Barkley called LeBron a freak of nature.
In 2012, LeBron James had one of the best seasons of his NBA career. After a disappointing loss to the Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals, James came back stronger and better the following season and won his first NBA title, but that wasn’t it.
He scored in double digits in every game he played during the 2011-12 NBA season. He was named Player of the Week nine times during the course of the campaign, he won two out of four Conference Player of the Month awards handed out and put up a 28-8-6 stat line that earned him his third NBA MVP award.
After the season, Hall of Famer Charles Barkley admitted that he never thought he would compare Michael Jordan to any player, but in 2012, LeBron changed Chuck’s perception.
“As great as I think Kobe Bryant is. I never said that he’s not as good as Michael Jordan.” declared Barkley. “Man, this guy LeBron James. I thought I would never compare somebody to Michael Jordan. But this guy LeBron James, from a basketball, like he does everything well. There’s always been a player who you can compare somebody to. LeBron James is the first player that I’ve never seen another player that I would compare to.”
Freak of nature
According to Barkley, there have been a few super-talented players in the league, including Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. LeBron James is much taller and bigger than all of them due to his 6’9″ and 250-pound frame.
Sir Charles also mentioned there were wing players like Tracy McGrady, who were 6’7″ or 6’8″, and very athletic scorers. He added that Pippen was a versatile forward who could guard point guards. But LeBron outweighs both T-Mac and Pip easily. He also guarded 2011 MVP Derrick Rose in the playoffs.
“We talk about it all the time like ‘Ooh man, this is a freak of nature’. Like he does everything well. Michael did everything well. LeBron James is just bigger, stronger, and faster. That’s the only difference. Like I said, Michael Jordan had the perfect body 6’6″, 225, can run, out jump, tough, everything. I said this other guy is 6’8″, 260. I mean we’ve never had a guy like him,” he added.
Karl Malone compared LeBron to Elvis
One of Sir Charles’ contemporaries, and another all-time great power forward like him, in Karl ‘The Mailman’ Malone’ also said that LeBron is a player like no other. The Mailman went on to compare King James to the King of Rock and Roll.
“When you talk about the whole package,” said Malone. “It’s real in what he’s done at 6’8″. I don’t like to say never, but you’re not going to see LeBron James again. Like they said about Elvis [Presley] when he left the building. You’re not going to see more LeBrons. I’m 60. And I haven’t seen anybody yet coming up who might be another one of him.”
Both Barkley and Malone are correct in arguing that LeBron is a generational talent that we’ve never seen before and will never see again. Today, James is still playing at a high level in his 21st NBA season and at 39 years old on a Lakers team that is still contending for the playoffs. That’s something that even Mike could not do.