- May 5, 2006
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- AFL Club
- West Coast
I'm not offended. It's difficult to take you seriously.
The eye test is enough to know LeBron is not elite defensively.
LeBron is tall, quick, strong and reads the game well. He's elite defensively from the perspective that you aren't just going to take him one one one and get an easy layup or open jump shot. He's a tough match up for a LOT of current players.
He was all defensive first team 5 times, he's not James Harden. Where he falls down (in the context of a GOAT debate, off the top of my head only CP3 and Dwight have 6 selections of current players) is that his last all defensive team (2nd, 2014) selection was 6 years ago at age 30. Part of his amazing longevity is that he doesn't prioritise defence the way Jordan did. Jordan was all defensive first team from 1988-1999 (minus 94 & 95 obviously). When he retired in 98 he was the best player in the game and that meant being elite at both ends. He was a single minded freak, if he was playing now he'd want to guard a Curry or Harden or whoever and shut them down.
During the Bulls 8 year run the DPOY was won by Rodman, Robinson, Olajuwon, Mutombo and Payton. Some of those 90s all defensive teams were outrageous. And MJ was in all of them.