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Jordan vs. LeBron, who you got?


Jordan vs. LeBron  

94 members have voted

  1. 1. Who you got?

    • Michael Jordan
      85
    • LeBron James
      9


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If you were starting a franchise... whom would you select?

 

You get said player as he enters the NBA.

 

I'd be taking LeBron. I love Jordan, but LeBron, in my mind, might already be as good as Jordan ever was... at 24.

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QUOTE (shipps @ May 7, 2009 -> 05:31 AM)
How many rings has Lebron won?

After this season, 1.

 

How many rings had Jordan won at 24? Zero. He didn't win it until he was 28.

 

I love, love, love Jordan. However, LeBron is on another level... he's a freak.

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QUOTE (Steve9347 @ May 7, 2009 -> 06:36 AM)
After this season, 1.

 

How many rings had Jordan won at 24? Zero. He didn't win it until he was 28.

 

I love, love, love Jordan. However, LeBron is on another level... he's a freak.

 

Lebron has been in the NBA since he was 12.

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QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ May 7, 2009 -> 05:47 AM)
Jordan, and it ain't close. LeBron just hasn't changed the game the way Michael did. You can't remove that context.

I'm not talking about changing the game. Yes, Jordan paved the way for guys like LeBron.

 

I'm saying... if you were starting a franchise, whom would you want, right now? They will play in 2010.

 

You guys have the blinders on if you don't say LeBron.

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QUOTE (Steve9347 @ May 7, 2009 -> 06:50 AM)
I'm not talking about changing the game. Yes, Jordan paved the way for guys like LeBron.

 

I'm saying... if you were starting a franchise, whom would you want, right now? They will play in 2010.

 

You guys have the blinders on if you don't say LeBron.

 

You start a thread asking which player you would take to start a franchise and than go on to say we have blinders on if we don't agree with the one you chose? In todays NBA, Jordan would be able to avg. 40 plus a night no problem. :headbang

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This is interesting, as this comparison actually existed already before LeBron was even in high school. When asked what player he admired most, MJ usually referred to the things Oscar Robertson did throughout his career, basically averaging a triple-double. More than anyone, LeBron is basically the modern day Big - O.

 

It's difficult to compare the two (MJ vs. LeBron) because their games are so different. In terms of a guy I might want to build around, LeBron is definitely probably the best starting point. Guy just does everything, contributes in every facet, makes other players around him better, is a great face of your franchise.

 

But the thing that separates Jordan from LeBron (at least from what we have seen to this point), is his absolute will to win. There has never been a better competitor in any sport than Michael Jordan. And there is no one I would rather have with the ball, down the stretch in the fourth quarter, or in a crucial game, than Michael Jordan.

 

You can take your LeBron and his trip-doub in game 7, I'll take MJ and his desire and ability to do WHATEVER it takes to win the game.

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Ill take Jordan.

 

Being the biggest, fastest and strongest, doesnt necessarily equate to being the best.

 

If you are talking about getting them both at the same age, Id take Jordan.

 

Now if your really saying that youd take present day Lebron over present Jordan, than ya Lebron wins.

 

 

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QUOTE (Steve9347 @ May 7, 2009 -> 06:36 AM)
After this season, 1.

 

How many rings had Jordan won at 24? Zero. He didn't win it until he was 28.

 

I love, love, love Jordan. However, LeBron is on another level... he's a freak.

 

That's a pretty black and white (and also lame) way of looking at it. I guess Kobe really puts Jordan to shame when you consider he had three rings by the age of 23 while Jordan had 0 at the same age. The eastern conference back when Jordan was coming up compared to the raw sewage it is today? lol. Sure, Lebron might get a ring this year. Afterall, with Boston's frontcourt depleted and Orlando without their all-star PG, (although I think they'd beat Orlando regardless) they have the closest thing to three byes that any team has ever had (even worse than 2007 when that just above average Pistons team was all they had to get through to get to the finals) to get through a conference. In other words, your ring claim is a joke.

 

Now as far as individual players? I think if we're talking at the same ages, it's pretty damn close.

 

Advantages Jordan had at age 24: Better shooter, especially from mid-range. Better post player. Better penetrator (although this is real close). Better FT shooter. Better defender.

 

Advantages Lebron has: Better passer/rebounder. Better 3-point shooter (although this is kinda tricky. The 3 just wasn't a part of Jordan's game back then). More of a natural feel (and this is Lebron's biggest asset outside of his unbelievable physical/athletic package) of knowing when to let his teammates do their thing and when it's time for him to take over (something that took Jordan a little longer to master). That's about it.

 

With that said, Lebron has made a fool out of anyone (including me) that thought he was wayyyyy overhyped coming into the league. I just couldn't believe anybody could be that good coming straight outta HS (it really got on my nerves that he was given the "King" title before he had played a single minute in the NBA). But he's gone way above and beyond any hype he had coming in. He's truly the best player in the league today. And it's scary to think how good this guy can be between the ages of 28-30 if he continues on the path he's on now (and, of course, stays healthy).

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With the rules having changed to cut down on the contact that the Knicks and Pistons used to use to beat up MJ, his numbers would be absolutely legendary.

 

And forgetting about offense for a moment...one thing that Mike never gets appropriate credit for is...he was perhaps the best one on one defender against anyone other than a PF/C that the game had for 10 years. You put him up against Reggie Miller, Gary Payton, Kevin Johnson, etc., and the other guy was having an awful day/series.

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Even if you simply limit it to Michael at 24 (which isn't really a fair comparison since guys rarely went pro before their junior year in Michael's era, giving Lebron an extra 2 seasons), Michael still has the edge IMO. Lebron is bigger and a better passer, but Michael was a scoring machine even in an era without the handcheck rules, was a far better ball-hawk and actually had more blocks as well, and was a better shooter.

 

Lebron is easily the most dominant perimeter player I've seen other than MJ though, and who knows, in 10 years he might end up on the same tier. This was his best all-around season by a fairly wide margin and he's still quite young.

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I love Lebron! He has an all around game, is unselfish, has the right attitude towards life, I can not think of one negative thing about him. With that said.... I put him at #2 (for now). He's way better than anyone in the league playing today and I'll even say anyone ever not named Jordan.

Edited by rangercal
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QUOTE (Steve9347 @ May 7, 2009 -> 07:26 AM)
I believe this thread proves one thing.

 

I am an idiot.

 

LOL. Well your first mistake was creating this poll on a Chicago-oriented sports board where 97% of the people who post here are Bulls fans.

Edited by Jordan4life
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If you look at career numbers, it's pretty interesting.

 

MJ, 38.3 mpg, 30.1 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 5.3 apg, 2.3 spg, .8 bpg, 2.7 topg

 

Lebron, 40.6 mpg, 27.5 ppg, 7 rpg, 6.7 apg, 1.8 spg, .8bpg, 3.26 topg

 

Lebron and MJ's 3 point percentages are almost identical at .327 for MJ and .328 for Lebron, however MJ's field goal percentage of .497% is above Lebron's .471% and MJ's FT% was 84% compared to Lebron's 74%.

 

This is taking into account Jordan's retarded Wizards days. Jordan also missed around 400 games because of his retirements. Jordan would have had well over 40,000 career points if he kept playing.

 

Jordan was also an elite defender, something Kobe, Lebron, and Wade haven't reached. They are all very good defenders, but not on Jordan's level. MJ was on the NBA Defensive First Team 9 times.

 

 

 

 

IF Lebron keeps improving his defense to the point that he becomes an elite defender, then the comparison will get messy.

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