The ink was barely dry on the headline that the Golden State Warriors’ had won their third championship in four years when the debate over who is the greatest of all time, LeBron James or Michael Jordan, once again heated up.
Talking heads quickly dissected what the loss meant to James’ legacy in comparison to Jordan’s. But, let’s be clear” Those debates aren’t debates at all. They are just two talking heads on opposing sides of an issue who yell at each other while not recognizing that there are nuggets of truth in each argument.
The answer to the question of who is the greatest of all time, James or Jordan, requires both judgment and an agreement to move the conversation forward. In this debate, you must first agree on what comprises greatness and the criteria used to judge it. That will lay the groundwork for an objective statistical measurement to evaluate two players who never competed against each other on the hardwood.
Even that criteria can be subjective when you consider that basketball is a team sport. Jordan and his teams made it to the NBA Finals six times and took home the championship each time. James and his teams have made it to the finals nine times and have won the NBA crown three times.
It might also be fair to hold off on the James-Jordan debate until after James retires from basketball. After all, Jordan won’t win any more titles as a player. And, James was primarily responsible for the Cavaliers making it to the NBA Finals this year with a team that was dependent on players such as Jordan Clarkson and Rodney Hood. The argument for James being the greatest of all time took a hit when he left to play for the Heat, and it could be diminished again if he opts to leave Cleveland for Houston or Philly as a free agent.
While the debate centers on James and Jordan now, no one knows who the talking heads will be arguing about 20 or 30 years from now. But right now, if you believe that Jordan is the GOAT, your argument centers around his awards and achievements. If James is your GOAT, your points focus on how he has carried his teams on his back.
