Michael Irvin, the Hall of Fame wide receiver and three-time Super Bowl champion, has never been shy about bold takes. On the All the Smoke Podcast with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, he jumped headfirst into the most polarizing debate in basketball: Michael Jordan versus LeBron James.
But Irvin didn’t just pick one name. He split the crown in half, drawing a clear line between dominance on the hardwood and influence off it.
“I think Jordan is a phenomenal, phenomenal player. And certainly all that he’s gotten, he deserves. But when you look at LeBron and what LeBron has done, even Kobe and Kobe is a great player, phenomenal, but when you look at LeBron and what he’s done, LeBron has changed a lot of things in a big way.”
“All Michael Jordan has accomplished, and all he’s done and all he did, he couldn’t get his own owner to extend him another year. Like dude, come on man, what are you doing here? What is that? LeBron came in a different way and has done a different thing. And now LeBron has some control.”
“It’s not just dribbling. His business acumen, you got to give it to him. I remember they were arguing that he wouldn’t, with him and Kobe, was in the All-Star Game, and Kobe wanted to go one-on-one. We want the Alpha male to show up and take over. Alpha male, show me you got the Alpha male.”
“But that wasn’t his game plan. He’s like, I don’t have to show up and take over. I really want to take over. So instead of beating down the top players like Alpha male, he was like, ‘No, I’m trying to partner with these guys so we could do bigger and better things. We can have more control.’”
“LeBron got way more control than Michael Jordan ever had, over this whole thing. So we start talking about GOAT, boy, I mean, on the court, you can say Michael Jordan was the GOAT. Off the court, you’re gonna say LeBron James is the GOAT. On the court, Michael. Off the court, LeBron.”
Irvin’s argument is layered. Jordan, he noted, was the greatest competitor the game has ever seen. Six championships, six Finals MVPs, ten scoring titles, Defensive Player of the Year, the list goes on. His record in the Finals remains untouchable, and his ability to elevate in the biggest moments is why, for Irvin, Jordan will always be the on-court gold standard.
But off the court, Irvin believes the conversation shifts. He pointed out that even with all Jordan achieved, he couldn’t convince Chicago Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf to extend “The Last Dance” team for one more run in 1999.
After winning six titles in eight years, the dynasty ended, not because of decline, but because the front office pulled the plug. To Irvin, that highlighted Jordan’s lack of control over his own basketball destiny.
LeBron, on the other hand, has built a career on taking control. From orchestrating “The Decision” in 2010, to returning to Cleveland and delivering a championship to joining the Lakers and winning again, James has dictated his own path. Beyond that, his business ventures, media empire, and influence over player empowerment have changed the NBA in ways Jordan never did.
Irvin also touched on LeBron’s different approach to competition. He recalled Kobe Bryant pressing James to go one-on-one during an All-Star Game, seeking the alpha-male showdown fans craved. LeBron refused.
Still, Irvin is careful to separate greatness into categories. On the court, Jordan’s résumé is too clean, too flawless to ignore. Off the court, though, LeBron’s impact on business, culture, and the empowerment of players is unmatched.
This framing doesn’t end the GOAT debate, but it offers a different lens. For those who value rings and killer instinct, Jordan still reigns. For those who value longevity, influence, and control, LeBron takes the crown. Irvin’s conclusion: both can be the GOAT, just not in the same arena.
It’s a take that keeps the debate alive but acknowledges what both legends have uniquely brought to the game.
