Speed/quicks check – Michael Jordan vs LeBron James vs Kobe Bryant.

I show you these players in the open court. Notice how Kobe gets outrun by James Posey, who has no business ever closing on Kobe from behind. Notice how Kobe cannot create separation from Marcus Camby to get off a clean dunk and he’s forced to turn in an effort to sheild the ball from Camby, nice move but it shows his lack of footspeed. Notice how you can just see the speed and burst in LeBron and Jordan’s strides. This lack of footspeed is exactly why Kobe has trouble creating separation from defenders in various situations, including traps. Trapping Michael Jordan and LeBron James is difficult due to their footspeed, teams trapped and doubled Michael Jordan more than any other perimeter player in the history of the game. Teams were not successful with this tactic, they also attempt it on LeBron. LeBron and Jordan are able to overcome this type of defense in various ways but their footspeed allows them to overcome the opposition with more ease and in more of a spectacular fashion as far as athletics. Jordan and LeBron create in air explosions generated from their insaine verticals and insaine trackstar type speed. Michael Jordan had a 48 inch vertical and ran a 4.3 40 yard dash next to Deion Sanders.