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Michael Jordan vs Lebron James

MJ v LeBron: Decoding the Greatest of All-Time Debate

Michael Jordan vs LeBron James

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Home » blog » basketball » NBA » MJ v LeBron: Decoding the Greatest of All-Time Debate

Michael Jordan vs LeBron James: decoding the greatest of all-time. Does LeBron have a chance to overtake M.J as the greatest of all-time? Is there even an actual goat debate at all?

These two legends have 10 championship rings between them. Who’s rings hold more value? They are both legends of the sport and top tier Hall-of Famers. Let’s find out the truth.

Is LeBron James better than Michael Jordan like many of today’s fans constantly proclaim? Who is the greater player of all-time….Let’s break it down now.

Sports Illustrated

Michael Jordan vs LeBron James stats are why the two are among the most to appear on Sports Illustrated covers.

Michael Jordan has appeared on fifty Sports Illustrated magazines covers throughout the years. No athlete has been given the cover more than the Chicago Bulls legendary shooting guard.

Muhammad Ali has the second most Sports Illustrated covers with forty.

Most Sports Illustrated Covers All-Time

AthleteSportNumber of covers
Michael JordanBasketball50
Muhammad AliBoxing40
LeBron JamesBasketball25
Tiger WoodsGolf24
Magic JohnsonBasketball23
Kareem Abdul-JabbarBasketball22
Tom BradyFootball20
Most

“Chosen One”

Out of the 25-times LeBron James has been on the cover of Sports Illustrated, it’s his first cover from February 18, 2002 that introduced “King James” to the world as a 17-year-old High School Junior at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio.

“I was worried, that we were going to ruin the kid’s life by putting him on the cover. It’s one thing to do a feature on somebody inside the mag. But when you put a young kid on the cover and proclaim him “The Chosen One”, maybe ruin his life is a little strong, but it took things to such a level that I felt like his life was not going to be the same after that”.
“The pressure would get a lot higher”.

SI writer Grant Wahl on his article “The Chosen One

Back at the SI offices, LeBron started to get cover consideration when the reporting in Wahl’s story made clear LeBron’s exceptional promise.

Danny Ainge, in 2002 was a the soon-to-be general manager of the Boston Celtics. He was quoted in this article by Grant Wahl on his evaluation of James’ future success in the NBA

Ainge said he would draft LeBron first overall right then as a high school junior. Others testified that LeBron was better than Kobe Bryant in high school.

LeBron had an impossible task when he was proclaimed the “Chosen One” by Sports Illustrated as a 17-years-old high school junior.

Today he has a tattoo on his back “Chosen 1” because of this February 18, 2002 SI article.

LBJ definitely surpassed the mammoth hype and expectations he faced coming out of Akron, Ohio.

to really understand what it truly meant to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated. The cover pushed me onto the national stage, whether I was ready for it or not.

LeBron James on getting sports Illustrated cover as a High School Junior
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02/18/2024 08:27 am GMT

NBA Finals 2021

Giannis Antetokoumnpo after he won the 2021 NBA title and Finals MVP

The NBA Finals just ended and Giannis Antetokoumnpo was dominant for the Milwaukee Bucks as they won their first championship since 1971. Giannis had three 40+ point games in the 2021 Finals, including 50 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 blocks in the championship clincher.

NBA Finals Problem

Are the NBA fans who want to compare Michael Jordan vs LeBron James stats on social media actually basketball fans?

I ask because throughout the NBA Finals, these fans weren’t talking about the NBA Finals, instead, everything was centered on the Michael Jordan vs LeBron James rivalry. A rivalry, for the record that just isn’t a real thing.

There is no MJ v LeBron rivalry, it’s make believe.

Not only do they think LeBron James is the best basketball player all-time but they go as far as to badmouth Michael Jordan like its a real rivalry.

Why are you going on daily about a player who’s Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated in the 1st round, 7 weeks ago?

