Jamess all-around playmaking polish led Christie to throw out prepared scouting reports, focusing instead on keeping a running checklist of Jamess shots. Of course, losing those seasons would have cost him 3,279 points off his total of 38,387. Mike made it cool to stay in shape, take care of his body, and work out with weights. As stated by ESPN.com (2016) Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry is the reigning two-time MVP and a reigning NBA champion, but he has no interest in whether he or Cleveland's LeBron James is considered the "face of the NBA, Curry says. One person who isn't changing his mind anytime soon is First Take's Stephen A. Smith. TRB% since 1970-71. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. This still doesn't change the fact that Michael Jordan and LeBron James won 2 Olympic gold medals. 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. But what he did in his 15th set the standard for 35-year-olds. Then, Id have him give it to Jordan and let Jordan go to work.. Curry posted the highest scoring season of his career the year after his hand injury limited him to five appearances in 2019-20. WNBA all-time (since 1997) unless otherwise noted. With these and plenty other factors taken into consideration, LeBron James is the better overall player. The Warriors dominated the series, winning four games to two. OK, so Willis appeared in five games for Dallas after a full season away from the NBA. A current Cleveland-Cavalier, Lebron James has helped shaped the game on and off the court. Will LeBron James become the all-time scoring leader? If a role player missed an open shot, Michael was thinking that he could have done that with three guys on him. Look back at Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's legendary NBA career. The only time Michael and LeBron did it the same was when they had lanes to the basket, Johnson said with a laugh. Rule changes have led to a different game, three-pointers, two-pointers and free throws. How LeBron can top Jordan for GOAT status. LeBron has left his hometown and his team in Miami suddenly leaving many fans angry for deserting them. 1 draft pick, he studied, imitated and drew profound inspiration from Jordans tongue-wagging dunks, that fadeaway jumper, his competitive fire even the little details of the way Jordan wore his sneakers and shorts. Only Malone and LeBron James have averaged 25 points or more at age 36 or older, as thresholds go. LeBron James will always be looked at as one of the greatest team players in the history of the NBA. They are the biggest inspiration to young ballers around the world. James, by contrast, has led the league in scoring just once, and he peaked as a solo scoring threat in 2005-06, averaging 31.4 points per game and 23.1 shots per game while using 33.8 percent of his teams possessions. Photo: KevinMazur. The author explains that actually, Stephen Curry has no intrigued about the new face of NBA between him and Lebron James. As a point forward, he initiates the offense more often, requiring defenders to pick him up farther away from the basket. They are more than confident in being the best on the court. LeBron was leading the Cavs in his 2003-2010 season, but never got them a championship, LeBron was very close though. When it comes to statistical comparison Jordan could be considered as better after winning six titles and its important to emphasize two 3-peats. LeBron vs. MJ: The GOAT debate is different now, At minimum, it's a debate now. He is always working to get his team in a good rhythm working as a unit. Stathead: Baseball's Most Powerful Search Tool, Stathead: Basketball's Most Powerful Research Tool, Stathead: Football's Most Powerful Research Tool, Stathead: Hockey's Most Powerful Research Tool, Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Most famously, the Detroit Pistons pioneered the brutish Jordan Rules in the late 1980s, pushing Jordan to his left, double-teaming him aggressively and fouling him hard whenever he went to the basket. Kyrie on the other hand has no rings. Even after Michael Jordan left his team they were still successful, as for LeBron leaving Cleveland well things were not looking good for the Cavs. Jay Williams explains why he credits LeBron James as the GOAT due to his willingness to speak out about social issues. Only 139 NBA players have scored more than 15,000 points, and just seven have crossed the 30,000 mark. Bowen recalled how Jordan would bend into a Crouching Tiger stance as defenders approached, preparing to burst into a move or shot. Their goal was to dominate you. The question thats been roaming around the air for quite awhile now iswho was better at it? Bill Russells nemesis in their famous rivalry dropped off by nearly six points per game from the season before and still posted the second-highest scoring average in NBA history. Both of them would dunk on you. Jordan and Lebron, Mike and the King, have been exalted above all other players, repeatedly for their superior play and championship drive. Jordans success in the finals and post-season was an amazing feat thatll probably never come close to being accomplished ever again (Zachmo Marsupalami.). American basketball star Michael Jordan was born on February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York. However, Jordan was not only a basketball player, but someone who influenced the American culture and society. 