LeBron James and Michael Jordan have been the primary suspects in the GOAT debate for the last 5 years or so. While a lot of people do think MJ is the undisputed GOAT and point to the difference in their record in the NBA finals, the case isn’t quite as cut and dry for others. Regardless, as the NBA named the Top 75 players of all time at this year’s All-Star Weekend, Jordan was in the No. 1 spot.
However, the two have always shown the greatest respect to one another in public. LeBron, like many in his generation, grew up watching Jordan dominate the NBA as well as the attention of people across the world. Furthermore, he went on to build his fortune and become an owner in the NBA, something that James has expressed his desire to do throughout his career.
When they met for the NBA’s Top 75 ceremony on Sunday, the duo was pictured laughing and joking with one another. The picture also had some similarities to their first meeting in 2003 when LeBron was a high school sensation waiting to take the NBA by storm.
LeBron had seen Jordan before they met for the first time in 2001, but the duo interacted for the first time in 2003. The experience of seeing Jordan in real life is something that deeply influenced LeBron, who has spoken about the experience in the past (via si.com).
“I literally couldn’t believe it was him,” James said in an interview with Uninterrupted. “I couldn’t believe it. The dude looked like Jesus Christ to me. He was Black Jesus to me. Nobody could say to me anything different.”
While fans of both players constantly get into tiffs with one another online debating which one is greater than the other, the deep reverence LeBron holds for Michael has always been very evident. That’s not to say that he will stop pursuing his goal to become the undisputed GOAT, but every time these two legends of the game interact, it provides a wholesome reminder to fans to enjoy the greatness of both.
