A YouTube quest: Could anyone guard LeBron James?

As Chicagoans begin to acknowledge that LeBron James may be on his way to becoming the greatest ever--blasphemy to Jordan's shrine, of course--it's reasonable to wonder if he is completely unguardable.

Given the sophistication in today's video games, we can simulate James against defensive legends because, frankly, there's not a player today that can contain him.

James is so good, so physically gifted with such rare quickness, that he is unquestionably the player of a new era. When Michael Jordan came into the league, there were few players that possessed his rare athleticism.

He had an explosive vertical, long arms, big hands and a knack for getting to the basket. Maybe Julius Erving and Oscar Robertson were somewhat like him, but none so quick.

He was all quick twitch; remarkably bright and, of course, determined.

But take a look at guards and small forwards coming into the NBA every year since his departure. A half dozen prospects will have a draft profile that reads: "great athlete with good vertical and great first-step. Long-arms helps disrupt pass lanes, but needs to develop strength to withstand pounding from bigger NBA bodies. Lacks a reliable jumper and will need to improve free-throw percentage."

Of course, those guys don't often put it all together--a la, JR Smith. They're usually mid- to late first-round picks that are deemed projects. Because the NCAA has been a turnstyle for high-jumping talents who have questionable basketball skills and a basic understanding of the game.

But we look at James and realize that his ceiling gets higher every year. He adds something to his game every off-season. It's nearly limitless. He's Jordan in Karl Malone's body.

Now, the 23-year-old is in the midst of his best year as a pro with a team that has just decided to help him. He is sure to receive his first MVP award. Sure, there's still the 2010 free agent buzz that continues, but his play has been remarkable.

There are few men who have ever played this game who can score a quiet 30 like LeBron. And he's starting to defend like a real pro, as we saw from him in the Summer Olympics, where he was asked to be more physical with opponents.

It's a criticism, he has been trying to shake: "He's Michael, but the not defender that Jordan was."

We've heard that about Kobe Bryant before as well. It remains to be seen how Bryant will defend come playoff time, but we're confident that scoring is his best trait and will always be a priority over lock-down defense.

Besides, LeBron is such a match-up problem that it seems impossible to come up with a possible defender that can match his brute and speed. There were reports on si.com that he is tipping the scales at 271. So I wondered if there was a candidate in the past.

One quick qualifier: Hand-checking is allowed. The NBA banned the rule because they wanted to allow for more offense, which gave quick-slashing guards like Chris Paul and Dwayne Wade an advantage.

So who are the candidates?

Certainly Jordan comes to mind. He is a nine-time NBA All-Defensive First Team member. It's silly that so many people remember his poetic dunks, and often forget his thunderous, violent, over-the-top blocks. He'd often wait on the weak side, and then study a center like Patrick Ewing work the post. Jordan would then tomahawk the ball into the crowd as he were raising for a jump shot.

He was also a pick-pocket. Jordan had such unique athleticism for his era that it was almost unfair when he and Scottie Pippen were in their primes. They covered so much ground and helped out with interior defense as much as the perimeter.

But probably the greatest qualifier is that Jordan could not stand being beat. It's fair to assume that Jordan would want to guard LeBron because of the challenge it would represent.

Remember when Clyde Drexler was deemed the closest thing to Jordan? Jordan bullied him the Finals, almost wanting to make an example of him.

YouTube, of course, has allowed arm-chair critics to study film and highlights to make these unscientific comparisons.

It's a joy because we often forgot how good a player was. Of course, these are highlights, which obviously give too much credit to athletic players because they dazzle more when things are going well.

Candidate B: Scottie Pippen. His incredibly long wing-span and size make him a better fit to man-up on Lebron. Pippen was always known for using his length to knock good players off their dribble. He did so against the 6'9 Magic Johnson in the 1991 NBA Finals, an assignment in which he succeeded admirably.

Because Jordan was often the "scorer," Pippen had to guard the other team's best player. LeBron is clearly much stronger than Pippen, with nearly a 40-pound difference.

But Pippen, an eight-time All-Defensive First Team member, was excellent on the perimeter, denying penetration--LeBron's greatest strength--and would also gamble on the weak-side the way Jordan often did. It was also rumored that despite their off- and on-again relationship, Pippen would frustrate Jordan in scrimmages.

Though there isn't a lot of information to substantiate that claim because reporters weren't allowed to watch practices.

But listen to Kevin Garnett's comments about Pippen's defense in a Hoop magazine article several years ago: "Scottie was definitely [someone who] I sat back and watched. For him to be so tall with long arms, and agile, I saw that as an example, definitely."

Candidate C: Bruce Bowen or Ron Artest in their primes. Both players are a little loony and have seen their best basketball behind them, but they were tenacious defenders. Both 6'7 with strong frames, they would try to annoy LeBron and stay in front of him.

But it's doubtful, given their lack of athleticism and as we have seen in the past, that either could hold him down. He's too fast, too explosive.

I still think Scottie Pippen would be the best match-up based on memory and YouTube evidence. I've seen some scant video game simulations, but those weigh so heavily on a player's numeric rating--well, it's a computer after all--that it always gives the edge to the offensive player.

But the reality is: The evolution of sports creates bigger, stronger, faster breeds of athletes. Watch Patrick Ewing or David Robinson in a few clips, and then watch Dwight Howard.

And it's because of the this, that a new generation will almost always have another Jordan.