It is always common practice to compare the two big players even if they played in different eras. Michael Jordan and LeBron James are two of the best players to have graced the game of Basketball but they always find themselves tussling in the GOAT debate.
NBA analyst Jalen Rose feels Michael Jordan is well ahead of LeBron James in this race. Jordan won six NBA championships in his glorious career and achieved all the records in the books. LeBron James, on the other hand, has four NBA rings in his cabinet.
Jordan also has two separate three-peats in the NBA. He won the championships consecutively in 1991, 92, and 93 and then won it again in 96, 97, and 98 with the Chicago Bulls. Thus, he is regarded as one of the best players of all time.
On the other hand, LeBron James has had a long career and he will be playing his 20th season in the upcoming edition of the NBA. James won the championship in 2012, 2013, 2016, and 2020.
Jalen Rose said on Courtside Club when he was asked about the top five players of all time, “When you talk about the best players of all time, you ultimately start talking about who’s the GOAT. And when you talk about GOAT, the first word is ‘Greatest.’ That means achieving more than somebody else. And if we’re comparing Michael Jordan and LeBron, for example, Michael Jordan got ten scoring titles LeBron has one. Michael Jordan has been Defensive Player of the Year in the NBA, LeBron hasn’t.”
He added: “Michael Jordan has two separate three-peats, LeBron doesn’t have one three-peat. And so, like, you don’t necessarily even need to watch them play to acknowledge that what Michael Jordan achieved just solely on the court is greater.”
Meanwhile, James was in stellar form in the previous season as he averaged 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 6.2 assists in 56 games in 2021-22. He was also selected to play in his eighteenth All-Star games.
