6 reasons why Jordan is better than LeBron
Everyone has his favorite player when it comes to the question of who’s the GOAT of basketball.
However, since LeBron James got into the league and became one of the most influential players ever, much of the discussion surrounding who’s really the GOAT of basketball has always been between Michael Jordan and LeBron.
For old-school fans, Jordan is clearly better than LeBron, while for the younger generation, who grew up closer to LeBron’s legacy, the current Lakers star is the undisputable best player around.
This kind of debate about who is better, LeBron or Jordan, is always difficult to resolve because it is not only based on objective data but also revolves a great deal around more emotional aspects.
Despite LeBron James’ undeniable greatness—even at almost 40, he’s a top NBA player and the league’s all-time leading scorer—many fans still consider Michael Jordan the greatest ever and readily explain why.
To understand why, let’s dive into the 6 main reasons why Michael Jordan is better than LeBron James.
Why is MJ better than LeBron?
1. The perfect record in the NBA Finals
One of the most popular reasons supporting the debate of Michael Jordan’s superiority over LeBron is that of the record in the NBA Finals.
During his career, Jordan won 6 NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls and never lost a single finals series. The Chicago Bulls star retired undefeated in the NBA Finals, an awe-inspiring record.
LeBron James has won four NBA titles so far, but his record in the NBA Finals is currently negative, with four wins and six losses in 10 overall appearances.
Not only did Michael Jordan never lose an NBA Finals series, but he was also elected MVP of each of those six career-winning series.
In his first stint with the Bulls and his second, after temporarily retiring from basketball to play baseball, Jordan was always decisive in the Chicago Bulls’ victories.
Although LeBron James has certainly played a key role in his victories, he has always relied on the crucial help of other players, such as Ray Allen in Miami during the 2013 Finals.
- A legacy built with the same team
Another aspect that makes fans consider Michael Jordan better than LeBron James is Jordan’s loyalty to the Chicago Bulls throughout his career.
Jordan wore only a Bulls jersey for his entire career, except for his second return from retirement when he played for the Wizards.
All of Michael Jordan’s career successes are linked to the Chicago Bulls and vice versa. The same, however, cannot be said of LeBron James.
The Akron-born player has, so far, worn the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Lakers jerseys, managing to win at least one NBA title with each of them.
Michael Jordan’s identification with the Bulls was unconditional, and he never thought about leaving, even in the most negative moments.
Of course, it was also a different era in the NBA; so-called “superteams” were much rarer than today, and Jordan always wanted to try to win on the team he felt was his, the Bulls.
However, for LeBron James, the situation was different. He did not have enough support at the Cavaliers, and although he tried to attract players to join him, the situation never fully developed.
This led James to leave Cleveland to go to the Miami Heat and have a real title chance with a level supporting cast consisting of Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and Ray Allen. This decision fueled the LeBron vs Jordan debate and made him one of the most hated NBA players.
- Michael Jordan turned the NBA into a global league
Even though LeBron James’ global impact cannot be underestimated, if we consider the NBA a global league nowadays, it’s because of Michael Jordan.
His global influence stemmed from his iconic Air Jordan brand, his role in Nike’s rise, and his appearance in Space Jam, solidifying him as a cultural icon.
Jordan helped popularize the NBA worldwide during the 1990s, turning the league into an international sensation.
In the 1990s, everyone wanted to be like Michael Jordan. His popularity dragged the entire NBA along, taking the league’s popularity worldwide to heights never before reached.
This is another aspect often considered when explaining why Jordan is a superior player to LeBron.
- Jordan played in a more physical era
Another point that often comes up in the MJ vs. LeBron debate is the level of competition each player faced. Many argue that Jordan played in a more physically demanding era where defense was tougher, and fouls were more aggressively enforced.
Teams like the “Bad Boy” Detroit Pistons were known for their physicality, and hand-checking made it more difficult for players to score. Despite these challenges, Jordan dominated the league.
LeBron, on the other hand, has benefited from rule changes that favor offensive players. Critics argue that Jordan’s success in a more difficult environment speaks volumes about his greatness.
Many Jordan fans, in fact, feel that today’s NBA is too protective of stars, who often get favorable referee calls because of their status.
On the other hand, during the Jordan era, it is believed that the fouls and contact that stars such as MJ and others had to endure were far worse than they are today.
- The “mental toughness” factor
While LeBron James is an exceptional leader and performer, critics argue that he lacks the same “win at all costs” mentality that defined Jordan’s career.
Jordan’s will to win is simply legendary, even more so after the airing of “The Last Dance”, the Netflix documentary about the Chicago Bulls dynasty.
One of the reasons many people consider Jordan better than LeBron is that they feel Jordan was always able to deliver in key moments, something that they don’t feel is the same with LeBron.
From the “flu game” to the historical “The Shot” against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Jordan had plenty of moments that turned into the most feared player on the court.
This attribute stuck with him for the rest of his career, and today, the general consensus is that Michael Jordan was an absolute beast, not only because of his skills but also because of his mentality and his almost “insane” will to win and compete.
- The scoring instinct
Although LeBron James has recently become the top scorer in NBA history, many do not consider him a superior scorer to Jordan. Quite the contrary.
LeBron is often credited as the pioneer of the “point forward” position and is considered a more versatile player than Jordan. However, many believe Jordan was a far superior scorer.
Michael Jordan’s career scoring average was 30.1 points per game and would, in all likelihood, have been even higher if Jordan had not decided to leave basketball for nearly two years during his prime. His scoring average is unmatched even among the best shooting guards of all time.
LeBron’s career point average so far is 27.1 points per game. Many basketball fans feel that LeBron has become the best scorer in league history simply because he has played longer than Jordan, but he is not a better pure scorer than Jordan.
And looking at the careers of both is not hard to understand. LeBron has had only one season in his career in which he averaged more than 30 points per game. On the other hand, Jordan has had as many as six seasons in which his point average was above 30 per game.
