37-Year-Old LeBron James vs. 38-Year-Old Michael Jordan Full Comparison

LeBron James has seriously thrown his name into the GOAT conversation in recent years, especially after winning his 4th NBA championship in the 2020 season. For 20 years in a row, LeBron has been the most talented player in the world, with both physical and mental gifts that allow him to dominate the game. Ever since his rookie season, he was being compared to the likes of Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson, and he has not disappointed anybody. In many ways, he has exceeded expectations.

LeBron is also on his way to becoming the all-time leading scorer in NBA history. Nobody would have imagined LeBron could play at this level for 20 straight years, but he has done it. But how does he compare to Michael Jordan precisely? MJ is the man whom every player fights to eclipse because he is widely considered the best basketball player ever. What Michael accomplished in his run in the NBA was simply unbelievable on almost every account.

Michael managed to win 6 NBA titles, earn 6 Finals MVPs, and also win 5 MVP awards. The shooting guard also finished his career with 10 scoring titles, a Defensive Player of the Year award, and managed to make 11 All-NBA Team selections. As a total package, it is hard to argue against Jordan being the best player of all time. But how was he at age 38? In the 2002 season, Michael was 38 years old and actually made the All-Star Team while averaging 22.9 PPG.

Specifically, how does Michael at age 38 compare to LeBron at age 37? LeBron James is in his 20th season and is starting to show age by failing to keep healthy for long stretches of time and also suffering from inconsistent shooting. But as a talent, does LeBron have a better all-around game than Jordan? It is time to find out by analyzing skill sets, which could lead to a conclusion drawn from the GOAT debate between LeBron James and Michael Jordan. 

Scoring – Michael Jordan

In terms of scoring the ball, it is hard to differentiate between the two superstars when looking at stats alone. LeBron James is already averaging 24.9 PPG in his 20th season, on 45.7% from the field, 23.9% from three, and 66.7% from the free-throw line. LeBron has shown in recent years that he can score from anywhere on the court, including the three-point line and also at the rim. In fact, James should attack the rim more often because he is blessed with size and a very soft touch. But at age 37, his shot has abandoned him, and he has lost explosiveness.

Michael Jordan was a much better shooter, even if the numbers don’t quite show it. He averaged 41.6% from the field, 18.9% from three, and 79.0% from the free-throw line. But no doubt, Michael had a deeper bag at age 38, and had he played in today’s game, he would have seen a big boost in his numbers as well. LeBron’s shooting has been putrid, and so was Jordan’s efficiency-wise, but it is hard to ignore free-throw shooting and offensive moves.

Athleticism – LeBron James

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhOcZt61oxA

In terms of athleticism, a player is not supposed to be on another level at age 37. But LeBron has to be regarded as one of the most athletic players in the NBA right now, even if he has clearly lost a step. LeBron stands 6’9” and weighs 250 lbs, meaning he will be a locomotive when he attacks the rim, no matter what. Even at age 37, The King is a scary force on a physical level.

Meanwhile, Michael Jordan stood 6’6” and 198 lbs. He was not supposed to be extremely athletic at age 38, and he wasn’t by NBA superstar standards. But he had “old man strength” for his size, could still leap, and could also throw down dunks as well. But no doubt, Michael did not have LeBron’s intense physicality and explosiveness at age 38, and that one clearly goes to The King.

Defense – Michael Jordan

LeBron James is definitely not regarded as a standout defensive player because he does not even try on most occasions to preserve his energy. The King is averaging 1.0 SPG and 0.8 BPG through 9 games so far, but those numbers are misleading because, other than the chase-down block, he is truly lacking perimeter defense. He is simply too tired to lock in on defense in the regular season while also being the team’s primary scorer and playmaker.

Michael, at age 38, was a better defender, and it isn’t really close. He averaged 1.4 SPG and 0.4 BPG during the 2002 season, and those are not even indicative of the player’s defensive IQ. The shooting guard was adept at staying with his man, and instead of using his quickness to get to stops, he was using his lower-body strength more. Jordan has to be one of the best perimeter defenders of all time, so he maintained that IQ as he aged, even if he was slower-footed.

Clutch – Michael Jordan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01jztnl7vvc

LeBron James has developed his clutch gene over the past few seasons, and it is evident by the way he takes responsibility at the end of the games. James has improved his late-game shot-making, and while he still gets criticized for it, he does make the right play whether we like it or not. James is not as deadly as other players in the game right now in the clutch, but he is still a scary player in crunch time. But he is not on the level of Michael Jordan in the clutch category.

Jordan is one of the most clutch perimeter players in NBA history and used his mid-range sharpshooting range to get off any shot he wanted. With a beautiful release and supreme confidence, Jordan is arguably the most clutch player in NBA history. As many will attest, Jordan would terrify opponents whenever he had the ball at the end of games, even at age 38. Hardly any player ever compares to Michael Jordan as a clutch performer, and that includes LeBron James. 

