Rank every season of LeBron's prime '09-'20

[ardee]

I would go:

1. 2017 (perfect player in every way, the GOAT peak IMO)

2. 2009 (probably the highest raw impact of any player ever, but still had flaws to his game)

3. 2013 (legendary regular season, jumper deserted him at times in the Playoffs)

4. 2018 (offensively as good as 2017, maybe a bit weaker, but his defense was definitely worse)

5. 2016 (better than 2017/18 defensively, but hadn't made the quantum leap on offense yet)

6. 2012 (jumper wasn't there at all especially at times in the Playoffs but probably his best defensive year and most locked in mentally behind 2016)

7. 2010 (great year, but with the way he went out it's hard to rank it over any of these)

8. 2014 (on paper he should have been as good as 2017 and 2018 but a notable lack of aggression)

9. 2020 (very difficult year to evaluate because would he have been as good without the 5 months off in the middle? He was also IMO never really pushed to the 6th gear he showed in any of the above seasons so we had no way of knowing if he had it)

10. 2015 (showed serious drive and intensity but it was also probably the worst his jumper had ever looked and the first half of the RS he actually looked pretty limited at times)

11. 2011 (enough has been said about this year)

12. 2019 (the injury is what kills this year. For all we know he had another 2018 type performance waiting for us in the Playoffs)

[70sFan]

2012
2009
2013
2016
2014
2017
2010
2018
2020
2011
2015
2019

If you want to see the reasoning, see this project:

viewtopic.php?f=64&t=2120549

[No-more-rings]

2012
2009
2013
2017
2016
2010
2014
2018
2020
2015
2011
2019*

[PhiEaglesfan712]

1. 2018: At age 33, LeBron played all 82 games in the regular season and every postseason game. Plus, he didn't have a great supporting cast like other seasons, and he still made the Finals.
2. 2020: LeBron won a Championship as the main player at age 35.
3. 2016: LeBron leads Cleveland to a Championship, in his most complete playoff performance aside from 2018.
4. 2013: LeBron's most complete regular season performance.
5. 2012: LeBron's first Championship.
6. 2009: LeBron's first MVP, and next best regular season after 2013.
7. 2017: LeBron was still good this year, but there was no memorable moment like 2016 or 2018.
8. 2014: This is the first spot on the list where LeBron's lack of aggression pops up.
9. 2015: Very up and down season from LeBron, but despite a losing effort, did have a performance of the ages in the NBA Finals.
10. 2010: LeBron's worst playoff performance ever.
11. 2011: Another up and down season capped off with a disastrous performance in the NBA Finals.
12. 2019: Incomplete season due to injuries. Even when healthy, LeBron was a little off this year.

[No-more-rings]

10. 2010: LeBron's worst playoff performance ever.

I disagree with almost your whole list, but this just isn’t true and this season I think is ranked way too low. Prior to the last 3 games against Boston(which were bad yes), Lebron was averging 32/8.5/7.4 65.5 ts% and a 131 ORTG. Yes he finished horribly against Boston but it wasn’t his worst series ever and Boston’s defense in those playoffs was one of the best ever. If Lebron played any team but Boston that year there’s a good chance it’s seen in a similar light to 2009.

[jalengreen]

3. 2016: LeBron leads Cleveland to a Championship, in his most complete playoff performance aside from 2018.

how was 2018 a more complete playoff performance? offensively perhaps but lebron really wasn't impressive defensively in 2018.

it was a clear down season defensively IMO, especially compared to neighboring years like 2016 and 2020.

[falcolombardi]

i feel semi confident in 2009 lebron as his best year

i get that his skillset and mental game was not close to what it would become, but in a pure results/impact driven criteria thst season is an outlier among outliers in all of nba history and was actuallt succesuful (near 40 point triple double in good efficiency) when tested by a elite defense in orlando

the results are so good that they overcome the theory for me

the good whistle he was given at the time helped a ton compared to later seasons

friendlier whistle, absurd motor and athletism, huge defensive effort anchoring a elite cavs defense are strenghts that compensate the weaker skillset and decision making even in a playoff setting

[Statlanta]

2017
2016
2013
2012
2018
2014
2009
2020
2011
2015
2010
2019

[No-more-rings]

2017
2016
2013
2012
2018
2014
2009
2020
2011
2015
2010
2019

Wait, what possible argument is there for 2011 over 2010?

