ESPN Top 10 NBA Players of All Time Mistake

[HuskyHawk]

As someone who did not see Jordan in his prime, what made him BETTER than LeBron? Not looking for an argument, just generally curious. I think there's difference between best player and greatest player. The best player is simply who is the best basketball player of all time. The greatest player is who left the greatest legacy and their impact on the game of basketball. I think Jordan is unquestionably the greatest but I also think there's an easy argument for LeBron as the best.

LeBron is a better shooter, passer, and rebounder. He didn't score as much but Jordan was also more of a volume scorer. Jordan's toughness and defense beat LeBron easy. So what is the argument for Jordan being better than LeBron? You can always say 6-0 in the Finals, but winning alone doesn't make you the better player. If that was the case then Bill Russell is #1. And before anyone asks, I love both guys. Not hating on either one.

They play different positions, so it's not an easy comparison. Nobody would expect Jordan to have the rebounds the Lebron has.

Jordan was named to the all defensive first team nine times (tied for most). Jordan has a higher PER. Jordan took a lot fewer 3's yet his scoring average was higher. Jordan almost 10 percentage points better from the FT line. Led the league in scoring 11 times. Lebron has done it once.

Ultimately, Jordan was better relative to the rest of the league, than Lebron is. His competitive drive also made him a bigger winner overall. If you told me I had to win a playoff game and I could choose any one guy, I'd choose Jordan.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

They play different positions, so it's not an easy comparison. Nobody would expect Jordan to have the rebounds the Lebron has.

Jordan was named to the all defensive first team nine times (tied for most). Jordan has a higher PER. Jordan took a lot fewer 3's yet his scoring average was higher. Jordan almost 10 percentage points better from the FT line. Led the league in scoring 11 times. Lebron has done it once.

Ultimately, Jordan was better relative to the rest of the league, than Lebron is. His competitive drive also made him a bigger winner overall. If you told me I had to win a playoff game and I could choose any one guy, I'd choose Jordan.

LeBron had been the best player in the league for the better part of 15 years.

 

[lne001]

LeBron is a better shooter, passer, and rebounder.

If LeBron is a better shooter, passer, and rebounder than Jordan, then what does that make Larry Bird, who was a better shooter, passer, and rebounder than LeBron?

Being a basketball fan since the 1950's, my ranking would be Jordan first and Bird second as the best players I have seen.

 

[HuskyHawk]

LeBron had been the best player in the league for the better part of 15 years.

Yes, so?

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Yes, so?

So how does that necessarily make MJ better compared to the rest of his league than Bron is?

 

[superjohn]

As someone who did not see Jordan in his prime, what made him BETTER than LeBron? Not looking for an argument, just generally curious. I think there's difference between best player and greatest player. The best player is simply who is the best basketball player of all time. The greatest player is who left the greatest legacy and their impact on the game of basketball. I think Jordan is unquestionably the greatest but I also think there's an easy argument for LeBron as the best.

LeBron is a better shooter, passer, and rebounder. He didn't score as much but Jordan was also more of a volume scorer. Jordan's toughness and defense beat LeBron easy. So what is the argument for Jordan being better than LeBron? You can always say 6-0 in the Finals, but winning alone doesn't make you the better player. If that was the case then Bill Russell is #1. And before anyone asks, I love both guys. Not hating on either one.

Jordan was a way better shooter than Lebron. Threes weren't really a part of the league back then. Jordan is hands down the best midrange shooter ever.

 

[tzznandrew]

Jordan was a way better shooter than Lebron. Threes weren't really a part of the league back then. Jordan is hands down the best midrange shooter ever.

And, repeated ad nauseum, FT shooting is traditionally used as a good indicator of how good a 3point shooter someone can be. In addition to being an excellent mid-range shooter while taking incredibly difficult shots, Jordan was a much better FT shooter (10%).

And, again, in the 1990s he shot 3s not only better than James, but better than the league average of his day. LeBron, in his 10 prime years, was about league average and worse than Jordan.