Brendan Haywood is one of the few to have had the fortune of playing alongside both Michael Jordan and LeBron James. So, when Haywood appeared on the latest episode of the Run Your Race podcast, he was asked about playing with the two icons and stated that Jordan is the greatest ever.
“If anybody in the Carolina family doesn’t say that MJ is number one, they’re ex-communicado,” Haywood, who played at North Carolina, said. “Come on now. MJ is the greatest ever.”
“This man is MVP, Defensive Player of the Year,” Haywood stated. “He’s MVP, First Team All-Defense, Finals MVP, and leading the league in scoring, all in the same year. Only been done four times, all MJ.”
“That’s how you end the debate,” Haywood added. “When these young guys that want to talk about LeBron, that’s how you end the debate with them right there.”
Jordan did indeed accomplish that feat four times, in 1991, 1992, 1996, and 1998. Haywood, who played alongside him on the Washington Wizards from 2001-02 to 2002-03, believes that settles the GOAT debate but I don’t think it does. It is undoubtedly a remarkable feat, though.
Jordan is also just one of three players along with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Hakeem Olajuwon, to win MVP, Finals MVP, and DPOY. He accomplished many feats in his career that almost no one else was able to match and it’s why he is widely regarded as the greatest ever.
In all, Jordan won six titles, six Finals MVPs, five MVPs, a DPOY, and 10 scoring titles in his storied career. He made 14 All-Star teams, 11 All-NBA teams, and nine All-Defensive teams as well. Simply put, he was a special player.
It seemed at one point like Jordan had distanced himself from the pack, but James has been slowly but surely getting closer. His resume now includes four titles, four Finals MVPs, four MVPs, a scoring title, and an assists title. James has made 20 All-Star teams, 20 All-NBA teams, and six All-Defensive teams in his career. He is also the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and has built up quite the case for that GOAT title.
James probably needs to win another title or two to tip the scales in his favor. I am not sure how likely that is, considering he is 39 years old now and the Los Angeles Lakers don’t look like a serious title contender. I would never say never when it comes to James, though.
Getting back to Haywood, he also revealed during the episode why he was glad he got to play with James on the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014-15 after playing with Jordan earlier in his career.
“I’m glad I got a chance to play with Bron and MJ because I seen greatness but I seen it done differently,” Haywood stated. “MJ’s more like listen, if you not doing your job, MJ at your neck. If you can’t help him win, he ain’t got time for you.
“Bron is a bit more diplomatic,” Haywood added. “He gonna try to talk to you a little bit. Then he ain’t got time for you.”
Jordan and James have very different approaches toward the game of basketball and things like leadership as well. Despite that, they accomplished so much and it shows that there is more than one way to skin a cat.
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