Player Profile
James has started at the small forward and power forward positions, but can also play and guard the other three positions. With career averages of 27.6 points, 6.9 assists, and 7.2 rebounds per game, he is a versatile player who has been compared by some to Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan. He has earned All-NBA honors every season since his 2004–05 sophomore season and All-Defensive honors every season since 2008–09. With three MVP trophies, he is part of a select group of players to have won the award three times, including Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Chamberlain, and Bill Russell.
Standing at six feet, eight inches tall and weighing in at 250 pounds, James has been called the best physical specimen in sports by some analysts. Due to his athletic ability, he is one of the best slashers and finishers in basketball, having led the league in completed traditional three point plays during various points in his career. His size also allows him to rebound the ball effectively, and he regularly ranks among the league leaders in rebounds for his position. Furthermore, he is an unusually gifted passer for his position, averaging 8.6 assists per game during the 2009–10 campaign and finishing the year ranked sixth overall in that category. Despite his talents, he has been criticized for not developing a reliable jump shot or post game.
James' clutch play has been the subject of much scrutiny throughout his career. He has been repeatedly criticized by the media for his play in pressure situations; specifically, for passing instead of shooting in the waning seconds of close games. Even teammate Chris Bosh has gone on record as stating that he would rather have Dwyane Wade take a last-second shot. On the other hand, a 2011 article by Henry Abbott revealed that James had a better shooting percentage with the game on the line than such notables as Ray Allen and Kobe Bryant. Additionally, a 2012 feature by ESPN ranked three of James' playoff performances as some of the greatest in NBA history.
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