5 Reasons Why LeBron Is (And Is Not) Already the Best Small Forward of All Time

Image via Complex Original

By basketball definitions, LeBron is technically a small forward. However, the NBA has never seen a 250 lbs freight train that can sprint coast-to-coast in the blink of an eye. Saying he's the best small forward of all time almost strangleholds him to the position; what's to say he isn't a better facilitator than Magic Johnson? We're sure most of us would pick LeBron to line up at center instead of Roy Hibbert. There is no one position that defines LeBron's game, it's unfair to only put him in a category with the best small forwards of all time. We could nitpick about his perceived lack of a killer instinct, but that would be unjust. He's spent time at virtually every position on the floor during his NBA career.

LeBron James should be placed in a category by himself—he's truly a once-in-a-lifetime player. But we're not here for that, the King still has a ways to go before he can be an immortal. And if he can help the Heat beat immortals like Tim Duncan and Greg Popovich in the Finals this year, he'll be top five dead or alive.

The hardest point to overcome is the fact that LeBron James' career is still in progress—he doesn't turn 30 until December. Claiming someone is the best—insert position ever—is a loaded statement; no one knows what will happen in the future of LeBron's career. While it appears he's on his way to passing Larry Legend as the best SF of all time, factoring in the unknown is a necessity. All it takes is a major injury or something disastrous that could derail this whole argument. Penny Hardaway could have been one of the best point guards ever if it wasn't for injuries, right?

Would a career-derailing injury to King James make his name applicable in that statement? The Roman Colosseum took 10 years to build and it wasn't named the Roman architects' best work before the project was finished. LeBron James needs to finish his career before his name is thrown around as the greatest small forward to play the game.

Larry Bird was one of the toughest SOB's to ever grace the NBA hardwood. Just type "Larry Bird Fights" in the YouTube search bar and a list of names will drop with people that Larry Legend fought during his NBA tenure. LeBron James, on the other hand, has been coined the "King of Flops." That's never a good nickname for someone who's supposed to be the best small forward in NBA history. There's a LeBron James flopping compilation on YouTube and everything.

He was fined for flopping in the 2013 Eastern Conference Finals and stated that, "Any way you can get an advantage over the opponent to help your team win, so be it." But wait, this was after LeBron said this in the 2013 Eastern Conference Semifinals: "I don't need to flop," he said. "I play an aggressive game. I don't flop. I've never been one of those guys."

Seeing flopping compilations of LeBron James on YouTube is emasculating in itself. Toughness isn't something that can be tracked by statistics.

It's not merely the fact that LeBron lost his first two NBA Finals, it's the competition that he fell too. Larry Legend lost two of his NBA Finals appearances to the "Showtime" Lakers, who are one of the greatest teams in NBA history. Magic lost to Dr. J's 76ers, Bird's Celtics, and Isiah's Pistons. James was swept in his first NBA Finals appearance against the San Antonio Spurs in 2007 and lost in six games to the Dallas Mavericks in 2011. But to be fair the team he had around him in 2007 was lucky to be in his presence. He should get props just for getting that band of scrubs to the mountain top.

No disrespect to the Dallas Mavericks team that took down the "Big Three" but that team won't be remembered for anything other than taking down the newly-put-together Heat in the Finals. There's a book written about "Showtime," nothing will be written about the 2010-2011 Dallas Mavericks.

"The Decision" was a moment that still continues to haunt LeBron's career. He was even voted one of America's Most Disliked Athletes back in 2012. He went from being one of the NBA's golden children to a villain in 30 minutes. LeBron James will always be resented by Cleveland for that interview with Jim Gray, while Larry Bird is still revered as the second coming of Jesus in Boston, the place he played his entire career. Even if his reputation has recovered after winning two rings, forming his own version of The Avengers is looked down upon by the legends of the game. Larry Bird is arguably the only player in front of James at the small forward position and disapproved of James leaving Cleveland to team up in South Beach saying, "There is no way I would have joined Magic or Michael and play with them. The only time I ever wanted to play with Magic was on the Olympic team, and even then our practices were hard, and we beat each other up in practice."

It's no secret that King James decided to bend the knee to his fiercest competition instead of going to battle against them.

LeBron is a six-time NBA All-Defense team selection, but this alone doesn't tell the full story of his defensive dominance. At 6'8", 250 lbs. LeBron is built to be starring at tight end in the NFL and even flirted with the possibility during the 2011 lockout. But while his NFL dreams ended after his junior season at St. Vincent-St. Mary High in Akron, Ohio, his build and freak athleticism makes him a revolutionary defensive player in the NBA.

LeBron can guard anyone, and is frequently matched up against both small forwards, shifty guards, and bruising big men. His freakish wingspan, quickness, and agility makes him a defensive force. He's able to come from nowhere to grab a steal in the backcourt, take three dribbles and deliver a tomahawk jam, or block a layup into a backboard. His skill on the defensive end has revolutionized Miami's defensive schemes, as Erik Spoelstra can unleash an overaggressive trapping D that feasts on turnovers.

It's gotten to the point where opposing players don't run back when he takes their cookies, he's that intimidating a defensive player (looking at you, J.J. Redick.)

The only player who could possibly compete with LeBron for the best small forward title is Larry Bird. But by looking at the numbers it's clear LeBron has an edge statistically. James is just wrapping up his 11th season, and he has better numbers than Larry Legend through the same amount of time in practically every category except for rebounding. Per Basketball Reference, LeBron averaged more points per game, more assists, more minutes and had a higher PER than Bird. This trend continues in the playoffs, as LeBron has dropped 28.0 points per game in the playoffs, compared to 23.8 for Bird.

Bird does average three more rebounds per game than LeBron, but this rebounding advantage doesn't overshadow the all-around edge LeBron has statistically. Also, Bird has three rings but he never won back-to-back titles and James is going for his third straight.

In a two-month stretch in the summer of 2012, LeBron added paragraphs to his resume when he finished arguably the greatest season ever by winning his third MVP, his first NBA title, his first Finals MVP, and his second gold medal. He averaged 27 points, eight rebounds, and six assists per game as the Heat finished 46-20 in the lockout-shortened regular season.

His 45-point, 15-rebound performance in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Celtics single-handedly saved the Heat from elimination, and he continued to dominate in the Finals. LeBron had 26 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds in the clinching Game 5, as the Heat cruised over the Thunder to win their first title together. With this dominant season, LeBron joined Michael Jordan as the only other player to ever win the regular season MVP, NBA title, Finals MVP, and Olympic gold medal in the same season.

It's a scary thought given all that LeBron has accomplished so far, and he's still in his prime. James is only 29, and there's a proven track record of the NBA's most dominant players thriving well into their 30s. Michael Jordan didn't win his first title until he was 28, and his second three-peat ended when he was 35, the same year he won his fifth NBA MVP. At 29, James already has two titles, four MVPs, and 10 All-NBA selections.

If he keeps up this pace for another five years, he'll be the favorite in the "best player of all time" conversation, much less the conversation about the best small forward.

Ever since the Celtics reeled off an eight-peat from 1959-1966, there have only been two teams to successfully pull off a three-peat, Jordan's Bulls (1991-1993 and 1996-1998) and Kobe and Shaq's Lakers (2000-2003). If the Heat top San Antonio in the upcoming Finals, LeBron will have accomplished something that neither Jordan nor Kobe ever did. With a win in these Finals, the Heat would be the only team in the modern NBA era to make it to four straight Finals while winning three straight championships.