Comparing Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and former Chicago Bulls forward Michael Jordan is one of NBA fans’ favorite pastimes.
The careers of these two superstars are punctuated by unforgettable moments and unparalleled achievements. Many feel the need to choose between the two and a former top-10 NBA draft pick weighed in on the debate.
“LeBron James can be in the same room,” TJ Ford said on “Ur Perspectives.” “He can be in the same room as Michael Jordan. His impact on the world is the same as Michael Jordan’s. He looks different, but he’s the same. LeBron James has done the same things Michael Jordan has done.”
The debate over the greatest player of all time (GOAT) is never-ending, with Jordan and James the frontrunners for the title. Five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant, eleventh NBA champion Bill Russell, six-time MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and four-time MVP Wilt Chamberlain are some of the other players who regularly participate in these debates.
Like Jordan and James, this quartet didn’t just excel on the court, they became urban legends for their talent. In the case of players like Russell and Abdul-Jabbar, their public stances on civil rights issues also contributed to their popularity.
Off the court, James combines Jordan’s business acumen with Russell and Abdul-Jabbar’s social conscience. Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry may have changed the way the game is played. However, James has changed the way they get paid. As Ford notes, when you consider everything James brings to the table, he’s in the same league as His Airness.
“When it comes to the collective bargaining agreement, Michael Jordan helped change the financial stability for us athletes,” Ford continued. “LeBron James did that when he came in. LeBron James is a big part of our success, why we make the money we do and why guys are making $50 million to $60 million now. He cut contracts. He was so ahead of his time in terms of knowing the basketball world that he changed the landscape of our contracts. He changed the landscape of how much money we were signing for. So his impact, if you put it all in a box, to talk about his impact not only on the basketball court, but also on the business side of basketball, from a philanthropic standpoint. You have to respect that.”
In the end, there may never be a consensus on who the GOAT is. Still, there’s no denying that James has proven himself. A four-time NBA champion and four-time MVP, the Akron native is the most dominant force since Jordan. He now ranks as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, top-five in assists, top-10 in rebounds and top-10 in steals.
More NBA: Former Lakers player, 6th Man of the Year, heads overseas to continue basketball career
