While LeBron is the topic which player would give the best..

show versus him in a 1 on 1 battle?

LeBron vs. Jordan (of course)

LeBron vs. Karl Malone

LeBron vs. Vince Carter

LeBron vs. Pippen

LeBron vs. Magic

LeBron vs. Larry

LeBron vs. Wilt

LeBron vs. Kareem

LeBron vs. Julius

LeBron vs. Kobe

LeBron vs. Tracy McGrady

All of the guys he's battling in their primes or at their complete best.

I would say Jordan based on the trash talking and fierce defense we wound see alone. Jordan was a ruthless trash talker, Kobe gets into it good himself but I think Jordan was even colder with it, and I would love to see how LeBron responded in a 1 on 1 game to a guy going at him mentally non-stop with brutal trash talk. This is a guy who made Kwame Brown cry with talk, even after he wasn't in the league anymore ( at least I think he wasn't at the time, and yes I know Kwame was mentally fragile, but still). Some of those guys you listed (like Carter) I don't think belong in the question though, some I don't think fit like Wilt and Kareem, and I don't really look at Magic as a 1 on 1 type player. Kobe would be a close second for me on that list, we'd see an offensive clinic from him, using his footwork to score on LeBron like we're used to seeing.

Jordan and Kobe would beat him.

Jordan wouldn't just beat him, he'd make him cry, steal his cookies, and send him home feeling like a child.

Kobe would beat him and do a lot of the same, but afterwards he'd probably try to be your friend.

Pippen might be a good game, but only because I'm not sure either could score easily on the other one.

Larry couldn't defend LeBron.

I've read a LOT about Magic being a good one-on-one player, but I was never sold. I remember reading a lot about his battles with Jordan and I remember reading how fierce those competitions could be in private. I think that game would be closer than some people think.

Wilt and Kareem would eat his cookies up too just because they were so big. That matchup doesn't work well for him.

Any of the others I think LeBron wins definitely if not easily.

I'm not usually one to play along with these hypothetical "what-ifs" but I think the hardest matchup for him would be Bird of the ones listed. He's too quick for the bigs and strong enough to actually give them trouble in the post.... he's too big for Jordan too quick for Malone and strong for Kobe, Pippen and T-Mac.

The only one that could give him issues on both ends would be Bird IMO. He regularly played bigs, PF and SF in his career and while not as quick or as fast as LeBron was a fantastic position defender. On the offensive end Bird could score easily on Bron because of his size and the way he shot the ball. That would be the best matchup and one I'd actually like to see.

therealdeal wrote:I've read a LOT about Magic being a good one-on-one player

You need to read different things....... Magic's "one on one" game consisted of backing down 6'-2" guards and hooking them for a easy look...... Magic in the open court had (has) no peers..... Magic in the half court was not that impressive if he was forced to be the scorer. Very late in his career he developed a decent scoring game in the half court but I would never put it in any "top" list.....

Not what I meant at all. I remember what his game was like in a 5 on 5 situation.

That's not 1 on 1.

Magic was not that good of a one-on-one player. Jordan and Kobe are close to the two greatest ever to play one-on-one. They both would destroy Lebron. Bird could shoot over him, and his shot was clearly superior to LeBron. Karl was bigger than LeBron, with a better post game. Pippen would shut him down and pick his pocket. It would be unfair to put him against a center, since obviously he can't guard Wilt or Kareem. The whole business about him being able to guard all 5 positions is baloney. Any true center would school him. Pau would school him if he'd grow a pair.

A Prime Jordan and Prime Kobe would definitely smoke Lebron 1 v 1

T-Mac might win if this isn't the first round.