<P> Standing 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 m) and weighing 250 pounds (113.4 kg), James has started at small forward and power forward, but he can also play the other three positions . His athletic and versatile playing style has drawn comparisons to Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan . James's career averages are 27.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 1.6 steals per game . </P> <P> Many basketball analysts, coaches, fans, and current and former players consider James to be one of the greatest players of all - time, often ranking him as the best small forward and in the top five overall . Since 2011, he has been ranked the best player in the NBA by ESPN and Sports Illustrated . He has earned All - NBA honors every season since his sophomore year, All - Defensive honors every season from 2009 to 2014, and was named Rookie of the Year in his debut season . With four MVP awards, he is part of a select group of players who have won the award four times, including Kareem Abdul - Jabbar, Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell; James and Russell are the only two players who have won four MVP awards in a five - year span . While James has never won the Defensive Player of the Year Award, he has finished second in the voting twice and lists it as one of his main goals . James has appeared in the Finals eight times and won three championships . Some analysts have criticized him for not having a better Finals record, while others have defended him, arguing that James usually performed well but was defeated by superior competition . </P> <P> Upon entering the NBA as a 19 - year - old rookie, James made an immediate offensive impact and led the Cavaliers in scoring . He holds numerous "youngest to" distinctions, including being the youngest player to score 28,000 career points . During his first stint in Cleveland, he was primarily used as an on - ball point forward . His shooting tendencies were perimeter - oriented, and he established himself as one of the best slashers and finishers in basketball; he led the NBA in three - point plays in 2006 . His combination of speed, quickness, and size often created matchup problems for opposing teams as he was capable of blowing by larger defenders and overpowering smaller ones . These qualities became more apparent in transition, where he developed a reputation for grabbing defensive rebounds and then beating the defense downcourt for highlight - quality baskets . Around this time, James was frequently criticized for not having developed a reliable jump shot or post game . Teams would try to exploit these weaknesses by giving him space in the half court and forcing him to settle for three - pointers and long two - pointers, a strategy famously utilized by Spurs coach Greg Popovich in the 2007 Finals, where James converted on only 36 percent of his field goals in four games . </P> <P> In Miami, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra changed James's role to a more unconventional one . James began spending more time in the post and shooting fewer three - pointers, attempting a career - low 149 in 2012 . He improved his shot selection and accuracy on jump shots, finishing second in the league in catch - and - shoot field goal percentage in 2013 . He also learned how to work as an off - ball cutter in the Heat's "pass - happy" offense . Behind these improvements, James's overall scoring efficiency rose to historically - great levels, peaking in 2014 when he registered a 64.9 true shooting percentage . During this period, ESPN's Tom Haberstroh called James's free - throw shooting his biggest weakness, describing it as "average". Upon returning to the Cavaliers, James began to experience subtle age - related declines in productivity, posting his lowest scoring averages since his rookie season in 2015 and 2016 . His shooting also temporarily regressed, and he briefly ranked as the worst high - volume outside shooter from outside the paint in the NBA . Despite these changes, he has remained an elite offensive player who is capable of beating defenses with body control, strength, and varying attacking speeds . </P>

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