Tailor-Made LeBron
He probably would have become that player, game and body wise, earlier or for the long haul if he had been playing in the ’90s to take the abuse. It would have definitely been a bit more effective for him.
Even outside of the girthier LeBron though, any form of The King of could have succeeded. People like to point to the fact that he hasn’t experienced such physicality during his time, but that isn’t necessarily true either.
Although the league has gotten a bit softer over his years, it was still pretty recklessly physical when he first arrived. Remember that Piston’s team that won the 2004 NBA championship? Heck, the Miami Heat teams of the 2000s were a pretty feisty bunch, to make another example.
On the other side of that, is that any more physical than players are allowed to play LeBron today? I mean, the occurrences aren’t as frequent, as they’ve tightened up on the officiating and penalty for flagrantly or simple hard fouls, but they are still able to beat him up pretty bad.
Through it all though, he is still and has been the best player in this league. You also have to account for the fact that although a player of his height, weight, muscle structure, and skillset was a rarity when he did come into the league, it would have been a total unicorn in the ’90s.
Because the game was played much more physically and closer to the rim, his special attributes would have arguably been of greater advantage than they are today. You also have to account for the fact that the rules, his ability to play from almost any position, and his body would have allowed him to dish out just as much punishment as he would have taken.
There is this small hurdle that we like to call His Airness, Michael Jordan, but that would have been ok. We would have all loved to see it.
That also doesn’t mean that LeBron wouldn’t have dominated though as there could have been two, as although he isn’t LeBron or MJ, there is a Kevin Durant in the league today who’s game comes close to rivaling the dominance of LeBron’s game.