There are many great players in NBA history who have shown amazing talent and potential in the first five seasons of their careers. Among them, Luka Doncic, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant are the four most representative stars, and their statistics and accolades in their first five seasons are worthy of careful analysis and comparison. So, who performed the best in the first five seasons of these four players?
First, let's take a look at their average per game. Jordan is averaging 32 points per game6 points and 6 rebounds2 with 5 assists9 times, with 2 steals8 times, cap 12 times. Doncic, on the other hand, averages 27 points per game6 points and 8 rebounds6 with 8 assists0 times, 1 steal1 time, the cap is 04 times. James is averaging 27 points per game3 points and 6 rebounds9 with 6 assists6 times, 1 steal8 times, the cap is 08 times. Bryant is averaging 18 points per game5 points and 4 rebounds5 with 3 assists4 times, with a steal of 12 times, the cap is 07 times. Statistically, Jordan was the best, while Kobe Bryant's stats were relatively poor, probably because he played as a substitute in his first three seasons.
Next, let's take a look at the playoff performances of the first five seasons. Kobe Bryant was the most successful player, having reached the Finals twice in his first five seasons, once in the Western Conference Finals and twice in the semifinals. James made it to the Finals once and stopped in the semifinals twice. Jordan made it to the Finals only once during that period, while Doncic led the Mavericks to the Western Conference Finals twice. As a result, Bryant has had the best performance in the playoffs in his first five seasons.
Let's take a look at the number of finals and championships. Bryant made it to two Finals and won two championships, and James made it to one Finals but failed to win the championship. Jordan and Doncic failed to reach the Finals in their first five seasons. As a result, when it comes to the Finals and championships, Kobe Bryant is the most successful player.
Let's take a look at the main individual accolades. Jordan won eight major awards, including regular season MVP, best defensive player, best rookie, All-Star Game MVP, three-time scoring champion and one-time steal leader. James won 4 major awards, including Rookie of the Year, 2 All-Star Game MVPs and 1 scoring title. Doncic won 1 Rookie of the Year award, while Kobe Bryant didn't win any major awards. Jordan stood out most in terms of individual accolades.
In terms of All-NBA selections, Jordan, James, and Doncic have each been selected four times in their first five seasons, while Kobe Bryant has been selected three times. Defensively, Jordan and Kobe Bryant are among the few players to have been selected to the defensive team, each with two selections. Doncic and James were not selected defensively.
Finally, let's take a look at the All-Star selections. Jordan was selected as an All-Star five times, Doncic and James four times each, and Kobe Bryant was selected only three times. Jordan is the only player to have been selected as a five-time All-Star, while Bryant has been missed twice in his first five seasons.
On the whole, whether it is statistics or honors, Jordan and Kobe Bryant are superior. Jordan is the player with the most personal honors and has a huge influence on the court. Kobe Bryant is the player with the most championships and has also had a great performance in the playoffs. However, we can't ignore Doncic's achievements in the first five seasons of his career, where his stats have been impressive and he has made some progress in the playoffs. James is also an all-round player, having already shown himself to be a superstar in his first five seasons. Overall, all four players have shown exceptional quality in their first five seasons, so it's hard to say who is the greater.