*FAN SUBMISSION by Sean Modrow.*
When people think of basketball, they think of Michael Jordan; he is the consensus greatest player of all time. He dominated the 90’s, as did his Chicago Bulls, who won six championships in an eight year span. The two years Jordan retired, gave the rest of the NBA, and especially the Houston Rockets, a chance at a ring.
Courtesy: ESPN
It is inconceivable for most people that any player could ever surpass the greatness of his “Airness.” I feel that we are in the midst of another player striving towards attacking the crown as G.O.A.T.; that man is LeBron James. Many people, especially NBA fans from the 90’s, scoff at this idea. To me, LeBron has combined the most excellent traits of the two most famous basketball players of all-time, in Jordan and Earvin “Magic” Johnson.
Jordan was a pure scorer offensively, boasting a gaudy career scoring average of 30 points per game.I feel that the one chink in the his armor though, was his inability to maximize the performance of his teammates. This in turn was Magic Johnson’s greatest strength as a player, conducting of the storied “Showtime” Laker offense. Magic sacrificed individual scoring numbers, and instead he focused on putting his teammates into situations in which they could excel. He holds an incredible assist per game career average of over 11 assists per game.
I feel that LeBron has combined the scoring ability comparable to that of MJ, with the selfless passing ability and willingness of Magic Johnson. LeBron averaged 30 points per game for an entire season, during his stint as a Cleveland Cavalier, and ultimately it did not result in an NBA championship. This shows me that the success of LeBron’s team is not contingent upon his scoring numbers. He is at his best when he is keeping his teammates involved. James makes every last one of his teammates feel important. He puts his team’s role players into situations in which they can excel and showcase their specialized skills.
This is not to say that MJ did not elevate the performance of his teammates, but he did so in a much different way than LBJ does. “His Airness” demanded excellence from his teammates, and in doing so he placed a great deal of pressure on them. You could say that he instilled fear into his teammates to live up to his harsh standards. This stems from the fact that Jordan struggled to trust his teammates, because he was so confident in his own abilities. Though in different ways, I do feel that both James and Jordan were the ultimate team players for their respective teams.
In my opinion, it is very difficult to say which of the two players is truly the best. But, I feel that Jordan was the more relentless scorer of the two. LeBron James is undoubtedly the superior passer when you compare him to the Bulls great. One notion that I find incredulous is the assumption that Jordan would dominate James in an one-on-one setting. Do people not realize the glaring weight difference between His Airness and LBJ? King James has a 30 pound weight advantage over Jordan, not to mention a 2-inch height advantage as well.
With his newly refined post skills, James would bully Jordan down low with an array of post moves. To me, a one-on-one series does not prove whom the superior player is anyway. When you factor in all aspects of their respective games to determine which player is the best including: versatility, dependability, and productivity.
Courtesy: Sporting News
In my opinion, I feel that MJ and King James are not two players of which one should compare to each other. MJ was a guard; James is forward. If you want to compare any player to “His Airness,” it should be Kobe Bryant. This is because of the similarities in their competitive mentalities.
LBJ is one of a kind. His versatility is unparalleled throughout the storied history of the NBA. I also believe that MJ did not have a significant player rivalry with anyone who played during his prime who was even close to his level. Larry Legend and Magic were both on their way out as Jordan ascended towards NBA greatness. Contrastly, James faces the likes of 3 time scoring champion Kevin Durant, and rising star and elite defender Paul George, as well as many other rising stars vying for the King’s crown. We are witnessing NBA history each and every time “King James” graces the hardwood…and possibly the G.O.A.T.