Leadership – Michael Jordan

LeBron James is showing tremendous leadership abilities at 37 years of age because he has taken a very positive approach to uplifting his teammates despite the Lakers suffering through another frustrating season. The arrival of James in Los Angeles changed the entire plan of the franchise, and they are in win-now mode every single season since Kobe Bryant retired. James proved to be a sensational leader in the 2020 season, but since then, he has not seemingly done enough to improve the play of Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook. It does seem LeBron is not keeping Davis responsible for his inconsistent play.

But once again, Michael Jordan is in a different class when it comes to leadership. At age 38, Jordan was the best player on the Washington Wizards and almost led them to the playoffs as they finished 10th in the East without much expectation. If he had Anthony Davis and, to a lesser extent, Russell Westbrook, there is no doubt the Wizards are in the postseason. Not to mention, with a guy like Michael Jordan on the team, you always knew who could deliver in the clutch and lead your team to victory because of his self-confidence and belief in himself. Jordan’s raw talent and confidence made him one of the greatest leaders in NBA history, even at age 38.

Basketball I.Q. – Even

Both players have high basketball I.Q. because they are/were the best player on their teams and carried a heavy load on the offensive side of the floor. James also has tremendous passing ability whenever there are holes in the defense and are proficient at rebounding the ball. But has LeBron shown enough as a smart player to compare with the great Michael Jordan? The answer is not quite because this one has to be even.

LeBron is tremendously blessed with a high IQ and has a knack for impacting any game he plays. Even if his shot is off, LeBron will find ways to be effective, whether it is finishing a game with a triple-double or finding ways to score the ball, or creating for others. LeBron has gone through many games where his shot isn’t falling but finds a way to make his team win. Even at age 37, James can set up open shots for role players. Meanwhile, with the Wizards in the 2002 season, Jordan was renowned for his basketball IQ as a scorer and clutch performer and knew how to win games. Again, the Wizards missed the playoffs with Jordan as the leader, but he almost got there despite not having any other elite players beside him.

Impact – Even

On both ends of the floor, it is hard to argue that either player was more impactful than the other. LeBron is not at his best at age 37, but his passing is still extremely elite. At his size, James can attack the rim and finish inside tremendously well, and he does his job on the boards. He is not as efficient as in recent years and is non-existent on defense, but it is not fair to The King to disrespect the positive aspects of his game. Despite not playing like a top-10 player in the world anymore, James knows basketball at an intense level.

Michael Jordan was a special offensive player and a gifted scorer, but he has not done enough to gain the edge over a superstar of James’ caliber. He was scoring the ball well at the time and made a strong case for somehow leading the Wizards in the playoffs, although he fell short by a few games. Michael’s offensive bag was very high, and when he lost his athleticism, he could score the ball in one-on-one situations. Defensively, he was better than LeBron, but he did not have The King’s passing or rebounding ability. This one has to be even because their positive and negative attributes cancel each other.

1 On 1 Game – Even

Even if Jordan was better as a mid-range shooter, LeBron is still showing special one-on-one ability. LeBron is very explosive when he has a path to the rim and has no problem feeling confident enough to take very deep three-pointers. James has also shown the ability to absorb contact and finish around the rim, making him a complete offensive talent. All he needs to do is improve his efficiency, which could always be better, and it seems he is not healthy enough to do so.

Jordan was a much better mid-range shooter at age 38, and he did not prioritize the three-point shot as much as James. This is speculative, but Jordan would have done better from three in today’s game than LeBron is doing right now at age 37. Regardless, Jordan had better post moves and a step-back jumper that was still deadly. James is better at finishing inside than Jordan was and has a physicality advantage. It is hard to argue over scoring arsenal, but James evens this up thanks to his size and finishing.

Final Score

LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan 1-4

LeBron James is already one of the all-time great players. He has the skills, accolades, and talent to succeed at the highest level, and we have been witnessing greatness for two decades. The current Los Angeles Lakers superstar is already one of the top-5 players of all time, and he has done enough to retire today and have his legacy fixed. But at age 37, he is certainly slowing down and not on the level of Michael Jordan.

But looking at James right now, it is hard to say he was better than Michael Jordan. Jordan was too special as a scorer, and he made the All-Star Team by posting solid scoring numbers and almost leading a deprived Washington Wizards team to the NBA playoffs. At 38 years old, Jordan was a better scorer, defender, leader, and clutch performer. James has the edge in passing and athleticism, but it has not been enough to guide the Lakers to success. Again, give Michael Jordan the advantage of playing with Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook, and the Wizards would be in the playoffs.

Jordan proved he could hold teammates responsible by age 38 and was still one of the most skilled offensive players in the NBA. He did not shoot the ball well, but he had less help than LeBron had and was forced to score more often than he would’ve liked. James has not done enough to hold Anthony Davis responsible for being inconsistent, and he has underperformed with a supposedly Lakers “superteam.” LeBron has a chance to start improving his play by keeping healthy and shooting better, but he was not as good when Michael Jordan was 38 years old in his 14th season.

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