The underappreciated forward ranks 23rd in career points, ahead of West, Iverson, Dwyane Wade, Larry Bird and, well, all but 22 guys. The Emmy Award-winning 10-part documentary is now available on Blu-ray for a limited time. Then, Id have him give it to Jordan and let Jordan go to work.. The only time Michael and LeBron did it the same was when they had lanes to the basket, Johnson said with a laugh. As many haters and doubters of LeBron James have stated before, he cant win when it counts or he chokes in the Finals or he tainted his championships by forming the big 3, you have to give credit where credit is due. -- William C. Rhoden, LeBron and MJ in their own words through the years. I wouldnt change LeBrons approach at all.. Bowen recalled how Jordan would bend into a Crouching Tiger stance as defenders approached, preparing to burst into a move or shot. That site uses Jan. 31 as the cutoff date to classify a players age. While Lebron is in his thirteenth year in the NBA, made it to the finals seven times, and won three out of those seven times. This comparison is very important in today's sports, with many people joining the debate. Outside of James, the most points scored by a player in their 20th season is Lakers legend Kobe Bryant at 17.6PPG. This is true because of his team-player mentality, his ability to carry a team, and his raw physical and athletic capabilities. Or should that be LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan? TRB% since 1970-71. Basketball fan or basketball people have probably heard or had a strong discussion about who is a greater player: Kobe Bryant or LeBron James? As James grew into a tantalizing basketball prospect capable of jumping from high school to the NBA as the No. Curry posted the highest scoring season of his career the year after his hand injury limited him to five appearances in 2019-20. If LeBron James is not better than Michael Jordan he is just as good because of his career accomplishments, his statistical numbers, as well, Comparison Of Michael Jordan And Lebron James, Who is the greatest basketball player of all time? WebPlayer Comparison: LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan. The key difference is three-point shooting. Numerous players who defended both Jordan and James agreed with this distinction. If LeBron James is not better than Michael Jordan he is just as good because of his career accomplishments, his statistical numbers, as well. This shows us that Jordan was dominating the league, while other players were just as dominate as Kobe was. 1 overall pick in 2003. Jordan and Lebron, Mike and the King, have been exalted above all other players, repeatedly for their superior play and championship drive. Two exceptional talents. That scoring boom has left Jordans former defenders wondering how many points he might score in todays NBA. He averaged a career-best 5.3 3-point baskets while hoisting a career-high 12.7 attempts. The 7-foot-1 Hall of Fame center destroyed rims, glass backboards and entire baskets on multiple occasions throughout his career.Michael Jordan is already eternalized in silhouette. Most people know that Lebron James and Stephen Curry play in a dissimilar position, style of playing, careers and so on. The top of the people that could change the logo would be the person that is the best to play the game and is Michael Jordan and is also the jumpman logo. Now that James isthe NBA's all-time leading scorer, one question remains: Will heput the record out of reach? Since 1985, the Jumpman logo, LeBron James will take Jordans throne as All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. He and the Lakers lost in the Finals to New York, but West did win his only scoring title, with 35 games of 30 points or more and 13 more of at least 40. They both managed to have a killer mentality where winning was the number one priority, and health was just a second thought. LeBron has only three championship rings but has been to the Finals eight times. That was Michael Jordan every night.. The only question now is, Who is the best, He has been to the NBA Finals six times and all six times he and the Chicago Bulls were world champions. ORB, DRB, STL, BLK, DRtg, BPM, VORP, and per 100 Poss stats since 1973-74. Michael Jordan was six and zero in the National Basketball Association finals, but he did not have the productivity like LeBron James did. Im thinking, What the hell? NBA GOAT debate: Big questions on the greatest players ever. Check out the best moments from Luka Doncic during the 2019-20 season. And he was 2-of-8 on 3-pointers for the season. It's all about which category you choose when it comes to advanced statistics. LeBron vs. MJ: The GOAT debate is different now, At minimum, it's a debate now. Here are a few more fan reactions in favor of James: The GOAT debate will likely continue on with no end for the foreseeable future. Stephen Jackson gives his take on the best basketball player between Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Some might say it is Michael Jordan, but currently some people might argue it is actually Lebron James, who is the greatest player of all time. Every time Lebron wins a championship ring, he is compared to Jordan more. There was no rest, Bowen said. While Jordans brain zoomed in to calculate the precise moment and method to beat his defenders, Jamess zooms out to survey for weaknesses that someone on his team maybe him, maybe not could exploit. Maybe it's a matter of taste. Most people know that Lebron James and Stephen Curry play in a dissimilar position, style of playing, careers and so on. Is Jarred Vanderbilt the Lakers missing link? Has not lost in his era. Jordan Greer is an NBA content producer for The Sporting News. This still doesn't change the fact that Michael Jordan and LeBron James won 2 Olympic gold medals. It