LeBron James, the star player for the Los Angeles Lakers, recently finished his 21st season in the NBA. The four-time NBA champion has no plans to retire next season, as he recently signed a new contract with the Lakers. Additionally, the Lakers drafted his son, Bronny James, in the 2024 NBA draft. Throughout his NBA career, he gained many fans due to his excellent skills and stats. However, he has also gained some criticism for the same reasons. In a recent interview with DJ Vlad, Gilbert Arenas exposed NBA fans for being anti-LeBron rather than genuine Michael Jordan admirers.
“Most people today are not basketball fans—they’re player fans. They just follow a player. For example, someone might say, ‘I like Michael Jordan.’ Okay, cool, but what team do you like? ‘I don’t have a team. The Bulls.’ So, you don’t have a team? ‘No, I just like Michael Jordan’, and he doesn’t even play anymore. So, who do you like now? ‘Oh, this era is soft.’ So, you don’t even watch basketball anymore because today’s era is soft. You’re just anti-LeBron because he’s being compared to Michael Jordan.” Arenas said.
You can listen to the conversation at 00:30 in the video below.
James is often compared to the legendary player Michael Jordan in debates about who is the greatest of all time. The comparison is a long-standing debate that will continue due to the remarkable careers of both legends.
Jordan Fans Clash with Arenas For His Top 3 NBA Greats Pick
Arenas further elaborated on his point by sharing a story about being questioned by Jordan fans about his top three picks for the best players in NBA history.
“I had a group of Jordan fans ask me, ‘Who’s your number one, two, and three?’ I said, ‘Jordan’s number one, LeBron is number two, and Kobe is number three.’ Instead of agreeing with Michael Jordan at number one, they asked, ‘Why do you have LeBron at number two? Why is he so close to Jordan?’ I just realized there’s more LeBron hating than anything else. You guys are not Jordan fans; you’re just anti-LeBron fans.” Arenas added.
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Arenas initially chose Jordan as his top pick, followed by James in second place and Kobe Bryant in third. However, despite placing James second, Jordan fans still argued with him for ranking James so closely to Jordan. At that point, the former NBA player realized that James had more haters than any other player in the NBA. Arenas further mentioned that fans who support Jordan and hate James are not true Jordan fans but rather anti-LeBron fans.
The debate for the title of greatest player of all time will continue, with several other players’ names also being included in the conversation. However, James and Jordan will always remain constant.
Also Read: Gilbert Arenas Shared His Picks For The Best Players At Each Position During A Recent Interview
