In the modern NBA, no subject ignites as much passion and argument as the GOAT debate between Michael Jordan and LeBron James. In recent years, many NBA legends have shared their thoughts on the topic, including two-time All-Star Jerry Stackhouse, who has played with both MJ and "The King" during his playing years.
Weighing in on the matter, Stack concluded that a fair comparison would never be possible due to the different contexts in which both legends excelled. For Stackhouse, perhaps it's just safe to say that MJ and LeBron are the Top two on the GOAT list.
"I don't think it would be fair to give a comparison on them," Stackhouse told HoopsHype. "I played with LeBron at the prime of his career and I played with Michael in the last year of his career. I just think both are unbelievable players. They're probably one and two in the history of the game. That's where I'll leave it."
LeBron is behind MJ because of the rings
In all fairness to Stackhouse's take, there's really no way to figure out who's over who between Jordan and James, as they never got the chance to settle it on the court. Moreover, "His Airness" played in an era that emphasized physicality and defense, while LeBron's career has unfolded in a time of increased pace and space, with three-point shooting dominating the game.
However, Stack once reckoned that when it comes down to it, Jordan has a slight edge over James because of the number of NBA titles won. Stackhouse argues that while LeBron's multifaceted game is impressive, MJ's six championships speak for themselves.
"LeBron James, he's won a championship, and he's gonna be right there, you'd think, as far as the numbers go," Jerry once said. " So you can say maybe he's one of the greatest, if not the greatest of all-time players, but the only way that he can really back that up is to be able to be at the same level Michael Jordan's at in terms of winning championships."
LBJ is closing in on MJ
As the Jordan vs. James GOAT debate continues, more and more NBA players seem to appreciate "The King" as time passes by. In 2019, The Athletic started conducting a poll in which Michael beat LeBron by a whopping gap of 61.1%
Last year, Jordan earned 58.3% of the votes, while James garnered 33 percent, which significantly reduced the gap to just 25.3%. This year, LeBron made a huge leap as he closed in on Michael, earning 42.1% of the votes. On the other hand, MJ accumulated 45.9%, which means that the gap is now down to just 3.8%.
Judging by the given trajectory, it wouldn't be a shock if LeBron surpasses Jordan in the next NBA GOAT poll.
Related: "You can say maybe he's one of the greatest" - Stackhouse said LeBron wouldn't be the GOAT until he matches Jordan's ring count
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