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Class of ’84 sets standard for ’03 rookies

LeBron & Co. have long way to go to eclipse Jordan, Olajuwon and Barkley

Image: LeBron James, Simas JasaitisRon Schwane / AP
Cavaliers forward LeBron James and his rookie friends could be special, writes MSNBC.com contributor Chris Ekstrand. But let's not forget the mountain they will have to climb before even thinking about matching the accomplishments of the Class of 1984.

Jordan retired as the third-leading scorer in NBA history with 32,292 points, although there is little doubt he would have eclipsed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's NBA scoring record of 38,387 points if he had not taken off almost five seasons due to his pair of retirements.

Olajuwon finished seventh all-time with 26,946 points, Barkley 16th with 23,757 points. Stockton, who would rather pass than shoot any day, still tallied 19,711 points in his 19 NBA seasons. Of course, Stockton finished his career as the league's all-time leader in assists with 15,806, more than 5,000 assists ahead of anyone else. He also leads the NBA in career steals with 3,265. Jordan is second all-time in steals, Olajuwon seventh and Robertson eighth.

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That brings me to another point. Put the numbers aside for a minute, and just think about longevity. Will LeBron, D-Wade or their brethren ply their trade for 19 seasons, like Stockton did? Will they play until they are 40 years old, and still be able to average 20 points per game at that age, as Jordan did? Sitting on fortunes that will eclipse $100 million by the time they turn 30, will James or Wade relentlessly pursue a championship, even after being turned back, as Stockton and Barkley did?

Going deeper
The deeper you delve into the 2003 vs. 1984 comparison, the tougher the going gets for the young guys. An eight-man rotation of Jordan, Olajuwon, Barkley, Stockton, Thorpe, Willis, Robertson and Perkins is covered with accolades from top and bottom. Once you get by James, Wade, Anthony and Bosh, you'd probably have to go with up-and-comers Boris Diaw and Josh Howard as members of the 2003 class most likely to provide star turns.

Kirk Hinrich would probably be my choice as seventh man in the 2003 class, but who is my eighth? Chris Kaman? Leandro Barbosa? Can't say I feel confident either of them will eventually match Big Smooth's 15,324 points and 7,666 rebounds. And Sleepy Sam at 45 years old could leave on his warmups and beat either of them in a 3-point shooting contest. Reach deeper into 1984's class, I'd come up with Jerome Kersey and Michael Cage. In 2003? T.J. Ford and Luke Ridnour.

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Don't get me wrong. I love the Class of 2003. I was thrilled by their potential even before their names were called on draft night. Getting sound bites from them during interviews at a Chicago hotel at the 2003 NBA Pre-Draft Camp in early June, I was struck by their maturity and sincerity, and especially by their poise amid the assault of cameras and microphones.

These guys could be special, I thought then. I still do. But let's not forget the mountain they will have to climb before even thinking about matching the accomplishments of the 1984 group.

By the way, Jordan, Olajuwon, Barkley, Stockton, Robertson and Perkins also have nine Olympic gold medals between them. Good luck, young fellas.

Chris Ekstrand is a contributor to MSNBC.com and a freelance writer based in Ohio.

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