He also wasn't the primary ball-handler, which meant he could have gotten more assists as well. LeBron will struggle with the hand-check and with how coaches were in those days, he will be forced to play more off-ball, which is not his strength. I would say this - he did maximize his ability to stat-pad and win with how the game is played in this era.
I've seen both of them actually play. I have Bird at #3 all time. Lebron ain't even in my top ten. Bird dominated in a decade that produced the most HOF'er's.Three consecutive MVP's. You are right...peak for peak, Larry has the big edge. Subbed!
LeBron was 18 turning 19, Bird 22 turning 23 entering the NBA. LeBron's advantages were his size, vertical, and straight-line speed. He did manage to make it to the NBA Finals early in his career, though it has the caveat that the defending champs were cratered with injuries, and all his other rivals in the East were either going through changes or had injuries. This era of LeBron was the only one I respected, and the rest is watered down because of the Decision. Bird will do more for you than LeBron can, as LeBron has a leaky dribble and doesn't get called for traveling, and his passing, while instinctive, gets undue credit when you think about his turnovers. As an athlete with size, LeBron is not proficient in the post, nor is he known for contested rebounds. By now he is a proficient distance shooter but he wasn't for the first 13 years of his career, if we make a direct comparison to Bird. Bird will get cooked 1v1, for sure, but knows how to defend within a system. He did make All-Defense Second Team for three years. LeBron gets that iconic moment vs Iguodala but where are his other defensive highlights? LeBron is a great player, and if we credit his longevity he is better than Bird, but definitely not in quality.
Bird is cooking LeBron 1 on 1 if they actually call the rules. If LeBron is allowed his normal offensive fouls then maybe. Bird plays defense LeBron can't, bird can dribble, LeBron can't, bird can shoot, LeBron can't.
@@joshportie What I meant was that in a 1v1 situation on a possession within a game, threes with speed, or fours with enough strength will have a chance of scoring on Bird, and this happens if he's alone on an island with no help defense. In 1v1 competition per se, Bird v LeBron (only), that's a different story, and I will have to agree.
@@willingexile3374 Then there's the time Larry played his teammates 1 on 2. Larry was up 6-0 before he missed his first shot, then of course he lost 7-6 b/c not even Bobby Jones could defend two guys at once...Larry wouldn't be able to stop LeBron and LeBron wouldn't be able to stop Larry b/c nobody could. Michael Cooper on a good day could limit Bird's TOUCHES - that's the only way to stop him. Make sure he doesn't see the ball in the first place.
You say Bird is better in every way, but LeBron is better by a nose? I dont understand your logic, quite frankly. Usual the better player, is the better player. I'd take a prime Bird over LaBron, every day of the week. If LaBron played back then, Larry would've torched him, just like everyone else. Edit: longevity isnt a accolade or a talent, it's just luck
Lol this guy doesn't know what he is talking about lebron won 4 mvps 2009 2010 2011 2012 he won 4 MVPS IN 5YEARS 1 TITLE YES but peak years LEBRON was better my opinion 2 of those MVP years his 2nd best player was Mo Williams LARRY had McHale Dennis Johnson Maxwell(who won finals MVP in 81) Bill Walton Robert Parish 3 players who were named top 50 players of all time 😆 🤣 stop it
I remember when LeBron came into the league. I wanted him to be great and bring Cleveland a championship the right way. Always like seeing smaller market teams win. I have always supported Texas teams so my dislike of players was solely due to the players being opponents. I disliked John Stockton, i disliked Kobe, i did like Jordan but I wasn't a Jordan fan. Dream was my guy and then Duncan. As an adult I love all those players as competitors. I could list off dozens like this through the 2000s. When LeBron went to Miami he destroyed his career and the league. The last time I watched was them getting destroyed by the spurs. They don't even play the same game anymore. No defense, no fundamentals, no mental game. Remember when players used to foul out because of skilled players who drove to the rim and skilled big men? I never watched Wilt play but if im picking any players first its Wilt. Even prime Jordan isnt going to want to drive on him. And bet money Stockton is still on the board in round 2 because hes criminally underrated, he played defense Magic didnt. Point guard Stockton Shooting G Jordan Small forward Bird Power forward Dream Center Wilt Subs Magic, Kobe, Oscar Robertson, Duncan, Kareem.
