More athletic: LeBron / Giannis

[durantbird]

Who has the athleticism advantage?

[Colbinii]

In terms of pure measurables and physical nature, Giannis.

In terms of utilizing that athleticism and maximizing it as a basketball player? LeBron.

[tsherkin]

In terms of pure measurables and physical nature, Giannis.

In terms of utilizing that athleticism and maximizing it as a basketball player? LeBron.

Interesting. In which measurables does Giannis beat Lebron?

[Colbinii]

In terms of pure measurables and physical nature, Giannis.

In terms of utilizing that athleticism and maximizing it as a basketball player? LeBron.

Interesting. In which measurables does Giannis beat Lebron?

Measurable wasn't the correct word as I am not actually measuring anything.

Longer (Vertical and standing reach) and Taller are the main advantages Giannis has.

Who is stronger? That I dont know, tend to favor LeBron.

Faster? Younger LeBron I think but again I dont know for certain.

[tsherkin]

Longer (Vertical and standing reach) and Taller are the main advantages Giannis has.

Do you have numbers on those?

Faster? Younger LeBron I think but again I dont know for certain.

Younger Lebron looks a lot faster/explosive to my eye test (which, of course, is super subjective), but there are at least a couple of speed tests and what-not from the Combine I suppose we could look at. Reach and the fact that he's 7' and mobile seem to be Giannis' major traits. And he's a horse, for sure.

[Peregrine01]

Clearly Bron to me. We've seen Giannis get stonewalled at the rim in a way that prime Bron never did. Bron was more explosive, faster end to end, stronger and had a good 20 lbs on current Giannis. Both are freaks but Bron is The physical specimen.

[Colbinii]

Longer (Vertical and standing reach) and Taller are the main advantages Giannis has.

Do you have numbers on those?

Yes and No.

LeBron is measured at 6' 8" with a 7' wingspan.

Giannis is measured at 6' 11" with a 7' 4" wingspan.

Giannis max vertical was 12' 2" which is 3 inches off the NBA record [ninth highest ever as of 2015].

[tsherkin]

Giannis max vertical was 12' 2" which is 3 inches off the NBA record [ninth highest ever as of 2015].

Okay, so you're not measuring actual vertical, you're measuring his vertical reach, which is going to be affected by his standing reach. Fair enough, that's an important clarification.

[LesGrossman]

Giannis is taller, has more reach and yet is more mobile - he euro steps around guys when lebron used to run right through them (without ever being called for a charge, of course). Giannis has more size, is stronger AND has more finesse. I dont see much in favor of lebron here tbh.

[No-more-rings]

Is it odd that I think Lebron is stronger?

[GSP]

Giannis is taller, has more reach and yet is more mobile - he euro steps around guys when lebron used to run right through them (without ever being called for a charge, of course). Giannis has more size, is stronger AND has more finesse. I dont see much in favor of lebron here tbh.

Giannis isnt stronger. In the 20 and 21 seasons Bron was physically bodying him on both ends in their matchups. Shutting down Giannis too in their matchups albeit a limited sample obviously not guarding him every possession. Giannis couldnt blow past him or bully ball him in the post at all. He was forced to settle for alot of jumpers against him while he abused Ad

Lakers Bron isnt even his strongest or most athletic form too

[RCM88x]

Giannis might have better measurables but I do think Lebron's athleticism was more tangible in basketball than Giannis' is. Giannis' length is really what is more special than his raw athleticism honestly.

[70sFan]

Is it odd that I think Lebron is stronger?

Not at all, Giannis is strong but it's his combination of length and speed that made him look so scary. In stationary position, he struggles to push around stronger defenders (which is visible even now against Horford and Williams).

James functional strength was never in question for me.

[tsherkin]

Giannis might have better measurables but I do think Lebron's athleticism was more tangible in basketball than Giannis' is. Giannis' length is really what is more special than his raw athleticism honestly.

Length, but coordination at height. While it continues to grow more common in the NBA, finding someone that size who can move like that is not an easy task.

[MyUniBroDavis]

Longer (Vertical and standing reach) and Taller are the main advantages Giannis has.

Do you have numbers on those?

Yes and No.

LeBron is measured at 6' 8" with a 7' wingspan.

Giannis is measured at 6' 11" with a 7' 4" wingspan.

Giannis max vertical was 12' 2" which is 3 inches off the NBA record [ninth highest ever as of 2015].

I think giannis’s is def higher now, but peak bron prolly had a vert in the mid 40s

Lebrons standing teach in the draft was 8ft9.25, so 2ft1 higher than his height

So if he can get his head to the rim it’d be 12ft1, and at his peak there’s a photo or two of him getting 4-5 inches above the rim in his first Cleveland stint

Giannis prolly can reach higher now (as in compared to bron before) though, his wingspan probably grew since he grew nearly 3 inches, and he seems like he jumps a lot higher

[RCM88x]

Giannis might have better measurables but I do think Lebron's athleticism was more tangible in basketball than Giannis' is. Giannis' length is really what is more special than his raw athleticism honestly.

Length, but coordination at height. While it continues to grow more common in the NBA, finding someone that size who can move like that is not an easy task.

Lots of guys that size can move like Giannis, is whether or not they have the coordination do it with a basketball is the question. I don't know if we consider coordination with the ball athleticism or not.

[tsherkin]

Lots of guys that size can move like Giannis, is whether or not they have the coordination do it with a basketball is the question. I don't know if we consider coordination with the ball athleticism or not.

Coordination was literally the word I used for a reason, RC

Coordination is an athletic trait, and a routinely underrated/undiscussed one, for sure. Balance, change of direction, control, all of those things flow from it. I don't really care if the dude can run springs from baseline to baseline like it's the 1960s, that's not how centers play today, you know what I mean?

[Im Your Father]

Giannis is taller, has more reach and yet is more mobile - he euro steps around guys when lebron used to run right through them (without ever being called for a charge, of course). Giannis has more size, is stronger AND has more finesse. I dont see much in favor of lebron here tbh.

Young Lebron was easily more mobile than current Giannis, it's just that it's now been 12 years or so since he lost that quickness. Miami Lebron had lost a ton of first step quickness and fluidity.

[Greyhound]

Giannis is taller and longer then LeBron. The athleticism he possesses combined with that is what makes him special. He is a center (essentially) with SF mobility. He also has a high motor.

That being said, LeBron was a flat out better athlete. Faster, quicker, stronger, more explosive, higher leaping, greater stamina, superior power generation on the move (be it freight train or run/ jump).

The thing is, people are so far removed from seeing that LeBron they no longer remember him.

Giannis is more “freaky” because of his length (in combination with his athleticism and motor). LeBron was the superior athlete.

Comparing physical specimen to physical specimen (at their best) I would probably give the slight edge to Giannis (not factoring in career durability and longevity).

Overall I will go with LeBron, he was the superior run, jump/ power athlete.


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A bit off topic, but I would need to see how Giannis’s physical profile endures compared to LeBron’s to make a final determination in regards to physical specimen. LeBron’s Karl Malone type durability on top of his peak athleticism is probably his trump card in this sort of comparison with any basketball player in history.

[Statlanta]

I’d take LeBron but mostly pre-2011 version. Giannis is more athletic than any other version.