advantage is his size/skill combo. If LeBron played in the 80's/90's or those players played today, we'd see similar physical levels occur since no player would posses an advantage from the extensive HGH and other drug use currently being used in the NBA.

Therefore I can support an argument that LeBron would be just an All-Star in the 80-90s. If you take away his ability to push people around and play bully ball, you're left with a streaky player who plays an excellent all around game with no go to move. I think the overall talent level in the 80/90s was higher, so there is some validity to that thought process.

Personally I think if you put Dr. J in 2013 he could average 40 PPG in today's league, if he chose to bulk up. Let's not even get into Kareem or Wilt. I think LeBron is less skilled than some of the past NBA stars, so I can see where some of this thought process is coming from.

micromonkey · Post #19 » by **micromonkey** » Fri Jun 7, 2013 4:52 pm

dingdeng wrote:I think hes dead right on the 98 Bulls todays Heat matchup...I wouldn't be surprised if we sweep them...Matchups are just perfect...

You have a 7-2 center who can bother Lebron and Wade and protect the rim in Luc Longley.
You have Pippen and Rodman who can guard Lebron better than anyone in todays game.
You have Michael guarding Wade...
Lebron and Wade would be exhausted by having to guard Michael and Scottie.
Ron Harper would eat Mario Chalmers alive on D and O.
Heat would be out coached every game.
Bulls are winners and proven. Heat are not,,,

No contest...

Dead on--I wonder if they'd even take more than a game from the Bulls. Wade isn't going to the line 20+ times against Jordan.

I think the era helps Wade more than Lebron (still helps him), Wade would be more Drexler without all the insane tic tac fouls.

Wade and Lebron really feed off the line and getting calls.
The Bulls in 97-98 were near last (21st) in ft/fga so they were not at all needing calls (some remember incorrectly that they did).

Wade would not get his pump fake and bump calls at all--he'd actually have to make the basket via regular shooting. All those little tic tac fouls he thrived on would not be called. Wrist tap fouls at the hoop would not be either.

Lebron would get some of his calls--they are typically more contact--but probably no where near what he gets now.

Lebron would still be a great player but he would not have that insane efficiency he has now.
What would go away is the insane touch and flop and-1s. He'd probably look a lot line Malone scoring wise and might suffer a very similar fate. (no titles)

Eduardo · Post #20 » by **Eduardo** » Fri Jun 7, 2013 4:58 pm

The lebron hate here is ridiculous. Dr. J scoring 40 PPG in the modern NBA? LeBron would DOMINATE a physical era. You see how big he is? Imagine if he got to be physical on the defensive end? Game over. Dr. J would not come close to 40 points per game. Defenses are better now a days. Lets see Dr. J face a thibodeau defense scheme.