In a recent article, ESPN ranked the top five players in each NBA conference. The list is based on career statistics and performance at age 26.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is a Greek professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks. At age 26, he has been compared to LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Jordan.
This year, Giannis Antetokounmpo created history by winning his first NBA title. He is already a Hall of Famer at the age of 26, with notable accomplishments including an NBA championship, Finals MVP, two MVPs, and a Defensive Player of the Year Award. Despite his unmatched athleticism, The Greek Freak’s hard work and commitment to his profession have enabled him to become the greatest player in the NBA.
But how does Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 26-year-old performance compare to that of other all-time great legends? Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James have all been considered as the greatest players of their periods, and Giannis may have gained some ground on these Hall of Famers this season. At the age of 26, here are Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Jordan’s player rankings.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (#4)
12319 points, 5371 rebounds, 2632 assists, 692 steals, and 765 blocks were the totals.
Averages: 20.9 points per game, 9.1 points per game, 4.5 points per game, 1.2 points per game, 1.3 points per game
53.2 percent FG Percentage
589 games have been played.
1 championship
MVP Awards for the Finals: 1
2 MVP Awards
MVP Awards for the All-Star Game: 1
Awards for Defensive Player of the Year: 1
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
Five All-Star Teams
5 NBA All-Star Teams
4 All-Defense Teams
At such a young age, Giannis Antetokounmpo has achieved tremendous accomplishment. The Greek Freak has already established himself as one of the few players to have won MVP, Finals MVP, and Defensive Player of the Year awards. He joins Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon as the only three players to achieve this feat.
However, Giannis has the benefit of remaining with one club, winning an NBA championship, and accomplishing the remainder of his goals with the Bucks. Because Milwaukee selected him and believed in him from the start, this kind of commitment has to be appreciated in an age when player mobility is the standard. The only reason Giannis is ranked fourth on this list is because his skill set falls short of the other three superstars.
Giannis is a unique talent who may be the most gifted athlete in terms of athleticism, but he is a poor shooter (career 28.7% 3-PT and 71.7 percent FT), which is a major flaw in his game. Even when LeBron James was inconsistent as a rookie player in the NBA, he never had the inefficiencies that Giannis has every season. Of course, The Greek Freak momentarily put his worries to rest by making 17-19 free throws in Game 6 to win the title. However, he must demonstrate that he is a more consistent shooter in the long run, since the other three superstars on this list did not have a major flaw in their game at the age of 26.
LeBron James (#3)
17362 points, 4451 rebounds, 4364 assists, 1079 steals, and 532 blocks were the totals.
Averages: 27.7 points per game, 7.1 points per game, 7.0 points per game, 1.7 points per game, 0.8 points per game
FG Percentage: 47.9% FG Percentage: 47.9% FG Percentage: 47.9%
627 games have been played.
0 championships
MVP Awards in the Finals: 0
2 MVP Awards
2 MVP Awards for the All-Star Game
Awards for Defensive Player of the Year: 0
1st Rookie of the Year
Seven All-Star Teams
7 NBA All-Star Teams
3 All-Defense Teams
LeBron James is the undisputed king of all-around supremacy at the age of 26. He’s already racked up over 17,000 points, over 4,000 rebounds, and over 4,000 assists. At the age of 26, no player in the history of the game had the combination of physical talents, skill, and IQ that James possessed. Giannis was comparable to The King in terms of stature and ability to physically dominate the game, but he lacked The King’s refinement.
The only thing that stood in LeBron’s way was an NBA championship, which he failed to win in an unforgettable 2011 Finals series. In free agency, LeBron chose to join the Miami Heat, creating a superteam with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. The Heat, unsurprisingly, advanced to the Finals, but LeBron James was unable to capitalize against the Mavericks, and his second Finals trip was cut short. By the time he was 26 years old and in his eighth season in the league, the two-time MVP had yet to win a ring.
Nonetheless, LeBron’s honors were unique. He had previously been named to seven All-Star and All-NBA teams, as well as two MVP Awards with the Cavaliers. In addition to winning Rookie of the Year, James was one of the most dominating rookies in NBA history. Despite the fact that James did not win a Defensive Player of the Year Award like Giannis and did not win a championship, his statistics and all-around skill made him a greater player than Giannis at the age of 26.
Kobe Bryant, No. 2
14034 points, 3209 rebounds, 2788 assists, 912 steals, and 401 blocks were the totals.
Averages: 22.4 points per game, 5.1 points per game, 4.4 points per game, 1.5 points per game, and 0.6 points per game
FG: 45.2%
627 games have been played.
