Who is better: LeBron James or Michael Jordan? It’s the never-ending, ceaselessly oppressive argument that pervades basketball like an itch you can’t scratch. Comparing these two is like arguing about two equally delicious apples, but LeBron’s teammates think they have the answer.
LeBron James is close to dethroning Michael Jordan, according to teammates
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
Here’s what Kendrick Perkins had to say:
“Right now we have arguably the best player to ever play the game. I’m just saying, man. I’m not taking anything away from Jordan, but all (James is) missing is titles. A couple of more titles and that’s it.”
The Cavaliers are one game away from the NBA Finals, which could mean another title. That would put LeBron just one step away, at least by Perkins’ metric.
J.R. Smith isn’t taking anything away from Jordan either, but thinks it’s a conversation.
“It used to be no question. It was a landslide. It was Jordan. Now, you have to consider my boy.”
Perkins took this idea a step further. He said that LeBron can do anything in the NBA, if he wants to.
“Just think about it, truthfully, if he wanted to, he could win the MVP every year,” Perkins said. “Think about that. He averaged 25 [points], 6 [rebounds] and 7 [assists]. That’s absurd, and people are like ‘he had a down year.’ That’s crazy talk. When it’s all said and done, he’ll probably be the best the game has seen.”
So, he can win the NBA MVP whenever he feels like it. It’s all about whether he wants to. I’m sure there are a lot of Stephen Curry and James Harden fans that would argue that point.
SB Nation presents: Simple rules for playing against LeBron