I get it already, you really, really, super-really love LeBron James. This isn’t boxing with a pound-for-pound list. Everything is subjective. So you can have your opinions. You shouldn’t give your opinion on NBA history, if you haven’t witnessed the actual games though.

Anyone Who…

Michael Jordan vs LeBron James stats, things and rings throughout NBA history

Anyone who has negative things to say about Michael Jordan, the basketball player, just isn’t a fan of the sport. Even the New York Knicks fans respected him and I’m referring to during the years that the rivalry was happening in the 1990’s.

LeBron James is a basketball legend. Just because he isn’t the greatest NBA player ever doesn’t mean I have to dislike him. The only thing that makes me dislike Bron are the fans that can’t talk about anything else.

Stop, Bron ra***g my face.

Michael Jordan vs LeBron James stats

Michael Jordan vs LeBron James stats. Mike could really get up with his vert

Fans today who think LeBron is better than Michael Jordan haven’t seen Mike play, not full games. Probably not a single playoff game either. If they had this isn’t what they’d be saying.

These fans just look at the LeBron vs Michael Jordan stats and they think that this qualifies them to speak about NBA history, it doesn’t.

Without watching the games, these views and opinions are baseless and it’s the reason these takes are viewed as nothing more than foolish idiocy to the people possessing the proper knowledge.

These same morons that think they can compare Michael Jordan vs LeBron James stats and believe they are competant to provide an educated observation, are the same ones who think today’s players are better than the players from the past.

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putting hands on you

Michael Jordan battles Reggie Miller

Many players today are one dimensional. Many people are looking at statistics to determine who the NBA’s G.O.A.T is.

Too many lack the proper knowledge to know that looking at statistics doesn’t tell the truth, not always. The NBA has changed its rules on purpose to increase scoring.

Guess What? It worked just as it was planned. To say the game has become less physical in general is a huge understatement. The hand checking rule changed the game entirely by itself. This isn’t an opinion if you know anything about basketball.

It is much easier to score when an opposing player can’t put hands on you. This doesn’t just apply to basketball either. This is a universal rule. Everything in life is much easier if someone isn’t putting hands on you.

Brushing your teeth is a pretty simple task but if someone was there checking you every time you put toothpaste on your toothbrush, it wouldn’t be so simple anymore.

It doesn’t matter, if you knocked the person out with one punch, the whole process is now “a thing”. After a few days, best case scenario, you’re going to have a screwed up hand to deal with and ****, you still need to brush your teeth. See what I’m saying, it’s a whole thing.

No Easy Baskets

Today the game is so soft, so very soft. I really wish it wasn’t like Charmin. If an altercation breaks out on the court and anyone leaves the benches, they are automatically suspended for the next game.

You used to be able to punch other players in the face, half-the-time, it was a common foul. In this video from the 1987 Finals, James Worthy catches a pass from Magic Johnson and gets fouled very hard by Greg Kite and Dennis Johnson.

“Big Game” James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar each punch Kite in the face while Rambis and D.J get it in near the scorers table. There weren’t any flagrant fouls called either. No one was ejected.

Two years prior to this in the 1985 NBA Finals, Kurt Rambis was taking the ball to the basket after receiving a pass from Magic Johnson, what happens next is great form for the WWE. Kevin McHale and his tag team partner Gerald Henderson don’t like easy baskets.

The thought of giving up an uncontested lay-up is so maddening to McHale that he could just rip someone’s head off.

McHale clotheslines Rambis
Kevin McHale with wwe moves during the 1985 NBA Finals

45-50

Michael Jordan would average 45-50 ppg in today’s NBA. With less contact, a very soft game and no hand checking, nobody would be able to stop him. They couldn’t stop him when he played and regardless to what some now think, Michael Jordan played against much better defenses in his era than are in the NBA now.

“His Airness” played against some of the best defenses in NBA history. The Bad Boy Pistons, Riley’s Knicks & Heat, the Indiana Pacers,the Orlando Magic & the Utah Jazz.

