After winning a championship with the Lakers, LeBron James deserves the same level of respect Michael Jordan gets.
LeBron James deserves the same respect on his name Michael Jordan gets.
You don’t have to agree that James is the GOAT, but it’s hard to argue against. LeBron has been to 9 out of 10 NBA Finals winning four titles and Finals MVPs with three different teams. A one-man dynasty. In addition to having the most playoff wins, dominating the East and then conquering the supposedly mighty West, carrying teams that had no business being there to the championship round, besting legends, toppling a 73-win team, and conquering the bubble.
And he’s not done yet—which goes for possibly adding more rings and catching Kareem Abdul Jabbar as the league's all-time leading scorer. The standard he’s set is so high that there were some who had the gall to scrutinize him after a 40 point, 13 rebound, 7 assist Finals game where he shot 71% from the floor, for passing to an open teammate when his ability to distribute is one of the main reasons he's where he is in the first place. Of course, he and the Los Angeles Lakers secured the hardware in the very next contest, even further cementing his legacy of dominance.
But here’s the thing, while LeBron certainly isn’t disrespected by the amount of coverage he receives or by most who are sane, there has definitely been an attempt to discredit his accomplishments or disrespect the era in which he plays; mainly in the name of protecting MJ.
Jordan earned his aura. The impact of The Last Dance so many years later proves that. However, LeBron now occupies that same Air. And when it’s all said and done, he will also be the stuff of legend.
Which should be recognized in real-time. James came into the league with more expectations than anyone and has somehow exceeded them while remaining in his prime at age 35.
As of now, when it comes to the NBA GOAT, Michael Jordan and LeBron James are 1A and 1B. And personally, for me, LeBron is top two and he’s not two.