Former NBA champion picks LeBron James as GOAT over Michael Jordan citing defense tactics in '90s era
Former Miami Heat champion Jason Williams weighed in on who he thinks is the greatest of all time, choosing his former teammate, LeBron James, over Michael Jordan. The GOAT debate might never cease between the two until another player enters the mix down the line, and even that might not be enough.
Everyone who has weighed in on this conversation has cited various reasons for their pick, with MJ stans often referring to his undefeated NBA Finals record as the reason why he's greater than LeBron.
Another argument that fans use as to why MJ is better is the different style of defense that was being played during his era. However, Jason Williams used this same argument on why LeBron James is better.
"When this question comes up, the question that needs to be brought up in this question is the illegal defense situation," Williams said. "The illegal defense situation back when MJ played, when he had that ball on the wing, all he had to worry about was the primary defender. We're not even worrying about the primary defender because he had no chance.
"Back then, the help had to come from the weak side block. Now, you put LeBron out there on the wing, he got a guy at the block, the ball-side block, he's got a guy at the ball-side elbow and the primary defender. So, he gets a lot of flak about not taking the last shot because he makes the right basketball play. If two guys are on him, he's gotta pass the ball.
"MJ only had one guy. Don't get me wrong. If MJ had three guys on him, he'll probably still make the shot, but give me LeBron James."
For younger fans, the NBA's illegal defense rule that Jason Williams discussed basically stated that defenses had to play man-to-man defense. This did not mean that a help defender could not come and double-team the ball handler. Still, it meant that the help defense had to get back and fully guard his original mark.
Illegal defense also stated that a player who did not have the ball could not be double-teamed or that if an offensive player was above the 3-point line, the defender couldn't be below the free-throw line.
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How has the illegal defense rule evolved in LeBron James' era?
During Michael Jordan's playing days, the illegal defense rule made isolation basketball more prominent. This allowed MJ to cook most of his defenders in a one-on-one situation.
The league later changed the rule, allowing zone defenses and making isolation plays more difficult. However, they added the defensive three-second rule, which prevents defenders from camping out in the paint for over three seconds when not guarding someone inside.
Modern defenses usually use a weakside defender to come over and help guard great ball handlers, but this meant that a shooter or a cutter is left alone across the court.
Players such as LeBron James have used this to elevate their games by throwing accurate passes when the defense sags off teammates.