“He Was Walking on Air”: First Encounter With Michael ‘Black Jesus’ Jordan Left LeBron James Awestruck and Speechless

Lebron James is on the path to dethroning the universally hailed ‘GOAT’ of basketball, Michael Jordan. The four-time NBA MVP is on the cusp of breaking the all-time scoring record held by Kareem Abdul Jabbar, as he looks to eclipse the pioneers that paved the way for him. 

James has garnered the respect of the sporting world for his outlandish longevity and durability. The King recently turned 38 years of age and shows no signs of slowing down.

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He had a near triple-double against the Atlanta Hawks, attaining a stat line of 47 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists. A once in a lifetime player. 

However, James’ foremost objective, when his NBA career draws to a close will be to surpass the man that inspired him to play the game, as the greatest NBA player of all time. 

In hindsight, this was reflected when LeBron James himself came across Michael Jordan for the first time. 

A young LeBron James speaks about seeing Michael Jordan for the first time

The four-time NBA champion is widely beloved for his candid yet outspoken personality. The King has never failed to heap praise on his colleagues, and the NBA Hall of Famers that built the foundation of the game.

Especially Michael Jordan. James has not once spoken ill of the six-time NBA champion. Rather, the now 38-year-old has showered love and heaped praise on his idol since his first year in the league for laying the woodwork for him and motivating millions. 

In an interview with David Letterman early on in his career James shared his love and admiration for Jordan, along with a story of his first impression. 

James said:

“I love Michael Jordan. The way that he approached the game, the way that he led his troops when he went out on the court, and his never say die attitude man was something I always looked up to.

He continued with a story on his first impression of meeting the NBA Hall of Famer. He stated:

“So I think it was my junior year in high school. I go up to Chicago and I go to a gym called hoops, where he plays basketball in the summertime. I didn’t know he was gonna be there, but I seen him. I seen him walking towards me and it was kind of like he was walking on air. I had to pinch myself and ‘Is that Michael?’ And he was like black Jesus to me. “

The words put forth by James might surprise a great many supporters, as the two have been forced to compete against each other due to media narratives and agendas. 

But between the pair, it’s crystal clear that they only have respect and admiration for one another. 

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Will James overshadow Jordan at the end of his career?

While a lot of individuals believe that James will never exceed ‘His Airness’ as the greatest, solely due to his immaculate NBA Finals record, as compared to James’ which is blemished, there are other factors that must be taken into consideration too.

Such as the franchises represented, the quality of teammates, the circumstances surrounding the player, the nature of the league, and the several changes to the game that have occurred.

When all is said and done, LeBron James will be the only member of an illustrious club of having 40,000 points, 10,000 assists, and 10000 rebounds. One of one.

That should be reason enough, apart from the myriad of accomplishments and accolades he possesses.

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