Riley would literally fine his players if they let up an uncontested lay-up. These teams had many tough, ferocious big men that would try to hurt anyone who dared enter the paint.

I’ve had conversations where people with baseless and fictitious views argue that today’s defenders would shutdown Mike. No one is shutting Jordan down. Especially under today’s rules. Kawhi might have shutdown LeBron but M.J isn’t LeBron, he is much greater.

Just looking at Michael Jordan vs LeBron James stats won’t show you this.

Someone actually told me “Jordan would have to deal with zone defenses today”. These conversations actually get this idiotic. My reply is Michael Jordan had one of the best mid-range games of all-time.

He said “so what, why would that matter”. my reply was “OH WOW“. I then had to explain mid-range jump shooting and its effects on most zone defenses. Not to mention, NBA teams only use zones to try to confuse an opponent, as a switch up.

I believe NBA teams use zone defense on somewhere between 1-2% of all possessions. Why, you ask, because very early on, it was discovered that NBA teams will just shoot over a zone.

Just the fact that people think Kawhi Leonard or Klay Thompson would shut Mike down is idiocy. This is not what these people would say if they knew WTF they were talking about.

Scottie Pippen might have been the most talented wing defender of all-time. Sidney Moncrief, Joe Dumars, Mookie Blaylock, Gary Payton and Derek Harper are as good at defending as anyone today, probably better than most.

By the way, defensive three seconds is in effect now, It was harder to get to the rim when a big man could defend the goal like an NHL goalie. They can’t just stand under the basket anymore.

The gather rule came into the game in 2009, this makes it possible for today’s stepback jumpers, eurosteps, an extra step or two (usually). If players from Jordan’s era did what is possible today, it’s traveling everytime.

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Why LeBron can’t be the GOAT

1st Reason

For NBA legends, winning championships matters

but how you win them matters much more.

That is if you want the opportunity to really be in the discussion of passing some of the all-time greats of the game.

LeBron James threw in the towel and quit 3 different times during his career. He did this to stack the deck against the rest of the league. He wanted the best talent in the NBA to help him win those rings. No one before LBJ ever did anything like this. He did this multiple times too.

James and Kevin Durant are the only two players to really ever do this. We just saw Giannis Antetokuomnpo sign a max contract with the Milwaukee Bucks and lead them to their first NBA championship in 50 years with a historic NBA Finals performance.

A player doesn’t have to stay with his original team but what you do and how you do it matters. Giannis said it and recently, Doctor J said he docked James, as do many, many more people. I’m one of these people. He’s done it so much that people in the media talk about it like all players is doing it. That’s not the case though.

Many NBA superstars from the past could have done this, players with talent not on par with LeBron’s level of greatness and these players would have won rings too. Kevin Garnett won a ring in Boston but he gave all he had to try and do it in Minnesota. He even said it would have meant more to win a championship with the T’wolves.

Kobe Bryant was a free-agent in 2005 and he knew the Lakers were about to undergo a serious re-build but he still re-signed with the LA Lakers. He could have signed with the Spurs and probably would have won at least 3 more rings than he did.

They wouldn’t have meant as much to him though. Kobe Bryant wanted to beat Tim Duncan and the Spurs en route to a ring, he didn’t want to team up with them. Duncan and Garnett were his rivals. I guess this is where Kobe’s competitiveness is superior to LeBron’s.

2nd Reason

Michael Jordan vs LeBron James stats and championships.

Personally, LeBron could’ve won 8 rings and they wouldn’t have meant as much as Jordan’s six.

Bron did what he did, teaming up with two other future Hall-of-Famers in Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

James won his first two championships in 2012 and 2013. Defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs respectively.

He is very fortunate that he didn’t leave South Beach with a 1-3 Finals record. It is pure luck that this didn’t hgappen.

NBA Finals Records

Michael Jordan’s stats are remarkable. He won 25-of-26 NBA playoff series from 1991-1998. He was 24-11 all-time in the NBA Finals too.

