Friday, June 21, 2013

10 Reasons Why Lebron James Is Better than Michael Jordan



I have a life outside of business, ya know.

I am a former hoops nut. Still a big fan. One key element of running successful online businesses is being able to detach from your work.

When watching a game, your mind wanders, you find more creative, prospering ideas and you allow the Universe to work its manifesting magic.

Congrats to the Heat on their NBA championship. As a 30 year Knicks fan I want my team gunning for you guys next year....as for now, gotta give them props.

Lebron James is the best player I have ever seen. Throw that NBA title comparison with MJ out the window; that BS line does NOT work in team sports....because based on the MJ has 6 to Lebron's 2 championship logic, Bill Wennington, Steve Kerr and Luc Longley are all better players than Lebron. Because each of these role players has more than 2 chips.

I watched MJ for his entire career, from his UNC days, all the way through his Bulls days, when he was at his best, and believe he, he WAS the best, at least until this past year, when Lebron entered a different stratosphere, adding one of the best outside shots in the game to his arsenal.

MJ was the greatest, Lebron is the greatest....it is seen as heresy, by the masses, but most people would rather not think through the debate, and just chime in that LBJ is a passing fad, and that MJ was the greatest player ever, pointing to championships, which is a silly argument for a team sport....because again, those 3 role players on the Bulls are better than LBJ, based on that backwards logic.

The problem with the Jordan camp; old kings and legends die hard. We romanticize; this is why "back in my day" arguments are so funny. Everything and everyone is better, back when you were young, right?

I am more of a thinking guy, so even though I felt Jordan was the best, for many years, this past year LBJ took the mantle, based on thinking, comparison, and logical conclusions.

1: The Championship Argument Is Flawed in a Team Sport

Jordan had 6, Lebron has 2. So what? 100,000 factors come into play, including coaching, teammates, competition....in an individual sport, like tennis, or golf, this argument holds more weight....

.....but in basketball, well...too many elements to weight, in a team sport, to use this argument....do you believe Bill Russell was TWICE the player Jordan was, because he had nearly TWICE as many titles? Of course not! A great basketball player is a great player, period. Too many variables in a team sport, to go off of those numbers, alone.

2: MJ had PJ

Phil Jackson was the greatest coach of all time and pushed MJ's buttons like no other coach in history could. This added many wins and championships to MJ's bottom line.

If Lebron has PJ coaching him, tweaking him, playing games with his mind, he has 3 or 4 in the bag, already. Period.

3: Lebron Is a Superior Passer

Not better, but superior. He passes like Magic Johnson. Jordan was a great passer, but not in Lebron's league.

4: Lebron Is Unstoppable in the Post

Jordan was the all time best fadeaway jump shooter, but Lebron is more automatic in the post. He can hit fadeaways, but from 8 feet on in, it is And 1 time, and Jordan did not dominate like LBJ does, because he had not the bulk or brutish strength combined with the athletic ability of LBJ.

Lebron is also quicker than Chris Paul end to end, which says something for a guy who is 6-8, and 250....he is also as strong a defender as MJ....note how Tony Parker could barely get by him tonight??

5: Lebron Is a Comparable Long Range Shooter

This is about a toss up, with MJ and Lebron being kinda close.....Both became 2 of the greatest shooters in the league....but LBJ seems to have more range than MJ did at this point in his career.

6: LBJ Has Inferior Supporting Casts

ESPECIALLY in Cleveland, Lebron made it to the Finals with a weak supporting cast, and with little experience in the league. In Miami, he has a comparable team to MJ's Chicago teams.

7: Lebron Is More Athletic

Look at old MJ clips. He gets up big time. Look at Lebron dunk clips. He looks at the rim, eye level, and even had a dunk against the Pacers where he needed to duck, to avoid the rim. He is the most impressive physical specimen in the NBA, ever.

8: Lebron Succeeds Under Greater Pressure

MJ never had to deal with insane expectations, twitter chatter, Facebook speculating and the absolute mayhem that social media and the offline news media has become. Lebron has had to deal with this stuff since he was 16, and has still positioned himself as the far and away best player in the league.

9: MJ Failed Horribly in Earlier Rounds for Many Years

MJ got beat up by the Pistons for many years before getting to the Finals. Lebron has consistently made it deeper into the playoffs at this early stage of his career.

10: Lebron Has the Greatest Game 7 Average

Lebron entered tonight's game averaging 33.8 in Game 7, and he drilled the Spurs for 37 tonight.

What do you think? Who is better?

I mean, minus the 6 versus 2 argument, which works in tennis or golf, but has little weight in a team sport lol....oh OK you can use that one 2, if you like ;)

Please share your thoughts guys!!!

- Image http://www.flickr.com/photos/laffy4k/