I’d rather be like Mike. Not Kobe Bryant. Not Lebron James, but Mike. Although Bryant and James are having phenomenal careers, you’d need to combine both of their careers to come close to topping Jordan’s legendary status.
In recent years, the sports world has debated who is the greatest: Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant or Lebron James? Fortunately I’ve seen all three compete during the time of their prime ability. In my mind, there is no question.
However, some critics and fans point out that Bryant scored 81 points in one game against the Toronto Raptors.
Kobe has won five rings. Three of those rings are Shaquille O’Neal rings. According to Bruce Blitz, Bryant has 393 wins and 271 losses with a winning percentage of 59.2 percent as the team leader.
Jordan has 640 wins and 290 losses and 68.8 percent wins.“Michael Jordan shot his team to wins,” said Blitz on his website. “Kobe Bryant shoots his team out of wins.”
Winning as the team leader is one significant stat that no one can deny.
I’m not bashing Bryant by any means. He’s just not Jordan, nor will he ever surpass him.“If Kobe wins two more championships, he will be considered the greatest player ever,” said senior Kenneth Hyman. “He may not have every record in the record book, but he would have more rings than Jordan.”
Bill Russell won 11 rings with the Boston Celtics during a short 13-year career. Is Russell greater than Jordan? Not in my opinion.
Championships do play a strong role in deciding the greatest, along with individual statistics and how a player helps his teammates get better.
Unlike Bryant and James, Jordan never played with another teammate who demanded a double team. Although Scottie Pippen is one of the top 50 greatest NBA players of all-time, teams would rather Pippen shoot than Jordan. Bryant has played with O’Neal, Pau Gasol and now Dwight Howard, all who demand double teams.
The Akron Hammer, James’s nickname -given by former SportNation host Michelle Beadle, is now in Miami with the Great Dwayne Wade. Wade demands a double team every game. Before Miami, King James spent seven years leading the Cleveland Cavaliers.
If somehow James had delivered a championship while in Cleveland, I certainly would have moved him up on the list. James may rise higher on my list only if he wins multiple championships, like Charles Barkley suggests.
He’s a walking statistic machine every night. He guards and plays every position. Plus he has led his team in points per game every season since he entered the league and I personally haven’t seen a player accomplish this feat since Jordan.
I don’t know what types of genes are in James’s DNA, but he has the potential unlike Kobe.
But let’s stop the small talk and let’s talk about Jordan. During the 1988 season, Jordan won the league’s scoring title and the Defensive Player of the Year award.
James should have won the Defensive Player of the Year award last year, along with his Most Valuable Player award, inching him closer to the prize.
This ultimate statistic puts Jordan in a league of his own. Throughout the 1988 season, Jordan not only prevented guards from scoring but he averaged 35 points per game. The amount of energy he used during this season is immeasurable.
For all the critics out there, let’s not compare apples and oranges. Bryant’s and James’s careers are dreamlike, but Jordan’s was like a hallucination. Did I really see that?
Out of 1,109 total games with the Chicago Bulls, Michael Jordan scored in double digits in all but one game.
Come on man.
Last season, James won his first championship in three tries, along with three MVP awards and a finals MVP.
Kobe has won five championships, but only two as team leader, one MVP and two finals MVPs.
Jordan is a five-time MVP winner as well as winning championships in six out of six tries. With two three-peats and sweeping the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award, I’d rather be like Mike.
