“Michael Jordan, the Greatest”: NBA Analyst Denies Lakers’ LeBron James to Be at Par With MJ

The Los Angeles Lakers are standing on the threshold of the NBA Finals after ten long years. They are all set to face the Miami Heat in this much-awaited battle, and their star player, LeBron James, is hoping to clinch his fourth title. In the final minutes of Game 5, he showed the Denver Nuggets what he’s made of.

However, an already existing debate about Michael Jordan and LeBron James has come to the surface yet again after the Lakers’ win.

Can LeBron James be as good as Michael Jordan?

LeBron has been a part of 10 of the Lakers’ NBA finals. And the one year he wasn’t a part of it, the Lakers’ didn’t win. So, what does that say about his importance in the team? Now that he has the Western Conference title under his belt, there is one more achievement to be conquered. That is, winning the debate about who is the GOAT. So who is it? LeBron James or Michael Jordan?

On ESPN’s First Take, Stephen A. Smith was asked whether LeBron will close the gap on Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan if the Lakers win the NBA title. Smith was very certain with his answer, exclaiming, “Hell no!”

He further elaborated, “I don’t know how many times I am going to tell people. Look, LeBron James is on my Mount Rushmore. He is the top two, top three all-time. He will NEVER get a vote over Jordan from me.”

“Let me tell you this right now, Michael Jordan, the greatest, the GOAT okay?” reiterated Smith. “It’s not just about the seven consecutive years he averaged plus thirty. It’s not the 6 NBA Finals and an unblemished record in the NBA Finals, It’s not just the fact that even never even allowed the series in the finals to reach seven games, it’s something about the road you travel to get there. And nobody wants to pay attention to the amount of competition that you had to go against in root to that level of greatness you ultimately accomplished.”

Why does James fall behind?

Smith thinks James lacks one major thing that MJ had. “He is a better passer than Michael Jordan. He was bigger and he could do some things, obviously because of his sheer physical prowess. We get all of that, but mental toughness? Isn’t even in the same league.”

As debatable as this topic may be, it is also endless. What do you think? Is LeBron James en route to surpassing MJ or will the latter emerge as the perennial GOAT of the NBA?