The popularity of ESPN’s The Last Dance docuseries has taken the GOAT debate to an entirely different level as a new generation is being introduced to the man they call Michael Jordan and his relentless pursuit of being the greatest player in NBA history.
Watching Jordan back in his prime has brought up the talk surrounding LeBron James and how the two shouldn’t be compared because most see the Bulls legend is the clear better player.
Former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach David Blatt, who once coached LeBron for a season and a half, decided to give his two cents on the conversation. The 60-year-old said there is no question in his mind that Jordan’s achievements outweigh that of James.
“Michael Jordan is bigger than LeBron James,” Blatt pointed out on Sunday commenting on the latest episodes made available, via Eurohoops. “He won the most championships with one single team and did not focus on the “I” but on the “us”.
“But surely, in terms of ability and influence, they are both included in the top five best players in history.”
Blatt would be correct on the Jordan’s intense focus, but it took MJ quite a bit of time in his NBA career to actually become a team player and trust his teammates. Once he got it, there was definitely no stopping him.
LeBron has always been a scorer and a facilitator on the court, and although his drive isn’t near what Jordan had, no one goes to the NBA Finals in 8-straight seasons unless they are truly gifted and have a will to want to win. Unfortunately for him, he’s ran into the Spurs only on his career, some high-powered Warriors teams and a focused Dirk Nowitzki that nobody was stopping during his epic run.
This is one of those arguments that will never die down even after LeBron retires from the game.
