Reply With Quote
MJ and it really isn't very close.
Michael Jordan
LeBron James
It seems the gen Z kids are pushing towards LeBron as the goat and the millennials and older are more in the MJ camp. I imagine this forum skews older but just curious what the thoughts are on here.
MJ and it really isn't very close.
MJ is the goat by resume, pretty tough to argue otherwise
but lebron is pretty objectively a better all around basketball player who played against more consistently tough compe ion and had his first 7 years of compe ion for championships wasted thanks to a galatically incompetent front office
It's way closer than people think or willing to admit. People throw out that 6 rings thing as in:
1) They played in the same era;
2) Jordan had scrubs for teammates.
People has to understand how overwhelming that Bulls perimeter defence was. Yes, Jordan was a huge part of it, but Pippen was simply the best perimeter player I have ever seen. 1992 to 1996 Pippen was one of the most underrated primes ever. The Bulls were also carefully constructed to allow Jordan to flourish. Outside shooting bigs to open up the lanes for Jordan and also get his missed shots, non-ball handling "PGs" who does nothing but shoot open threes.
Lebron on the other hand, never really had a team that was built for him. LeGM did this to himself, but that's what it is.
Lebron's prime was every bit as dominant as Jordan's was. Jordan should've won MVP every year from 1988 to 1998 (outside of the gambling suspension years), Lebron should have won every year from 2008 to 2014, but Lebron's other years were simply stronger, the guy played 20+ years or absolutely incredible basketball, where every single year is an All-star level player. That is simply unheard of. He is just as good a scorer as Jordan was, better passer, better defender, better shooter.
Accolades, narratives, and resume, sure, Jordan, but when you really look at it objectively, and take away all the team accomplishments and just look at the individual player, Lebron.
Lebron's activism and philanthropism off the court puts him over the top imho. Very reminiscent of a modern day Dr King tbh.
MJ never had to survive while being hunted in the streets on a daily basis. Lebron did. God bless Lebron James.
As Harlem used to say, what MJ did to the black community was 50x worse than the crack epidemic.
#NotMyGOAT
I have strongly Jordan but this just came out using GOAT points and has James one (and Duncan 4). I need to get the book and look at the methods as the Athletic usually pretty good source. They recently published a book the Top 100 NBA Players (I need to get to see the methods) that allegedly tries to take the subjectivity out of their rankings using what is described briefly online as “GOAT” points. In this James, Jordan, Jabbar, Duncan, and Karl Malone are the top five. Malone is a relative surprise on the list, but he had a high PPG, career total several things and fairly strong analytics both sides of the ball, but no les. Shaq is 7 and Kobe 11. Again, have to get the book to see if even makes sense. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/594...-book-excerpt/
Lebron has had a long mostly successful career. From a career perspective, Lebron has had more success for far longer than Michael did while playing basketball. From an overall impact on the game perspective, and how bright they burned at their peaks, MJ wins easily. Even today MJ's impression on the game is greater than Lebron's. No one is comparing other players to Lebron, for example (MJ not included).
Levron tbh
Jordan would be Derozan at best today
Oh lefty my man
Messi > both
The list definitely benefits longer careers and as such modern players.
Surprising that the author didn’t take all d teams or DPoY into account (mutombo and Ben Wallace didn’t even make the list and I’d take both of them over quite a few on the list). But it’s a good list directionally.
Karl Malone definitely didn’t belong.
Also didn’t take into account of eras and compe ion. Getting first team all nba was a lot easier for a PF during the Karl Malone years (only compe ion was Barkley, and both can make the team as forwards) vs as a centre during the hakeem era (robinson, shaq, ewing and to a lesser extent mutombo, mourning, Daugherty).
LeBron for most of his career has been scared of the moment.
Considering Longevity, Lebron is certaintly Top5. But there are a few guys ahead of him.
“a few guys ahead of him”
who? Bob Langdowski
He got ed by Duncan, Dirk and Stephen. Just his own Era.“a few guys ahead of him”
who? Bob Langdowski
Bird, Isiah, David stern, gamblor. What’s your point?
James would have lost to all of them.
exactly
he played tougher compe ion than Jordan or Wilt ever did
How would you know Jordan wouldn't have lost to Curry, Duncan and Dirk?
Gotta go MJ, that man was a ing psycho about winning. Like a more skilled and physically gifted Jerry West.
I respect Michael’s psychopathic compe iveness tbh
I’m like that too minus the talent and athleticism
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
