I always say on here, if longevity and stats is the precursor to what you define as great... then how come stockton, malone, kareem, wilt arent in your top 5?
I think Lebron is great and carried the league in marvelous ways but he's not even past Duncan. I respect if someone puts Lebron in their top 3 or even 1 ... but you'd be downplaying alot of other greats who did more with less. Cats were out here actually closing games. Younger people make terrible conversations because they wont just say "Lebron is an animal and he's the best player I've had the chance of seeing" just like this thread title, there's active people passing him as we speak... and in the beginning there's people building legacies off beating him. His longevity and overall stature is 100% one of the best but the first part of this sentence is facts regardless. Like Jordan, Kobe, Oscar, Dr J, Russell, he will be forgotten and laughed about in 10 years by kids who never watched him play.