Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan Or Lakers’ ace LeBron James – Who is the greatest? A never-ending debate as there is no correct answer. People who grew up in the 90s say that Michael Jordan, hands down, is the GOAT of basketball. But Millenial and Gen Z think otherwise because they have grown up watching LeBron James become a legend of the game, and he is still playing. Being an active player, James is the only NBA player to become a billionaire. Albeit Michael Jordan is more affluent than James, he became a billionaire after his retirement.
However, the bank balance can never determine who’s the greatest. People who point out Michael Jordan’s six NBA championships and five MVPs should also state LeBron James’ four NBA Championships and four MVPs. On the other hand, James fans emphasize longevity and all-time scoring. He broke the 38-year-old record of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the new leader of all-time scorers last month.
NBA Pundits Praise LeBron James’ Attitude Over Michael Jordan’s Aggression
Stephen A. Smith, commentator of the ESPN talk show First Take discussed the recent comment by Mario Chalmers that today’s players are not scared like that to face LeBron James. Smith reckoned that in his time, Michael Jordan could demoralize, abuse, and embarrass his opponents so well and could score 40, 50, or even 60 whenever he wanted. These ideas would keep the opponent players stay awake at night before the game, even the next day. But according to Smith, LeBron plays the game in the right spirit. Albeit he is not afraid of anybody and why would he be? He is a strong guy, an absolute powerhouse, and has run over his opponents countless times. Undoubtedly, LeBron can be a better passer.
LeBron’s old teammate of the Miami Heat, Chalmer, mentioned that Michael Jordan had a greater terror in the hearts of the opponents before every game. But Smith has provided a counter-argument that the difference between the two is in their mentality. The ESPN commentator further mentioned that LeBron James never demoralized his opponents and tried to mess up with their psyches because, at the end of the day, he is a nice guy. According to the NBA Pundit, Michael Jordan was more feared, but off the court, LeBron James has a good persona.
Difference Of Greatness – Michael Jordan & LeBron James
With his longevity, King James has also equaled ‘Captain’ for a record 19-time All-Star appearance. But the Black Jesus played in NBA for 15 seasons and has a 14-time All-Star selection. LeBron James is currently playing in the 20th NBA season of his career. Hence, after looking at the accomplishments of the two greats, it can be said that they are excellent in their own ways.
First of all, they are from different generations, and since then, a lot of basketball rules have changed. People criticize Jordan for being ruthless and abusive towards his opponents. LeBron James has never been criticized for being mean to his opponents. But Michael Jordan adopted that style to instill fear in the hearts of his opponents. MJ could humiliate and embarrass his opponents anytime with his game and mouth. Also, the crowd would get behind Michael Jordan.
