"Not even Brady could do it" - NBA podcaster dubs LeBron James 'today's Ali' citing 39YO NBA star outshining Michael Jordan's legacy
Steph Curry broke the news to the USA men's basketball team that LeBron James was chosen as flag bearer for the 2024 Paris Olympics. It was later reported that the Golden State Warriors superstar was the one who nominated his LA Lakers rival for the honor. James was selected by USA athletes to get that recognition along with tennis star Coco Gauff.
“King James” became the first male basketball player to carry the USA flag in the Olympics. The first to earn that honor in women's basketball for the Americans was Dawn Staley in 2004. James’ selection wasn’t surprising, considering his impact and status transcends the sports he has been playing since high school.
Sportswriter Dan Le Batard, in his podcast, had this to say about LeBron James carrying the flag for Team USA:
“To see him holding that American flag and that flag means something different than it did 20 years ago, but the thing holding it doesn’t. It’s still excellence for 20 years, today’s Ali. And you know how hard it is to tackle Michael Jordan as America’s ultimate winner? Not even Brady could do it.
“Imagine Michael Jordan, at the end of everything, not shooting jumpers for the Wizards, older than any athlete out there and still deserving of holding the flag. How emotional would you have been watching it because you are so much nicer to him.”
Le Batard’s comments had loopholes. Michael Jordan couldn’t have been chosen as he was in the middle of his retirement when the 2000 Olympics happened. “His Airness” hung up his jersey after his sixth championship with the Chicago Bulls in 1998. He wouldn’t even be nominated for the honor of carrying the USA flag as he was no longer an athlete.
The same case happened in 2004 for Jordan. He had retired for the final time when Greece hosted the quadrennial games.
LeBron James is a deserving flag bearer. No one on Team USA’s Paris contingent has arguably excelled as well as him for as long as him. “King James” has a legitimate claim as the greatest basketball player ever. But, Dan Le Batard’s flag-bearer argument to put James' legacy on a pedestal over Michael Jordan isn’t even logically sound.
Eddie Johnson hails LeBron James as "most well-rounded athlete" like "Ali"
Dan LeBatard wasn't the only one who compared LeBron James to the late boxing legend Muhammad Ali. An X, formerly Twitter, account posted a collage of the LA Lakers superstar and claimed that "We will never see another LeBron James."
Former NBA player Eddie Johnson reacted to that post:
"I concur. We will not. The most well rounded athlete I have ever seen other than Ali."
Johnson's description of the "most well-rounded athlete" has to include off-court ventures. James has not played any other professional sports except basketball, where he might be better than anyone who ever played the game.
"King James'" stature and impact in sports could be arguably likened to what the iconic boxer did in his time. The "Kid from Akron" will be missed once he retires.