Two exceptional talents. Well, he didnt play in 1967-68, having to sit out the season over contractual rights before jumping leagues and the Bay to join the Oakland Oaks of the American Basketball Association. For comparisons sake, James has played 81 or more just once in his past 13 seasons (2017-18). When thinking of greatness in the realm of basketball, these two definitely come to mind. Bryant is followed by Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki (12.0PPG) and fellow Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (10.1PPG). 27.3 Player Efficiency Rating (PER) 27.9, 145.9 Value Over Replacement (VORP) 116.1. At this tier, Chamberlain averaged 33.5 in 1965-66 and Jordan 32.6 in 1992-93. James recently missed 18 games due to a strained groin muscle the longest break of his career. So for the record, youve got MJ, then Kobe, then LeBron. Only 139 NBA players have scored more than 15,000 points, and just seven have crossed the 30,000 mark. Through the age of 31, LeBron James has accomplished more than Michael Jordan did through his 19 year career. A current Cleveland-Cavalier, Lebron James has helped shaped the game on and off the court. Some stats were available earlier in the ABA. While both players are known for tenacious defense on the wing, Jordan finished first in the league in steals three times in his career. most points scored by a player in their 20th season, LeBron James will be GOAT over Michael Jordan once he gets NBA's scoring record, says Chandler Parsons. James averaged 27.2 as a 20-year-old NBA sophomore. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Turner Broadcasting. Hes great at baiting the defense and making plays for his teammates. Your login session has expired. The effect of Jordans game was so profound that the league changed its rules to make the games more enjoyable. Its been historical. was an inspiration, James told reporters on March 7, 2019, the night he passed Jordan for fourth place on the NBAs career scoring list. They think they are the best there is and ever will be, and they certainly do not let anyone tell them differently. But James tops everyone in VORPand Win Shares. The debate is most often between LeBron James and Michael Jordan, though Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has some backers, too. 9 min read. The two are known to have gotten into multiple disagreements between which of the two are the best. LeBron James is currently the fourth-leading scorer in NBA history, 19 points ahead of Michael Jordan, who holds the No. These two players were very similar in many ways. Most of the players who criticize LeBron for passing instead of shooting, especially when its time to take the last shot, are speaking from their own abilities, not his. Two of the names that come up a lot in this conversation are Michael Jordan and Lebron James. Jordan took over in his playoff runs scoring over 33 points a game compared to Lebron's 28 points. Check out the best moments from Luka Doncic during the 2019-20 season. Date of birth: Feb 17, 1963. Michael Jordan was six and zero in the National Basketball Association finals, but he did not have the productivity like LeBron James did. This prompted StatMuse to put out a graphic comparing James stats to NBA legend Michael Jordans stats in his age-38 season with Washington. Im thinking, What the hell? 32. Most people know that Lebron James and Stephen Curry play in a dissimilar position, style of playing, careers and so on. ESPN's NBA expert panel voted on thousands of head-to-head matchups, taking into consideration both total career value and peak performance. Daring James to shoot proved effective for stretches because it caused James to overthink. James has gone 4-6 in his 10NBA Finals appearances, but he also controlled the Eastern Conference with the Cavaliers and Heat for almost an entire decade. Data runs from 1946-47 to present Two of the greatest players to ever step on a basketball court, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. The NBA has instituted numerous rules changes in the post-Jordan era aimed at increasing scoring, curbing physical play and encouraging freedom of movement. After that, the numbers drop off considerably. Its pretty cool. This farewell cameo lasted a total of 43 minutes in April, during which the 7-footer made 5 of his 13 shots with 8 rebounds and 11 fouls. However, the reporters and fans always want to compare both of them because both players become one of the best players in NBA nowadays. One reason is because of Jordans NBA finals stats. Everything we did, we had to bet, Johnson recalled. There were the Jordan Rules, but theres no LeBron Rules because you cant be that physical anymore, said Los Angeles Clippers assistant coach Sam Cassell, a strong-minded point guard who won two titles with the Houston Rockets during