Great choices. Respect that you chose Stockton over Magic (I will agree to disagree), and for an era-proof roster you need spacing that Stockton provides. There are others I would pick over Stockton but he'll fit just fine. For the last two slots I would pick Russell and Jerry West. Can't leave Bill out among ultimate winners, and West is an absolute scoring machine, imagine if they had a three-point line then. Kobe/Big O can also play wing as needed.
If were talking you have a time machine to get either player in the beginning of their career. Why would you pick a player who is going to leave you as soon as they lose? Over any player who you can later trade if need be and actually get something for drafting that player? No way you dont. Bird better passer by far, better shooter by far, better at rebounding, better at steals, better at blocks, better team player, better dribbler. Lebron only has his steroids and the refs not calling offensive fouls on him when he breaks the rules every play. You get a guy who gives up and quits on his team mid game. Who flops, travels, dribbles ball off own shoes, and blames his own teammates for his errors. A player who tries to get teammates and coaches fired. A man who will betray his teammates and leave the second he has a better option. A man who stood with the Chinese government over the people of Hong Kong and Taiwan. A man who kicked another man in the balls (dont think Draymond gets a pass, and neither of them are kids, i understand emotions getting the better of the youth). If you can watch all of that and still pick Lebron youre just as bad as him. That being said even if you leave all of that stuff out Bird still wins just for the play on the court. The people who defend that behavior are part of the problem.
Personally I'd rather the league stay away from politics, because almost everyone will come out as hypocrites. Athletes can be SJWs as they please but on their own time, and if they manage to make a difference as Russell and Kareem did, kudos to them. I will pick LeBron if I had a chance to get him developed through at least three years of college, because he has a higher ceiling. As they were, no way would I pick LeBron.
@@KenD-s1p Good call. Larry's total athletic package is super underrated, and who knows how much longer he would have played and at a higher level if he took better care of himself. However, we'll never know what might have happened if a college coach unlocked LeBron, like Dean Smith at Chapel Hill for Michael Jordan. I would have liked to see that hypothetical, combining all his athletic gifts and then improving both his fundamentals and mental approach. BIG WHAT IF.
@@willingexile3374 Well, Larry took a mid-america conference team and put it on his back to wind up 33-1 w/the only loss being in the Finals to a superior TEAM in Michigan State and ISU as Sterling Sharpe so eloquently put it, "....and they haven't been ranked SINCE. And the never were ranked BEFORE" lol....and I think MJ went pro after his sophomore season, was it? Or Junior? I DO recall it WAS James Worthy who was the best player on the team at the time, and it was evident when watching the games. But I think a large part of it was that Worthy was a Senior when they beat Georgetown (or the poor G-Town kid threw the pass to the wrong guy on their last possession, and Worthy missed both free throws but that was b/c he knew they had the championship in the bag, and recall MJ was who was called upon b/c Dean knew Worthy would get all the attention, and it left MJ wide-open to bury that 15-footer from the left wing....I recall that finals game really clearly. And yeah, Larry shoulda hired someone to do his Mom's driveway, ouch....but wow, memories, eh? And thanks for the 'good call' comment....it's nice to find nice people online these days! :)
@@KenD-s1p Likewise. Larry also went drinking like an average Joe at Boston bars, and sometimes get into fights, during the regular season. What a guy. Sycamores never made the the NCAA Final Four or championship game before or since (as Division I) Bird. Carl Nicks, his point guard, was the only one of his teammates to even set foot in the NBA, although he had a longer career overseas. Interestingly, Jake LaRavia of the T-Wolves was the only first-round draft pick (2022) from ISU since Nicks. Jordan was the only starting freshman on that title team, which was remarkable because Dean Smith rarely started freshmen. Worthy (junior) was clearly the best player, and maybe other than Jordan, Sam Perkins was the clear NBA-level talent.
