The NBA has prompted friendly debate since it was first created in the 1940’s. Sports fans have gone back and forth about the Lakers and Celtics, Magic or Bird, or which era had the best players. However, none of these have been as widely debated as the GOAT conversation… Who is the Greatest of All Time? There are two clear cut players who sit at the top of this debate, and each of their undeniable skill sets makes choosing one so much harder. 

Tonight marks the release of the first two episodes of ESPN’s Michael Jordan Documentary. With the absence of sports during this crazy time, this documentary will temporarily fill in for the millions of basketball fans around the world. Personally I have been looking forward to this documentary since ESPN announced they were making it over a year ago and my excitement has grown much more over the past few weeks. So I decided to reopen this popular debate, partially out of sheer excitement and partially because at this point it’s the only sports related topic I can write about.

Michael Jordan

Before I talk about his relatively unmatched skill, it only feels right to go into the impact that Jordan had on both the NBA and the entire sports world. Prior to his entrance to the league, the NBA was popular but it was by no means the forefront of sports. Then, as Jordan came into the league he brought with him an attitude and appearance that drew the attention of millions of fans. Pretty much right from the start, everyone wanted to be just “Like Mike.” Over the course of his career, he changed the entire aspect of the NBA and became the most famous athlete in American sports. 

From a talent perspective, Jordan was truly unguardable. His speed, agility and vertical were unmatched by the rest of the league. As of now, him and Zach Lavine are tied for the second highest vertical at 46 inches, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain. Jordan posted impressive numbers throughout his career and his accomplishments are arguably even better. In his 13 year tenure with Chicago, Jordan averaged 31.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg and 5.4 apg while shooting 50.5% from the field. He also posted accomplishments of 6 championships in 6 appearances with 6 Finals MVPs, 5 Regular Season MVPs, ROTY, 10x All NBA first team, 9x All defensive team and 10x scoring champion. While he could often get to the rim at will, his fadeaway jump shot made him really unstoppable because of how high and far he could jump. 

Unfortunately, in the middle of his prime, Jordan’s father passed away and he took 2 years to pursue a professional baseball career in his honor. Jordan arguably would have won 2 more in those years, giving him 8 straight and one of the most impressive sporting feats of all time. (Side note, although there is the relatively common idea that Jordan was cut from his high school team, this is really just a myth. Jordan tried out for varsity as a sophomore but was put on JV instead, where he was one of the best players in the state.) 

LeBron James

LeBron grew up in the small impoverished town of Akron, Ohio where he was easily the best player in the state. He also played football up until his junior year and was the best receiver in the state. In high school LeBron won three state championships and was then drafted first overall in 2003.

At 6 foot 9 inches tall, LeBron James has been a nightmare for defenders for his entire career. With the ability to shoot and finish at the rim like nobody else in the league, LeBron James has been able to score at will for his entire career. However, it is because of the other aspects of his game that some people give him a small edge over Jordan. Throughout his career LeBron has averaged 27.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg and 7.4 apg shooting 50.4% from the field. LeBron’s accolades are arguably better than Jordan’s aside from championships. He has 3 championships in 9 appearances with 3 finals MVPs. LeBron is also a 16x all star and holds the record for points scored in the playoffs. 

So Who is Better? 

The fact is both of these players are amazing. It is hard to say who is better given that the two played in different eras of basketball. There are a lot of “what ifs” that can be thrown around regarding these two players. What if Jordan played in this era? What if LeBron played back then? In my opinion it comes down to who is the better player down the stretch, both in the end of games and the end of seasons. When the game was on the line… which player would I rather have on my team? For me that player is Michael Jordan. He was always willing to take the final shot and he was always ready to make it. Regardless of the game, Michael Jordan would do what it took down the stretch to make sure his team would win the game and there was nothing anyone could do to stop him. To me, that makes him the greatest player of all time.