a playing career that spanned from 1993 to 2008. We were trying to kill Michael Jordan and he would just get up and make his free throws.. Barry averaged 30.6 in 1974-75 and led an ensemble Golden State team to the NBA championship, but finished a dubious fourth in MVP voting behind Bob McAdoo, Dave Cowens and Elvin Hayes back when players voted for the award. Look back at Jerry West's legendary NBA career. In the 2007 NBA Finals, and again in the 2013 Finals after Bowens retirement, Coach Gregg Popovich instructed the Spurs to back way off James, limiting his passing windows and driving lanes. Jordan led his team to the finals six times and came out victorious all six of those times. RotoWire considers the best player values in Yahoo fantasy leagues for Tuesday night's 10 game slate. But what he did in his 15th set the standard for 35-year-olds. But what do LeBron's and MJ's overall Finals track records really tell us about the choice between them as the greatest of all time? There is also the fact that the NBA is different now compared to the NBA that Jordan played in. The top three point scorers Given what Barry did at this young age, you automatically wonder what his encore for San Francisco was at age 23, right? Here are Jordan and James, in their own words, talking about each other over nearly two decades. Jordans influence was one that had never been seen before. The Spurs took one of LeBrons biggest strengths his brain and used it against him, Bowen said, adding that the strategy had its limitations. TRB% since 1970-71. Photo: KevinMazur. The moves they made were the exact same from the fade away jump shot, to the way they dunked the ball. They both managed to have a killer mentality where winning was the number one priority, and health was just a second thought. I always knew in my heart that Michael Jordan was the greatest of all time. A new poll commissioned by ESPN in 2020 found that 73% of NBA fans believe Jordan is the superior player overall, and the Chicago Bulls legend swept all 17 questions comparing him to James by metrics both on and off the court. James and his closest friends idolized Michael Jordan while they grew up together in Akron, Ohio. James' recent scoring run has brought his season averages up to 30.2PPG, 8.5RPG and 7.1APG on 50.5% shooting. One endless debate. Both players do not care about who is going to be new faces of NBA or whatever. The moves they made were the exact same from the fade away jump shot, to the way they dunked the ball. This was the only by-age slot for James until this season. Bryant vs LeBron James vs Michael Jordan: stats, Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James: The key stats NBA 24/7 - Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James: NBA Better NEW: Sample Searches for learning more about the power and flexibility of Stathead. The two are very arrogant and think very highly of themselves. It depends what the rest of his career will look like, and how long he continues to play. Michael with no doubt left the NBA as one of the greatest players to ever play the game of basketball. NBA GOAT debate: Big questions on the greatest players ever. This is true because of his team-player mentality, his ability to carry a team, and his raw physical and athletic capabilities. Both own many companies and are endorsed by big-name brands like McDonalds, Nike, Coca-Cola, and Gatorade. Not only dont players lead the league in scoring (or nearly so) at 37, they dont get close to averaging 30. Davis agreed, too, with a twist that neatly summarized these two greats differing approaches at this historic crossing. Armand Emamdjomeh makes data visualizations, maps and graphics. Henry Aaron slugged 47 home runs in 1971, when he was 37 years old. WebThe 7-foot-1 Hall of Fame center destroyed rims, glass backboards and entire baskets on multiple occasions throughout his career.Michael Jordan is already eternalized in silhouette. Ive failed over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed (MJ). Once LeBron faces up to see the defense, youre doomed, Smith said. Six rings. So Karl Malone would have caught and passed him in 2003 before LeBron and reigned as the NBAs all-time points leader for 19 years until March 19 in Washington, when James would have taken over by reaching 36,929. Curiously, his 10th scoring crown came with his lowest average of the bunch, but it was enough to edge Shaquille ONeals 28.3 that season. He averaged 31.2 points in a career-high 42 minutes nightly. NEW: Sample Searches for learning more about the power and flexibility of Stathead. For those who witnessed Jordan's excellence over the course of two three-peats with the Bulls, itreinforced the belief that he is the greatest player to ever touch the court. This shows us that Jordan was dominating the league, while other players were just as dominate as Kobe was. Of course, losing those seasons would have cost him 3,279 points off his total of 38,387. Not only does he help the team with his scoring, but he seems to make everyone around him perform better with his playmaking ability. Maybe it's a matter of taste. If Jordan got to his preferred spots, he could set up his trademark turnaround. This isnt exactly breaking news, either. Didnt matter much, though, given the Lakers other weapons he got his sixth championship and L.A. earned its fifth of the decade. ORB, DRB, STL, BLK, DRtg, BPM, VORP, and per 100 Poss stats since 1973-74. Not surprisingly, two all-world performers in the regular season have also been dominant in the postseason. 