LeBron James has offered a surprising take on the long-running argument over whether he ranks above Michael Jordan.
Both athletes are widely seen as two of the NBA’s most iconic figures, and fans have spent decades debating which one deserves the “greatest of all time” label.
They dominated in different eras, but each reached a level where, at their peak, they looked nearly impossible to stop and set the standard for the league.
Despite the constant comparisons, James and Jordan have generally kept things respectful when the topic of “who was better” comes up.
In a recent ESPN interview, James stuck to that approach and made it clear he doesn’t view it as a direct one-to-one comparison.
“I never have compared myself to MJ because our games are totally different,” he said.
“I’ve always been more of a point-forward, looking to pass, MJ looked for the shot. Not kind of… he did.
“He was f****** great. We’re both great.”
James acknowledged that while there are areas where he believes he has an edge, he also thinks Jordan outshines him in other parts of the game.
He continued: “There are things he did better than I do… and things I do better than him. That’s just how the game goes.
“He did so many things great. I grew up f—ing analyzing everything that he did, how he could get to his spot and rise up above everybody. Obviously, his post game was elite. His will to win. I think that is a trait that we all know and that we all wanted to be like. His determination to win.”
The Lakers star also said the endless back-and-forth over who is better has become exhausting.
“You can look at both of us and say that you love both of us without trying to s***on the other person. And usually, it’s s****** on me,” James added.
Jordan’s legendary run—best known for his years with the Chicago Bulls—played a major role in shaping James’ basketball dreams when he was growing up.
James continued: “I never thought that I could be him, but I dreamed of the opportunity to live in the shoes that he lived in. I dreamed of being able to be in a big game and hit a game winner as the clock went down.
“I dreamed of having my own sneaker. I dreamed of flying through the air like him. I dreamed of people screaming my name. Everything that he did. I needed inspiration from certain people in music and in sports during my upbringing. I needed that.”