The debate between LeBron James and Michael Jordan as the greatest basketball player of all time may never have a definitive answer. LeBron’s longevity, versatility, and all-around greatness have made him arguably the most complete player ever. On the other hand, Jordan’s dominance, killer instinct, and unmatched run with the Bulls created a legacy that still remains untouchable.
Advertisement
Mario Chalmers, who is LeBron’s ex-teammate and has won two championships with him, has his pick in the GOAT debate. He believes that the crown belongs to MJ for a very peculiar reason.
While speaking to Dwight Howard on Above The Rim with DH 12 last month, he said that the thing that separates LeBron and MJ is the fear in their opponents. Jordan was the best at it. He was known for mental warfare. More importantly, if someone pushed his buttons with trash talk before or during a game, he was bound to go off on them.
LeBron, despite all his greatness, never had that element to his game.
Chalmers said, “Look, I played 10 years in the league. I was on two teams. I played against 450 different players over that time. And when you talk to people—guys I played with, guys who played before me—they all say the same thing. With Jordan? It was fear.”
Jordan getting monikers like ‘The Black Jesus,’ or ‘Black Cat,’ was a sign of respect. “There was a different stigma that came with playing against MJ. That’s just not the same with Bron,” Chalmers added. The former NBA star made it clear that he was in no way hinting that LeBron isn’t just as great.
He said, “Now, don’t get it twisted—Bron’s the best overall player you could want as a superstar. Physically gifted, can do everything on the court.” However, if he had to pick only one player “to live and die with in a big moment,” he’d go with MJ. The fear element makes Jordan the obvious pick for Chalmers.
Another thing that people refer to while picking MJ over LeBron in this debate is that the latter isn’t a proficient 1v1 player. There has been a rumor about LBJ getting crushed by Michael Beasley in 1v1. However, when asked about the same on The OGs podcast, Beasley said, “There’s some truth to the essence of that story. Me and Bron, we ain’t never played one on one in front of people.”
The 36-year-old said that he used to go hard on LeBron during practice. So, one day, LBJ yelled out that Chalmers should guard him, implying that Beasley had to step aside. The former NBA star believes that the reporter who published that story got the essence wrong.
