LeBron James believes Giannis Antetokounmpo would have dominated the NBA in the 1970s. The Los Angeles Lakers star made a bold claim about the two-time MVP’s ability to thrive in a different era.
“You trying to tell me Giannis wouldn’t be able to play an NBA game in the 70s? Giannis would have 250 points in a game in the 70s,” James said.
Antetokounmpo, 30, is one of the most dominant forces in today’s NBA. He is averaging 30.2 points, 12 rebounds, and 5.9 assists in 34 minutes per game for the Milwaukee Bucks this season.
The 1970s featured some of the game’s all-time greats, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Julius Erving, and Bob McAdoo. Abdul-Jabbar led the league in scoring multiple times, averaging as high as 34.8 points per game in 1971-72. McAdoo had a scoring peak of 34.5 points per game in 1974-75, while Erving dominated the ABA before joining the NBA in 1976.
James’ comments sparked debate about how Antetokounmpo’s unique blend of size, athleticism, and skill would translate to a league that lacked modern spacing and defensive schemes. At 6-foot-11 and 242 pounds, the Bucks star possesses a level of versatility that was rare in the 1970s.
While NBA legends from that era put up impressive numbers, Antetokounmpo’s ability to dominate in transition and attack the rim could have made him nearly unstoppable in a time before zone defenses and advanced analytics.
James’ statement highlights the ongoing discussions about how players from different generations would fare against each other. Whether or not Antetokounmpo would truly score 250 points in a game, his combination of size and skill would have made him a nightmare for 1970s defenders.
