Throughout the existence of the NBA, players have been strictly defined by a position and how that position defines their role and actions on the court. Centers are supposed to rebound and defend, points guards are supposed to distribute and scorers are supposed to score.
Well, the physical anomaly of LeBron James has changed the rigidness of a standard position. James is technically a small forward, but he is more so a basketball player who can do anything and everything. There really isn't one position on the floor that you would feel uncomfortable assigning LeBron to.
He has proven his ability to defend guards, forwards and centers multiple times, while also showcasing his talent to dominate offensively against any type of player who is guarding him.
His 6'8", 265-pound frame is too physically imposing to be contained on offense and too physically imposing to be edged on defense.
He can guard lightning-speed, quicker point guards like Derrick Rose or taller frontcourt players like Pau Gasol.
In addition, LeBron's versatility enables him to fill up a stat sheet in literally all categories. James holds impressive career numbers of 27.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.8 blocks, per game, to go along with 75-percent free-throw shooting and a 48.4 field-goal percentage in nearly 10 seasons in the NBA.
James' numbers rival Michael Jordan's 30.1 points, 6.2 boards, 5.3 assists and 2.3 steals per game.
The point is not to compare James to MJ but to portray that James still puts up Hall of Fame-worthy numbers even as a player who is required to play all positions on the floor and doesn't focus on one defined area.
Whether it's acting as point guard and getting his teammates involved to spark the offense or acting as the wing scorer who is creating his own offense or having his way in the post as a big man, James truly defines a position-less NBA star.
With James' All-NBA first-team qualities on both sides of the ball, as well as his unique versatility, the responsibilities of a franchise player in the NBA have changed.
