DETROIT – Before you read on, you should know this is probably not what you’re expecting. With that being said, read on!
There are defining moments throughout the course of a career. Whatever that moment is for you, know that it never abandons you, regardless of whether anyone is there to witness it.
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For the greatest basketball player in today’s world -- everyone bears witness to those moments. See, LeBron James doesn’t always win in the NBA Finals, nor does he always win in the court of public opinion.
More on why in a moment…
For now, travel back in time with me to the late 1980s, when a young American Albanian kid growing up in Hamtramck learned to love the game of basketball while watching on a 19-inch Zenith TV. That was a time when basketball was hard-nosed, in your face and no-holds-barred.
Enter, The Bad Boys: A team WITHOUT an MVP, but full of relentless and rugged ball players who offered no apologies for throwing you to the ground when you entered the paint for an easy two points. The Bad Boys embodied what it meant to be a team, and they could only be loved by Detroit fans. They represented the grind and grit of Detroit’s blue collar folks.
The path to a championship pedigree in Detroit had been chronicled extensively, and so has the legend of the one man who threatened to destroy it.
Born in Brooklyn and raised in Wilmington, North Carolina, Michael Jordan didn’t come into the NBA with the expectations LeBron James did. In fact, in what is long considered the worst decision in any draft -- with the exception of Darko. Thanks, Joe D -- Michael Jordan was taken third in the 1984 NBA draft. (Google: Sam Bowie.)
But it didn’t take long for MJ to become a fan favorite, even in opposing arenas. Do you know how hard it was to be an MJ fan in Detroit? Even fellow players hated how much attention Michael was getting. Do you remember how Isiah Thomas led the efforts to not pass the ball to him during the All-Star game? If you didn’t like Michael, it was mostly because he was great, so great that he kept your team from reaching the promised land. Fortunately for Detroiters, we (The Pistons) were the roadblock to his dominance, but not for long.
I tell you this to explain that I am not a LeBron James "hater." I just hold him to a high standard: The Michael Jordan standard. I’m here to remind people of what that standard looks like.
When fans hate on LeBron James, it’s for a multitude of reasons.
Exhibit A: "The Decision." Though the proceeds generated from the prime-time announcement were donated to charity, many viewed it as a self-absorbed moment. It was followed by the infamous "not one, not two…" introduction when he joined his super team in Miami. And yes, that was a super team. When Michael Jordan returned to the game of basketball, it was in the form of a letter to the league with two simple words that sent chills down the spines of 26 NBA teams: "I’m back."
When you’re LeBron James, you can’t say you’re chasing the GOAT but then tell us the outcome of your eighth NBA Finals doesn’t have an impact on your legacy. The truth is, it absolutely does. Why? Because when you’re chasing perfection, you have to be better than perfect, which is seemingly impossible.
Dig up a post-game interview with LeBron James and jot down how many times you hear "I," "Me," and "My team" or "My guys." It wasn’t long ago when LeBron James told us he’s the best player in the world. Few argue against it, but he didn’t have to tell us.
See the difference?
LeBron James' legacy and how it stacks up to Jordan's has never been debated more than this year. Admittedly, James has never been closer to the conversation than now, but that’s where the conversation ends. Far be it from me to criticize his game. He is a phenomenal ball player. He’s the most skillfully gifted player to ever touch a basketball. By the end of his career he’ll destroy most, if not all, statistical records held by Jordan or any other NBA great.
So why is it that this incredibly gifted freak of nature gets so much hate? In my opinion, it has to do mostly with the fans who rush to defend his every move and less to do with James’ responses to endless questions about his career. That’s why he’s the G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of ARBITRARY Time). His fans choose to suspend time from 2003-2017 -- or more like 2012-2017.
James’ fans continue to ignore the bar set by Michael Jordan. It’s like they forgot how great he was. They look for every statistic available to tailor the argument in James’ favor. The problem is one statistic stands out: 6-0. Michael Jordan is unblemished when it matters most: The NBA Finals. Regardless of who he played against, he’s batting 1.000 on basketball’s biggest stage.
Yes, Jordan’s legendary career lives in highlights today. Imagine, if you will, how much bigger his profile would be if Twitter existed when he played. The older generations hardly give this debate a second thought. It’s the younger generations who’ve ignited the argument.
No superstar athlete gets more passes for their failures than LeBron James. Some like to twist his 3-5 Finals records into an 8-4 playoffs record. In essence, saying James made it to the playoffs 12 times – and with 8 of them ending in the Finals.
This is exactly what I mean by pro-James folks using statistics to tailor their argument. The saying goes, "to be the best you have to beat the best." The last time I checked, 6-0 beats 3-5. Some James fans want you to make your argument without mentioning a 6-0 Finals record, but, I’m sorry, you cannot dismiss the single most important thing that separates them.
I mentioned "defining moments" earlier in this blog. For LeBron James, they begin in the 2010 Eastern Conference Finals, when he was accused of quitting on his team. A short time later, he’d announce he’s leaving for Miami.
Another moment that haunts him is the 2011 Finals, what some call the biggest mental breakdown of any superstar on any level.
Jordan never had those moments. That alone further cements him as the G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of ALL Time).
Sure, James had the famous block on Andre Iquodala in last year’s Finals, and the triple-double average in this year’s Finals, albeit in a losing effort. That stat was plastered everywhere the night the Warriors won, and the next several days. The same stat line that few cared about when the Russell Westbrook MVP campaign went full steam was apparently the most important when trying to defend another James loss in the Finals.
When Michael played, kids wanted to be him. Every kid stuck their tongue out while driving to the lane, switched hands in mid-air, shrugged their shoulders after a three-pointer and closed their eyes during a free throw. Do kids do the LeBron stomp at the gym? No. In fact, more kids want to be Steph Curry than LeBron James.
When considering James’ G.O.A.T. status, I challenge you to explain how he’s changing the game of basketball. I would argue Curry has had a bigger impact. He’s taken the most frowned upon shot in basketball and made it the most celebrated play in the game. Look no further than your local basketball gym. You’ll see kids jacking up 3s before you see them drive the lane and make the perfect pass.
When Michael Jordan played, there was no player more popular than him. Today, there is no player greater than him.
His defining moments include the shot over Craig Ehlo, dunk contest battles with Dominique Wilkins, the steal from Karl Malone and the shot over Bryon Russell -- just to name a few. It was the perfect ending to a remarkable career. (The Washington Wizards part never happened.)
LeBron James is one of the all-time greats. After all, he orchestrated the greatest comebacks in NBA history. Michael never had to.
If participation is what matters to you, LeBron James is your guy. He’s been to more NBA Finals than Jordan. But if perfection means anything, Michael Jordan is your G.O.A.T.
To me, they are 1a.(MJ) and 1b.(LBJ) in the world of basketball, and in this case, 1b isn’t so bad.