LeBron James does not hand out comparisons lightly, especially when it involves Michael Jordan. That is what made his recent comments about Shai Gilgeous-Alexander stand out. Speaking on the Mind The Game podcast, LeBron pointed directly at Shai’s efficiency and called it ‘Jordan-esque,’ a statement that carries weight given the standard Jordan set.
“Every time you look at the efficiency, you look at the box scores, and you see Shai 38, it’s like 13 for 17 from the floor, you know, the other night I think he had 40 something, I think it was like 15 for 19.”
“That’s one of my favorite things about players, like you know, I mean, that’s because how I am, I love efficient players. Like you know can go out can do the things on the floor, be efficient, you know, not taking too many bad shots, I mean, if you get on a heater, you want to take a heat check or two, I get it.”
“We all have our nights where we don’t shoot, you know, to our capabilities, I mean that just comes with the game. But yeah, I think that’s one of the things I love about Shai is just like for him to play on the perimeter as much as he does, playing at mid-range as much as he does and still be as super efficient as he is. It’s Jordan-esque.”
The numbers support LeBron’s claim. This season, Gilgeous Alexander is averaging 31.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 6.5 assists while shooting 55.2% from the field, 38.3% from three, and 88.0% from the free-throw line. Those splits are elite across every level. High-volume scoring usually brings inefficiency but Shai has avoided that tradeoff.
Then there is the consistency. He has set a new NBA record with 138 consecutive regular-season games scoring at least 20 points, breaking Wilt Chamberlain’s mark of 126. That streak speaks to reliability as much as talent. Night after night, he produces without wild swings in performance.
Team success strengthens the case. The Oklahoma City Thunder sit at 62-16, holding the best record in the league. Shai is not putting up empty numbers. He is driving wins at the highest level. That is why he is the favorite to win another MVP award. Efficiency at this volume, combined with team dominance, creates a strong argument.
LeBron’s perspective adds another layer. He has spent over two decades studying the game at the highest level. He values efficiency because his own career has been built on it. When he points to a player and connects that style to Jordan, it reflects both respect and recognition of impact.
For the Lakers, that reality is immediate. Any path to a title likely runs through Oklahoma City. With injuries to key players, LeBron may have to carry that burden himself. On the other side stands a player he just compared to the gold standard of efficiency.
