The only other basketball who’s better that gets us as riled up as Kobe Bryant vs. Michael Jordan, is one we hear a lot of younger fans spouting off when they say LeBron James is better than the G.O.A.T. Today, before the Knicks and Bucks tipped off at 3 p.m. ET at O2 Arena in London, Hakeem Olajuwon — himself a two-time champion, who played against MJ, and famously trained LBJ on the block — said Jordan was a “far superior player.” Amen, Dream.
Thank God. Here’s what Olajuwon said to CNBC’s Worldwide Exchange:
“When people start comparing [LeBron] with Jordan then that’s not a fair comparison. Jordan was a far more superior player in a very tough league, he was very creative…
“That’s not taking away anything from LeBron because he is a great player but it is not a fair comparison because Jordan is a far superior player.”
Here’s video of Dream talking MJ and ‘Bron:
If you look at the hardware, Jordan still leads LeBron. MJ’s got six titles — with six NBA Finals MVP awards, and LeBron has two titles and two Finals MVPs. MJ won five regular-season MVP awards; LeBron has four so far.
Yes, LeBron just turned 30, and has a few years left at — or near — his prime. But as ESPN.com’s Tom Haberstroh recently wrote [ESPN Insider Only] James has logged an insane amount of minutes so far in his 11-plus years. Just look at this graphic and see who he’s already out-pace in career minutes, per Haberstroh, by way of Basketball-Reference.com:
That’s a lot of minutes in a still-young career. Yes, maybe LeBron wins one or two more championships and another one or two MVP awards, but he may already been on the downside of his career after logging so many minutes right out of high school.
(CNBC)
Who’s better: LeBron James or Michael Jordan?
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