The debate over who is the greatest basketball player of all time, LeBron James or Michael Jordan, has captivated fans, analysts, and athletes for decades now. With different eras, styles of play, and team dynamics, comparing the two legends isn’t as straightforward as you would think. Jordan’s six NBA championships and flawless Finals record contrast with James’ unmatched longevity, versatility, and all-time scoring record. Both have shaped the game in profound ways, building legacies that transcend statistics.
According to Stan Van Gundy, the former NBA coach who has now turned into a broadcast commentator, feels that this comparison has put James in a vulnerable position. He appeared on ‘Nothing Personal with David Sams’ and expressed his feelings about the negative impact of the comparisons on James’ legacy. Van Gundy believes that people who consider Jordan a god automatically subject James to unfair criticism.
“LeBron’s gotten a little hate for a long time for a lot of different things. Whether it was his decision to come to Miami that he announced on TV, or whether it was bumping into Eric Spoelstra. Whatever it is, LeBron’s gotten a lot of hate for a guy who’s had the best career of any NBA player, ever. And we can argue who the best player has been in the NBA, but it’s hard to argue that anyone’s had a better career.”
“The most amazing thing to me is, this guy has been a national figure since he’s been in eighth grade. What’s the biggest off-court controversy you’ve got on this guy? This guy has done nothing except represent the game of basketball and the league well. And yet, there’s this hate for him,”
“I have never understood the negativity around him. I think a lot of it was: there are so many people out there who just revered Michael Jordan, and the fact that people would question, ‘Is LeBron as good?’ led to a hatred of LeBron instead of an appreciation of what he’s done. And I think that’s unfortunate.”
In terms of numbers, let’s take a look at a comparison of these careers.
James played in 22 seasons so far, and while entering his 23rd season now, is averaging 27.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.4 assists for his career. In his 10 visits to the NBA Finals, James has a record of 4-6, i.e, four championships and a Finals MVP Award in each of those championships. He also has four regular-season MVP awards.
Jordan played only 15 seasons in the NBA and averaged 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.3 steals for his career. In his six visits to the NBA Finals, he never lost a single series and had a 6-0 record in the Finals, with a Finals MVP award in each of those seasons. He had five regular-season MVP awards, one more than James.
In my opinion, when you’re at the top of the mountain, people will always try to knock you down. When Jordan was the best player active in the league, from opposing teams’ physicality to his off-the-court controversies with gambling, all the forces were in play to push him down.
Similarly, James has dominated for so long that, despite being 40 years old, teams fear playing against him. Therefore, he is subject to this much criticism because he is dominating at this age. Once he retires, all the active NBA drama will be out of the picture, and the only thing that will count when the dust settles is that James had one of the best careers in NBA history and will get the respect he deserves after he retires.
