"Is Michael Jordan head and shoulders above everyone including Kareem?" - Nick Wright believes LeBron James is treated unfairly in GOAT debates
NBA superstars Michael Jordan and LeBron James are constantly part of the debate about who the greatest player of all time is. Now is one of those rare occasions where both the arguments carry immense substance and it isn't as unchallenged as people like to believe it is.
On Fox Sports' morning show First Things First, sports media personality Nick Wright believes that the Los Angeles Lakers superstar isn't being judged in a fair manner in this conversation with Jordan. Wright said:
"How many times has Jordan led playoffs in assists? Never. LeBron a half a dozen times. How many times has Jordan led the playoffs in rebounds? Of course never. LeBron - a couple of times. The reason you guys dismiss the numbers is because the numbers are so overwhelming."
Wright continued:
"So that also means you don't think LeBron vs Kareem is close. So you think Michael Jordan is head and shoulders better than everyone ever? Is it maybe possible that you have decided this was over maybe 10 years ago and you won't let the actual facts on the ground change your mind."
"Like, is that possible or is Michael Jordan head and shoulders just head and shoulders greater than everyone else including Kareem who has the same number of rings and more MVPs."
Nick Wright, an ardent LeBron James fan, believes that the one constant argument used against King James is the number of championships he's won compared to MJ and the infamous 2011 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks.
"The reason you guys dismiss LeBron's numbers is bc they're so overwhelming. You decided long ago LeBron was ineligible to be the GOAT. But he's done it. And he's done it while proving people wrong."
—@getnickwright on LeBron passing Malone for No. 2 on the all-time scoring list https://t.co/XfPyyjxNYY
Is Michael Jordan the undisputed GOAT?
When it comes down to the conversation of who the greatest player of all time is, it is pretty clear that it comes down to only two players - LeBron James and Michael Jordan. James came into the league in 2003 as the self anointed "Chosen One" and the heir to Jordan's throne, so much so that he decided to wear the #23 jersey as well.
The Chicago Bulls superstar came into the league as the third overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft and absolutely went after the rest of the league and was determined to prove that he was the best player in the world. This led to him breaking records and winning individual accolades throughout the 1980s but an NBA championship continued to elude him until he had help alongside him.
Michael Jordan scored 759 points during the 1992 playoffs, the most in a single postseason in NBA history.
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What separates MJ from the rest are things like his scoring abilities and the insatiable thirst to dominate the opposition. This is what gives him the edge in the GOAT debate and is why he is widely considered the best ever.
While LeBron is a better passer and can improve his teammates, MJ was the better scorer as he averaged over 30 points in his career, en route to winning 10 scoring titles during his illustrious career. MJ also plays better defense and has won the Defensive Player of the Year award.
You can never really compare eras because of the different rules and the difference in the way the game was played. This means that making comparisons between Jordan and James can sometimes prove impossible. The pair also never got to play against each other, which also makes it harder to determine who the better player is.
While the GOAT conversation is something that will probably stand the test of time, calling Michael Jordan the undisputed GOAT isn't completely unsubstantiated at all, especially when you've got the numbers to back it up.