Comparing Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and former Chicago Bulls wing Michael Jordan is one of NBA fans’ favorite pastimes.
Found in the careers of both superstars are unforgettable moments and unrivaled accomplishments. Many feel the need to pick between the two and a former top-10 NBA draft pick weighed in on the debate.
“LeBron James can go in the same room,” TJ Ford said on "Ur Perspectives." “He can go in the same room as Michael Jordan. His impact around the world is the same as Michael Jordan. It looks different, but it's the same. LeBron James has done the same things that Michael Jordan has done.”
The greatest of all-time (GOAT) debate is endless, with Jordan and James as frontrunners for the mantle. Five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant, 11-time NBA champion Bill Russell, six-time MVP selection Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and four-time MVP selection Wilt Chamberlain are a few other players who regularly enter those debates.
Like Jordan and James, this quartet didn’t just excel on the hardwood, they became urban legends because of their talent. In the case of players like Russell and Abdul-Jabbar, their public stances on civil rights issues have also added to their popularity.
Off-court, James combines Jordan’s business savvy with the social conscience of Russell and Abdul-Jabbar. Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry may have changed the way the game is played. However, James changed the way they’re paid. As Ford notes, if looking at everything James brings to the table, he’s in the same realm as His Airness.
“When it came down to the collective bargaining agreement, Michael Jordan helped change the financial stability for us athletes,” Ford continued. “LeBron James did that coming in. LeBron James is a huge part of the success of why we're making a lot of money and why guys are now making $50-60 million. He cut the contracts down. So, he was so far ahead of the curve in knowing the business of basketball for himself, that he changed the landscape of our contracts. He changed the landscape of the amount of money we were signing for. So, his impact, if we put it all in a box, to talk about his impact not only on the basketball court, but on the business side of basketball, from a philanthropy standpoint. You have to respect that.”
In the end, there may never be a unanimous agreement on who the GOAT is. Nonetheless, it can’t be denied that James has made a fine case for himself. A four-time NBA champion and four-time MVP selection, the Akron native has been the most dominant force since Jordan. He’s now the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, top-five in assists, top-10 in rebounds, and top-10 in steals.
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