by Tony Gaglione
After winning his second NBA championship against the San Antonio Spurs, many people are starting to compare LeBron James to Michael Jordan.
Opinions flow freely arguing valid points on both players behalves. Jordan at this point in his illustrious career had over 850 more points scored, over 500 more steals, was almost 10 percent better from the free throw line, and did it all with the team that drafted him. James and Jordan do have similar numbers in rebounds and blocks with James slightly ahead in both categories. Numbers never lie when talking about sports, but when comparing two players you must look at the intangibles also, the stuff stats cannot compare.
During his career Jordan hit more game winning shots than anyone in the league, his teammates relied on him for the buzzer beater 99 percent of the time and he made almost that percent of those shots. James on the other hand has been saddled with a cant make the big shot type of feel which me personally can agree or disagree. James had made his share of clutch shot throughout his career so far, but he has yet to have that “highlight moment” that Jordan had time and time again.
In addition to that, James decided to leave his hometown team in the Cleveland Cavaliers to join the Miami Heat in hopes to win a championship. I’m not saying that wanting to win a title in the NBA is wrong, but I do say that it does take time, and you cannot abandon a franchise in your own hometown in Ohio and disappoint thousands and thousands of fans to chase a title and then act like they shouldn’t hate you. James went in national television to make his “decision” to stab the Cavs fans in the back and smile on the way out, a not so classy move.
Jordan on the other hand, played for the same team for 95 percent of his 15-year career and never once hinted that he would leave in free agency to another franchise. Jordan did play for the Washington Wizards for two years but only because the Chicago Bulls themselves decided it was time to part ways not Jordan.
I guess people can say what they want, bring out stat lines, championship ring counts, or quality of competition. Truth of the matter is no one will have any room to compare the two players until James’ career is over. And the ultimate comparison is seeing them play each other which will never happen, so the debate will last forever, and no one will probably ever really know.
