I think he's in the argument for greatest of all-time. I think it's as difficult to compare James to Jordan as it it is to compare Jordan to Wilt Chamberlain. Outliers are special in a completely unique way that make direct comparisons essentially impossible.
I think MJ was the greatest winner. Of the players I remember watching, nobody was more dominant than Shaq (although the Lakers rivalry with the Blazers made me appreciate his dominance from a different perspective than I do Lebron's). I think Lebron is one of the greatest of all time, definitely one of the greatest of this era but I don't think he is, or ever will be, the greatest ever
Also, I think both Timmy Duncan and Kobe Bryant have a case for being at least as great historically as Lebron
The question addressed one person being the greatest. There is no one person who is the greatest Because all of us have opinions. However, Colin Cowherd does make a valid point. Why not include a star from the 50's and 60's Celtics? Basketball is a TEAM game . Tennis and golf players deserve a singular angle question like this.
Sorry, but that first tweet in the op is laughable. Jordan never beat any great teams. Is this guy a tweener who was born in 2001 or something and doesn't know how to look up anything from the past? What a tool... Just another reminder how short our memories have become.... This was a waste of my time....
2 of his titles have been quite fortuitous. The lucky bounce straight out to Ray Allen for a '3' or the Spurs win that series. Bogut gets hurt and Draymond gets suspended or the Warriors win that series. That is part of basketball but without those 'breaks', he is looking like a very good player with a lot of losses in the Finals.
Jordan never lost in the finals. He was 6-0. LeBron has lost in the finals more times than he's won. He is 3-4. I agree that it's complete bullshit to say Jordan's Bulls never beat a great team. How many first ballot Hall of Famers and how many of the 50 Greatest Players did Jordan beat? Plus, he had to get past great teams, the Celtics and Pistons just to get to the finals. Yeah, LeBron has made the finals six, soon to be seven, years in a row, but evey year it's been a cakewalk. I saw a graphic on TV a couple days ago about how LeBron has had at least five days off before the start of a series more than anyone in history, and it's not even close. With all his hand chosen Super Friends, all that time off between series and the weak competition, his teams dominate in Game 1s, jump out to an early series lead, coast to a sweep, or an occasional 4-1 gentlemen's sweep and then get another 5 or 6 days rest before the next overmatched victim is led to the slaughter. Shit, Jordan had to duke it out with the Celtics and Pistons just to get to the finals, where he had the Lakers, Sonics or Jazz waiting for him. Much tougher opponents and far few days of rest. The East has been so weak, and LeBron's teams so stacked, it's pretty much a given he will be in the finals, and very well rested, every year. Jordan probably would have won 10 straight titles if it had been so easy for him. LeBron is a unique talent and a great player, but anyone who says he is greater than Jordan has forgotten how great Jordan was and how tough the competition was back then. He didn't get to hand select his superstar teammates. He had to go into battle with what he had against the Bird/McHale/Parrish Celtics, the bad Boy Pistons, the Showtime Lakers, the Stockton/Malone Jazz and the Payton/Kemp Sonics. Jordan was, and still is, the greatest. BNM
Nope that was 100% original content. I was referencing BG's formerly dubious practice of quoting a long article, adding a sentence or two and then signing it with his name. BNM
He's one of the best all-around of all time, but I wouldn't say the best. I think Alcindor, Jordan, Bird, Johnson, and Chamberlin are ahead of him. He's on the level of like Charles Barkley.