#1 LeBron James- Cleveland Cavaliers, 2003
If LeBorn James was to retire right now, at the age of 31 at the twilight of his peak, he would most certainly be in the conversation to be named among the Top 5 to ever play this game. That might sound like a hot take but in all honesty, it is not.
Despite being in his 13th season, James has not only broken some insurmountable records but also set some mind boggling ones. Take, for example, the 2016 NBA Finals. The Finals trip was James’ sixth consecutive, something no players has accomplished since the 1960s. Over the course of the seven games of the Finals, James, as, mentioned earlier, is the first player in league history to lead both teams in the Finals in all five categories of points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks.
Weighing 250 pounds at 6 foot 8 inches, James is a physical specimen and that certainly plays into his hands. When he drives to the hole, defenders of his build can’t keep up with his speed while defenders his height are way too lean to pose any kind of physical threat. James has made a career out of harnessing the most out of his unique body structure, without taxing it too much.
Even after 13 seasons in the league, James is yet to suffer any major key injuries which says a lot about not just his commitment to rehabbing and relaxing his body but also about his understanding of the physical gift he has and how to best harness it.
James was drafted number one overall in the 2003 Draft by his home state franchise of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