1 draft pick, he studied, imitated and drew profound inspiration from Jordans tongue-wagging dunks, that fadeaway jumper, his competitive fire even the little details of the way Jordan wore his sneakers and shorts. Jamess all-around playmaking polish led Christie to throw out prepared scouting reports, focusing instead on keeping a running checklist of Jamess shots. Or should that be LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan? Stephen A. Smith and Kendrick Perkins are split on Isiah Thomas' comment that LeBron James will surpass Michael Jordan as the game's greatest if he wins a fourth championship. LeBron James will always be looked at as one of the greatest team players in the history of the NBA. Michael Jordan played in the NBA for fifteen years, made it to the finals six out of those fifteen years and won every time. This still doesn't change the fact that Michael This comparison is very important in today's sports, with many people joining the debate. Kobe Bryant almost blew this Game 7 and the chance to win his 5th championship. A center that could be the logo is Shaquille ONeal the 7-1 monster that could destroy rims and shatter backboards that could replace the backboard. Scoring might not even be his best skill. Look back at Karl Malone's legendary NBA career. Now 38 and just a game or two from passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the top spot on that same list, James is one of the few players who can legitimately be discussed alongside Jordan when it comes to laying claim to the title of G.O.A.T. Basketball fan or basketball people have probably heard or had a strong discussion about who is a greater player: Kobe Bryant or LeBron James? this season source for the material. Barton joins the Raptors after he was waived by the Wizards on Feb. 21. This age difference could give James more time to catch up to his record. Malone had 43 double-doubles while leading Utah to 55 victories, with no one else on the roster averaging more than 14.1 points. Fundamentally it is real, but at the same time, they also have some correspondence with goals and others. This still doesn't change the fact that Michael Jordan and LeBron James won 2 Olympic gold medals. Design and development by Virginia Singarayar. Jordan, who played 15 NBA seasons, retired in 2003 with a career scoring average of 30.1 points per game over 1,072 games. There is an argument to be made for putting LeBron James over Jordan, and James' case only grew stronger after he passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA's all-time leading scorer. Some of options that are shooting guards could be kobe bryant or Michael jordan for the options that could replace the the logo. Jordan Greer is an NBA content producer for The Sporting News. LeBron Jamesis currently the fourth-leadingscorer in NBA history, 19 points ahead ofMichael Jordan, who holds the No. Keep scrolling to see how long it could take James to catch up to their records. Here are the top scorers, by average, for every NBA age: Check out the top 10 plays from Kobe Bryant's rookie season. Now that James isthe NBA's all-time leading scorer, one question remains: Will heput the record out of reach? Id let LeBron take it out of bounds and bring it up, Davis quipped. Lakers President Magic Johnson, who faced Jordan in the 1991 NBA Finals and signed James as a free agent last summer, said that the two greats scored in different ways, but shared a willingness to spend hours fine-tuning their games. These debates rage on endlessly in every corner of NBA fandom, and our experts have done their best to answer them, ranking the greatest players in the league's 74-year history. The two players call people out; they call out their own teammates too. After NBA legend Isiah Thomas says he'd take LeBron James over Michael Jordan, the SportsNation crew weighs in on the classic debate. The G League Ignite guard has been toward the top of several draft boards ahead of the 2023 Draft. There was a battle of old warriors going on 20-plus spots down the scoring leaderboard, with Malone edging out Jordan (20.0) for the 39-year-old crown. We