Who is the GOAT: Michael Jordan or LeBron James?
(Courtesy Flickr)
July 26, 2021
As the new Space Jam movie is being seen by millions of people, people are naturally starting to revive the debate as to who is the Greatest of All Time (GOAT), Michael Jordan or LeBron James?
Championships
For this category, Jordan currently has the upper hand. The number one thing mentioned when debating who’s better is the number of championships Jordan has compared to James. So far, this has cemented Jordan as the GOAT in a lot of people’s eyes.
Jordan has a total of six championships under his belt while James only has four championships. However, Jordan went 6-0 in the finals while James is 4-6 in the finals. Due to James’ mediocre record in the finals, a lot of people put Jordan ahead him just for that reason.
Now, the question that arises is, if James gets two more championships before he retires, will that officially cement him as the greatest of all time? A lot of people are 50/50 about this because of what James’ overall finals record would be, but ultimately, if he gets the same number of championships as Jordan, it will be hard to dispute that he’s not the greatest of all time.
Even James’ playoff record is something mentioned when debating who’s the best. At the end of the day, this stat will really decide who’s the greatest of all time and is why it’s so important for James to win a few more championships and improve his playoffs and finals records.
Stats
Statistically speaking, James is doing better than Jordan and will have better stats when it’s all said and done. James currently has more career points, rebounds, assists and blocks as compared to Jordan. The only category Jordan leads right now is steals, but James isn’t too far behind him and could potentially beat him by the time he retires.
Considering that James still has a few years of basketball in him, his stats will continue to improve and will continue to bolster him in front of Jordan. For a lot of people, stats are equally as important as championships because it shows how an athlete did individually. So, for this category, James will have the upper hand. For a full side by side comparison of their stats, click here.
Awards
Both men have an impressive resume when it comes to the number of NBA awards they have won. Jordan has five regular season MVPs while James has four, and both men have won a finals MVP each time they won a championship, with Jordan at 6 and James at 4.
The rest of the awards vary from category to category. James has 17 NBA all-star appearances while Jordan only has 14 (and James will only continue to grow that number in the next few years), James has more All-NBA selections and All-NBA first team selections as compared to Jordan, but Jordan has more All-Defensive and All-Defensive 1st team selections. Jordan has more scoring titles as compared to James.
Really, you could go all day about who has more awards and show how one individual is better than another, but ultimately, these two athletes are neck and neck in each award category. However, James will more likely continue to keep getting more awards as his career goes along and will ultimately have the upper hand on this category.
Influence Outside of Basketball
Both athletes are considered some of the most influential athletes in all sports. With Jordan’s famous Jordan Brand and James’ huge brand with Nike, both athletes are really “tied” in this category for a lot of people. Both athletes even starred in the Space Jam movies, proving they’re even popular in Hollywood.
Social-media-wise, James has a bigger following and influence as compared to Jordan. Really, this category is equal as both athletes have huge influence outside of basketball and will continue to keep having influence for years to come.
The Future
One thing that James has going for him is his future in basketball. James still has a few more “good” years of basketball within him to secure more championships and to improve his stat line. If James can capitalize in these next few years, he can ultimately seal the deal as the greatest basketball player of all time.
However, it’s now harder than ever to get a championship for James. His age, along with the highly competitive nature of today’s NBA, is going to make it very difficult for him to win more championships in the next few years.
One of the biggest criticisms James has gotten (as compared to Jordan) is his use of superteams. As mentioned earlier, every NBA team has improved drastically making it harder to win a championship in today’s NBA; because of this, James has been a part of or formed superteams to combat this issue.
From his “Big Three” era in Miami to his current unstoppable duo with Anthony Davis, a lot of people are discrediting James’ championships as they feel he’s been “carried” due to his involvement with superteams. This is one of James’ biggest roadblocks to becoming the greatest of all time and if he continues to get “help” from other superstars, his future championships could be discredited and viewed as less valuable than Jordan’s. Ultimately, James will have to prove a lot in these next few years.
Level of Competition
One of the most controversial aspects of the GOAT debate is the level of competition both athletes have had to face. Jordan faced Magic, Bird, Malone, Barkley and whole lot of other athletes from the 80s and 90s, while James has faced Durant, Curry, Kobe, Duncan and a whole lot of other athletes from 2000s and 2010s (and even now in the 2020s).
