The thing that’s interesting is that no matter where you stand, you passionately believe and defend your position.
Sometimes all you can do is measure the truth by the stats.
Despite James being the all-time leading scorer, Jordan is a ten-time scoring champion. Jordan was statistically a much better player on defense, winning the 1988 Defensive Player of the Year and being named to the All-Defensive First Team ten times, while James has only been on the first team five times.
However, if you measure the all-encompassing number of a player’s value, referred to as “value over replacement,” James leads everyone who has ever played the game of basketball by a large margin. Some of the point differences between he and Jordan can be attributed to his longevity, but grinding through 20 years as one of the NBA’s top performers is outstanding.
Both players hold great respect for one another, although if ever pressed, Jordan is not shy about flashing his Championship rings. Michael Jordan owns the record for the most scoring titles in NBA history with a total of 10.
But Jordan has been quoted saying:
IF YOU ASKED ME, I WOULD NEVER SAY THAT I AM THE GREATEST PLAYER. THAT’S BECAUSE I NEVER PLAYED AGAINST ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT REPRESENTED THE LEAGUE PRIOR TO MICHAEL JORDAN.” – Michael Jordan
In the same token, here is the way that Lebron truly sees himself as sited on his own social media
Its confusing if you ask either man, so all we can really do is look at the stats & the manner at which each man has conducted himself regarding the GOAT discussion, then let you decide.
1. Undefeated in the Finals: Jordan carries two separate 3-peats on his resume. He was also the driving force behind each of those championships, which is why he was awarded the Finals MVP on six different occasions. You can’t say “what if” when settling a statistical debate, but it is possible that Jordan could have finished his career off with several more championships if he didn’t retire in his prime or if Jerry Krause didn’t break up the team in the Summer of 98′.
2. Controlled both ends of the floor: Michael Jordan owns the record for most scoring titles in NBA history with a total of 10. The more impressive part is how dominant he was on defense while putting up the most points per game in the history of the NBA. Jordan has a defensive Player of the Year award on his resume and was also named All-Defense nine times in his career.
3. Never switched teams: Despite losing in the first round several times until he ultimate defeated the Pistons, Jordan never hinted he would leave Chicago through free agency or a trade. He took on the challenge to get better. Some would argue that Jordan didn’t bounce around from team to team chasing championships, but instead, stayed planted and chased greatness in his own garden.
4. Hall of Fame resume: Jordan has two more championships, two Finals MVPs, one regular season MVP, one Defensive Player of the Year, and nine scoring titles over LeBron James.
5. Carried himself as a champion: Well before Lebron James entered the league, Michael Jordan was the undisputed greatest basketball player of all time, and still is. However, Jordan never uttered those words out of his own mouth. He said he would never call himself the greatest because it would be disrespectful to the legends that came before him such as, Wilt Chamberlain, and Jerry West. However, LeBron James has gone on record multiple times to lower Jordan’s rankings by placing himself above the player he once looked up to as a child.
