Kobe could watch highlights of Nique, Kemp, Jordan etc. He wasn't 1/10th as creative as Jordan. LeBron's main thing is size, power and most importantly speed. Much easier to take three steps when you just go MEEP MEEP like the Road Runner and teleport to your destination. 70 year old refs don't stand a chance at seeing his constant traveling. He's makes Jordan look on the up and up in that regard! [video=youtube;TiyNMI6z2U0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiyNMI6z2U0[/video] [video=youtube;8wPtCPaTWu4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wPtCPaTWu4[/video]
After Rice was talking up Elliott Williams the other day about his 49" vertical (is that right??) His high school vidoes looks like he is dunking on 8 ' rims.
I have no idea what Lebron's crab dribble has to do with his dunking abilities. Yes, he did the crab dribble but it doesn't pertain to what he does up in the air with that raw power and vertical leap. Don't let your dislike for a player cloud your judgement. And I disagree about Kobe's crativity. He was craftier than Jordan and performed more aerial moves especially in-game. If you're just going to say completely useless quips like 'Kobe could watch highlights of Dom and Jordan and still lack 1/10th the creativity' after I brought you videos of their top 100 dunks then there's no point in wasting my time. peace.
Kid has HOPS! [video=youtube;tqfl0N9z6Dg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqfl0N9z6Dg&feature=related[/video]
I'm saying Jordan was breaking barriers with new moves that hadn't been seen before ever. Much of what Kobe did others had already done and broken that barrier, making it something one could practice and then use in games. Kobe is an amazing player whom I respect if loathe. LeBron takes 3 steps on every 4th drive to the basket. I'm saying if you take 3 to 4 RUNNING steps you can get some pretty sick dunks off. If you restrict your opponent to two and you take 3 or 4 you have a distinct advantage. LeBron has been traveling like Jordan in year 8 or 9 of his career since his 2nd season and more often. I will watch the dunks again and reprise my opinion on Kobe vs. MJ. You may have a point there.
Jordan had Jerry West's jumper and Connie Hawkins' slick dunking ability. That's what made him so rare. The guy shot .500 for his career, until his last season put him a tad below that.
Speaking of "moves", I think the move that caught the league off guard and took them the longest to adjust was A.I.'s crossover! He lit the league up with the move. How about him SCHOOLIN' his Airness his rookie season!
Best in-game dunkers were Kemp, Erving, and Carter hands down. [video=youtube;rpTfb9SkKaQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpTfb9SkKaQ[/video] [video=youtube;OlAuCLFqjmY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlAuCLFqjmY[/video] [video=youtube;XMrPjl-927Q]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMrPjl-927Q[/video]
Why don't we see dunks like the ones Kemp did? Are current NBA players too scared of missing? The athletes exist, we just don't see the attempts. Shit, we barely see a weak ass windmill anymore. Obviously Kemp was a freak, but there are still players who have those hops. We just don't see the attempts.
Yeah, but I think that 48" vert claim is pushing it just a bit. It's not like he's head-butting the rim. I'd say he's got over 40", though.
A good question. I think players have bigger ego's and smaller balls now days. Just like what me and Minstrel were talking about earlier in the thread with Centers avoiding getting posterized.
Reminds me of how high Steve Francis used to get up. [video=youtube;5vbfNPIAk5g]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vbfNPIAk5g[/video]