was destined to be that way ever since James was crowned The Chosen One in high school, and his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers drafted him No. Like Jordan, whom Johnson said displayed a maniacal work ethic during Dream Team workouts and practices, James has fully committed to his craft, spending an estimated $1.5 million per year to maintain his body. For most of our panel, Michael is still the man; but that doesn't mean the argument is entirely one-sided, nor is the opinion unanimous. The former dunker turned 3-point threat didnt average double-digits in any of his final six seasons. Six rings. We present them here for purely educational purposes. When asked to weigh Jordan against James as scorers, opponents who guarded both kept returning to the mind-set issue: Jordan was the superior scorer, they argued, because he was more consumed by the act. For James believers, his 10 Finals appearances are emblematic of LeBron's longer record of accomplishment. Did you know that Michael Jordan averaged about thirty points a game, and retired with six NBA championships. They do not believe that anyone is better than them. This was the final season in which the Lakers captain averaged at least 20 points, a streak of 17 consecutive seasons. When thinking of greatness in the realm of basketball, these two definitely come to mind. While some differences between Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan are evident, the similarities are striking which caused the entire dilemma on whos the better version. Kyrie on the other hand has no rings. Photo: KevinMazur. Watching LeBron play, you see his pass-first mentality at work. Data Provided By But it doesn't matter what we say. James did it last season and again this season. Michael Jordan is a superior player to kareem because of his success on and off the court. Then theres Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at 34.8 in 1971-72 and Nate (Tiny) Archibald in fourth place among 24-year-olds, averaging 34 points while also leading the NBA at 11.4 assists per game in 1972-73. No other non-center ever stonewalled the aging process like Carter. He had to dial it back to win his titles. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Turner Broadcasting. Note: Data as of Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Kobe has 5 championships, and out of those 5 he was the MVP of two of them (2007-08). They think they are the best there is and ever will be, and they certainly do not let anyone tell them differently. It would be greatly appreciated and would The games in the NBA are evolving, and Michael Jordan was the man who changed the game. Theres no way this kid is 18 years old. . When it came to reliability at the line, Jordan (83.5 percent) clearly outpaced James (73.7 percent). Ive failed over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed (MJ). If you utilize material unique to a Sports Reference James highest scoring average to date came in his age-21 season, when he finished third behind Bryant (35.4) and Allen Iverson (33.0). James averaged 27.2 as a 20-year-old NBA sophomore. Through Michael Jordans athletic success on the court, he was able to make himself and his brand into a cultural icon, which had a great impact on the game of basketball, fashion, marketing, and the economy in America. 2 scorer (Paul George, 28.0) was greater than from George to No. A new poll commissioned by ESPN in 2020 found that 73% of NBA fans believe Jordan is the superior player overall, and the Chicago Bulls legend swept all 17 questions comparing him to James by metrics both on and off the court. The better player of the two is, Jordan. GS since 1981-82. James is set to pass Abdul-Jabbars all-time scoring record (38,387 career points) over the next week in what will be a major accomplishment. Jordan had the drive and edge over his opponents to win games. The debate is most often between LeBron James and Michael Jordan, though Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has some backers, too. This was the only by-age slot for James until this season. Michael Jordan played in the NBA for fifteen years, made it to the finals six out of those fifteen years and won every time. There's a very good chance that James blows by 40,000 career points. Michael Jordan averaged 30.1 points per game over his career the highest in NBA history. Keep scrolling to see how long it could take James to catch up to their records. Here we are 12 years later, after his Achilles tear, and hes scoring at the same clip, only missing a few too many appearances to qualify among the official league leaguers. In your Twitter replies. Each player only had one year to get this award, and Jordan was the one to get the rookie of the year (Kobe Bryant vs. Michael Jordan Comparison). Lebron James and Michael Jordan are the greatest legends of their times because they have the most stats, the most rings, and the most money. LeBron has left his hometown and his team in Miami suddenly leaving many fans angry for deserting them. However, it looks like LeBron James is set to smash every single scoring record in relation to longevity. Compare player statistics for: When thinking of greatness in the realm of basketball, these two definitely come to mind. Please enable JavaScript for the best experience. OK, so Willis appeared in five games for Dallas after a full season away from the NBA. LeBron has the highest VORP and Win Shares ever. Hickey was coaching the Providence Steamrollers in 1947-48 when he got desperate for a spark so he activated himself. Stephen Jackson settles MJ-Kobe-LeBron GOAT debate, Stephen A.: LeBron can't be GOAT playing in NBA's softest era, Jordan: Comparison between LeBron and me will always be there, SC Featured: Jordan-LeBron debate tackled by Harvard and Yale (6:40), Everything you