Same here. Only jordan has an argument to be better than bird and i doubt that because I'd still take bird to start my team over any player ever. People like jordan and lebron had to learn how to win. Bird was a winner from day 1. 4 year stretch of 50/40/90 while averaging almost 30pts a game. Never been duplicated.
Not at all Other than He's a Better Shooter from Everywhere on the Court, Better Passer, Better Rebounder, Better Play-Maker, Higher IQ, Far More Clutch, Far More Heart, Better Leader, Better Team-Mate ... averaged more blocks & more steals / game ... didn't Flop, whine, bitch, moan, palm / carry / travel, double-dribble ... rely on offensive fouling and some other stuff ... but other than that ...
Magic isn't better than bird. People like this guy in the video like to ignore the fact that Kareem was the best Laker in 3 out of 5 of magics championships. Bird made his team what it was. 80s Lakers were the deepest team in the league. 80s celtics were not deep at all.
1.Jordan 2.Russell 3.Magic 4.Jabbar 5.Bird 6.Lebron this is my top 6 it's a criteria I had intact since 98 when I was a teenager. These 6 players are the only 6 players who won atleast 3 MVPs and lead their team to atleast 3 championships. An yes Bird is better at more on the court than LeBron. Larry Bird either still has more offensive rebounds or LeBron just caught him.
Lol yea lebron has no dynasty in a team aspect but he went to the finals 9 straight years. Look im not saying he is the greatest or not but lebron would have at least 2 more titles if KD didn't join Golden State. That's a fact. They had to assemble a super team to beat him. 😂
Length of career is length of career. Who was better in their prime? Larry Joe Bird!!! Bird was better then EVERYBODY in his prime. As a Rookie took 29 win team to 61 wins. Lost to Dr J in the East finals Just him! No Kevin, no Robert. Just Bird! 29 to 61 wins as a ROOKIE!!! Jordon took EIGHT YEARS to get deep in the playoffs. Magic won the championship in his rookie year, playing game 6 at center and DOMINATING! And Bird won it the next year. Bird or Magic took all the 80s rings but '83 and '89.
That's based on longevity not Superior talent in their primes. There's a lot to be said for longevity I'll put birds first 9 years in the league up against anybody's
Other than He's a Better Shooter from Everywhere on the Court, Better Passer, Better Rebounder, Better Play-Maker, Higher IQ, Far More Clutch, Far More Heart, Better Leader, Better Team-Mate ... averaged more blocks & more steals / game ... didn't Flop, whine, bitch, moan, palm / carry / travel, double-dribble ... rely on offensive fouling and some other stuff ... but other than that ... far from ....
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
Game on the line am picking bird
Winning am picking bird
Mental toughness am picking bird
Overall am picking bird
Absolutely. Bird had the skills, talent and will. If he didnt play with two hall of fame front court players he wouldve had way more rebounds too🐐
He also wasn't the primary ball-handler, which meant he could have gotten more assists as well. LeBron will struggle with the hand-check and with how coaches were in those days, he will be forced to play more off-ball, which is not his strength. I would say this - he did maximize his ability to stat-pad and win with how the game is played in this era.
@@willingexile3374 💯💯
100% Bird > LeFlop
I've seen both of them actually play. I have Bird at #3 all time. Lebron ain't even in my top ten. Bird dominated in a decade that produced the most HOF'er's.Three consecutive MVP's. You are right...peak for peak, Larry has the big edge. Subbed!
LeBron isn't top 100. You can't quit on your team mid playoffs and be considered all time great.
@@joshportie 100% agree.
Bird in his prime vs LeBron in his prime? I'd take Bird any day. Overall career, probably a toss up.
Bird was alwwys better then lebron statvpad james imo...20 plus seasons of short comings
Tier 3 for bird gives you no credibility. None
I’m the king of flop there is non hire, LB should call me sire.
