Isiah Thomas is not sure if LeBron James would be the best athlete in the NBA in 1975

LeBron James is widely considered one of the greatest players to ever step on a basketball court. While he is set to turn 40 years old later this year, he continues to play at an elite level. The Los Angeles Lakers star has used his generational athleticism to dominate for over two decades.

Despite his one of a kind mix of speed, strength and verticality, Isiah Thomas questioned if he would be the most athletic players in 1975. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer responded to Lou Williams’ suggestion that if James would win 15 consecutive titles if dropped in that era, stating:

I find it comical and laughable how some not all people think this is the first generation of basketball players that athletically could run and jump. I’m not sure he would be the best athlete in 1975 all things being equal.

Thomas praised players such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Erving and Darryl Dawkins for their athleticism in the 1970s. While James has athletic advantages over each, it is impossible to say how that would translate to their era. The four-time NBA MVP has played in an era with significant financial and nutritional advantages.

I find it comical and laughable how some not all people think this is the first generation of basketball players that athletically could run and jump. I'm not sure he would be the best athlete in 1975
all things being equal. https://t.co/U9vsBfoHG8

— Isiah Thomas (@IsiahThomas) July 25, 2024

Steph Curry weighs in on playing with LeBron James

Jan 27, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (right) talk after the game at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

LeBron James and Steph Curry are often labeled as the two greatest players of their generation. The two stars will share the court in a competitive format for the first time at the 2024 Paris Olympics. After teaming for five games at the USA Basketball Showcase, the Golden State Warriors star weighed in on playing alongside another all-time great.

Speaking to FIBA.basketball, Curry stated:

Playing with LeBron is exactly how I imagined it. He understands the game at such a high level. He’s an all-time great. You get guys that know how to play on the court, usually good things happen. It’s fun. He’s in his 22nd year, I’m in my 16th year and we still have the juice left to still compete.

I know we both wanted this experience and this is a big part of representing USA with this specific team just because we’ve never played together and we want to show the world we can win at the highest level. [FIBA.basketball]

Team USA was able to win all five games in the showcase, however, they did struggle at times. They will kick off Olympic play on Sunday, July 28 when they face Serbia at 11:15 a.m. ET.

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