Now that the Olympics are over and we can stop debating who would win between the 2012 American team and the 1992 Dream Team, we can return to another argument that will never be solved: LeBron vs. MJ.
After LeBron James won his first NBA Championship last season and the Miami Heat look like they could go for a few more, the comparisons between him and Michael Jordan started to kick back up.
James’ teammate Dwyane Wade made the analogy that if the two were on a golf course, Jordan would be on the 18th hole and LeBron would be on the fourth. James may be on par with Jordan but it’s too early to tell.
"I think everyone knows that (James) is a phenomenal, phenomenal player,” Wade said. “He's one that we haven't seen, with the makeup of a 6-8 guy who runs as fast as any point guard, jumps as high as any center, and has the ability that he has to do so many things. But Michael Jordan is the greatest player of all time, that's who everyone shoots for. So it's going to be hard to surpass that."
First of all, I’m not sure why Jordan is still on the 18th hole and not in the clubhouse in Wade’s analogy, but that’s just a minor detail.
I think Wade’s opinion is the logical one that most should have. We can look back and see everything that Jordan did during his career. The buzzer beaters, the spectacular dunks and Jordan’s raw talent are all showcased in highlight reels shown all over the place. LeBron’s story is still being written and we don’t know what it’s going to look like when all is said and done. So James may someday get to Jordan's level, but there's still a long way to go.
On top of that, it will always be impossible (barring the invention of time travel) to compare two players from different eras. It simply can’t be done.
So whether you’re part of Team MJ, Team LeBron or you just think it’s silly to try and compare the two (raises hand), you have to admire the skills and abilities of both players and respect them for what they are: incredible basketball players.