LeBron was 18 turning 19, Bird 22 turning 23 entering the NBA. LeBron's advantages were his size, vertical, and straight-line speed. He did manage to make it to the NBA Finals early in his career, though it has the caveat that the defending champs were cratered with injuries, and all his other rivals in the East were either going through changes or had injuries. This era of LeBron was the only one I respected, and the rest is watered down because of the Decision.
Bird will do more for you than LeBron can, as LeBron has a leaky dribble and doesn't get called for traveling, and his passing, while instinctive, gets undue credit when you think about his turnovers. As an athlete with size, LeBron is not proficient in the post, nor is he known for contested rebounds. By now he is a proficient distance shooter but he wasn't for the first 13 years of his career, if we make a direct comparison to Bird. Bird will get cooked 1v1, for sure, but knows how to defend within a system. He did make All-Defense Second Team for three years. LeBron gets that iconic moment vs Iguodala but where are his other defensive highlights? LeBron is a great player, and if we credit his longevity he is better than Bird, but definitely not in quality.
Bird is cooking LeBron 1 on 1 if they actually call the rules. If LeBron is allowed his normal offensive fouls then maybe. Bird plays defense LeBron can't, bird can dribble, LeBron can't, bird can shoot, LeBron can't.
@@joshportie What I meant was that in a 1v1 situation on a possession within a game, threes with speed, or fours with enough strength will have a chance of scoring on Bird, and this happens if he's alone on an island with no help defense. In 1v1 competition per se, Bird v LeBron (only), that's a different story, and I will have to agree.
@@willingexile3374 Then there's the time Larry played his teammates 1 on 2. Larry was up 6-0 before he missed his first shot, then of course he lost 7-6 b/c not even Bobby Jones could defend two guys at once...Larry wouldn't be able to stop LeBron and LeBron wouldn't be able to stop Larry b/c nobody could. Michael Cooper on a good day could limit Bird's TOUCHES - that's the only way to stop him. Make sure he doesn't see the ball in the first place.
Bird is tier one player just listen to Kareem says bout bird check it out
Bird and Lebron have mad respect for each other. That's good enough for me.
They actually don't. Bird just is part of management and can't speak his mind. After LeBron retires people will be saying a different story.
If you know anything about Bird, you wouldn't make that comment. He says what he believes and is no one's shill.
You say Bird is better in every way, but LeBron is better by a nose? I dont understand your logic, quite frankly. Usual the better player, is the better player. I'd take a prime Bird over LaBron, every day of the week. If LaBron played back then, Larry would've torched him, just like everyone else. Edit: longevity isnt a accolade or a talent, it's just luck
Lol this guy doesn't know what he is talking about lebron won 4 mvps 2009 2010 2011 2012 he won 4 MVPS IN 5YEARS 1 TITLE YES but peak years LEBRON was better my opinion 2 of those MVP years his 2nd best player was Mo Williams LARRY had McHale Dennis Johnson Maxwell(who won finals MVP in 81) Bill Walton Robert Parish 3 players who were named top 50 players of all time 😆 🤣 stop it
I have bird over lebron
Yes, Bird was better.
I remember when LeBron came into the league. I wanted him to be great and bring Cleveland a championship the right way. Always like seeing smaller market teams win.
I have always supported Texas teams so my dislike of players was solely due to the players being opponents. I disliked John Stockton, i disliked Kobe, i did like Jordan but I wasn't a Jordan fan. Dream was my guy and then Duncan. As an adult I love all those players as competitors. I could list off dozens like this through the 2000s. When LeBron went to Miami he destroyed his career and the league. The last time I watched was them getting destroyed by the spurs. They don't even play the same game anymore. No defense, no fundamentals, no mental game. Remember when players used to foul out because of skilled players who drove to the rim and skilled big men? I never watched Wilt play but if im picking any players first its Wilt. Even prime Jordan isnt going to want to drive on him. And bet money Stockton is still on the board in round 2 because hes criminally underrated, he played defense Magic didnt.