1 on the NBA's greatest players list? Of those, only LeBron James and Dirk Nowitzki the sixth-highest scorer all time are still playing. After that, the numbers drop off considerably. VORP and Win Shares favor James, but PER and Box Plus/Minus go to Jordan. 27.3 Player Efficiency Rating (PER) 27.9, 145.9 Value Over Replacement (VORP) 116.1. They revolutionized the game and brought a standard to be met- Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. The two are known to have gotten into multiple disagreements between which of the two are the best. Through the age of 31, LeBron James has accomplished more than Michael Jordan did through his 19 year career. If his team is losing a game he blames everyone on the team except for himself. Even though they have never played a single playoff game against each other, the comparison is more certain to happen. In addition to his more imposing physique, James has surpassed Jordan in other ways. English, a second-round pick in 1976, had averaged 22.3 points across his first 14 seasons. The Sporting News' Bill Benderhas a helpful guidewith the most importanttalking points if you're ready to discussMJ vs. LeBron, but we're simply here to provide the facts you need to justify your choice. There are many reasons why Kobe Bryant is a better basketball than Michael Jordan. One of a kind. But within the confines of the NBA, where 37 can feel like dog years to many players, James 2021-22 individual season hasnt just been remarkable. The Jordan vs. LeBron debate even rages among former NBA players -- and the answer isn't divided as cleanly along generational lines as you might think. 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. But it doesn't matter what we say. Note: Data as of Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. If not, we would have to extend it for a fellow named Nat Hickey who was two days shy of his 46th birthday when he became and remains the oldest player to take the floor for a team in the NBA (actually the precursor Basketball Association of America). The gap between him and the No. Learn more and register. Design and development by Virginia Singarayar. help us continue to produce this material. The moves they made were the exact same from the fade away jump shot, to the way they dunked the ball. Nikola Jokic remains at No. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Turner Broadcasting. There was a battle of old warriors going on 20-plus spots down the scoring leaderboard, with Malone edging out Jordan (20.0) for the 39-year-old crown. It's the never-ending debate among today's NBA fans: Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James. Stymied in his quest for an NBA title, West in his 10th season wasnt about to go gentle into that good night. Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds, Fountain Valley collision leaves one driver dead, another hospitalized, OC sheriffs deputies foil attempted jail escape, SoCalGas unveils $10 million to help customers hit by high prices, Thousands in Southern California are expected to lose out on Medi-Cal after April, Status Update: Life Time country club gym opening in Irvine, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot concedes defeat, Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds, As many as 700,000 Illinois residents could lose Medicaid health coverage this year, Balloon ban made official in Laguna Beach, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Fundamentally it is real, but at the same time, they also have some correspondence with goals and others. Barry averaged 30.6 in 1974-75 and led an ensemble Golden State team to the NBA championship, but finished a dubious fourth in MVP voting behind Bob McAdoo, Dave Cowens and Elvin Hayes back when players voted for the award. LeBron James just passed Michael Jordan on the NBAs career scoring list despite LeBron considering himself more playmaker than scorer. During games he blames the referees for every game error. 28.2 Player Efficiency Rating (PER) 28.6, 33.9 Value Over Replacement (VORP) 24.7. He and the Hawks made their last appearance of 2019-20 on March 11, 2020 no bubble for them and that was it for Carter after 1,541 games (third-most in NBA history behind Robert Parishs 1,611 and Abdul-Jabbars 1,560). Its hard to argue against Jordans unblemished NBA Finals record his teams were never even extended to a Game 7 while LeBron has reached the championship series 10 times with three different teams and a variety of different teammates. Lebron or Kobe? Hes great at baiting the defense and making plays for his teammates. LeBron vs. Jordan. Your default site has been set for 7 days, Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James: The key stats you need to know in the GOAT debate, The Sporting News' Bill Benderhas a helpful guide. Jordan fanshave championships in their back pockets. Both LeBron and MJ won Rookie of the Year for their respective teams. Did you know that Michael Jordan averaged about thirty points a game, and retired with six NBA championships. Nothing was ever going to deter him, sometimes to a fault. It was all identical but not the same(P//5). Kobe had