[Narigo]

13
12
09
10
14
16
18
17
20
11
15

[MyUniBroDavis]

2016 - 2017 probably had a higher level of play but it was just legendary
2017 - highest level of play ever probably
2018 - I don’t think anyone else in nba history gets out of the first round, this would be first if he didn’t hurt his hand at the end portentously
2012
2013 - playoff run was a bit disappointing
2020 - probably one of his best defensive playoffs
2009 - great of course but just not as versatile as his other peak years
2014 - defense fell off a bit
2010 - Celtics series is a blog
2015 - was hurt a bit and I think his finals were overrated
2011 - oof
2019 - mega oof

I don’t jive with 09 being his peak when he himself basically said he would have struggled in certain matchups far more than now, that’s one thing where I will defer to the person himself vs posters for pretty obvious reasons, and my issue with 2013 is, yeah he had a great RS but his playoff run was just not really even close to on the level of his later ones, and considering he made the finals like 8 years in a row the regular season basically didn’t matter for most of his prime

[TheGOATRises007]

2017
2009
2016
2018
2012
2020
2013
2014
2010
2011
2015
2019

I find 2020 hard to evaluate. You can make arguments for it being in the top 3 and even bottom 3 considering the circumstances.

I'm also not that high on his 2013 season as I used to be. I truly think Lebron peaked in general during his 2nd Cleveland stint.

That 2017 Cavs team was incredible. If they didn't run into the Warriors(and took the RS seriously), they'd be one of the top 10-5 teams ever.

I've become much higher on his 2009 season the past year. The only feasible argument against that being his peak are his subsequent 2010 and 2011 season which is somewhat fair I suppose. It's interesting to think about.

[IG2]

2009
2010
2018
2017
2014
2013
2016
2015
2012
2020
2011
2019

[Heat4lyf]

2016
2017
2018
2012
2013
2009
2020
2014
2010
2015
2011
2019

[capfan33]

2013
2012
2009
2010
2017
2018
2016
2014
2020
2011
2015
2019

[70sFan]

Man, 2014 is so underrated here...

[Cavsfansince84]

09
12
17
13
20
16
18
14
10
15
11
19

fight me!

[PhiEaglesfan712]

10. 2010: LeBron's worst playoff performance ever.

I disagree with almost your whole list, but this just isn’t true and this season I think is ranked way too low. Prior to the last 3 games against Boston(which were bad yes), Lebron was averging 32/8.5/7.4 65.5 ts% and a 131 ORTG. Yes he finished horribly against Boston but it wasn’t his worst series ever and Boston’s defense in those playoffs was one of the best ever. If Lebron played any team but Boston that year there’s a good chance it’s seen in a similar light to 2009.

LeBron looked better in the 2008 Boston series, compared to the 2010 series. I think 2008 should be included as a year in LeBron's prime, and I'd probably rank it higher than 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, and 2019.

[Cavsfansince84]

LeBron looked better in the 2008 Boston series, compared to the 2010 series. I think 2008 should be included as a year in LeBron's prime, and I'd probably rank it higher than 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, and 2019.

I agree with 08 being part of his prime though I wouldn't rank it ahead of as many seasons as you do. Probably just 11 and 19.

[No-more-rings]

10. 2010: LeBron's worst playoff performance ever.

I disagree with almost your whole list, but this just isn’t true and this season I think is ranked way too low. Prior to the last 3 games against Boston(which were bad yes), Lebron was averging 32/8.5/7.4 65.5 ts% and a 131 ORTG. Yes he finished horribly against Boston but it wasn’t his worst series ever and Boston’s defense in those playoffs was one of the best ever. If Lebron played any team but Boston that year there’s a good chance it’s seen in a similar light to 2009.

LeBron looked better in the 2008 Boston series, compared to the 2010 series. I think 2008 should be included as a year in LeBron's prime, and I'd probably rank it higher than 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, and 2019.

2010 seems like a different tier overall but you do you I guess.