Skip Bayless’ monotonous question, “LeBron James or Michael Jordan” takes center stage once again. Skip has been LeBron’s longest and harshest critic. Yet he has not been acknowledged directly for any of the criticisms and the occasional compliments. Regardless, he continues his routine. Only this time, he gets somewhat of a clear answer to the MJ or LBJ dispute.
In FS1’s Undisputed, Bayless sat with one of the most respected and legendary John Salley. Skip wasted no time in drawing Salley into his crusade. Though the 4x champion chose MJ as the GOAT, he also sheds light on his decision.
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“I think we should compare him to Magic Johnson. He’s the same height, he plays point guard … he looks to the ref to give him a lot of calls. Very Magic Johnson. Screaming when he goes to the basket, “Yo ref!” … Michael never came and play point guard,” Salley says. Simply put, the very idea of comparing Jordan and Bron is not the right way to go about it.
Explaining further, he brings another point to our attention. The very nature of basketball has changed over the years. The kind of basketball he or MJ played is very different from the kind played now. The long list of fouls called in one game now wouldn’t have happened during his time.
He gives examples of a few practices that the current NBA has stopped. Namely, the abolition of hand-checking and increased density of fouls. It’s clear that the present league is vastly different from its more violent, past counterpart.
Skip Bayless vs LeBron James
By now, Skip and James would have equal claim to the number of articles written on them. That’s how far and wide Bayless’ posts, discussions, and tweets about Bron have gone. Though he has reiterated on multiple occasions that he’s in fact, not a hater of the Akron Hammer, certain criticisms are counter-intuitive.
From tweeting about every missed shot to labeling James as the ‘worst clutch player’, Skip has certainly invoked the wrath of LBJ fans.
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If only LeBron James had been born with a clutch gene.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) May 1, 2021
In an episode dedicated entirely to Charles Barkley (March 2022), Skip explained how he does not hate the “King”. Rather, he is simply being objective when it comes to the man in question.
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Whatever his reasonings are, it’s quite obvious that King James is no stranger to such denunciations. As he has done his entire life, James simply keeps his head down and plows through. Do you think John Salley was right in his comparison of LBJ and Magic? Let us know what you think!
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