LeBron vs. Jordan: Survey Says...

[Overdrive]

ESPN did a survey of experts. Here are the results (in the order ESPN discussed them).

Tougher era: LeBron 64%, MJ 36%
Better teammate: Pippen 68%, Davis 32%
More accomplishments: LeBron 62%, MJ 38%
Greater accomplishment: 6 rings 72%, 10 finals 28%
Greater accomplishment: Two threepeats with same team 57%, chips with three teams 43%
Higher peak: MJ 82%, LeBron 18%
MJ is...: GOAT 62%, #2 32%, top 5 6%
LeBron is...: GOAT 23%, #2 55%, top 5 21%
Final # of titles for LeBron: Four 17%, Five 70%, Six 13%, Seven+ 0% (Avg. 4.95)
Rings LeBron needs to surpass MJ: Three 15%, four 15%, Five 11%, Six 28%, Seven 15%, LeBron can never surpass MJ 17%

The rings to surpass MJ has 30% putting him ahead of MJ now whereas 23% had LeBron as GOAT. The discrepancy is they included other players in the GOAT discussion.

Per this, if LeBron wins five 41% would put him ahead of MJ. 6 would break the dam and get LeBron to 69%.

Discussion of each question in the full article at https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...an-goat-status.

How is # of accomplishments subjective? Everything else is debatable.

And yeah, Scottie > AD relative to era; peak for peak, but AD is such a nice fit for Lebron.

[AlternativeAcc.]

It's called an opinion.

Its called that guy is literally autistic and so are you.

[Roundball_Rock]

How is # of accomplishments subjective? Everything else is debatable.

And yeah, Scottie > AD relative to era; peak for peak, but AD is such a nice fit for Lebron.

I suppose it depends on what you define as accomplishments. One could make a strong case that Jordan is the more accomplished player (e.g., 5 MVP's versus 4) but the panel had LeBron ahead 62-38% and LeBron is still going.

Good point bringing up relative to era. The question was who was the greater/better teammate, which inevitably involves comparing them within their eras.

2020 MVP voting: Giannis, LeBron, Harden, Luka, Kawhi, Davis, Paul, Lillard, Jokic, Siakam.
1996 MVP voting: Jordan, Robinson, Penny, Hakeem, Pippen, Payton, Malone, Kemp, Hill/Shaq.

Which list is more impressive? I suspect Pippen haters would say the 96' list--but then you have to square that with Pippen, who sucks, being ahead of all those guys, and as noted earlier, he got hurt late in the season. If the vote was taken in mid-February he would likely have been 3rd.

[Gimmedarock]

What happens when Bron gets 7 rings? I mean that’s a definite possibility. He got dat magic sauce bruh. Once he gets 6 you know he won’t miss getting 7. Guaranteed!

[Goldrush25]

What happens when Bron gets 7 rings? I mean that’s a definite possibility. He got dat magic sauce bruh. Once he gets 6 you know he won’t miss getting 7. Guaranteed!

More goal post moving. All of a sudden ring count won't matter.

[Roundball_Rock]

What happens when Bron gets 7 rings? I mean that’s a definite possibility. He got dat magic sauce bruh. Once he gets 6 you know he won’t miss getting 7. Guaranteed!

Good question, especially if Davis has surpassed him as the best player by then (as he presumably will in the next 2-3 years).

More goal post moving. All of a sudden ring count won't matter.

I think so, at least with Jordan stans and Jordan advocates in the media (someone noted Perkins was part of this panel--how much MJ fans were ?) . We know because that is what happened when Kobe looked like he would win 6 or more. They will shift to MJ was just better, like they did with Kobe.

The problem is when you hammer rangz so often, for so long you can't fully take it back. So some people, as the survey noted, will hold to that standard. If LeBron has 6 you give the edge to LeBron since that would come via 12-13 finals (MJ had 13 total playoff appearances, and in two of them he missed 80% of the season). If it is 7, then definitely game over, per MJ stan's professed standard.

[MaxPlayer]

What happens when Bron gets 7 rings? I mean that’s a definite possibility. He got dat magic sauce bruh. Once he gets 6 you know he won’t miss getting 7. Guaranteed!

It's hard to imagine that at 35 he could still have 3 rings left in him.

If he somehow pulls it off, I doubt there will be many people still arguing against him.

[Spurs m8]

Exactly....do a poll off this website and LeBron isn't even close to being ranked as GOAT.

This is literally the only place - through at least 30 alts - that LeBron is magically GOAT.

Majority in the real world know the deal...

Majority of knowledgeable basketball fans DEFS know the deal.

Sorry boys...you can start 1000 threads, but we all know you only do it because you know deep down who the real goat will always be

We win again

[Kiddlovesnets]

What happens when Bron gets 7 rings? I mean that’s a definite possibility. He got dat magic sauce bruh. Once he gets 6 you know he won’t miss getting 7. Guaranteed!

MJ would still be ahead, since Lebron can no longer match the 100% finals winning percentage unless he builds a time machine to go back in time and win the finals he lost. Anyone who fails to maintain a perfect finals record is automatically disqualified from GOAT conversation.

[MaxPlayer]

MJ would still be ahead, since Lebron can no longer match the 100% finals winning percentage unless he builds a time machine to go back in time and win the finals he lost. Anyone who fails to maintain a perfect finals record is automatically disqualified from GOAT conversation.

Do you actually type it each time, or do you just copy-paste like 3ball?

[Spurs m8]

Do you actually type it each time, or do you just copy-paste like 3ball?

Get out of here champ, winners are talking

[MaxPlayer]

Get out of here champ, winners are talking

But you're a Spurs fan.

[HBK_Kliq_2]

I don't believe in this whole "4 rings in modern era equals 6 crap". Have LeBron 3peat with Lakers and we'll talk.

[lxlHoTsAuSelxl]

Didnt espn say Lakers werent even top 5 this year?

[Roundball_Rock]

I don't believe in this whole "4 rings in modern era equals 6 crap". Have LeBron 3peat with Lakers and we'll talk.

Why not? We hear 6 rings>11 Russell rings every day.