When LeBron James teamed up with Michael Jordan and went unbeaten
LeBron James and Michael Jordan are undoubtedly two of the greatest players in NBA history. Some believe they're the undisputed best and second-best players of all time. Many of the older generation will say Jordan was the better player, while the younger generation will vouch for LeBron.
It's tough to say who was the better player. Their resumes are both incredible, and each one has an incredible argument against the other.
There was one time, however, when LeBron James and Michael Jordan played on the same team. James said they played together during camp in his rookie season:
“We were on the same team. I was a rookie. I was a rookie in the league, and I went to Santa Barbara to MJ’s camp, and we used to play around 9 p.m.
"The camp would end, he would let the kids watch, like, the first game around, like, 8:30, and then he’d have all the kids leave, and then we would stay, along with the college kids that he would invite to the camp. I was on a team with MJ, and we didn’t lose a game.”
LeBron James and Michael Jordan as teammates
Unfortunately, there isn't any footage of LeBron James and Michael Jordan playing together. However, it's tough to envision anyone taking down the duo unless every other player at the camp was an NBA All-Star.
Not only could they both score at will and had incredible finishes at the rim, but they also defended better than most players in the history of the sport.
James has long been a fan of Jordan. He's said that he wore the No. 23 because that's what Michael wore.
“I think, first of all, you know, I wear the number because of Mike," James said. "I think I fell in love with the game because of Mike, just seeing what he was able to accomplish. But I felt like Mike was so — you know, when you’re growing up and you’re seeing Michael Jordan, it’s almost like a god — so, I didn’t ever believe I could be Mike.
"So, I started to focus myself on other players and other people around my neighborhood, because I never thought you could get to a point where Mike was. So I think that helped shape my game."
Hearing someone like James say he shaped his game from Jordan will never not be interesting to hear. Jordan was so influential to the earlier generations, and now James is paving the way for the players watching him today. Many young athletes wear LeBron's number because they want to be just like him when they grow up.
There hasn't been a ton of connection between the two, at least publicly. However, there seems to be a great deal of mutual respect between the two.