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Reading: LeBron James’ Bold Words As A 17 Year Old That Was Compared To Michael Jordan And Magic Johnson Came True
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Home > NBA News & Analysis > LeBron James’ Bold Words As A 17 Year Old That Was Compared To Michael Jordan And Magic Johnson Came True

LeBron James’ Bold Words As A 17 Year Old That Was Compared To Michael Jordan And Magic Johnson Came True

LeBron James knew what his destiny could be even when he was just 17 and being compared to Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson and his words came true.

Divij Kulkarni
Jan 15, 2023
3 Min Read
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Credit: Fadeaway World

LeBron James is in his 20th year in the NBA, and he has been dominant for that entire span. James has been a statistical marvel, setting record after record as the youngest player to achieve NBA milestones, and while some have been broken, others might stand for a while to come. The hype surrounding LeBron when he was entering the league was massive, but one can almost say that he has exceeded it. 

LeBron James was a very highly-rated talent when he was playing for St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. A magazine cover hailed him as the Chosen One when he wasn’t even in the league yet, and he was drafted without ever attending college. James had to face immense pressure and scrutiny from that age, with the expectations on his shoulders greater than any had dealt with before, but he always knew what he was capable of. 


LeBron James’ Epic Take On Comparisons To MJ and Magic Aged Incredibly Well

When stars come in and perform at a high level in the league, they are often compared to legends of the past. But LeBron James was drawing parallels to Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson before even making it to the league. This might have phased another player, but LBJ was as cool as you like about the whole thing. His quote about it from an interview with SportsCenter stands out and provides an insight into the confidence and swagger a young LeBron James possessed. 

(starts at 1:31 minutes)

“For me to be compared to Michael, Magic, Kobe, all the ones that’s making so much success in the league, it’s great. And Imma just keep working hard. And someday, there could be another one that could be compared to me.”

This has come to pass and how LeBron James is now mentioned in GOAT conversations when fans debate that particular topic. Every player that comes into the league that grew up watching him play wants to be like him, and the likes of Luka Doncic have already drawn comparisons to him as well. 

For many people in the world, having that kind of expectation placed on them would be enough for their careers to dwindle. And even if they did succeed, the likelihood of LeBron being in the same conversation as Magic and Jordan was quite small at that time. The fact that he turned it into a reality is a true testament to the King’s greatness.

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TAGGED:LeBron JamesMagic JohnsonMichael Jordan
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ByDivij Kulkarni
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Divij Kulkarni is an NBA columnist for Fadeaway World. He has covered the NBA and the English Premier League, with 4 years of experience in creating sports content. Finding exciting and intriguing content about all things NBA is both his job and his passion. Divij loves the Dallas Mavericks and can be regularly observed getting emotional during games. Outside of basketball, he enjoys reading fantasy and sci-fi novels, consuming copious amounts of movies and TV, and spending time with his dog, Olivia. Expertise: NBA, Historical Sports ResearchFavorite Team: Dallas MavericksFeatured On HoopsHype, Sports Illustrated, Secret Base, MSNPrevious Work: Tribuna
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