LeBron James is 22-33 in the NBA Finals and in 2011 & 2014 he missed the plane or just didn’t show up for some other reason. Maybe he left his heart in Akron. Michael never suffered from this affliction – a chicken bone stuck in his throat.

“Bronsexuals” like to point to the teams Jordan played in the Finals, calling them inferior teams. These were very good teams. They were all better than the San Antonio Spurs team that beat LeBron in 2014 and should’ve defeated Miami in the previous season too. It isn’t even close in terms of overall talent.

These teams never could beat Jordan (Suns, Sonics, Jazz, Blazers) and weren’t champions like the ones that beat LeBron. If any of those teams would have beaten Michael Jordan’s Bulls, they would’ve reached another level of historical greatness.

If that happened M.J wouldn’t be Michael Jordan, the way LeBron James isn’t Michael Jordan.

Spurs

Kawhi Leonard wasn’t the franchise player in 2014 that won a title with the Raptors in 2019. Tim Duncan wasn’t the player that made him the best power forward in NBA history, when his Spurs battled the Heat in back-to-back NBA Finals either. He hadn’t been that for quite a few years. San Antonio was very deep for the era they played in but not historically great.

If it was true that LeBron’s better than Jordan, then I guess Tony Parker is up in the top five all-time too. I mean he was 2-1 vs “LeGoat” in the NBA Finals. He should’ve been 3-0.

Don’t act like these rings didn’t have anything to do with Tony Parker. The Spurs point guard was the Finals MVP in 2007 and he was San Antonio’s first scoring option in 2013 & 2014.

The Spurs needed Parker more than any other player on their roster because on a team that was versatile, he was the only guy who could penetrate the opponents defense. He was their go-to player, the first option.

Kawhi wasn’t what he’d become and Duncan and Ginobili weren’t what they had been. Even when Leonard started to improve offensively, the Spurs weren’t as good because Tony Parker started to decline.

Jordan never had to play in an NBA Finals game 7, LeBron got swept twice, lost in 5 twice and was upset twice, most notably in 2011 by the Mavericks. If you put Michael Jordan on that 2011 Miami Heat team in LBJ’s place, Dirk Nowitzki never wins an NBA championship.

Warriors

Michael Jordan vs LeBron James stats. Rodman thinks LBJ is overrated
Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman

Another thing James supporters want to point out is how good the Golden State Warriors were. OK, that’s just fine and they destroyed Bron and his team, people act like Kevin Durant was on Golden State when the Cleveland Cavaliers won the championship in 2016. He wasn’t.

Two things happened because of the Warriors, LeBron’s playoff stats went up and he suffered the two WORST margins of loss in NBA Finals history. His stats can be likened to a quarterback who throws for 500 yards because his squad is down 27-3 at the half.

EMPTY STATS.

Comparison

When comparing Michael Jordan stats vs LeBron James’, stop with the ignorance. One is a forward and the other is a guard. Almost every forward is going to have more rebounds than a shooting guard. What needs to be done is check where they rank all-time at their respected positions.

No shooting guard has great rebounding numbers and if you understand simple basketball assignments, you understand why. As far as Mike goes, he had great rebounding stats for his position.

LeBron James- SF

  • points 2nd
  • rebounds 12th
  • assists 1st
  • steals 9th
  • blocks 17th
  • FG % 17th
  • FT % 107th

Michael Jordan- SG

  • points 1st
  • rebounds 3rd
  • assists 4th
  • steals 3rd
  • blocks 3rd
  • FG % 9th
  • FT % 34th

M.J is the only shooting guard that is in the top five in both steals and blocks all-time at the SG position. It’s clear that both players are legends but James isn’t even top 3 all-time.

He may be the best small forward ever. I think he is and there are some really legendary SF’s in basketball history. James has a rare skillset and playing style but no one is top three that took shortcuts and then still failed more than they succeeded.

He doesn’t get credit for stacking the deck and being the best loser. Runner-up trophies in the NBA don’t exist, they aren’t a real thing.