Really, this is hard to compare because you can’t definitively say that one era is better than another, and you can’t compare the style of play either. However, there is no question that players nowadays are better compared to when Jordan played. But that’s to come naturally as players get better trainers, medicine, resources and more to help them improve.
People often argue and say that if athletes in the 90s had the resources current athletes had they’d be just as good; because of this aspect, you really can’t compare the level of competition. Also, saying that today’s NBA play style is more difficult than what it was back then is also an “unfair” comparison because you can’t determine if either athlete would’ve done better in the other’s era of NBA play. This category will really come down to preference when debating this topic.
Regardless of who you think is the greatest of all time in basketball, Jordan and James are arguably the number 1 and 2 players in NBA history. Both athletes have done a lot for the sport of basketball and their impact and influence will be felt in the NBA for decades to come.
T. P. H. • Jul 16, 2022 at 10:51 am
This is a joke. Jordan is the G.O.A.T. LeBron James is probably #3. I actually think Kobe is #2. Cuz’ championships matter.
Statistics can be very manipulative. LeBron obviously played longer. More games. In an era of transition 3’s and pick-n- roll isos; there are more possessions per 48. More shots. More opportunities for rebounds, assists, blocks, steals… Etc.
Jordan played in a half-court era against big physical teams. Less possessions. The Hand-checking in the 90s was more NFL than today’s NBA.
Teammates.. Both have played with great players. And I do think Scottie Pippen was the best teammate either had; just on his all-universe perimeter defense alone. Size length & athleticism. Great in transition. Played PG / SF. Brought the ball up to initiate offense. Jordan/ Pippen/ Rodman was a superteam. So let’s not go crazy bashing LeBron about Big 3 stuff..
It a different era with player movement. The underlying issue is LeBron is on his 3rd organization and 4th team. Old heads were used to stars playing with 1 franchise. Bird. Magic. Not jumping from team to team. Now Jordan did come back out of retirement and play for the Wizards. I think that was because MJ missed playing. And he had a percentage deal with Washington’s owner already for a stake in the team. People don’t hold that against Jordan.
There was no social media during Jordan’s era. James has used it as a platform. James is a diversified business man. Ownership stakes in soccer teams, restaurant chains, sports agencies, production companies, wines and spirits. Major endorsement deals. And a Jack of all trades. His popularity is enormous.
Jordan is not a jack of all trades. He is a master of one. Sneakers. And the most iconic of all. The Air Jordan Brand. Which he parlayed into ownership of his own NBA franchise in his native North Carolina.
But the bottom line is championships matter. Yes LeBron has been to more finals. His longevity is amazing. But he’s been afforded the opportunity in today’s player market to reboot in a new city every four years. He’s won four championships. But lost 6 finals series.
Jordan is 6-0. Now it took Jordan longer to get to the finals. But he had to go through Bird’s Celtics, the Bad Boys & the basketbrawl Knicks to get there. Jordan has 2 three-peats. LeBron has 1 repeat. And Jordan has never lost. If LeBron had 7 rings, with the losses, he would be #2. Jordan could have had a four-peat if not for his first retirement.
Jack East • Nov 13, 2022 at 11:43 pm
Jordan Rodman & Pippen was not a damn super team. Michael Jordan never was on a superteam. Rodman didn’t average 10 damn PPG an Pippen barely averaged 20 PPG, they were not a superteam.
Steve • Apr 12, 2022 at 10:48 pm
It really comes down to this. LeBron has only won championships on super teams where he joined forces with at least 2 other prime superstars. Jordan has never had to do that.
Jack East • Nov 13, 2022 at 11:47 pm
Exactly. Jordan has had 2 future Hall of Fame teammates LeBron James has had over 10 an he still came up small, he’s quit an he’s known for throwing teammates under the bus. LeBron James has had 3 former MVPs as teammates Michael Jordan ZERO 😔
Phillip B • Mar 2, 2022 at 12:13 pm
You can’t be serious with LaQueen-
Here things you left out!
