For years there has been a common debate as to who is the Greatest NBA player, LeBron James or his Royal Airness, as dubbed by Nike AIR, Michael Jordan. While the definition of “great” can vary from person to person, we narrowed it down to four criteria: impact and influence, team success, statistics and recognition.

Team Success

The ultimate goal of an NBA season is to win a championship, and Jordan went undefeated during his 1990s seasons with the Chicago Bulls, going 6-0. Jordan and the Bulls dominated, winning six out of their 10 possible championships. They were also the first team to win two threepeats, the first from 1991 to 1993 and the second from 1996 to1998.

While Jordan had two Hall-of-Fame teammates helping him out on the court, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman, LeBron had help too. When he played with the Miami Heat, he had three Hall-of-Famers, Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis and Kevin Love, helping him win two championship rings.

While Jordan did win more championships overall, LeBron won four of them over his career, and he played in 10 finals. In addition to winning four titles, LeBron had to win the titles on three different teams: two with the Miami Heat, one with the Cleveland Cavaliers and one with the Los Angeles Lakers. Jordan didn’t win anything after he left the Bulls, and he wasn’t able to win any championships without his Hall-of-Fame teammate Scotty Pippen. Also, many argue that LeBron had tougher finals matchups playing against the likes of Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki and Stephen Curry.

Recognition

Jordan excels in this category, winning five regular season MVPs, which ties him for second place with Bill Russell, following Kareem Abdul Jabbar, who holds the lead with six. A frequently overlooked aspect is Jordan’s defensive honors, as he was selected for nine All-Defensive teams compared to LeBron, who has only been selected for six. Jordan also holds the record for the most final MVPs, having earned six since the award was implemented in 1969. Although Jordan has made fewer All-Star appearances, he had made the game every year of his career.

Some RHS students we spoke to scoffed at the suggestion that LeBron was the dominant player. “LeBron almost lost to [Victor] Oladipo, who led the Pacers in the first round, so dominance is out of the question,” sophomore Jack Novak said.

In terms of accolades for LeBron, he has won four MVPs to Jordan’s six; however, many argue that LeBron should have won MVP in the 2007 and 2011 seasons as well. Also, LeBron has been selected for the NBA All-Star Game 20 times, which is every season of his career except for his rookie year. In addition, LeBron has 13 All-NBA first team honors, compared to Jordan’s 11. LeBron has also won the assist title, which Jordan never achieved. Finally, many reports have come out that the Bulls stat keeper was inflating Jordan’s steal statistics in 1988 and 1989.

Statistics

No one has scored more than the scoring king, Lebron, as he is first in all-time points scored, with over 41,000 points. Jordan is way behind in fifth place, with a little over 32,000 points. LeBron is in fourth place in all-time assists; Jordan trails behind in 52^nd place. LeBron is also in 26^th place all-time for rebounds, while Jordan’s placement is laughable all the way back at 139. Jordan fans may argue that he has better per-game stats; however, LeBron leads in both rebounds and assists per game, along with being more efficient throughout his career. LeBron clearly has Jordan beat in almost every statistic.

“People for years have been asking, who will be the next Jordan, but nobody will be the next LeBron,” said Luken Biggan, an RHS sophomore and Lebron fan

While LeBron does deserve props for his longevity, it also makes comparing their statistics hard. Using total career numbers is flawed as it does a disservice to Jordan, as he only played 13 full seasons. While Jordan is only fifth in all-time total points scored and LeBron is first in all-time total points on a Point Per Game (PPG) basis, Jordan has averaged the most of any player with 30.12 PPG­­­ and is one of only two players to have a career average over 30. He also had the third highest steals per game (SPG) in NBA history with 2.35.

Impact and Influence

LeBron has changed the game in terms of longevity as well, proving that players can still be elite despite their age, as he is the only player in NBA history to average more than 20 points per game for more than 20 seasons. Off the court, LeBron has released 19 shoes in his signature shoe line. He also has bettered his community by starting his own charity, The LeBron James Family Foundation, which provides school supplies for children in need.

“Michael Jordan and LeBron are both undoubtedly the best players because they both changed the game in both eras they played in,” sophomore Paul Posterino said. “The fear of their opponents was obvious, and they both won consecutively in the finals as well as working incredibly hard and both then competed in the Olympics and still dominated.”

It’s clear that this is a hot topic not only for members of our school community but for people the world over. So, RHS students and staff, after reading the stats, we’d like you to let us know: Who do you think is the GOAT of the NBA? Please let us know in the Comments.