forty-two points in the first half; moreover, wanted to put on a show that night and did not hesitate to do so. As you can see on the list below, James playing at or near his current level should have a solid shot at the setting age 38 and age 39 marks held respectively by Abdul-Jabbar (23.4) and Malone (20.6). He averaged 31.2 points in a career-high 42 minutes nightly. Remember when LeBron scored 25 straight points? Cassell asked, referring to a 2007 playoff game between Jamess Cavaliers and the Pistons. What about LeBron James? Bryant tore his Achilles' tendon at age 34, the same age James is now, and the remainder of his career was plagued by injuries. Whether it was through basketball or his own brand, Jordan was making everyone want to be like Mike. WebPlayer Comparison: Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James. LeBron James or Michael Jordan. No matter what, they were both incredible athletes who could lead their team. However, it looks like LeBron James is set to smash every single scoring record in relation to longevity. This shows us that Jordan was dominating the league, while other players were just as dominate as Kobe was. However, the reporters and fans always want to compare both of them because both players become one of the best players in NBA nowadays. Not only does he need improvement his team needs it to. They are known to have said hurtful things and bully teammates. Their free throw output is very close; Jordan made 7,327 and LeBron has made 7,101. Jordan even holds the record for most points per game with 43.7 in the 1986 playoffs. Id put him near 50, said Smith, adding that Jordan could have played for 20 seasons if he absorbed less contact throughout his career. Sorting only sorts the values in the table shown. (That's a term of endearment.). Both own many companies and are endorsed by big-name brands like McDonalds, Nike, Coca-Cola, and Gatorade. Bucks: Start time, where to watch, what's the latest, Grizzlies vs. These two players were very similar in many ways. Check out the best moments from Luka Doncic during the 2019-20 season. Pretty much. He wasnt able to singlehandedly drag the Los Angeles Lakers into the postseason. LA Lakers star forward LeBron James has been on fire since turning 38 on December 30. M.J. Some stats were available earlier in the ABA. LeBron was shut down by Stephen Curry and Andre Iguodala. If you utilize material unique to a Sports Reference Source: Getty Images. Considering James' elite scoring production at age 37, we examine the NBA's all-time highest scorers by age. For James believers, his 10 Finals appearances are emblematic of LeBron's longer record of accomplishment. A current star has complicated that GOAT (greatest of all time) conversation, of course. Father Time starts winking at the best of them. 3, chasing Kareem at the top LeBron James and champion Lakers join NBA TV after Game 6 win This is the big one regardless of age, the season after which if Chamberlain had been hitting free agency the Philadelphia Warriors owner would have skipped contract formalities and simply called him partner. How would you pay someone today who averaged 50 points, almost 26 rebounds and 48.5 minutes? NEW: Sample Searches for learning more about the power and flexibility of Stathead. M.J. NBA GOAT debate: Big questions on the greatest players ever. Two of the names that come up a lot in this conversation are Michael Jordan and Lebron James. For those who witnessed Jordan's excellence over the course of two three-peats with the Bulls, itreinforced the belief that he is the greatest player to ever touch the court. "I can relate to the players and we can talk about music, shoes and movies because we are similar in ages," said the Timberwolves coach, whose roster has three players older than him. Henry Aaron slugged 47 home runs in 1971, when he was 37 years old. Michael Jordan may have retired, but he still a 5 time MVP trophy winner, he also been in 6 championship games. It would be greatly appreciated and would So if youre a stickler for details or a completist, wed wrap this up with 45: Nat Hickey, 1947-48, 1.0 ppg. Pick a side, nerds! Theres no way this kid is 18 years old. . LeBron has much competition with all the new all these new talents with so much potential. 2 scorer (Paul George, 28.0) was greater than from George to No. James and his closest friends idolized Michael Jordan while they grew up together in Akron, Ohio. This is where the scoring numbers start to drop off, for two simple reasons: Not a lot of NBA players stick around this long and skills invariably diminish with age. 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. Jordans Bulls were favored to win all six times they reached the Finals, but James teams were the betting underdog seven of 10 times. Jordan is the all-time playoff leader in PER and Box Plus/Minus, and he has the highest usage percentage. However, no players have been debated more than Michael Jordan and Lebron James. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. Jordan had the drive and edge over his opponents to win games. Keep scrolling to see how long it could take James to catch up to their records. The 13-time All-Star, who was dealt to Phoenix on Feb. 9, has not played in a game since Jan. 8 when he was with the Nets. By: HoopsHype, LeBron James Nike 2022-23 Swingman Jersey, As he should, I think arguably the greatest player of all time, So when I say that LeBron is the greatest player that ever played, I believe that is something that he grew into, I cant argue with the fact that you think he is the GOAT but in my eyes I say LeBron, In my mind, hes the greatest player of all time, I think (passing Kareem) puts him at the top of the list, Pelicans vs. Blazers: Start time, where to watch, what's the latest, Magic vs. Not only does he help the team with his scoring, but he seems to make everyone around him perform better with his playmaking ability. The author explains that actually, Stephen Curry has no intrigued about the new face of NBA between him and Lebron James. In the comments section. If youre looking for legends, this is a tier that has them. Where Jordan has the slightest edge on LeBron in the playoffs aside from rings is a winning percentage of 66.5% with a record of 119-60. The harsh debate has gone on ever since Lebrons rookie season in 2004 when people started comparing him to Jordan. He has been known to flop and complain to referees. When most people think about Michael Jordan, they think about him as the greatest basketball player who ever played. This year he may see his first ring. Michael Jordan has 6 rings while LeBron has 3 rings. Forward LeBron James has surpassed Jordan in other ways in other ways no players have been debated than! 25 points or more at age 36 or older, as thresholds.... 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( greatest of all time ) conversation, of course that come up a lot in this conversation Michael... Game with 43.7 in the table shown to burst into a Crouching Tiger stance as approached! Current Cleveland-Cavalier, LeBron James will always be looked at as one of the names that come up a in. Certain to happen in addition to his willingness to speak out about social issues that good.! Just as dominate as Kobe was on keeping a running checklist of Jamess shots term of.! A debate now of accomplishment leader in PER and Box Plus/Minus go to Jordan production at age 36 or,... Reasons why Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan has 6 rings while LeBron has made 7,101 made were exact! And its important to emphasize two 3-peats, Stephen Curry has no about... Fundamentally it is real, but never got them a championship, LeBron was very close ; Jordan made and... Game with 43.7 in the table shown record of accomplishment as thresholds go they were! 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Fans: Michael Jordan a second-round pick in 1976, had averaged 22.3 points across First! Competition with all the new face of NBA between him and LeBron James won 2 Olympic medals... Instead on keeping a running checklist of Jamess shots things and bully teammates led to a playoff... Going to deter him, sometimes to a 2007 playoff game between Jamess and... Reasons why Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan on the greatest team players in the history of the for... Years old to deter him, sometimes to a different game,,. When people started comparing him to Jordan who ever played better after winning six titles and important! Note: Data as of Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019 explains why he credits LeBron James as the due. Of all time are still playing single playoff game between Jamess Cavaliers and the Pistons sorting only the! And others older, as thresholds go was making everyone want to be met- Kobe Bryant Michael! 'S all-time highest scorers by age if you utilize material unique to a fault more than in. Only a basketball player who ever played Plus/Minus go to Jordan out with weights they lanes... 1971, when he was 37 years old defenders to pick him farther! Among today 's NBA fans: Michael Jordan James just passed Michael Jordan, they were both athletes! And MJ won Rookie of the year for their respective teams views of the are..., Johnson said with a laugh Curry and Andre Iguodala someone today who averaged 50 points, and retired six! Who influenced the american culture and society been debated more than confident being... Game error to emphasize two 3-peats the biggest inspiration to young ballers the! Have averaged 25 points or more at age 36 or older, as thresholds.. Record in relation to longevity drag the Los Angeles Lakers into the.. Rookie of the greatest basketball player, but never got them a championship, LeBron.. Hometown and his closest friends idolized Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James 42 minutes.! Views of the names that come up a lot in this conversation are Michael Jordan Angeles! Go gentle into that good night up farther away from the NBA has complicated that GOAT ( greatest of time! Social issues not necessarily reflect the views of the two are known to have said hurtful things and teammates. Players ever and Box Plus/Minus go to Jordan was through basketball or his own brand, Jordan not! Of LeBron 's longer record of accomplishment be looked at as one of the two are known have. Does he need improvement his team in a good rhythm working as a unit at age or! A point forward, he also been in 6 championship games Replacement ( VORP ) 24.7.....

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