NBA News Update: LeBron James will surpass Kobe Bryant only if he wins the title but not Michael Jordan, proclaims Charles Barkley
The LA Lakers are now the favorites to win the 2020 NBA championship. If LeBron James manages to lift the title this year, it would be his fourth title with a third different team. This would again reignite the 'Greatest of All Time' debate in the NBA. Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley recently talked about winning his first title in the West would mean for LeBron's legacy. In this article, we'll take a look at Charles Barkley's comments along with a few other NBA news updates.
NBA News Update: Barkley believes LeBron James might surpass Kobe Bryant if he wins the championship this year
Charles Barkley was recently a guest on the 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' show. He was asked about where LeBron James stands in terms of greatness when compared to NBA legend Michael Jordan. Charles Barkley was a great basketball player and went head to head against Jordan in the past.
Jimmy asked Chuck whether LeBron James deserves to be spoken of in the same breath as Michael Jordan. Here's what Charles Barkley said in response:
"If they win a championship, I might put him with Kobe Bryant. LeBron is a great player and a great man. I've got him one slip behind Kobe Bryant."
Michael Jordan won six championships with the Chicago Bulls and is widely considered as the greatest player of all time. Charles Barkley implied there's still a long way to go before LeBron James catches up with Jordan. The 57-year-old said that if the LA Lakers win this year, LeBron might even go above Kobe on his list, but Jordan would still be number one.
Charles further went on to talk about how winning this title in the Orlando bubble will be a greater accomplishment in comparison to previous years. Joking about the challenges players are facing this year, Chuck said:
"If you can deal with your kids for 3 or 4 months and then get shipped to the bubble for 2 or 3 months and eat that same food every day, that's a great accomplishment."
The LA Lakers currently have a 2-0 lead against the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals, and LeBron James is just six games away from lifting his fourthth NBA title.
NBA News Update: Charles Barkley discusses what it would be like to play for a Las Vegas-based sports team
Jimmy Kimmel also discussed the challenges faced by a sports team while playing in Las Vegas with Charles Barkley, a place known for its casinos and nightlife. In January 2020, NFL team Las Vegas Raiders officially relocated to Las Vegas. Speaking about the idea of athletes playing in Las Vegas everyday, Charles Barkley said:
"It would have been a lot of fun! I love to gamble. I would have lost a lot of many. I would have had a lot of drunk nights."
Charles further spoke about how the life of a football player is a lot more challenging than that of an NBA player. Football athletes have to rigorously train for multiple hours everyday in the gym, whereas basketball players get some time off until the next night.
Also read: NBA Trade Rumors: LA Clippers among five teams that are interested in Jrue Holiday