Jordan hit winning shot in 1983 NCAA championship
He won last USA Olympic gold as true amateur 1984
His rookie year took the worst team to playoffs
And bulls made playoffs every year he was there
In 86 fresh off broken leg scores 63 in playoffs against one of the best defensive teams of all time Boston in the F’ garden.
He scored those points in the hand check era- could you imagine how much he could of scored in his prime if they could not hand check him?
Jordan didn’t call Isaiah and magic after not winning his first 3 years of not making championships! Michael won 6 titles with core of drafted role players. Those who say he had Scottie Pippin forget how bad he wAs first 3 years … MJ made Scotty great! Toughened him up-
Michael was also mvp in all 6 finals
jordan the goat • Feb 24, 2022 at 1:54 am
michael jordan is the goat🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑
Lang Nolen • Oct 21, 2021 at 11:59 am
This isn’t debatable, I see the other comment have already made my point. Lequeen doesn’t even compare to Jordan in per game stats, taking over games when it matters, winning what everyone’s playing for and that rings. You don’t take one of these, but combine all of them and you have the goat. If you never see Jordan live it’s hard to explain. I can’t say he’s better than Oscar bc I never saw Oscar live, but those that saw both say Jordan was better. I have seen both Bron and Jordan and they aren’t in same league. You could feel the environment change when Jordan decided to take over a game and no one would on the floor could do a thing about it. Hand check, hard fouls, and straight gelding couldn’t stop the greatest from scoring. Then on the other end he could play shut down defense that was questionably better than his offensive prowess. No comparison so please do yourself a favor and take this article down.
Genfj • Sep 29, 2021 at 5:23 am
Whoever wrote this is an imbecile and knows nothing about basketball. LeBron does not have better stats than Jordan. Only an airhead would think total career points is a stat that even matters. It simply means you played longer. Mark Jackson having more total assists than Magic Johnson doesn’t make him a better passer, just like Vince Carter having more total 3s than Klay Thompson doesn’t make him a better 3pt shooter. It just means they played longer.
Jordan dominates LeBron in per game stats (the stat that actually matters) and analytics.
Addy • Dec 28, 2021 at 11:44 am
You’re just mad because it doesn’t tell you what you want to hear. lol
Jay • Aug 12, 2021 at 10:11 pm
You are right about not close.But you have it back wards but hey ,this new generation likes making excuses for its legends.
Maybe your comfortable with saying 4-10 is greatness when you play with a stacked team.
And if not for Allen and kyrie would be 2-10 but I digress . Maybe it’s ok he lost to a sub par Dallas team or that he was defended by jj and Jason terry !!
I mean the defense he has to deal with is impeccable with centers waiting to shoot 3s and all there is great rim protection now a days .
Let’s not talk about the flopping
How many years did it take him to catch Mike in scoring ?
-How many scoring titles 10 to 1
-How many defense player of the year
-How many titles
-How many years leading the league in steals
Kareem leads the nba in scoring cause of his tenure LeBron is same deal his longevity is amazing!!
But let’s not confuse greatness and peak with longevity!!
Jordan average 30 a night with a few 3s a night .LeBron hasn’t done it once with walking to the free throw line if you breath on him and the ultimatum green light to bomb away from 3!!!
So LeBron is great he just ain’t that guy!!
Issywise • Jul 29, 2021 at 11:14 am
It is not even close. In 75 years of NBA play with 3,200 players, LeBron is number 1 in playoff scoring and steal, number two in assists and number seven in rebounds. LeBron got to the finals at a younger age than Jordan, got there almost twice as many times and is still an MVP candidate every year two years after Jordan retired, with Jordan not even being the best player on his team for two years before that.
As for eras. All those luminaries you mention Jordan played against? He didn’t win a championship when they played except for the last time LA made it to the finals in a run of eight finals exhausted at the end of Magic’s career. Except for that exhausted LA team, Jordan never won a final against another team that ever won a final. The league had expanded 25% during Jordan’s era and talent was diluted and at an all time low.
As for number of championships, that is a team honor, not individual, but still, eight players in NBA history won more or as many championships as Jordon, including Russell who won 11, his rookie season, his last and nine between. Jordan only won championships when he was supported by 1) the winningest coach in NBA history, 2)a hall of fame GM who assembled Jordan’s teams, 3) Scotty Pippen, a top twenty-five all-time player who did the ball-handling and handled the hardest defensive chore for Jordan, and either Horace Grant or Dennis Rodman, defensive specialists who could play Karl Malone one-on-one. Without all of those supports, Jordan never got to the finals.