Point guard Stockton
Shooting G Jordan
Small forward Bird
Power forward Dream
Center Wilt
Subs Magic, Kobe, Oscar Robertson, Duncan, Kareem.
Great choices. Respect that you chose Stockton over Magic (I will agree to disagree), and for an era-proof roster you need spacing that Stockton provides. There are others I would pick over Stockton but he'll fit just fine. For the last two slots I would pick Russell and Jerry West. Can't leave Bill out among ultimate winners, and West is an absolute scoring machine, imagine if they had a three-point line then. Kobe/Big O can also play wing as needed.
In Every Way!
If were talking you have a time machine to get either player in the beginning of their career. Why would you pick a player who is going to leave you as soon as they lose? Over any player who you can later trade if need be and actually get something for drafting that player? No way you dont.
Bird better passer by far, better shooter by far, better at rebounding, better at steals, better at blocks, better team player, better dribbler.
Lebron only has his steroids and the refs not calling offensive fouls on him when he breaks the rules every play. You get a guy who gives up and quits on his team mid game. Who flops, travels, dribbles ball off own shoes, and blames his own teammates for his errors. A player who tries to get teammates and coaches fired. A man who will betray his teammates and leave the second he has a better option. A man who stood with the Chinese government over the people of Hong Kong and Taiwan. A man who kicked another man in the balls (dont think Draymond gets a pass, and neither of them are kids, i understand emotions getting the better of the youth).
If you can watch all of that and still pick Lebron youre just as bad as him. That being said even if you leave all of that stuff out Bird still wins just for the play on the court. The people who defend that behavior are part of the problem.
Personally I'd rather the league stay away from politics, because almost everyone will come out as hypocrites. Athletes can be SJWs as they please but on their own time, and if they manage to make a difference as Russell and Kareem did, kudos to them. I will pick LeBron if I had a chance to get him developed through at least three years of college, because he has a higher ceiling. As they were, no way would I pick LeBron.
@@willingexile3374 I don't think LeBron's ceiling was ever higher b/c of Larry's intangibles that cannot be coached.
@@KenD-s1p Good call. Larry's total athletic package is super underrated, and who knows how much longer he would have played and at a higher level if he took better care of himself. However, we'll never know what might have happened if a college coach unlocked LeBron, like Dean Smith at Chapel Hill for Michael Jordan. I would have liked to see that hypothetical, combining all his athletic gifts and then improving both his fundamentals and mental approach. BIG WHAT IF.
@@willingexile3374 Well, Larry took a mid-america conference team and put it on his back to wind up 33-1 w/the only loss being in the Finals to a superior TEAM in Michigan State and ISU as Sterling Sharpe so eloquently put it, "....and they haven't been ranked SINCE. And the never were ranked BEFORE" lol....and I think MJ went pro after his sophomore season, was it? Or Junior? I DO recall it WAS James Worthy who was the best player on the team at the time, and it was evident when watching the games. But I think a large part of it was that Worthy was a Senior when they beat Georgetown (or the poor G-Town kid threw the pass to the wrong guy on their last possession, and Worthy missed both free throws but that was b/c he knew they had the championship in the bag, and recall MJ was who was called upon b/c Dean knew Worthy would get all the attention, and it left MJ wide-open to bury that 15-footer from the left wing....I recall that finals game really clearly. And yeah, Larry shoulda hired someone to do his Mom's driveway, ouch....but wow, memories, eh? And thanks for the 'good call' comment....it's nice to find nice people online these days! :)
@@KenD-s1p Likewise. Larry also went drinking like an average Joe at Boston bars, and sometimes get into fights, during the regular season. What a guy. Sycamores never made the the NCAA Final Four or championship game before or since (as Division I) Bird. Carl Nicks, his point guard, was the only one of his teammates to even set foot in the NBA, although he had a longer career overseas. Interestingly, Jake LaRavia of the T-Wolves was the only first-round draft pick (2022) from ISU since Nicks.
