NBA Legend Karl Malone Once Picked LeBron James Over Michael Jordan as Preferred Teammate: “He Plays Like Me”

Since his emergence in the NBA, LeBron James has been dubbed “The Chosen One”. This has always been a topic of debate whether he will eclipse Michael Jordan as the greatest basketball player of all time. LeBron grew up idolizing Michael Jordan. For the longest time, James even wore the number 23 on his back. 

And today, 19 years later, the hottest topic of debate still seems to be Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James. They never locked horns on the court, but the fact that they are from totally different generations doesn’t halt the argument of who is the greatest. 

The discussion about who is better may well be a heated one, but both players have distinct approaches when it comes to playing and commanding their teams. Jordan was a consistent scoring threat on a nightly basis, always looking to score first, while James is the complete opposite. He consistently strives to improve his teammates and do more than just score.

Karl Malone, not so long ago was asked who he would prefer as a teammate. Without hesitation, he said, “LeBron James. Because he plays like me. And I’ll tell you what. We don’t start playing until we get hit. So imma say, LeBron James. Let the debate begin, and I don’t give a rat’s a** if they do. I’m just telling you who I would like. That’s all,” Karl Malone said on The Dan Patrick Show. 

Know for his distribution and passing, the “Mailman” is right to some point when he says LeBron plays like him. Just like LeBron James, Karl Malone maximized his time in the sport by taking great care of his body and performance. Both the legends define longevity. 

However, Jordan defeated Malone in back-to-back finals, which might’ve influenced his decision. But it could also be that he just sees James and him would be a great fit together. 

LeBron James surpassed Karl Malone as the NBA’s second-highest scorer

In his pursuit to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, ‘King James‘ vaulted another barrier. Back in March, the Lakers forward surpassed Malone as the second-highest scorer of all time. 

James had an exceptional individual season since this was the second scoring landmark he passed this season. In February, he broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record for most combined points in the regular season and playoffs. 

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A player who has been criticized for not being a scorer currently ranked second on the all-time scoring list is actually quite insane. Despite not considering himself predominantly a scorer, James eclipsed Malone’s scoring milestone in 113 fewer games than it took the Mailman.

Just like Malone compared his game to LeBron’s, the King did the same after surpassing him. 

“Guys that just took care of their bodies for the majority of their career and always wanted to be available to their teammates,” James stated. “The most important leadership for you is to try to be available as much as possible on the floor.”

“I think myself and him, we always just tried to be in uniform and make plays and stay in condition and try to stay healthy, stay injury-free as much as you can and also be productive on the floor,” he added. 

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The 37-year-old now only needs less than 2000 points to claim the top spot. If he stays injury-free or does not retire prematurely, he will undoubtedly be at the top in the next years. And that might solidify his case as the greatest of all time.