Michael Jordan and LeBron James are two of the best ever to play basketball, and the hot debate on who is greater than them continues to rage on.
One of the best people to ask about it is another hooper who managed to compete against both of them. Sports Illustrated offered that question to the late Dikembe Mutombo in 2021. The four-time Defensive Player of the Year gamely responded, arguing that Jordan should hold the crown because he is the barometer for a lot of players.
"That debate will continue to rise," Mutombo said . "This is the same debate we had with our late friend, Kobe Bryant. People would ask if Kobe was better than Michael; now, people ask if LeBron is better. Everyone compares LeBron to Michael, which makes Michael the greatest. All success is compared to him."
How Mutombo fared against Mike and Bron
It was tough to score versus the Congolese-American icon, given that he was one of the finest defenders in NBA history . However, Jordan was able to make it look easy at times. What Mutombo had going for him, though, was it took a long while before "His Airness" finally put him on a poster.
Over their 23 matchups, the Chicago Bulls legend won 16 and averaged 30.2 points per game. He even put 50 points on Mutombo's head in their second battle.
On the other hand, James never got to face off against the late big man during his prime. Dikembe was already 37 by the time the former Cleveland Cavaliers superstar entered the league. Still, Mutombo got to witness firsthand how unstoppable Bron could be, particularly in the 2005-06 campaign when the small forward averaged 34.0 points per game against his Houston Rockets squad.
Related: "Bill Russell did not have 11 rings" - Photographer Nat Butler claims the Celtics legend never received the rings for his championships
Showing respect to the all-time greats
Despite being asked about Jordan and James, Deke praised various players who have legitimate claims to the GOAT title. He mentioned Bill Russell as previously the best of the best for clinching 11 rings in 13 seasons. Still, he emphasized how difficult it is to win multiple championships, also mentioning Hakeem Olajuwon and Stephen Curry.
According to Mutombo, history is continuing to be rewritten. He may have wanted to point out that the GOAT today may not necessarily be considered as such well in the future. It's difficult to see anyone surpassing the likes of MJ, Bron, Russell, and even Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Interestingly, a wunderkind has already gotten buzz as one day going down as the greatest ever to grace the basketball court. It may still be too early to anoint Victor Wembanyama with such a superlative compliment, but that hasn't stopped many pundits and fans from doing so.
Related: Embiid pays his respects to Mutombo: "Aside from what he accomplished on the basketball court, I think he was even better off the court"
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