Jordan was the only starting freshman on that title team, which was remarkable because Dean Smith rarely started freshmen. Worthy (junior) was clearly the best player, and maybe other than Jordan, Sam Perkins was the clear NBA-level talent.
Give me Prime Larry Bird he’s more complex
This is my first/last time Ever clicking on this page 💯✌🏾
K ?? Lol
Fun fact. In the 90s and all of human history prior to 2000. LeBron and fans of him would be known as little bítches.
Same here. Only jordan has an argument to be better than bird and i doubt that because I'd still take bird to start my team over any player ever. People like jordan and lebron had to learn how to win. Bird was a winner from day 1. 4 year stretch of 50/40/90 while averaging almost 30pts a game. Never been duplicated.
Not AT ALL😂😂😂stop it!!
Not at all Other than He's a Better Shooter from Everywhere on the Court, Better Passer, Better Rebounder, Better Play-Maker, Higher IQ, Far More Clutch, Far More Heart, Better Leader, Better Team-Mate ... averaged more blocks & more steals / game ... didn't Flop, whine, bitch, moan, palm / carry / travel, double-dribble ... rely on offensive fouling and some other stuff ... but other than that ...
@@bryanfox6726 James is the Goat all day long PERIOD
I just say if Magic is better than Bird, then why did Bird get 2 out of every 3 votes for MVP through the entire 1980's?
Magic isn't better than bird. People like this guy in the video like to ignore the fact that Kareem was the best Laker in 3 out of 5 of magics championships. Bird made his team what it was. 80s Lakers were the deepest team in the league. 80s celtics were not deep at all.
but of course
No sheeeeeeeeiiiiiit!
quality over quantity Always talking about his longevity is just saying he shot more duds than he blasted his target
1.Jordan 2.Russell 3.Magic 4.Jabbar 5.Bird 6.Lebron this is my top 6 it's a criteria I had intact since 98 when I was a teenager. These 6 players are the only 6 players who won atleast 3 MVPs and lead their team to atleast 3 championships. An yes Bird is better at more on the court than LeBron. Larry Bird either still has more offensive rebounds or LeBron just caught him.
Don't forgot kobe ans steph if he gets 5 chips lebeon gets push back a slot
You forgot Dream, Wilt, Kobe, Duncan, Stockton, and Curry all better than LeBron.
Lol yea lebron has no dynasty in a team aspect but he went to the finals 9 straight years. Look im not saying he is the greatest or not but lebron would have at least 2 more titles if KD didn't join Golden State. That's a fact. They had to assemble a super team to beat him. 😂
Bird has half as many career points and half as many career assists as LeGoat
So LeFlop played longer.
Length of career is length of career. Who was better in their prime? Larry Joe Bird!!! Bird was better then EVERYBODY in his prime. As a Rookie took 29 win team to 61 wins. Lost to Dr J in the East finals Just him! No Kevin, no Robert. Just Bird! 29 to 61 wins as a ROOKIE!!! Jordon took EIGHT YEARS to get deep in the playoffs. Magic won the championship in his rookie year, playing game 6 at center and DOMINATING! And Bird won it the next year. Bird or Magic took all the 80s rings but '83 and '89.
That's based on longevity not Superior talent in their primes. There's a lot to be said for longevity I'll put birds first 9 years in the league up against anybody's
Bof?
even as a born and raised celtics fan, no lol. that's just nostalgia glazing. bird was great but far from better than lebron
I disagree all those stats don't mean u better
Am taking bird in his prime anyway
Other than He's a Better Shooter from Everywhere on the Court, Better Passer, Better Rebounder, Better Play-Maker, Higher IQ, Far More Clutch, Far More Heart, Better Leader, Better Team-Mate ... averaged more blocks & more steals / game ... didn't Flop, whine, bitch, moan, palm / carry / travel, double-dribble ... rely on offensive fouling and some other stuff ... but other than that ... far from ....
LeBron in no way shape or form is a top player.
@@bryanfox6726lol facts