There is nothing Bron can do to catch Jordan. If he isn’t athletically in decline by next spring, he is taking something he shouldn’t be taking. No one is 37-38 years-old and dunking like a 22-year-old. Greatness has nothing to do with aging.

James couldn’t jump like Michael Jordan, he is a good power dunker at his size but only a handful of players have ever gotten vert like Mike.

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02/18/2024 09:12 am GMT

Steals-Per-Game

Michael Jordan led the NBA in steals three-times as a member of the Chicago Bulls. His highest average was 3.2 steals-per-game in 1987-88.

LeBron James averaged over two steals-per-game only once in his career. Averaging 2.2 in his second season in the NBA.

Michael was so good at stealing the basketball that he averaged 1.5 steals at 40-years-old with the Washington Wizards.

What MJ did at 40 years-old is better than or on par with James’ steals average throughout his career. For his Career, the Akron, Ohio native averages 1.6 steals-per-game.

The Chicago Bulls legend averaged 2.5 in the Windy City and 1.5 in Washington – for a career average of 2.3 steals-per-game.

Blocks-per-game

Michael Jordan vs LeBron James stats in blocks

Michael averaged 0.9 blocks-per-game with the Chicago Bulls but only 0.5 for the Washington Wizards.

This gives both players the same amount at 0.8 blocks-per-game. LBJ is a small forward, while M.J was a shooting guard.

The difference being that James ranks 17th all-time in blocks at small forward and Jordan ranks third all-time as a shooting guard.

“Air Jordan” averaged the most blocks-per-game by an off guard in a season with 1.6 per-game in 1987-88.

He’s got the most blocks all-time at his position with 828 too. Dwayne Wade is second with 804 in four less career games played.

Rebounding

Michael Jordan vs LeBron James stats in rebounding

In rebounding, the basketball can be bent and manipulated either way, if a person feels so inclined to do so.

This is because you can’t compare a guard-to-a-forward when it comes to this stat.

You wouldn’t compare a small forward’s rebounding to a center or power forward either. LBJ is a top notch rebounder at the SF position.

He has averaged 7.5 rebounds-per-game throughout his legendary NBA career. “King” James is ranked 13th per-game, all-time in rebounding at the small forward position.

He is just behind Armen Gilliam and Antawn Jamison, who both averaged 7.7 rebounds-per-game in their National Basketball Association careers.

I don’t think he’ll be able to crack the top ten because to do so, Bron would have to average at least 8.1 RPG.

Shawn Marion and Clarence Weatherspoon are tied with 8.1 rebounds-per-game in the 9th & 10th positions for rebounding small forwards.

No you wouldn’t

You wouldn’t compare LeBron James’ stats in rebounding to the 13th ranked center’s mark all-time. You’d be comparing 7.5 to Karl-Anthony Towns’ 11.3 boards.

THIS DOESN’T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT LEBRON ISN’T AS EFFECTIVE OF A REBOUNDER AS TOWNS IS.

Only five small forwards have ever averaged 10+ rebounds-per-game. They are Elgin Baylor (13.5), Dave Debusschere (11.2), Billy Cunningham (10.1), Larry Bird (10.1), and Bailey Howell (10.0).

Michael Jordan’s 6.2 rebounds-per-game isn’t as many as LeBron James’ in the same statistical category AND THEY SHOULDN’T BE.

IF A SHOOTING GUARD IS AVERAGING MORE REBOUNDS THAN A SMALL FORWARD, IT NORMALLY MEANS THAT REBOUNDING IS A WEAKNESS IN THAT FORWARD’S GAME.

“His Airness” had a 6.2 average, that’s good for third all-time in rebounding at the shooting guard position.

The only players with a higher average were Tom Gola (8.2) and Jerry Sloan (7.5). Gola’s 8.2 average is simply amazing. Their isn’t really tape on Gola when he was playing but that number is as historic as Wilt Chamberlain’s 22.9 rebounds-per-game.

That being said, Gola would rank 9th all-time if you ranked him amongst the small forwards.

