Getty LeBron James passed Michael Jordan on the career points list.
Back in the 90’s everybody was trying to make the next Michael Jordan.
Penny Hardaway, Harold Miner and Grant Hill were supposed to be the ‘heir apparent.’
Along came Kobe Bryant.
Then came a 6’8 triple double threat from Akron, Ohio named LeBron James.
In many barbershop talks: LeBron James was everything that Grant Hill was supposed to be had injuries not been his achilles heel.
Million Dollar Question: Will there ever be another Michael Jordan?
“I think LeBron is probably closest to it,” retired NBA player, Grant Hill tells me.
“Michael was interesting. We’re always comparing to see who’s going to be next to fill in shoes of greatness. With Michael, Kobe was the closest in terms of similarities in how they play, but I think in terms of everything Michael accomplished in his day, how he dominated, I don’t think we’ll see it again. I still think the league is in great hands, great players, but I think Michael was once in a lifetime.”
In the era of comparison, Michael Jordan and LeBron James is all everyone is talking about.
NBA Hall of Famer, Ray Allen is not a fan of it.
“They’re just not the same player,” Allen tells me of MJ and LeBron.
“They’re totally empathetical to each other. Like, LeBron is power, he’s a mismatch, he’s like a train. MJ is more like grace, with a mix of power, flash, and finesse. The comparison really is unfair to the both of them because they’re both in their own space. ”Six championships vs. three championships.Jordan has become the measuring stick for James’ greatness in today’s NBA game.“
GettyThe L.A. Lakers considered trading LeBron James according to reports.
“I think it has always happened,” NBA Hall of Famer, Julius Erving told me on the Scoop B Radio Podcast.
“I think people always make comparisons to people who are done. LeBron may play another six years, LeBron may play one year, we really don’t know.”
Insert Scottie Pippen, MJ’s former Chicago Bulls teammate.
“When I look at LeBron James, he’s not what Michael [Jordan] was as a player,” Pippen said recently on ESPN.
“He’s not even what Kobe Bryant was as a player. When you talk about trying to compare Michael’s instinct, his ability to take over games, his ability to want to have that last shot. LeBron doesn’t have that gene.”
“It’s like comparing Magic to Wilt Chamberlain,” Charles Oakley told me.
“LeBron don’t look like anybody. LeBron is LeBron. Ain’t never been a guy like LeBron. There’s been guys like Michael, like Kobe. We can compare Kobe to Mike.”
John Starks knows a thing or two about those 90s Bulls teams. His Knicks and Bulls often dueled with MJ and the Chicago Bulls. He also dunked on Horace Grant and Michael Jordan in the NBA Playoffs.
“But he didn’t move around, didn’t want to move around,” Starks said of Michael Jordan.
“He wanted to play against the best. He felt like he didn’t need to go chase players or join this team to beat the best because he felt like he was the best, and I think that’s the difference. I think that’s probably going to hurt LeBron when you look at it in that perspective against Michael, Bird, and Magic, those guys stayed with one team. And they won with that team.”