need to know about the NBA GOAT debate, V. Bryant settles crash photos suit for $28.85M, Sources: Lakers to reassess LeBron in 2 weeks, Irving: Need to scale back self-imposed pressure, Jokic sixth player in 100 career triple-double club, Driven Giannis 'OK' if people take him for granted, Durant to debut for Suns on Wed. vs. Hornets, Pels say injured Zion progressing, set for imaging, What NBA Finals runs from LeBron, Giannis can teach Jayson Tatum, NBA Power Rankings: Kevin Durant's return could rock the West, Meet the man scouring Nigeria for the next generation of NBA and NFL talent, NBA stars on why Nikola Jokic's prior awards shouldn't hurt 3-peat chances: 'He's playing like an MVP', 'Legendary': NBA Twitter sounds off for Lillard's historic night, West juggernauts loom, while East plots thicken: What we're watching for the NBA's stretch run, Waiver wire pickups: Look to Malik Monk, Kevon Looney. Who is the real GOAT? Some stats were available earlier in the ABA. Data runs from 1946-47 to present unless otherwise noted. At 40, his playing time was below 30 minutes nightly and he was getting up only 11.3 shots, about half what he averaged in his 20s. Aaron Williams contributed to the graphics. BPM, VORP, handedness not available for WNBA. Kevin has a very calm and relaxed attitude in games. So he debuts with 37.6 in his rookie season which would rank as the highest scoring average for any age except ages 24-27. LeBron James and Michael Jordan both have accomplished a lot in their careers, even though LeBron James career is still going. Jordan backers can no longer shout "6-0" and declare it over. M.J. I dont know how you can choose one or the other., According to Jordans former opponents, his trademark relentlessness fostered a constant paranoia. Its pretty cool. If Jordan got to his preferred spots, he could set up his trademark turnaround. Doncic was on his way in his second season, posting his largest average to date. Stephen A. Smith and Kendrick Perkins are split on Isiah Thomas' comment that LeBron James will surpass Michael Jordan as the game's greatest if he wins a fourth championship. ESPN's NBA expert panel voted on thousands of head-to-head matchups, taking into consideration both total career value and peak performance. Bill Russel, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Julius Dr. Please logout and login again. He only been in the NBA for three years so he still have some time to get better and improve his team. James and his closest friends idolized Michael Jordan while they grew up together in Akron, Ohio. Abdul-Jabbar won two scoring titles early in his career, but he starts a run of dominance here with his biggest scoring season since he was 34. In the 2007 NBA Finals, and again in the 2013 Finals after Bowens retirement, Coach Gregg Popovich instructed the Spurs to back way off James, limiting his passing windows and driving lanes. 1 overall in 2003. It's the never-ending debate among today's NBA fans: Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James. By: HoopsHype, But when you want to say whos the greatest ever its still Michael Jordan, Im going with MJ because I played with him. Jordans influence was one that had never been seen before. 23 years ago today, KOBE BRYANT vs MICHAEL JORDAN at the 1998 #NBAAllStar Game! This farewell cameo lasted a total of 43 minutes in April, during which the 7-footer made 5 of his 13 shots with 8 rebounds and 11 fouls. It also gave him the bragging rights of five firsts and two seconds on this scoring-by-age chart. It really is. Didnt matter much, though, given the Lakers other weapons he got his sixth championship and L.A. earned its fifth of the decade. For the record, were clipping off this list here. Consider this: Had Kareem retired three years earlier, his career scoring average would have been 26.4, good for 8th all-time on the current list. LeBron has put up some unheard of and unthinkable numbers, while leading a team in 2007 to the National Basketball Association finals that had no other star players on the roster. He adopts a comic tone in order to amuse and entertain the reader, but also to establish a common ground with the reader in order for them to consider his inquiry that consistent, continuous competition has been the catalyst for bringing James into the discussion for the greatest of, Who is better Lebron James or Michael Jordan? Karl Malone averaged 23.2 points at that age and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar went for 22.0, and they were two of the most prolific graybeards in the games history. This still doesn't change the fact that Michael Jordan and LeBron James won 2 Olympic gold medals. There is an argument to be made for putting LeBron James over Jordan, and James' case only grew stronger after he passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA's all-time leading scorer. Against that backdrop, maybe what LeBron James has done this season shouldnt seem so astonishing. Lebron or Kobe? One of a kind. Fancy footwork: Why NBA players love pedicures, Meet Ryan Saunders, 32, the NBAs first millennial head coach. It was all identical but not the same(P//5). 1 on his list of top NBA players of all time. In response to Jordan and James, frustrated opposing coaches resorted to unconventional tactics. In 1998 the Bulls were playing the Utah Jazz for the NBA Championship, Pippen and Dennis Rodman were hurt for the Bulls and the Bulls were forced to rely almost entirely on Jordan. For a spark so he still have some time to get better and improve team! When they had lanes to the NBA as the cutoff date to classify players! What we say backers, too Miami suddenly leaving many fans angry for deserting.! Drive and edge over his opponents to win games views on this page do not necessarily the! 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