Who is physically stronger in their prime, Karl Malone or Lebron James?

RingsDontLie · Post #1 » by **RingsDontLie** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 12:05 am

Both of these two specimens have had very muscular bodies from countless hours of excruciating muscle building sessions in the gym during their prime. Both were definitely gym rats, and had the genetic platform to build amazing bodies. Let's just say, these two had very tight bodies in their prime. Women may even point out they have sexy muscular bodies since most find big muscles attractive especially when wearing certain gym attire: :oops:

Now I'm not sure what these guys could squat or bench in the gym, but I would think that Karl Malone on sheer mass alone would be stronger in the gym, but maybe Lebron has more of that natural strength? But does gym strength translate on the court? Who was stronger on the court? I'd place my bets on Malone if it were a bench press match up. If the two were to post each other up, not sure who would win. Malone perhaps since he might be considered a more natural PF?

D.Brasco · Post #2 » by **D.Brasco** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 12:27 am

Malone was an amateur bodybuilder so on upper body strength and lifts he'd arguably be stronger, as LeBron doesn't train that way. I wouldn't be surprised if LeBron has a stronger lower body however, he appears to focus on that a good deal and it takes a whole lot to push 265 lbs 40"+ off the ground.

As for their position however LeBron is about as strong as any wing/SF there has been. Malone is up there for his postion for sure but a dude like Barkley probably has him when it comes to lower body strength and holding position at the 4.

GYK · Post #3 » by **GYK** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 12:46 am

Karl. Lebron is strong but his biggest strength is momentum(although for a PF I can't think of a PF who plays with more momentum than Karl). But yea Karl is stronger. Lebron took a wirey frame and added muscle. I don't think Karl was ever wirey after puberty or really before.
Btw can someone tell me why Karl is pegged as a back to the basket player? He was. That's his primary scoring resource.

RayBan-Sematra · Post #4 » by **RayBan-Sematra** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 2:18 am

Yeah.
This is Karl.
Dude was an absolute tank.
He and Barkley also are well above Lebron power wise.

RxMidnight · Post #5 » by **RxMidnight** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 2:45 am

With out question Karl

During the whole baseball steroids scandal I always believed that if any NBA player got busted it would be Malone.

Winglish · Post #6 » by **Winglish** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 3:26 am

Karl Malone's workouts are the stuff of legend in Utah. He and Stockton just kept going and going all day long, neither guy willing to give up first. (Tells ya something about Stockton too, right?)

CavsFan364 · Post #7 » by **CavsFan364** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 3:31 am

Karl Malone and it's not close.

magicmerl · Post #8 » by **magicmerl** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 3:34 am

This comparison is easily Karl.

I think a better comparison would be Karl Malone vs Ben Wallace.

LakerLegend · Post #9 » by **LakerLegend** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 4:25 am

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFnmJgxft_s[/youtube]

Malone no question.

D.Brasco · Post #10 » by **D.Brasco** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 4:41 am

Lakerfan17 wrote:[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFnmJgxft_s[/youtube]

Malone no question.

Lol that was just a bad call.

Paul Pierce isn't a small guy himself and look how he can't do anything to stop lebron here.

BasketballFan7 · Post #11 » by **BasketballFan7** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 5:56 am

Positionally, LeBron has the greater relative strength. GOAT strength for a SF. Overall Malone, but there are guys who are on the same plane.

Swagalicious · Post #12 » by **Swagalicious** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 6:34 am

BasketballFan7 wrote:Positionally, LeBron has the greater relative strength. GOAT strength for a SF. Overall Malone, but there are guys who are on the same plane.

This is what I feel like, as well. LeBron's positional strength is off the charts type crazy, but he's still trailing Malone in absolute terms

EasternHeretic · Post #13 » by **EasternHeretic** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 7:48 am

magicmerl wrote:This comparison is easily Karl.

I think a better comparison would be Karl Malone vs Ben Wallace.

Is that Ben's head photo-shopped on someone elses body.

Lebron is strong, Karl is like strongman strong.

magicmerl · Post #14 » by **magicmerl** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 10:45 am

EasternHeretic wrote:Is that Ben's head photo-shopped on someone elses body.

Lebron is strong, Karl is like strongman strong.

No,Ben Wallace is a freak.

Edit: Apparently the first image *was* photoshopped. This one isn't though.

EasternHeretic · Post #15 » by **EasternHeretic** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 11:00 am

magicmerl wrote:
EasternHeretic wrote:Is that Ben's head photo-shopped on someone elses body.

Lebron is strong, Karl is like strongman strong.

No, Ben Wallace is a freak.

Yea I know he is, just the picture seemed off.

D.Brasco · Post #16 » by **D.Brasco** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 11:03 am

magicmerl wrote:This comparison is easily Karl.

I think a better comparison would be Karl Malone vs Ben Wallace.

It's crazy how different Ben looks without the fro?

CaliBullsFan · Post #17 » by **CaliBullsFan** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 4:10 pm

SinceGatlingWasARookie · Post #18 » by **SinceGatlingWasARookie** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 4:29 pm

Both are very muscled. Karl used his muscles in games much more than LeBron uses his muscles.

Muscles are denser that fat. Many of us know how carrying fat slows us down even if we run enough to keep our hearts and lungs in shape. I think LeBron's upper body muscles slowed him down a bit.

Because LeBron relied on speed early in his career I think LeBron's game is more based on using speed than using muscle. Even though LeBron is still fast I think LeBron might be a better player if he was slightly quicker and did not have as much upper body muscles as he has.

EyePlay2Win · Post #19 » by **EyePlay2Win** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 5:13 pm

Malone. LeBron is powerful against players smaller than him, not those in his weight class or bigger.

Post #20 » by **PaulieWal** » Thu Aug 27, 2015 5:18 pm

EyePlay2Win wrote:Malone. LeBron is powerful against players smaller than him, not those in his weight class or bigger.

Lol what does that even mean? Usually the bigger guys are stronger than the smaller guys. FWIW I have seen LeBron battle West and Griffin etc. and he's held his own against them pretty well.

I'd go with Malone too here anyway as he's stronger overall for sure.