How Quick Was LeBron at His Athletic Peak? How Quick Is He Now?

[KingDavid]

LeBron was fast when he got going. Quickness though? Eh. Rose, Westbrook, plenty of other guards and wings were quicker. For a player his height, it's impressive because practically no one his size could do all of what he did athletically.

[MarcusBrody]

He was quick enough to step to prime MVP D Rose when it mattered and shut him down. Lebron has a career full of amazing athletic feats, but watching him take up that defensive assignment in the fourth quarter of their playoff games and smother Rose when he was at his quickest was the most I've ever been impressed with what he could do quickness wise.

[salmonleg]

The first time I saw him on the floor in Miami with Wade and Bosh I thought the three of them looked like a pack of f'ing velociraptors. So crazy fast, quick, powerful, I've been watching NBA since the early '70's and I'd never seen anything like it. Athletically they were fiercely intimidating...

[Creativetran]

You'll never see anything like peak Lebron in the open court ever again. Speed, power, grace. Nothing came close before or after. That was the biggest thing that jumped out to me when I saw him on the Cav's.

There will always be someone better and faster in the future, can't say NEVER.

[Jaqua92]

Lebron wasn’t the quickest. He was definitely quick but what has made him dominate was his speed+quickness+strength. There’s never been a player who’s been able to put all of that together the way he has.

This. There's probably an uncountable amount of players, both stars and scrubs who are DEFINITELY quicker and faster than peak LeBron. Ignore the people who think LeBron could have been an Olympic sprinter. He wouldn't even be a D2 sprinter, NVM Olympic.

The deal with LeBron is that no one his size moves that quick. No one that size has the strength of a big, with the acceleration of a small athletic forward. His size strength and speed combo is what made him brilliant.

Small guards may be a 10/10 in speed and acceleration, 4/10 in size and 3/10 in strength.

LeBron is a 7/10 in acceleration and probably an 8/10 in speed. Like some small forwards and decently fast guards. The difference is he's a 10/10 in strength and about a 9/10 in size. Players with that kind of speed, even forwards wouldn't be more than a 6 in size and strength. LeBron is a jack of all trades in terms of athleticism relative to size.

He's not freakishly fast or quick. He's freakishly strong and quick for his size. MJ was quicker and faster. Tbh, I probably had a faster top speed than LeBron in my peak track and field days.

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[BodieB]

Watch on YouTube

LeBron was a freak athlete among freak athletes. His acceleration and explosion were something else.

Good gracious.

[Arman_tanzarian]

Are some of you guys serious with this lack of quickness thing?

Cavs LeBron circa rook to 2010 was one dribble and he's at the rim in the half-court. In the open court, he was the fastest player in the league. Only wade was near his level end to end.

His first step was insane too pre Miami. I think you guys are confusing quickness with lane agility. The latter he was slightly below an all-timer like MJ just because of his size.

End to end LeBron is the fastest player I've ever seen. Especially when he has steam.

Watch on YouTube

1:25

Dude is a literal blur before the other players can even turn their heads. He even slows down a bit at the end. You can see his quickness in that instant bit of acceleration and he's ahead of everybody, despite being baseline when the steal occurs.

We need to quit acting like peak nephews here.

* Edit, same ish, possibly even more impressive at 6:15

[Lockdown504090]

Lebron had an above average to great first step,something like maybe a rudy gay on memphis level, but not All time great or anything just because he doesnt quite have the footwork of a guard and he's a bit heavier than the people we may want to compare him to. End to end, he was one of the fastest guys ive ever seen.

Right now, He has slown on the fast break a lot, because thats just aging and losing some athleticism. In half court offense and defense, he hasnt fallen off nearly as much as some may want to belive,and thats because he has improved his skill and footwork in executing his moves TREMENDOUSLY.

Lebron was given almost every genetic advantage an athlete could ask for, yet he still didnt sit on his laurels, and tried to improve where he was weak, all those things we said he cant do ten years ago, he can do now, even if hes lost some of what initially made him amazing.

[Benedict_Boozer]

He used to be ALOT quicker than he is now. He is still elite for his weight and size but it’s not close to what he used to be, especially in the open court.


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[In SVG We Trust]

He was able to defend Tony Parker so... One of the fastest players this league has seen

[PMONSTER]

If we're talking speed, quickness, power, and vertical....

Derrick Rose
Michael Jordan
LeBron James
Zion Williamson
Shaquille O'Neal

We've been blessed to see them

[Pelly24]

I think peak lebron had a Vince Carter type of first step and DWade type of speed.

Now he's maybe a bit less quick than Kawhi, but definitely quicker than someone like Paul George.

[Alize]

When did Jordan had power?

If we're talking speed, quickness, power, and vertical....

Derrick Rose
Michael Jordan
LeBron James
Zion Williamson
Shaquille O'Neal

We've been blessed to see them

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[BodieB]

he was quick for his size but not insanely quick, just super fast once he got a full head of steam but the acceleration wasn't THAT good (still good obviously for his size).

Lol no it was that good. His elite acceleration is what enabled him to get those chase down blocks for much of his career.

[twyzted]

When did Jordan had power?

If we're talking speed, quickness, power, and vertical....

Derrick Rose
Michael Jordan
LeBron James
Zion Williamson
Shaquille O'Neal

We've been blessed to see them

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have you watched jordan highlights? He had plenty power

[Cavsfansince84]

I think his quickness went down a tad in about 2011/2012 when he added another 10-15b and was in the post more. I don't think its actually dropped off that much from then but I think he doesn't try to blow past people quite as much and he uses more moves rather than just relying on his speed. He's much more crafty now.

[Alize]

Whaaat, all i see is finesse and quickness but power? Come one haha

When did Jordan had power?

If we're talking speed, quickness, power, and vertical....

Derrick Rose
Michael Jordan
LeBron James
Zion Williamson
Shaquille O'Neal

We've been blessed to see them

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have you watched jordan highlights? He had plenty power

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[Alize]

Same opionion here, i think in 2009 he was very quick, this was at the same time were he chasedowned a lot of players.

I think his quickness went down a tad in about 2011/2012 when he added another 10-15b and was in the post more. I don't think its actually dropped off that much from then but I think he doesn't try to blow past people quite as much and he uses more moves rather than just relying on his speed. He's much more crafty now.

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[Alize]

This is how quick he was at his peak.
https://youtu.be/-qu9d6bZtpE

https://youtu.be/NYz-_AsTASY

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[Dnt hate]

You'll never see anything like peak Lebron in the open court ever again. Speed, power, grace. Nothing came close before or after. That was the biggest thing that jumped out to me when I saw him on the Cav's.

Greek Freak