No two players in NBA history are compared more often than Michael Jordan and LeBron James. As the two primary GOAT candidates, they are the subject of countless debates but former NBA superstar Shawn Kemp says they don't belong in the same conversation.
"I think LeBron is right up there. I don't think he's the best and I don't think he has to be the best. And I don't think LeBron James should be compared with Michael Jordan either. I think LeBron should be compared with Magic Johnson. Whoever started that sh*t up got it totally wrong. LeBron is not no damn Michael Jordan, Kobe is more Michael Jordan. They wanted to make a story for the news or something I guess so they just throw a name out there. But I don't see how you can really compare those two, he's such a bigger, stronger person than Michael Jordan was, and a more forceful person. With LeBron, I don't think he could have done that back when we played."
Michael Jordan's status as the GOAT went unchallenged for years before LeBron's ascension to stardom. From the time that James first entered the league, he was chasing Jordan's legacy and had ambitions of taking his place as the greatest basketball player ever.
Today, 21 years later, and LeBron is right there with Jordan in the GOAT discussion. But according to Kemp, a more accurate comparison with LeBron would be Magic Johnson.
The Lakers legend won five championships in his career and retired in 1996 as a 5x champion, 3x MVP, 12x All-Star, and 10x All-NBA player. While Magic doesn't have the same longevity as LeBron (he only played 13 years), he had a very similar playstyle as starting point guard for the Lakers. At 6'9" and 215 pounds, Magic used his size, strength, and speed to blow past defenders to either pass to an open teammate or take the ball inside for an easy layup.
With a deep understanding of the game, Johnson was always one step ahead of the competition, and he consistently outsmarted players and coaches on the floor.
LeBron James plays much in the same way. Rather than using his sheer athleticism and grit to dominate the game, LeBron uses his mind to make plays and set up the best shots possible for him and his teammates. With career averages of 27.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game on 54% shooting, LeBron can do everything on the floor and can excel at every position.
So while Michael Jordan may be the only one who can hold up to LeBron's resume, there is a strong case to be made that he's closer to a modern-day version of Magic Johnson than any other OG superstar. In NBA history, it's Kobe Bryant who is the most like Michael Jordan and the Bulls legend himself wouldn't argue against it.
At 39 years old, there is no doubt now that James will go down in history as one of the greats but he didn't dominate the same way that Michael did. For James, his game was more about finesse and teamwork over playing physical and explosive bullyball and he wouldn't have it any other way.
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