"The true GOAT would never compliment younger players on social media" – NBA analyst asserts LeBron James is soft for praising young athletes, believes greatness is all about competing
It’s no secret that the two hosts on FS1’s “Undisputed” have conflicting feelings about LeBron James. Shannon Sharpe thinks that LeBron is the greatest player of all time, while Skip Bayless constantly tries to find ways to discredit James.
In the most recent show, Bayless critiqued James’ behavior on social media.
Bayless was not a fan of James complementing Golden State Warriors guard Jordan Poole for a good play. Skip said Bulls legend Michael Jordan would never do something like that if social media was available when he played. Bayless feels that James wants everyone to love him and he has a big brother-type relationship with the league's younger stars.
"The true GOAT would never compliment younger players on social media," Bayless said.
Sharpe challenged Bayless by pointing out that it was a different time and era when Jordan played. He also talked about the times Jordan hung out with guys he competed against before games.
Fans know Jordan as an ultimate competitor, and a few past players have expressed the opinion that today’s players are too friendly with one another.
.@RealSkipBayless on LeBron tweeting "Jordan Poole so COLD"
"The true GOAT would never compliment younger players on social media." https://t.co/DOmrQ8EZ0P
Current and past NBA players are not the same
Bayless talked about how Jordan would approach things as opposed to how James does, and it was a reminder that they played in different eras. Because of how players grew up, the advancements in technology and NBA roster construction create different worlds.
LeBron James and players his age came up with the AAU circuit. This allowed players from all over the country to see each other and interact with each other long before they made it to the NBA. Throw in the shoe companies that have their various tournaments and summer camps, all of these players get to bond and know each other as they develop in the game of basketball.
Now that social media has reduced the size of the world, these young players get to communicate and stay in touch during their high school and college seasons.
While Jordan was in the league, he first met players in college, and there was not that much interaction.
The NBA has also changed a great deal since Jordan fought the Detroit Pistons to get to the NBA Finals. Thanks to free agency and the age of player empowerment, a lot of the new-era players have played together or may get a chance to play together. One reason why there aren't as many team rivalries as there were in the past is because the teams change so much now.
This is a different place and time, and how players interact with each other has changed greatly. It's nice to get a window into how players feel about each other and how that works itself out on the court.