Michael Jordan and LeBron James are often at the centre of heated debates among NBA fans over which basketball superstar should be considered the greatest of all time.
Across a glory-filled career that comprised of two spells with the Chicago Bulls, a short stint with the Washington Wizards and three retirements, Jordan established a near-untouchable legacy in the game.
He spearheaded six NBA championships, was named the league’s Most Valuable Player five times and was the NBA’s leading scorer in 10 different seasons.
Jordan was also a 14-time All-Star, a Defensive Player of the Year award winner and was voted on to the All-Defensive First Team nine times. The Bulls shooting guard was an unstoppable scorer who saved his best performances for the biggest moments.
James, who will turn 40 later this month and is now in his 22nd NBA season, entered the league as the first overall pick in the 2003 draft.
Ever since his arrival into the professional ranks, The King has justified the hype that has surrounded him since he was in high school.
Between spells with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers, James has won four titles, four MVPs and has become the highest scorer in NBA history.
For his consistency, longevity, achievements and athleticism, James is worthy of consideration alongside Jordan in the GOAT debate.
But when writer Wright Thompson profiled Jordan in the weeks before his 50th birthday back in 2013, the Bulls icon shared some thoughts on how he’d defend James if the two engaged in a one-against-one showdown during their respective primes.
“So if I have to guard him, I’m gonna push him left, so nine times out of 10, he’s gonna shoot a jump shot,” Jordan explained while watching the Heat take on the Utah Jazz in 2013.
“If he goes right, he’s going to the hole, and I can’t stop him. So I ain’t letting him go right.”
Jordan was an outstanding defensive player at his peak and would have fancied his chances stopping James. The Lakers legend, at 6ft 9ins, is three inches taller than Jordan, though, and would present a forceful physical challenge.
Separated by more than 20 years in age, such scenarios will only ever be hypothetical, and so the GOAT debate will rage on among fans.