Lebron has 190% of the assists Jordan had. More points, astronomically more rebounds and plays a much fuller and (most importantly) more intelligent game.
I know it only sportswriting, but look at the records and compare the two men. It isn’t even close and hasn’t been for years.
Isaac Boaz • Oct 20, 2021 at 8:33 pm
You mentioned MJ going against an “exhausted” Lakers team, but do I need to remind you of what happened to Lebron back in 2011? When Lebron was on the Miami Heat, he had Dwayne Wade & Chris Bosh as teammates, who were both great players. As stacked as that Miami Heat team was, they got beat single handedly in the 2011 finals by Dirk, who was the only player on the Mavs to make the All Star team that year, & not only that, but Dirk was also sick and had the flu at the time. The Heat had a huge advantage over the Mavs, yet they blew it and got whooped single handedly by a sick Dirk Nowitzki, while Lebron was getting outscored by Jason Terry, who was coming off the bench. Also keep in mind this was during Lebron’s prime. Can you think of one time when Michael Jordan (or any other top 10 player for that matter) has ever been outscored by a bench player for an entire series during their prime? For a player as great as Lebron is, that’s pretty embarrassing. So I better not hear any more lame excuses about MJ going against washed teams in the finals, because Lebron went against an underdog team & got embarrassed. The 2011 finals left a huge dent on Lebron’s legacy.
Also, you mentioned MJ having Scottie and Dennis Rodman as teammates, which yes, they were both great players, and they definitely helped contribute to MJ’s championships. But y’all Lebron fans act like MJ’s teammates are the only reason for his success. Like you said, rings are more of a team honor than an individual player honor, so if you leave rings out of the argument and look at individual player accolades & accomplishments, MJ has 5 MVPs vs Lebron’s 4, 10 scoring titles vs Lebron’s 1, 3 steals titles vs Lebron’s zero, 1 DPOY vs Lebron’s zero, 9 All Defensive 1st Team selections vs Lebron’s 6, & the list goes on. And it’s not like you can credit MJ’s teammates for any of those, because those are all individual player achievements. So you can stop with this whole “MJ had great teammates” bs, because even when you exclude rings from the argument & look at individual accomplishments, MJ is still miles ahead of Lebron. Also keep in mind that MJ had a shorter career than Lebron, which makes him having more accomplishments even more impressive.
You also mentioned Lebron having more career points, rebounds, assists, etc. Yes, Lebron does have better career long stats than MJ due to him having better longevity, but comparing career long stats isn’t very fair. When comparing 2 player’s stats to each other, you have to look at their per-game averages, rather than cumulative stats, because if you judge players based on their cumulative stats, then that would basically mean Karl Malone is better than Lebron and Kobe, which of course is not true. When you look at both Michael Jordan & Lebron’s stats on a per-game basis, as well as analytic stats, such as player efficiency rating (PER), MJ’s stats are much better than Lebron’s.
Another thing I should mention is when you look at both MJ and Lebron’s strength’s and weaknesses on the court, or as some like to call it, the “eye test,” Michael Jordan is practically flawless on the court. Other than being an average 3 point shooter, MJ is great at every aspect of the game and has practically no weaknesses. Whereas Lebron on the other hand, as great of a player as he is, has some obvious flaws to his game. He is not a great free throw shooter, he makes only 36% of his shots outside of 3 feet, which isn’t very good, and he gets a lot of turnovers.
Long story short, Michael Jordan and Lebron are the 2 best basketball players of all time, without question. Lebron is a great player, but he will never be on MJ’s level. There is only one GOAT, and that’s Michael Jordan.
Zion Banks • Feb 8, 2023 at 10:33 pm
Simple Words ALL TIME SCORING RECORD
Christopher Jaworski • Oct 31, 2021 at 2:28 am
Stop being such a HOMER! Michael (AIR) Jordan is the “1” and (ONLY GOAT)Leflop cries to the REFS everygame!!!!
Christopher S Jaworski • Oct 31, 2021 at 2:29 am
@ISSYWISE