When we talk about the greatest players in NBA history, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James are the three names most people pick as their basketball GOAT. While the Chicago Bulls legend and late Kobe Bryant has won more rings, the Los Angeles Lakers star is the highest-scoring NBA player of all time.
The 39-year-old’s prowess in all three major departments makes him one of the best facilitators in NBA history, while Jordan and Kobe were known for their high-scoring abilities. Here is a detailed statistical analysis of the NBA GOAT debate.
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What Makes LeBron James, The GOAT?
LeBron ‘King’ James led Team USA to their fifth straight gold medal victory in the Olympics. The USA defeated France in the final and remained unbeaten in the competition. With their gold-winning run, LeBron improved his Olympic record to 30-1. The Lakers star has won four Olympic medals: three golds in three decades, 2008, 2012, and 2024, and a bronze medal in 2004.
In addition to his Olympic games records, LeBron is the only NBA player with 10,000+ points, 10,000+ assists, and 10,000+ rebounds. The four-time NBA champion, who is the only player to surpass the 40,000 points mark, will enter his 21st NBA season. Despite being the oldest player in the NBA last season, LeBron averaged 25.7 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.3 rebounds in 71 games for the Lakers.
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Who Is Statistically Better, MJ or LeBron?
Michael Jordan and LeBron James are known for their dominance on the court and ability to turn the game around at any point. Both have been the mainstays in their respective teams. While MJ was a spectacular shooter, LeBron handles almost everything from scoring to assisting. Jordan has won more NBA championships (6) than LeBron (4); however, Bill Russell would be the GOAT considering he won 11 rings.
| Michael Jordan | Per Game AVG. | LeBron James |
| 30.1 | Points | 27.1 |
| 5.3 | Assists | 7.4 |
| 6.2 | Rebounds | 7.5 |
| 2.3 | Steals | 1.5 |
| 0.8 | Blocks | 0.7 |
| 49.7 | FG% | 50.6 |
| 32.7 | 3-PT FG% | 34.8 |
| 83.5 | FT% | 73.6 |
| 2.7 | Turnovers | 3.5 |
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| Michael Jordan | Per Game AVG. | LeBron James |
| 33.4 | Points | 28.8 |
| 5.7 | Assists | 9 |
| 6.4 | Rebounds | 7.2 |
| 2.1 | Steals | 1.7 |
| 0.9 | Blocks | 1 |
| 48.7 | FG% | 49.6 |
| 33.2 | 3-PT FG% | 33.5 |
| 82.8 | FT% | 74.1 |
| 3.1 | Turnovers | 3.7 |
While Jordan leads LeBron in average points, steals, blocks, free-throw percentage, and made fewer turnovers, LeBron dominates in assists, rebounds, field goals, and 3-point shooting averages in the regular season stats. In the post-season games, LeBron has a better average in blocks, while other stats are similar to the regular season.
Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James: Who Wins the Head-to-Head Battle?
LeBron is the oldest active player in the NBA and has been compared to many great players in different eras. While he never faced MJ in his career, LeBron and Kobe Bryant squared off 22 times, and the 39-year-old dominated the fixture with a 16-6 record. LeBron James won the last five games against Kobe Bryant, two with the Miami Heat and three with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
While Black Mamba has won more rings than LeBron, the latter has won two more NBA Finals MVPs than Kobe. Kobe played 20 seasons, while LeBron will play his 22nd in the upcoming season. The four-time NBA Finals MVP has won 4 NBA MVPs, and Kobe won the 2008 NBA MVP award.
What are LeBron James’ most impressive achievements?
LeBron surpassed Kareem-Abdul Jabbar in 2023 to become the leading point-scorer in the NBA. Ahead of the 2024-25 season, he has already surpassed the 40k points mark. The Lakers forward will play his 22nd NBA season and stand a chance to become the first father-son duo to play in the NBA, as the Purple and Gold signed Bronny James in the 2024 NBA Draft.
After Vince Carter (22), LeBron James is one of the five players to play 21 seasons in the NBA. With 1,492 regular season games under his belt, LeBron is at the sixth spot in the list of players with the most NBA games played. King James has dominated the league in the post-season as he leads in points, steals, and is second in assists.
LeBron James has been under tremendous pressure since his NBA debut. People from Cleveland had high hopes for James to end their title drought. It took time, but LeBron lived up to the expectations and delivered a championship-winning season in 2016. The Cavaliers won their first-ever NBA championship, thanks to LeBron James.
LeBron is not the greatest point scorer in the NBA. Still, he leads the regular season and playoffs scoring charts. With his consistent performances, several double-doubles and triple-doubles, and game intelligence, LeBron has been an all-around player and is the statistical GOAT.
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