The Michael Jordan/LeBron James GOAT debate is heating up again, thanks largely to King James, who had a few things to say about it.
They’re very different players, as James rightly notes, but we’re in the Jordan camp for several reasons.
First, as Muggsy Bogues pointed out, consider their weaknesses. For James, it’s free-throw shooting, basic shooting mechanics, turnovers (it’s not generally understood that one of his records is that he is the all-time turnover king in the NBA. Part of that is due
to his extraordinary longevity, but still), and his mid-range game is not really all that great. And he also doesn’t move a lot when he doesn’t have the ball.
Now, as Muggsy asked, what are Jordan’s weaknesses? His fundamentals are as sound as anyone who ever played the game. Shooting? Check. Rebounding? Check. Defense? Check+. Ballhandling was a weakness, but he attacked it and made it a strength.
You can absolutely argue that Jordan wasn’t a phenomenal passer, but he was a lethal weapon with the ball. And when he wanted to pass, he could dazzle. But who would you rather have shoot, Jordan or Dennis Rodman? Jordan or BJ Armstrong? Jordan or Horace Grant?
Of course you’d pick Jordan.
Jordan’s talent was off the charts, and he also has huge hands, which helped a lot. He was also arguably the best defender of his day.
However, Jordan’s greatest asset as a basketball player was his extraordinary competitive desire.
The Chicago Bulls would not let him lift weights with Horace Grant, because they were scared he would hurt himself trying to outwork the much bigger Grant. He also didn’t move from team to team in search of a better supporting cast. He elevated his own team instead.
None of this is to say that James is not a great player. He’s very, very good.
However, if they played in the same era, Jordan would have chewed his own leg off if it meant beating James. In every sense, he was on a different level.
Players we’d take ahead of James.
- Jordan
- Larry Bird
- Tim Duncan
- Hakeem Olajuwon
- Bill Russell
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