Exclusive: Walt Williams on exactly why LeBron James is worthy of being compared to Michael Jordan but the 6x champion still reigns supreme
Over his 20 years in the NBA, the LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan debate has been never-ending. Some feel the LA Lakers forward's longevity and accomplishments make him the greatest, while others cling to the Chicago Bulls icon.
Within the next week, LeBron James will break a record that nobody thought would ever be touched. At the moment, he is 63 points away from surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387) as the NBA's all-time leading scorer.
Given how big of an accomplishment this is, some feel that it's the final piece to put LeBron over Jordan. However, one NBA veteran does not feel that way just yet.
In Sportskeeda's exclusive The BallFather Podcast's latest episode, NBA veteran Walt Williams spoke to host Reggie Roberts about the two Hall of Fame talents. He agrees that what LeBron has done in his career is incredible, but he still gives a slight edge to Jordan in the all-time debate.
“Michael Jordan Lebron, To me its Jordan but anyone who says LeBron, I have no argument to that”
“I cannot believe this dude has lived up to all of that & surpassed it it's amazing to me”
“Its physical how he plays the game, It's just amazing how long he's played the game and the level that he's played it at”
Walt Williams was the seventh overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft and spent 11 years in the league before retiring in 2003.
Walt Williams didn't understand the early hype for LeBron James
What's most impressive about LeBron James' journey in the NBA is how high the bar was set. While most prospects have the chance to grow and develop into superstars, that wasn't the case with him.
As a high schooler, LeBron was crowned the next big thing in the NBA. The way he saw the game at such a young age had people comparing him to the likes of Hall of Fame point guard Magic Johnson.
While speaking about LeBron with Reggie Roberts, Walt Williams admitted that he didn't buy into the hype that early on.
“Are you kidding me youre talking about a kid whose only played against high school kids”
Despite how high the bar was set for him, LeBron answered the call in a big way. Since being drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003, he has been a pillar for the league.
Along with closing in on the scoring record, LeBron James is an 18-time All-Star, four-time champion, four-time MVP and four-time Finals MVP. Williams put it best, when it comes to LeBron and Michael Jordan, there is no wrong answer as to who the greatest basketball player ever is.