Defense

Watching LeBron James defend Derrick Rose in certain situations in the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals was a thing a beauty.

Thing is James didn’t always play top notch defense, even though he was more than capable of it.

MJ did though. He had to put up crazy points too. If Michael Jordan didn’t score around 30 points in playoff game, his Bulls likely weren’t going to win. LeBron never was in a situation like this. At least where “the King” won a championship.

Jordan was named to the All-NBA Defensive First Team nine-times in a row from 1987-88-until 1997-98. Winning the 1987-88 NBA Defensive Player-of-the-Year Award.

Those nine consecutive First Team All-Defense selections are an NBA record. Nobody else has ever been named 1st Team 9 consecutive seasons.

LeBron James honors include being named to the All-NBA Defensive First Team five straight times from 2008-09-until-2012-13. The following season he was selected the the All-NBA Defensive Second Team (2013-14). James hasn’t been named to another All-Defensive team since.

Accolades

Michael Jordan stats and accolades

Looking at Michael Jordan & LeBron James stats &/or accolades isn’t the way to understand who is the greatest-of-all-time. Using your eyes and knowing time and circumstance is a much fairer measuring stick.

Both players have won the All-Star Game MVP award three-times. Jordan became the All-Star Game All-Time scorer in 2003, Kobe Bryant and then LBJ broke this record. James is the current record holder with 413 points scored.

Both of these players are top echelon Naismith Memorial Hall-of-Fame worthy. LeBron James’ honors include a record 13-time All-NBA First Team selections and being named to the All-NBA Second Team – three more times.

MJ is a 10-time All-NBA First Team selection. As a rookie, he was All-NBA Second Team but every season he played until he retired from the Chicago Bulls, from 1986-87-until-1997-98, he was an All-NBA First Team selection.

“His Airness” is a five-time NBA MVP award winner and the 1987-88 NBA Defensive Player-of-the-Year. Bron has won NBA MVP four-times in his 19 year career. Both players won the NBA Rookie-of-the-Year award too.

Advanced Stats

Advanced Metrics

Michael Jordan vs LeBron James stats

LeBron James has spent more than half of his life in the NBA. That is an accomplishment but not one that gets you ranked ahead Michael Jordan as the GOAT.

Let’s take a quick look at player efficiency rating (PER), win shares per 48 minutes, and Box Plus/Minus, Michael Jordan is first all-time in each of these stats for the regular season and the postseason.

Jordan holds the Finals record for points (41.0), set in 1993 and in 1991, he set the current NBA Finals record for assists by a non-PG with 11.4 assists-per-game.

Michael also has the best value over replacement player (VORP) season in NBA history at 12.47 in 1987-88. He has the third best too, that’s from 1988-89 (11.42). M.J actually has six of the top 10 VORP seasons of all-time.

Game Score

The game score analytic isn’t a stat for a season or a career but each rating is for a single game by one particular player. Michael is first with this stat too. His career high 69 point game from 3-28-90 vs the Cavs is first above all other games played by any players throughout NBA history.

Kobe Bryant’s 81 point game against Toronto in 2006 has the 2nd highest game score rating. M.J has two games in the top 5, LeBron’s first appearance isn’t until #9.

James has 3 game score ratings in the top 100 rankings. Michael Jordan has 19 out of the top 100 game scores all-time.

Space Jam

Michael Jordan vs LeBron James stats on the space jam set

I haven’t seen Space Jam and since I’m an adult, I probably never will but shouldn’t LeBron be playing with the Monstars?

At the last minute, he leaves Bugs Bunny and joins the Monstars.

“You’re Despicable” Daffy Duck says pointing at James. In the post-game interview, Bugs Bunny is asked what he thinks of LeBron’s brand of basketball.

Bugs answers ” It Ain’t Jordan Brand, Doc.

“HA-HA, Another chip bitches” says the “Bronsexual”. Champions of the Looney Tunes.

I know y’all will count it too.

Be like…

What happened when LeBron lost in 2021?

