The LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan debate will never die. Everyone has their own criteria, their own memories, and their own moments they point to when choosing between His Airness and The King. Rings, Finals moments, stats, and the eye test all depend on what you value most. But for LeBron’s agent, it would seem that the answer should be clear. As it turns out, it’s not.
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There’s no universal answer to the debate, just strong opinions. James has the all-time scoring record. MJ has a perfect 6-0 Finals record with zero Game 7s. In many ways, it’s a coin flip.
That’s why the “last shot” question always gets people fired up. The latest incarnation of the conversation took place between Max Kellerman and Rich Paul on their recent Game Over podcast. Paul, who many assumed would choose James for the last shot because he is his client, surprisingly chose the Chicago Bulls icon instead, but immediately explained why.
“You asked me who I want taking the last shot. Michael Jeffrey Jordan,” stated the Klutch Sports CEO. “Now, who do I want to make the play? It’s LeBron Raymone James. Everyone has their own opinion, and I definitely have mine.”
Rich Paul and Max debate on who they want in late game situations between LeBron and Jordan
Rich: You asked me who I want taking the last shot. Michael Jeffrey Jordan. Who do I want to make the play? LeBron James
Max: I want Jordan doing everything at the end of the game… pic.twitter.com/0XidWyRpJv
— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) December 31, 2025
It’s probably the safest answer Paul could have given. He’s feeding the egos of both Jordan and LeBron fans, who at times can get toxic when having this spirited debate.
Kellerman decided to shake things up a bit just for the sake of argument. “By the way, I want Michael Jordan doing everything at the end of the game. Making the decision with the ball, score. Yes I do,” stated the former ESPN analyst.
Max is not wrong. It feels like Jordan would be the majority answer anyway due to his clutch gene. However, Paul explained that as great as MJ was, LeBron remains the greatest decision-maker the game has ever seen.
“LeBron is the best decision-maker to ever play the game. There’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it. I think Michael Jordan would say I want LeBron initiating the play and making the right play.”
This statement is not arguable. Bron proved this fact earlier this season when he gave up his 10-point streak and instead got a walk-off assist. He never cared about the record. He cared about getting the dub.
And that’s really where this debate always lands, preference over proof. Some fans will always lean toward the killer instinct, others toward the guy who sees the whole chessboard before anyone else. Jordan and LeBron represent two different kinds of greatness, and the “right” answer usually says more about the fan than the player. In the end, the fact that both answers still feel correct is exactly why this conversation never goes away.
