Rudy is a borderline all time level rim protector.

That said, he isn’t even noticeably above average at any other defensive skill unless you count rebounding, where he is around top 5-6 in the league.

Wemby and AD are both considerably more impactful defensive players, and I’d probably rather have Bam as well.

A single soccer player cannot make as much of a difference as a single basketball player, so LeBron is more impactful relative to his competition than Messi is to his simply by virtue of how the sports work.

Also soccer is a pathetic sport run almost exclusively by horribly corrupt organizations that deserves no respect outside of a very select few leagues which have some integrity. For crying out loud one of soccer’s “GOATs” went running to the middle east for the Saudi royalty’s oil blood money with no regard for anything beyond his wallet.

“Not worth a 2nd round pick”

“Stealing an opportunity from someone else”

“Not even ready for the g league”