Michael Jordan vs. Lebron James: The Ultimate Comparison

Imagine that you’re watching the greatest basketball match of all time with two of the greatest players. On one side, you’ve got the six-time champion and the utmost competitor Michael Jordan, while on the contrary, there’s Lebron James; the four-time MVP and the most versatile player ever. Who would you bet on? Who would you root for?  Who is better, Michael Jordan vs LeBron James? This petty question has divided fans, players, and analysts for years. We’ll examine the arguments in favor of and against each player to jump to a conclusion. 

Michael Jordan vs Lebron James: Early Careers

In 1984, Michael Jordan was drafted by the Chicago Bulls and played for the team till 1993 he retired from basketball and shifted his focus to baseball for a year for the Birmingham Barons that’s a minor league team affiliated with the Chicago White Sox before returning to the NBA in 1995.

In 2003, LeBron James was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers and played for the team till 2010 when he joined Miami Heat from 2010 and played for them till 2014 before returning to the Cavaliers. 

Michael Jordan vs Lebron James Stats 

Michael Jordan and LeBron James are two of the greatest basketball players of all time. Jordan played 1,072 games and scored a total of 32,292 points throughout his career, while James has played 1,421 games and has scored 38,652 points. When it comes to distributing the ball, James has the edge with 10,420 assists compared to Jordan's 5,633. In terms of rebounding, James also has the advantage, grabbing 10,667 rebounds compared to Jordan's 6,672. 

Both players are known for their defensive prowess, with Jordan amassing 2,514 steals and 10,073 blocks, while James has recorded 2,186 steals and 893 blocks. When it comes to shooting percentages, James has a higher field goal percentage at 54.50% compared to Jordan's 50.90%. In terms of three-point shooting, James also has a slight edge with a 34.50% three-point percentage compared to Jordan's 32.70%. However, Jordan has the upper hand in free throw shooting, with an 83.50% free throw percentage compared to James' 73.50%.

Jordan vs. LeBron Accolades

Michael Jordan has won five regular season MVP awards and six NBA Finals MVP awards while Lebron James bagged himself  four regular season MVP awards and four NBA Finals MVP awards. All in all, Jordan has won six NBA championships throughout his career and James has won four. 

Michael Jordan’s Net Worth vs Lebron James’ Net Worth

As of June 2023, Michael Jordan holds a net worth of $2 billion and a major chunk of his fortune has come from his NBA salary, ownership stake in the Charlotte Hornets (which he had sold for approximately $3 billion in June 2023) and endorsement deals from brands like Nike.

LeBron James on the other hand owns a net worth of $1 billion in 2023 and he’s the first active NBA player to become a billionaire. James has earned his major deal from his NBA salary, endorsement deals and investments in multiple businesses like Blaze Pizza and SpringHill Company.

Therefore, Michael Jordan has a higher net worth than LeBron James by about $1 billion.

Michael Jordan says Lebron is the best? Is it True?

This is false information that spread on social media in December 2018 as Michael Jordan has never stated that LeBron James was the greatest basketball player of all time. According to Snopes, the claim originally came from a fake tweet that circulated and was attributed towards Jordan. The tweet read:

"I want to congratulate @KingJames for becoming the greatest player of all time. He has surpassed me in every aspect of the game and I'm happy for him. #GOAT"

There’s no evidence that proves that Jordan ever tweeted or posted about james. In fact, he was always reluctant to make a comparison between himself and the active player as he considers this act as unfair and disrespectful to the other generations and players in basketball NBA history. Michael Jordan personally considers himself as the best player but not of 'all time’

Talking about James, yes, he’s called himself a great player in a footage from TNT which posted a video of Shaquille O’Neal asking Lebron James about being the greatest player of all time after he broke a score record. James replied that he would take himself against anybody that ever played the game and that he always feels like he is the best to ever play the game. Perhaps, this tweet is in no sense somewhat or even related to Michael Jordan.

Therefore, the claim that Michael Jordan said that LeBron James was the greatest basketball player of all time is entirely false and a rumor.

Who is better, Michael Jordan or LeBron James?

Michael Jordan and LeBron James are two of the greatest basketball players of all time. It is difficult to say definitively who is better, as they both have their own strengths and weaknesses. Ultimately, the debate over who’s the better player is a matter of opinion. 

There’s clear consensus, and both players have strong arguments in their favor. It’s enough to note that both Jordan and James are elite in their own ways but I would personally choose Michael Jordan to take the cake for this one as he’s a  more prolific scorer, a better defender, and has won more championships. I have written an article comparing Kobe Bryant and Lebron James similar to Who is better, Michael Jordan or LeBron James. Do check it out. Share what you would choose among the two GOATS in the comments below!