LeBron James excuses bingo

Bring in Dame Lillard & Chris paul. It counts all the same. Can’t catch Mike for the greatest anyway. That was official in 2011 and reasserted in 2014.

LBJ doesn’t always show up for the Finals. Yeah, OK, Next.

Giannis only needed Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday. That gives the Bucks one franchise player. The Lakers already have two with “King” James and Anthony Davis.

Misinformed Buzzer Beaters

There are Michael Jordan vs LeBron James stats that says James has hit more buzzer beaters than Jordan. The shot that is most thought of from James is the air ball he threw up in the closing minute of game 6 in the 2013 NBA Finals. When I think of Mike in the clutch, I think of M.J giving the North Carolina Tar Heels the lead with the championship winning shot in the 1982 NCAA national championship game.

He was a two time consensus All-American and Player-of-the-Year for the North Carolina Tar Heels

I think of the shot over Craig Ehlo in the 1989 playoffs and I think of the sequence where he scored, stole the ball from Karl Malone and then hit the shot over Bryon Russell to secure the Chicago Bulls sixth NBA championship.

Some Facts

Michael Jordan winning his 1st NBA title in 1991

“His Airness” shot about 50% in games where he was shooting for the win or tie in the final 5 seconds of the game. “King” James in that same situation – has shot 19-94 for 19% from the field.

LeBron is shooting 37.5% on shots over 3 feet from the basket, 35.9% in the playoffs. In the last 2 minutes of a game where the score is within five points either way, James is shooting 31.7%. He isn’t a very good free throw shooter either, especially in the clutch.

Mike won the NBA Defensive Player-of-the-Year in 1988 and averaged 35 points-per-game in doing so. No other player has averaged 30 PPG and won the Defensive Player-of-the-Year award.

Mike has the best scoring average in the regular season (30.1) and postseason (33.5) all-time. In the 1990’s, Karl Malone averaged over 30 points-per-game – one time, nobody else other than Michael Jordan averaged over 30 points-per-game in the 1990’s.

M.J played seven full seasons in the decade and averaged over 30 ppg – five times.

Off the Court – Net Worth

Michael Jordan only made $94 Million while playing in the NBA. $63 Million of that came during his last two seasons playing for the Chicago Bulls (1996-98).

While his salary was sizeable during his playing career, the reality is Michael Jordan earned the vast majority of his current wealth from endorsements, which he then multipled by making good, sound investments.

Jordan has earned some of his $3 Billion (pre-tax) from brands like Mike, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Wheaties, and Chevrolet.

Mike still does official business with Nike, Hanes, Gatorade, and Upper Deck. Nike is the brand that garners “Air Jordan” the most money on an annual basis.

Jordan Brand is under the umbrella of Nike. The first Nike deal, “His Airness” signed in 1984 was worth 500,000 ($1.2 million in today’s dollars), plus royalties. His take last year was $130 million.

 How does that compare with present day NBA stars? That’s 4-times as much as LeBron James’ current deal, which is the 2nd highest in the league.

Nike’s Jordan Brand roughly brings in $3.6 billion every year.

Playing in the NBA was seed money

A look at Michael Jordan stats post playing career in terms of net worth.

Since Jordan has retired from the NBA, he has hade the most lucrative and successful career that we’ve ever seen from a former athlete.

Forbes had him as the 20th-most powerful celebrity in the world back in 2010. It was in 2014 that Jordan became the first former athlete in any sport to become a billionaire. By 2023, Jordan became the first ex-professional athlete to make the Forbes 400.

It seems that whatever MJ does in life he is the best at. In general Michael Jordan is just good at life.

He officially became a billionaire in 2014 and in 2020, Michael’s net worth was said to be worth 2.2 billion by Forbes.

Mike owns restaurants, car dealerships, became an investor and advisor to DraftKings, created Cincoro Tequila, he’s a NASCAR team owner, invested in tech-startups like Dapper Labs the creator of the NFT trading-card platform NBA Top Shot.

