What makes LeBron James so special at his position on court?
As he gets ready to break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record of 38,387 points, LeBron James is cementing himself as one of the greatest basketball players ever. While some might still put Michael Jordan over him, there is no denying he is the best ever at his position.
The thing that makes LeBron James so special at his position is that there has never been a player like him before. His mix of size, athleticism and IQ allow him to do just about everything on the basketball court. More importantly, it was the driving factor in him becoming the NBA's all-time leading scorer.
Standing at 6-foot-9, 250 pounds, LeBron is a force to be reckoned with in a physical sense. During his younger years he used this to his advantage as nobody could stop him on his way to the rim. Because defenses were forced to committ multiple bodies in the lane to slow him down, it allowed him to showcase a key part of his game.
In reality, the thing that sets LeBron apart from others at his position in history is his passing and facilitation. There have been plenty of high-flying wing players, but none have been able to pass and see the floor the way he does. The only comparison to LeBron's ability to playmake at his size is fellow LA Lakers legend Magic Johnson.
Along with claiming the top spot in scoring all-time, LeBron might also end up in the top three for career assist total. As of now, he is the only non-point guard anywhere close to the top of the rankings.
LeBron's mix of scoring and elite-level facilitation is what carried the Lakers to a title in 2020. Defenses were forced to pick their poison in what they wanted to guard.
At the time, LA did a great job surrounding their star duo with knockdown shooting from beyond the arc. With proper floor spacing, the deadly pick-and-roll combination of LeBron James and Anthony Davis was able to do its thing.
Lakers vs Jazz
The Lakers clinch #1 in the West while AD drops a smooth:
42/12/4/3
12-28 FG’s
12-15 FT’s
“The chemistry between he and LeBron was on full display as the two connected on their practically unguardable pick-and-roll” https://t.co/yDgS3FFtN0
What made this pick-and-roll combo so effective was how many ways it could hurt you. LeBron and AD were both more than capable of getting a basket, and the four-time MVP could hit an open teammate no matter where they were on the floor. This would not have been possible if not for LeBron's unique set of skills.
What position does LeBron James play?
In today's positionless NBA, it's tough to say LeBron James has a singular position. That being said, if he was labeled one, it would be small forward.
While he has played small forward for most of his career, that is not the only position the 19-time All-Star can be labeled. During the 2019-20 season, he played point guard due to a lack of ballhandling on the roster. The end result was him winning the assist title after averaging over ten a game.
Because of his unique skill set, LeBron is an enigma when it comes to positions. Since there isn't much he can't do, it allows him to slide into any of the five positions. He's even played center for the Lakers at times when they were dealing with injuries.
Have there been any forwards like LeBron James?
It might not have been to the same level of LeBron, but there is another all-time great small forward who had a similar skill set. While he is most known for his outside shooting, Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird was also a great passer.
At his peak, Bird averaged close to eight assists per game. Like LeBron, his ability to facilitate at the forward position made him a nightmare for opposing defenses.