Michael Jordan and LeBron James may have never played against each other in the NBA, but their legacies will continue to run parallel. A majority of basketball fans consider them as the two figures competing in the GOAT debate. NBA analyst Colin Cowherd believes there’s one pivotal aspect which separates Jordan from James.
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If the GOAT debate relied only on statistics, LeBron would already own the title. After all, he is the league’s all-time leading scorer. Not to forget , he also ranks in the top-10 in assists, three-pointers, steals and minutes played.
Unfortunately for LeBron, there is much more that goes into earning the title of the greatest of all-time. A player’s influence is a major aspect.
When it comes to inducing different emotions, James falls short, according to Cowherd.
“Michael’s richer, more memorable, bigger brand, and he makes you feel something, and LeBron doesn’t,” Cowherd said on The Herd Live.
In Cowherd’s eyes, LeBron hasn’t delivered the same basketball moments that Jordan has. The main reason is that James has been one of the biggest opportunists the game has ever seen.
“LeBron has kinda bounced around to the best basketball opportunity every chance he gets,” Cowherd proclaimed.
By no means does Cowherd believe James is at fault for doing so. The four-time NBA champion tried to win with the Cleveland Cavaliers during his first stint, but the team never put an adequate team around him. He eventually joined the Miami Heat to get over the hump. It didn’t take long for him to try to earn the public’s good graces after becoming the most-hated player in the NBA.
As a result, James returned to the Cavaliers.
“I argue the only time LeBron has ever made us feel something was when he went back to his hometown. When he went back to Akron and won in Cleveland,” Cowherd said.
The sports media personality even used the world of golf as an example. “Tiger Woods made you feel something. Scottie Scheffler is just great.”
On the other hand, Jordan has an entire laundry list of moments that made the public feel something. It didn’t just touch the hearts of fans, but also some of the world’s biggest stars.
“Michael Jordan still sells more shoes than LeBron. Just to give you the influence of Michael Jordan, he got Derek Jeter in his prime to wear his logo,” Cowherd added.
Jeter wasn’t just one of the best MLB players during his prime; he is one of the best players in the sport’s history. The fact that he signed with Jordan brand was an incredibly big deal. Aside from Jordan, he is the longest tenured athlete with the company.
A lot of James’ decisions were in his own best interest. Of course, Jordan made decisions to benefit himself as well, but he took a more conventional approach, which resonates with more fans, including Cowherd.
