Ball Lied
Sheed is buggin.
But that’s what Sheed does. Rasheed Wallace has always been a glitch in the NBA.
“Bron Couldn’t dominate in my era”
“He probably would’ve done good with his physical stature, with him being bigger than the majority of the rest of the players. So he probably would’ve held his own, but I don’t think he would be as successful as he is now. It’s a whole different era back then. I couldn’t necessarily say that he would’ve been a beast but I think he would’ve held his own,”
This is the time machine game that the old and the young play. All day. Off and online.
Nothing new.
Factored in these imaginary scenarios is usually the skill the players have demonstrated through out their careers as well as the imaginary,
Yea they would’ve done “______” because they would’ve figured out what do.
The willingness to advance in skill and ability is an attribute for the minority not the the majority and certainly not everyone. So in that minority of overachievers, is everyone necessarily “better” than the underachievers. Nope, not at all. Natural ability has to be factored.
This willingness though, does not necessarily guarantee that Michael Jordan becomes a better 3pt shooter in the new zone era.
Nor that LeBron is guaranteed to become a better post up player a lot sooner in his career than he has in our current alternate reality.
If it ain’t broke don’t break it.
Look at Dennis Rodman.
No-one ever said yo Dennis why didn’t you learn how to dribble or even shoot bro???
(I mean Rodman with a jumper would’ve been a lethal weapon) but why don’t we ask that?
Because he disgustingly overachieved as a rebounder.
Michael Jordan disgustingly over-archived as a scorer.
LeBron disgustingly over-achieved at… doing everything pretty good.
So if we’re playing the time machine game, and everyones skill set stays the same and LeBron plays in the 1990s Sheed era, I don’t believe I would have to worry about LeBron arriving on the court as an alien, in a real life Space Jam situation for Michael Jordan.
What’s not ever factored into the time machine game?
STARDOM.
Michael Jordan was never challenged as the star of the league during his dominant period of the NBA. As a pup, HE was a challenger to Magic, Bird and Isiah, the stars of the premier teams of the 1980s.
LeBron was challenged as his era’s superstar, by several players and most realistically by Steph Curry who is now the icon of the new 3pt-zone style NBA. How did LeBron deal with that? His Cavaliers beat Steph’s team once and he left for similar pastures and a home closer to the backstage side of the show.
I have always found the word “star” absolutely applicable when high profile people achieved the Hollywood status of popularity. Bill Clinton and Barack Obama were quite intentional with their stardom and had the personalities to see it thru.
In hip hop/ rap world, Jay-Z falls under the same category. Even though he sort of plays off mystique and reluctance, it’s nowhere near as reluctant or obvious as NaS. Someone who doesn’t necessarily look to gain the enormous amount of fame that must be annoying, yet somehow earns the popularity.
Michael Jordan and LeBron James are not reluctant stars whatsoever.
Jordan and Jay-Z are similar in the vein, where they play off mystique but know how to capitalize off of popularity and have been investing and cashing out on it for quite sometime.
And LeBron is definitely an attention seeker.
I do not think this changes regardless of what alternate era he plays in.
The thing about Sheed's comments on Bron that I find interesting is that he seems unimpressed with LeBron as one from an older generation usually does.
And that’s the issue. More than enough people would’ve been impressed with LeBron no matter what time period he entered the league. He would’ve received preferential superstar treatment, especially going up against Michael Jordan while dividing the NBA audience, even moreso than the 1980s Lakers vs Celtics. The template for a Jordan team vs a LeBron one.
Jordan never played anyone just as dominant as he was on and off the court.
As a fan, we KNEW Jordan received preferential treatment from the referees. He got away with enough travels and fouls. And we were pretty much okay with it because, would you really leave the television on with Michael Jordan on the bench a quarter of the time. No way.
Same with LeBron.
Off the court though, LeBron’s popularity does not usurp that of the other stars in his league let alone all of sports and the rest of the entire world like Jordan’s did.
David and Goliath Nike ads would’ve been a must, in the James vs Jordan era.
(Not sure who Dave would be, but I have to believe Nike would’ve made Jordan, David, and Bron wouldn’t have cared as long as he got paid)
Still, on the court, who gets more of the calls? Probably even. Are the refs still googly eyed over MJ? Do we see more 23 Bron jerseys in the crowd?
Do the Bulls still feel like the Beatles if LeBron is playing for the
Sonics?
Knicks?!
Heat?
Even those 90s bullets or Heat teams??
And of course, with Bron’s penchant to say, “yea fuck your team, I go where I want” we can’t dismiss the fact that LeBron James would’ve utilized the free agent option a lot sooner than any superstar did.
Remember, MJ threatened to leave the Bulls for NY because he had to present CHI w an effective enough threat to be considered while negotiating.
Bron, would’ve said hold my beer and straight up left whatever team he was on.
Maybe Mike is known as the Bill Russell of the 90s and Bron is Wilt.
Or maybe LeBron changes the NBA landscape for forever, at an earlier time in history.
We will never know for sure...
Although I'm certain Kevin Durant would definitely somehow be defeated by Jordan's Bulls and sign to them in free agency.