Against all odds, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James continues to defy age and ‘Father Time.’ The 39-year-old superstar earned his 20th NBA All-Star nod and will likely earn his 19th All-NBA nod, both records by a considerable margin. However, despite his incredible accomplishments, including being the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, his legacy is often downplayed by comparing him to Michael Jordan.
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Retired NBA superstar Grant Hill is a firsthand witness of Jordan and James’ prime. During an appearance on JJ Redick‘s Old Man and the Three podcast, he explained why the Lakers superstar has had a more arduous career than the six-time champion. He said,
“In my opinion, Jordan is the GOAT, but I hate the conversation because in order to justify it we put down the other, and so it’s like, LeBron’s incredible. What he has done, the pressure from a very young age, how he’s lived up to the expectations, and what he’s had to ensure that I don’t think Michael Jordan had to endure. The slander, you didn’t see or feel that or hear that back in the day.”
Hill noted that Jordan was universally revered, while James has faced unprecedented vitriol and slander, despite not having any off-the-court controversies. He claimed that the Lakers superstar’s cultural impact is downplayed by “old heads who love Jordan.”
Analysts like Skip Bayless have used their platform to undermine James and celebrate every time he has failed. They’ve left no stone unturned in reminding their viewers constantly that James can never pass Jordan as the greatest player in NBA history, regardless of what he achieves. The rise of social media and entertainment under the guise of analysis and ‘hot takes’ has shifted the culture towards downplaying greatness rather than celebrating it.
James dragging lackluster rosters into the Finals and losing to better teams is used as a knock on his legacy rather than a testament to his unmatched talent. While Jordan’s failure to beat the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons of the 1980s is overlooked, James gets no concessions for losing to dynasty rosters like the San Antonio Spurs and the Golden State Warriors.
Neither player had a perfect career. However, the difference in attitude towards the two is stark.
Michael Jordan’s controversies left him tired
While Michael Jordan has become a mythical character to reminisce about, there was a time when the pressure of fame got to him. After leading the Chicago Bulls to victory in the 1993 NBA Finals, the then-three-time Finals MVP shockingly called it a day on his career. While the announcement shocked the world, it didn’t surprise those closest to the superstar.
Jordan was first in the eye of the storm for his refusal to endorse Democrat candidate Harvey Gantt in the 1990 North Carolina Senate race. He was standing opposite Republican candidate Jesse Helms, who was allegedly racist. Jordan, a North Carolina native, donated to Gantt’s campaign and was infamously heard telling his teammates, “Republicans buy sneakers too.” He caught flak for his joke, especially after Gantt lost the election.
Jordan’s notorious gambling habit also hurt his reputation. He clarified on multiple occasions that he did not have a gambling problem and he could stop anytime he wanted. The Bulls superstar was seen gambling in Atlantic City the night before the Bulls’ Game 2 loss against the New York Knicks in the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals. The media heavily criticized him for it. Jordan claimed he was trying to blow off steam, saying,
“I wanted to get away from the city of New York and relax, instead of sitting there and listening to the media hype up about the first game–my mistakes, Scottie Pippen didn’t play well, Michael Jordan didn’t play well.”
The chatter surrounding Jordan’s gambling addiction prompted him to have a sitdown interview with his friend and ESPN journalist Ahmad Rashad before Game 1 of the 1993 NBA Finals. He reiterated that he did not have a gambling problem and dismissed it as a “hobby.”
A month after he led the Bulls to their third straight title, Jordan’s father, James, was murdered in a carjacking. Before the perpetrators and the motive were identified, rumors spread that the murder was a result of Jordan’s unpaid gambling debts.
The toll of the media’s constant attacks and the death of his father overwhelmed Jordan. He decided to quit his career in his prime before marking a triumphant return 18 months later. While Jordan never had to face the social media era, he did have his fair share of trials and tribulations in dealing with fame.