dont even think of any other stars in his era. That edges out Carmelo Anthonys 21.0 and LeBrons 20.9, both in their 2003-04 rookie seasons. As many haters and doubters of LeBron James have stated before, he cant win when it counts or he chokes in the Finals or he tainted his championships by forming the big 3, you have to give credit where credit is due. However, the reporters and fans always want to compare both of them because both players become one of the best players in NBA nowadays. He had to have something on the line because that drove him.. Karl Malone averaged 23.2 points at that age and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar went for 22.0, and they were two of the most prolific graybeards in the games history. James has not yet claimed a steals title. While hes missed more playing time because of injury, Kevin Durant averages the same number of points per game as James and has scored more than 22,000 points in his 12 NBA seasons. On the defensive end, he would pounce on ballhandlers, aggressively double the post and jet into passing lanes for steals. , up dramatically from 95.1 points per game in 2002-03, Jordans final season and the last before James joined the league. Against that backdrop, maybe what LeBron James has done this season shouldnt seem so astonishing. One of a kind. @NBATV pic.twitter.com/bhOOosMjpe, Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 9, 2022. LeBron vs. MJ: The GOAT debate is different now, At minimum, it's a debate now. And here's the big one. So it looks like James could end up blowing Abdul-Jabbar's all-time scoring record out of the water when its all said and done. If James missed from a particular spot early on, Christie would try to steer him back there as the game unfolded. OK, so Willis appeared in five games for Dallas after a full season away from the NBA. This is where the scoring numbers start to drop off, for two simple reasons: Not a lot of NBA players stick around this long and skills invariably diminish with age. They are the biggest inspiration to young ballers around the world. Despite James' increased usage and efficiency from beyond the arc over the course of his career, it's worth noting that he shoots about thesame percentage as Jordan from 3-point range. Michael Jordan and Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf recount a funny conversation when discussing his recovery from a foot injury. Numerous endorsements, an acting career, and widespread humanitarianism are only a few of the features that comprise the man we know as Lebron James. Fundamentally it is real, but at the same time, they also have some correspondence with goals and others. Source: Getty Images. And he was 2-of-8 on 3-pointers for the season. Michael Jordan is a superior player to kareem because of his success on and off the court. LeBron is probably going to pass Kareem and we dont even think of him as a scorer, said Sacramento Kings color commentator Doug Christie, who defended James during his 2003 pro debut. Nowitzki, 40, is in his 21st season. Second to the Dippers bar-setter, Michael Jordan averaged 35.0 points in 1987-88. Both came to the NBA out of high school, both have been very high place since those early years, and made a huge impact on the league. James, who has a career scoring average of 27.1 points per game over 16 seasons, passed Jordan in his 1,190th game. If the more dominate player already isnt clear, its Michael, Who is the greatest basketball player of all time? What about LeBron James? Stathead: Baseball's Most Powerful Search Tool, Stathead: Basketball's Most Powerful Research Tool, Stathead: Football's Most Powerful Research Tool, Stathead: Hockey's Most Powerful Research Tool, Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. The way Michael scored the basketball wasnt always good for his team. Then, Id have him give it to Jordan and let Jordan go to work.. LA Lakers star forward LeBron James has been on fire since turning 38 on December 30. That scoring boom has left Jordans former defenders wondering how many points he might score in todays NBA. With these and plenty other factors taken into consideration, LeBron James is the better overall player. Jordan didnt bother to bait anyone. Some might say it is Michael Jordan, but currently some people might argue it is actually Lebron James, who is the greatest player of all time. Its mind-blowing., While his career average of 27.1 points per game ranks fifth all-time, Over his past five seasons, those numbers are 27.1, 51.8% (35.6%) and 19.7 FGA. Since 1985, the Jumpman logo, LeBron James will take Jordans throne as Miami Heats and Chicago Bulls have had many MVP players, these two players contribute the most to their team's success is LeBron with the Miami Heats and Michael Jordan with the Chicago Bulls. Per 36 minutes this season, his 15.2 scoring wasnt much off his 19.4 pro-rated rate nine years earlier. Did you know that Michael Jordan averaged about thirty points a game, and retired with six NBA championships. Note: Data as of Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. The gap between him and the No. Similarly, Johnson praised Jamess key evolutions throughout his career: honing his three-point shooting, mastering his responses to various defensive schemes, and varying his teams style of play to get the most out of his teammates. 