LeBron has recently become a billionaire too but only time will tell if he can do what Jordan did.

President of Basketball Operations

Michael Jordan's net worth from 2017-2020.

MJ was a minority owner and the President of Basketball Operations for the Washington Wizards when he returned to play for them in 2001-02.

Abe Pollin fired Mike from his title in 2003. Jordan felt betrayed by this and said he wouldn’t have returned to play for the Wizards if he knew he’d be fired upon his retirement.

On June 15, 2006, Michael bought a minority stake in the Charlotte Bobcats. As part of the deal he would take over President of Basketball Operations.

Jordan became majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats on March 17, 2010. This made him the first former player to become a majority owner of an NBA team.

The Bobcats would become the Charlotte Hornets after the 2014 season. When MJ bought the team in 2010, they were valued at $175M.

The team that Michael Jordan purchased for $175 million, in 2019 had an estimated value of 1.5 billion

He’d eventually own 90% of the Hornets. Mike would sell 20% of the team in September 2020. The move saw him earn $1.5 billion when he sold the percentage to a New York-based hedge fund.

LeBron James stats (totals) will be better than Michael Jordan stats because he’s already spent more than half of his life in the National Basketball Association. Some think this makes him the better basketball player but they lack the proper knowledge needed to even join the discussion.

IF THEY HAD THE PROPER KNOWLEDGE THIS ISN’T WHAT THEY’D SAY.

It is possible that LeBron could someday pass Michael Jordan in net worth. It’s not a given but he has the most money any active player ever has had with $1 billion.

Almost $500 million coming from his NBA salaries over the years. It’s because of Mike and the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement that players now are making much more money.

If LBJ was ten years younger, he would end up with much more money in terms of NBA salaries because over the last few seasons, salaries have skyrocketed.

James owns the sports marketing firm LRMR. He owns a production company SpringHill Entertainment, he has a Tequila company, and minority stakes in the Boston Red Sox.

Bron has had many endorsement deals like McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Dunkin’ Brand, Beats by Dre, Nike, and State Farm.

Like Mike is undisputed

It’s not a question of is James the goat or the next best. Jordan is the goat and Bron isn’t top 3. No one who failed as much as James, who was favored and lost as much, could be the best in a sport, where winning and how you win are the most important criteria.

Michael Jordan didn’t let other players eat, while players have been taking food (rings) right off LBJ’s dinner table. That isn’t top 3 behavior. LeBron James has 4 NBA Finals MVP’s, so I put him somewhere in the top 5. Anyone who says James isn’t top 10 or couldn’t play when Jordan did are speaking out of stupidity.

LeBron is a beast, of course he could play in any era. He played in 17 NBA All-star games, not that that matters. He also led the Los Angeles Lakers to a record 17th NBA title. Congratulations, he just isn’t what Jordan was. If these people who think he is, just keep looking at misleading stats, you’ll never actually understand it.

Not all people who think Jordan is the goat are actually Michael Jordan fans. They’re just people who have seen both players play their basketball careers. It’s why in an argument we laugh and tell you you’re uninformed, it’s like a secret, an inside joke. There is no other reason for your beliefs than you lack the proper knowledge.

When tasked with the question, all we have to say is Jordan is the best, because that’s what he is. If you could evaluate talent and were properly informed, you would stop this nonsense that James is better than Mike. He isn’t even in the same class as Jordan unless you decide winning isn’t that important to a generational players overall legacy.

Every post is about Mike, stop it already, we get it, you lack integrity, mixed with high levels of idiocy, used, in place of substance, there is a whole faction of idiots that think their opinion carries weight, when it’s just nonsensical idiocy.

Stop(Halt)Bron Raping Our Faces. You are wrong, there is nothing LeBron James can do to top Mike, who are you actually trying to convince that LeBron is the best, us or yourselves?

PeaceDot.

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I provide highly opinionated sports articles. Most of these are featured articles. They will likely differ from the thoughts, stories and ideas, recycled by TV, radio, etc.

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