3 championships
MVP Awards in the Finals: 0
0 MVP Awards
MVP Awards for the All-Star Game: 1
Awards for Defensive Player of the Year: 0
0 for Rookie of the Year.
Eight All-Star Teams
7 NBA All-Star Teams
5 All-Defense Teams
Kobe Bryant’s NBA career got off to an amazing start when he was put in a championship scenario at the age of 19 years old. The Lakers already had Shaquille O’Neal, the game’s most dominating big man, and Bryant’s development into a star was a major component of their success together. Bryant was a three-time NBA champion with four Finals appearances by the time he was 26 years old.
With O’Neal winning all three Finals MVP Awards, Kobe and Shaq went 3-1 in the Finals, but Bryant’s clutch scoring and two-way performance helped the Lakers become the league’s most unstoppable team. By the age of 26, Kobe had also became the NBA’s youngest player to score 14,000 points. Bryant was named to the All-NBA Team in his third season after being an All-Star in his second. By the age of 26, the future Lakers icon would have spent nine years in the league, giving him a head start on accumulating numbers and accomplishments.
Kobe was nearly complete by the time he was 26 years old. He was a strong defender with an unstoppable scoring ability when attacking the rim and a stunning jumper. That is why the Lakers chose The Black Mamba over three-time Finals MVP Shaquille O’Neal. By the age of 26, LeBron James had outscored Kobe Bryant in terms of points, rebounds, and assists, but his choke in the 2011 Finals pales in comparison to Kobe’s four Finals appearances. Similarly, Giannis has just one ring compared to Bryant’s three, giving Kobe the edge over both.
Michael Jordan is number one.
Andy Hayt is responsible for this image.
14016 points, 2694 rebounds, 2565 assists, 1189 steals, and 465 blocks were the totals.
32.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 6.0 APG, 2.8 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 32.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 6.0 APG, 2.8 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 32.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 6.0 A
FG: 51.6%
427 games have been played.
0 championships
MVP Awards in the Finals: 0
1st Place MVP Award
MVP Awards for the All-Star Game: 1
Awards for Defensive Player of the Year: 1
1st Rookie of the Year
Six All-Star Teams
5 NBA All-Star Teams
3 All-Defense Teams
Michael Jordan was, without a doubt, the greatest player anybody had ever seen at the age of 26. At the age of 21, he was already being referred to be the game’s most gifted player, but Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were still winning MVP Awards and NBA championships. Johnson and Bird won five of the six MVP Awards given out during that time span, with Jordan taking home the award in 1988, the same year he was named Defensive Player of the Year.
Jordan was also the most impressive rookie, earning Rookie of the Year with 28.2 points per game, 6.5 rebounds per game, and 5.9 assists per game. Since his debut season, he has been named to the All-Star Team every year and three times to the All-Defensive Team. Most significantly, at the age of 26, Jordan had yet to win an NBA title. Why is Jordan still number one after Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kobe Bryant did?
Because he was the most impressive player on the field. For four of his first six seasons in the league, he averaged over 32 points per game while dominating as the greatest defensive guard and most athletic player on the floor. The next season, Jordan won his first championship, starting off a stunning three-peat before his brief retirement. Jordan was the best player of all time by the age of 26, and that will likely never change. Kobe had the rings, Giannis and LeBron had the numbers and MVPs, but Jordan was the greatest player of all time by the age of 26.
At the age of 26, who was the better player?
At the age of 26, Michael Jordan was the greatest player in terms of game effect and individual talent. He was a complete player on both ends of the court, had the greatest statistics, and was the league’s most unstoppable player. Jordan was only getting started in a league dominated by Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, despite the fact that he had no championships and just one MVP by the age of 26. He was an NBA champion by the age of 28, and by the age of 30, he had already completed a three-peat with three Finals MVPs.
By the age of 26, Kobe had three rings, but he was still playing alongside Shaquille O’Neal. Despite winning two MVP awards, LeBron James missed out on a chance to win a ring at the age of 26. With a ring, two MVPs, and a Defensive Player of the Year Award, Giannis has a solid case; yet, he benefited tremendously from an injury-plagued playoffs. At 26 years old, each of these four superstars has a case for being the greatest player, but it’s difficult to disagree with Jordan.
Jordan would have won at least four MVP awards and perhaps an NBA championship if it hadn’t been for Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, two of the greatest players of all time. Jordan, on the other hand, did not have the luxury of playing with Shaquille O’Neal, Dwyane Wade, or Chris Bosh by the time he was 26, yet he was still the most influential player on both sides of the court. Kobe is second due to his three rings, LeBron is third because to his outstanding all-around performance and two NBA Finals appearances, and Giannis is fourth due to his championship ring from this year.
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