1, but plenty of other performers are staying in the mix as the Kia MVP discussion nears the finish line. Even after Michael Jordan left his team they were still successful, as for LeBron leaving Cleveland well things were not looking good for the Cavs. The debate is most often between LeBron James and Michael Jordan, though Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has some backers, too. An Oregon native, he lives and works in Los Angeles. The question thats been roaming around the air for quite awhile now iswho was better at it? No one here is picking sides (and James career legacy is still being written), but here is a closer look at how the two superstars stack up today when it comes to the regular season, the postseason and their respective achievements and honors (all stats are through Feb. 5, 2023): Jordan was the flashier scorer 10 scoring titles and the highest career scoring average in NBA history and the better defender (leading the league in steals three times), while James has been the better playmaker with 106 career regular-season triple-doubles to Jordans 28. Wilt Chamberlain, 1960-61 38.4 ppg. They both just want to be the best teammates for their own teams. The key difference is three-point shooting. Even though Lebron and Jordan are compared a lot, many people still think Jordan would beat LeBron head to, They are both the heart of their teams and they are the ones their teams build around bringing players in that will help them and the team win. He wasnt able to singlehandedly drag the Los Angeles Lakers into the postseason. He just punished you.. This one probably merits an asterisk, because the New Orleans strongman only played in 24 games his first season. A few even argued that James has been the GOAT for a while now. For his efforts there, Jordan received the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. A statistical comparison reveals that peak Jordan dominated the ball more, shot more and scored far more than peak James. Through the age of 31, LeBron James has accomplished more than Michael Jordan did through his 19 year career. The LeBron James kindergarten photo controversy. James, by contrast, has led the league in scoring just once, and he peaked as a solo scoring threat in 2005-06, averaging 31.4 points per game and 23.1 shots per game while using 33.8 percent of his teams possessions. Most people say Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan is the greatest player in the National Basketball Association (N.B.A) but who is better, Majority of people would say Kobe Bryant is a better player than Michael Jordan. Most of the time, I was just settling for contesting his shot.. Also read: LeBron James will be GOAT over Michael Jordan once he gets NBA's scoring record, says Chandler Parsons, Be the first one to comment on this story. ESPN.com once had an analytical piece headlined: Is LeBron breaking the aging curve? It was posted in December 2017. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Javascript is required for the selection of a player. Christie estimated 40 points per game. While Lebron plays the Small forward position, but he can play either five position on the court because of his height and weight coming in at 68 250 pounds. Please enable JavaScript for the best experience. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. In conclusion, LeBron James is statistically a better player when it comes to all-around basketball. However, Michael Jordan was a much better scorer. He won more on the biggest stage, but failed often in the playoffs and rarely beat some of his greatest opponents. James played with better teammates than Jordan did. When it comes to statistical comparison Jordan could be considered as better after winning six titles and its important to emphasize two 3-peats. Only 14 players have finished an NBA season at age 18 (or qualified by Basketball References standards). In response to Jordan and James, frustrated opposing coaches resorted to unconventional tactics. Drafted by the Chicago Bulls, he helped the team make it to the playoffs. Running checklist of jamess shots post and jet into passing lanes for steals thats been roaming around the for. ( MJ ) new: Sample Searches for learning more about the power and flexibility of.! 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