NBA players, especially superstars, typically have an air about them. In this regard, Michael Jordan and LeBron James are among the most charismatic individuals. However, even between the two, many argue that Jordan has more “aura” by a distance.
Whether it involved his reputation on the basketball court or his achievements, Jordan is widely considered one of the most awe-inspiring individuals in professional sports. Although there is no rational justification for this, Colin Cowherd presented a unique approach on the “Colin Cowherd Podcast.”
“There was no social media. Part of what makes Michael fascinating is that we didn’t know about his private life. There weren’t platforms, so you needed his basketball and his fashion. That was your gateway to knowing Michael,” Cowherd stated.
“You didn’t know about his marriage or private life. We get so much of LeBron. So it doesn’t feel special,” he continued. “You had to either buy Michael’s shoes or go to his games. That’s how you saw or heard about Michael’s greatness. LeBron’s everywhere. There’s nothing LeBron could’ve done about that. There’s a mystery about Michael and a uniqueness.”
Cowherd made an intriguing point by noting that, at the start of Michael Jordan’s career, it was virtually impossible to even get a glimpse of his performances. With the limited media coverage of his games, Jordan’s legend grew by word of mouth.
Typically, more social media exposure would equate to more popularity, but it isn’t always the case. Given the ease of access, the element of wonder has been eradicated. Thus, strangely, the sense of mystery continues to feed into Jordan’s narrative, positioning him as an almost mythical figure.
Michael Jordan Wouldn’t Have Fared Well In The Twitter Era
While Michael Jordan is one of the most successful athletes of all time, like any sportsperson, Jordan experienced a sharp decline in the later stages of his career. For the most part, Jordan managed to get through his time with the Washington Wizards and retire without being heavily scrutinized by the media.
However, on the “Colin Cowherd Podcast,” Jason Timpf made an interesting note of how Jordan’s reputation would be tarnished if he played in the Twitter era. Cowherd reacted to this by commenting:
“He’d get crushed! There’s one great 30 for 30 sports documentary left. It’s Michael Jordan with the Wizards. His teammates hated him, and the coaches hated him… I watched them play twice live with the Wizards, and the body language of his teammates, everybody hated him.”
In his two years in Washington, Jordan averaged 21.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game. During this period, between ages 38 and 40, Michael Jordan didn’t once take the Wizards to the playoffs, much less the Finals.
Having lost a fair chunk of his raw, explosive athleticism, Michael Jordan was relying on his skill and experience to remain effective. Although he held his own, in today’s social media age, the NBA legend would have faced harsh criticism.
In comparison, LeBron James has played almost the entirety of his career under the media spotlight. While his shortcomings have been highlighted because of this, James has also achieved a great many things while navigating these obstacles.
As Timpf noted, James is often heavily critiqued for his errors, but what he is accomplishing at age 41 is often overlooked because of it. While each generation has dealt with its own unique pressures and circumstances, it can be argued that the overexposure of athletes in the current era is more challenging.
